After enjoying a hearty barbecue, Haruko returned home, but Mr. Fukuda and Mrs. Chuko insisted on accompanying her, despite her reluctance. In truth, it was unnecessary; her belongings had remained unchanged since her arrival in Tokyo, consisting only of a backpack and a suitcase.
What worried her more was the thought of Mr. Fukuda's reaction upon seeing Mr. Shinya.
With a mixture of anxiety and anticipation, she rode in Mr. Fukuda's car, visiting the apartment known as "Tokyo Society" for the second time.
If one didn't take the back roads, the journey was quite straightforward. She could hardly believe she had lost her way for over three hours yesterday. Mr. Shinya had asked when she would be moving in and kindly offered to help, a gesture she had politely declined. He had promised to give her the key upon her arrival the next day.
As the car pulled into the parking lot, she spotted Mr. Shinya waiting by the entrance of the apartment, seemingly anticipating her arrival. However, upon making eye contact with Haruko, he suddenly dashed inside, his demeanor betraying a hint of panic.
This unexpected behavior left her perplexed, yet she felt it inappropriate to voice her confusion in front of Mr. Fukuda and Mrs. Chuko as they walked toward the entrance.
"Ah, what a splendid building! While it appears old-fashioned from the outside, it was actually newly constructed," Mr. Fukuda remarked, inspecting the structure and even patting the stone lion at the entrance, his satisfaction evident.
"Yes! The facilities inside are quite complete, with separate baths for men and women on every floor! I also saw the room I'll be staying in, and it was impeccably clean!" she added quickly, eager to make a good impression.
At that moment, a man dressed in a kimono emerged from the building and greeted them politely.
"You must be Miss Yamashita and her family, greetings to you all." His well-groomed appearance and neatly arranged hair evoked the image of a scholar from an earlier era. "I am Mr. Kogimi, one of the apartment managers, primarily handling administrative tasks and expenditures."
She noted that Mr. Kogimi was Chinese and promptly introduced herself. "Hello, Mr. Kogimi. These two are my instructors from the culinary school, Mr. Fukuda and his wife."
"I apologize for not being able to personally welcome you yesterday due to personal matters. I'm here to clarify the details that Mr. Shinya may not have fully explained," Mr. Kogimi stated, extending the invitation to Mr. Fukuda and Mrs. Chuko. "If Miss Yamashita doesn't mind, you are welcome to join us."
Haruko nodded, though Mr. Fukuda furrowed his brow, questioning Mr. Kogimi, "Is that truly permissible? I thought your organization prioritized resident privacy."
"Certainly, while I cannot disclose any personal information about the residents, I understand your concerns regarding your student's daily life," Mr. Kogimi replied with a gentle demeanor and professional poise, earning Haruko's admiration. Although he appeared no more than five years her senior, he exuded the confidence of an experienced professional. "If I can answer your questions, I will certainly do so."
While she felt guilty about Mr. Shinya, Haruko was relieved that Mr. Kogimi had come to welcome her. The previously anxious expressions on Mr. Fukuda's and Mrs. Chuko's faces began to ease into smiles.
Remembering Mr. Shinya, she asked, "What about Mr. Shinya?"
"He needed to acquire a few things before your arrival and will likely return in the afternoon."
Yet she had distinctly seen Mr. Shinya hastily retreat upstairs just moments ago. She mumbled to herself, though she didn't voice her thoughts. Mr. Fukuda and Mrs. Chuko clearly placed great trust in the composed and dignified Mr. Kogimi, and Mr. Shinya's sudden appearance might only add to their confusion.
Mr. Kogimi guided them to the lounge on the first floor, where the table felt slightly damp, as if recently wiped down. In the kitchen behind them, the sound of a kettle boiling filled the air. Mr. Kogimi asked them to wait momentarily and soon returned with four cups of hot tea and snacks.
"Allow me to explain the general situation of the apartment," he began, taking a sip of tea and speaking calmly. "The apartment is owned by a corporation and operates as a non-profit entity. Mr. Shinya and I manage overall operations and expenditures, but as we also have our own jobs, we invited Miss Yamashita to help with the minutiae."
"Miss Yamashita is officially employed by us, not as a temporary worker, so we will provide her with appropriate social and health insurance."
Mr. Fukuda nodded, while Mrs. Chuko expressed a lingering concern, "May I ask, are there other female residents here?"
Mr. Kogimi offered a reassuring smile. "Certainly, but to protect their privacy and safety, I cannot disclose their ages or professions. I hope you understand."
"In addition, while friends may stay overnight, prior arrangements must be made. Friends can visit during the day without notice, but everyone must vacate by five o'clock; that is our apartment's rule."
Having calmed down significantly, Mr. Fukuda and Mrs. Chuko expressed their final words of caution and gifted Haruko a simple set of utensils before departing.
"Those two genuinely worry for Miss Yamashita; she is fortunate to have such caring mentors," Mr. Kogimi remarked quietly to Haruko as they bid farewell to Mr. Fukuda and Mrs. Chuko at the door.
"Yes, they have taken such good care of me! Thank you as well, Mr. Kogimi, for easing their minds!"
"Haha, it's no trouble at all! Isn't that right, Mr. Shinya?"
Mr. Kogimi's demeanor shifted, revealing a more playful smile.
Turning around, Haruko noticed Mr. Shinya at the door, now dressed in casual attire, his vibrant red hair still strikingly fluffy, a contrast to the suit he had worn earlier.
"Have your parents left?" he asked, nodding to Haruko before addressing Mr. Kogimi directly.
"Weren't you eavesdropping on our conversation? Those two are Miss Yamashita's teachers, akin to parental figures."
"Isn't that quite similar?" Mr. Shinya murmured under his breath.
Mr. Kogimi looked at him with an amused expression, and Mr. Shinya felt a sudden chill.
"Miss Yamashita, this morning when you arrived, Mr. Shinya was…"
Haruko noticed that Mr. Kogimi didn't address Mr. Shinya with formality, suggesting a close rapport between them.
"Could it be… I wasn't mistaken this morning?"
"Hey, Kogimi, you…"
Just as Mr. Shinya was about to shush him, Mr. Kogimi continued without concern.
"...in a rush to my room, saying, 'She brought her parents! Quick, go welcome her!'"
"...I see." Reflecting on Mr. Shinya's panicked return to the apartment, she deduced he must have been anxious about meeting Mr. Fukuda.
How to put it… despite his tall stature, Mr. Shinya's demeanor was quite endearing!
"Then he hurried into the kitchen to make tea, too shy to even greet her."
No wonder they had heard water boiling upon entering the dining room.
"Haha, Mr. Shinya… you really don't need to worry!" Haruko couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Lies! With teachers and middle-aged folks, their first words to me aren't greetings but accusations!" Mr. Shinya secretly felt he had dodged a bullet.
While she believed Mr. Fukuda would never utter anything impolite regarding Mr. Shinya's appearance, seeing Mr. Shinya in such a fluster made her suddenly understand Mr. Kogimi's teasing.
"Anyway, now that Miss Yamashita has joined us, welcome!"