When Yoichi brought up the idea of moving out, Misae was in the middle of adding fish balls to the hotpot. The spoon in her hand clanged lightly against the rim, her movements pausing mid-air.
"Yoichi-kun… is it uncomfortable living here?" she asked, quickly setting the spoon down, her face filled with concern. "Is Shin-chan too noisy? Or is Himawari crying too much?"
"No, no, nothing like that," Yoichi said immediately, waving his hands in a fluster. "Living here has been great. It's just that… after my promotion, I've been working late a lot. I come home very late, and I'm worried I might disturb everyone. And… I also want to try living on my own."
Hiroshi, who had been quietly listening with a cigarette in his mouth, nodded for once with unusual seriousness. "That makes sense. A young man should have his own space." He paused, then added, "Actually, I know a place. There's a vacant room at Sekoguchi Apartments—close to the company, and the rent isn't bad."
"Sekoguchi Apartments?" Yoichi repeated, unfamiliar with the name.
Before Hiroshi could explain further, Shin-chan suddenly popped up from beside the table, eyes sparkling. "That's where Teacher Matsuzaka lives! If you move there, you can see Ume every day!"
"Don't call me Ume!"
A sharp, familiar voice cut through the room.
Standing at the entrance was Matsuzaka Ume herself, holding a designer bag, clearly having come over at the perfect time to "drop by" for dinner. Hearing Shin-chan's words, her expression immediately turned fierce. "And you, Nohara Family brat—stop talking nonsense!"
Yoichi glanced at her and, for some reason, felt a faint sense of unease.
Three days later, Yoichi stood in the dim hallway of Sekoguchi Apartments, dragging his suitcase behind him. The old doorplates were scratched, the walls slightly worn—it wasn't exactly ideal, but it was practical.
Just as he was about to unlock his door, the sharp click of high heels echoed behind him.
"Oh? Isn't this the Nohara family's relative?"
Yoichi turned to see Matsuzaka Ume leaning against the stairwell, arms crossed, eyeing him up and down.
"What's this? Did they finally kick you out?" she added with a smirk.
Yoichi forced a polite smile. "Good evening, Ms. Matsuzaka. I've rented room 302. I'll be your neighbor from now on."
Matsuzaka's eyes widened. "302? That's right next to my 301!"
In an instant, a dozen embarrassing scenarios flashed through her mind—being overheard laughing at late-night dramas, being caught living off instant noodles at the end of the month, or worse… accidentally running into him fresh out of the shower.
"No! You can't live here!" she blurted out.
Yoichi raised the lease agreement calmly. "It's already signed."
Matsuzaka stomped her foot in frustration, clearly unable to argue back. "Then listen carefully—don't talk to me casually, and absolutely do not expose my private life!" she snapped before storming upstairs, her heels clacking loudly with each step.
From the very first day, Yoichi realized just how… chaotic his new living situation would be.
At six in the morning, he was jolted awake by a piercing scream from next door.
Startled, he rushed out and knocked on Matsuzaka's door, only to find her standing there in her pajamas, trembling as she pointed at the floor.
"A cockroach! Get rid of it! Hurry!" she cried, clearly on the verge of panic.
Yoichi didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. He calmly grabbed a tissue, picked up the unfortunate insect, and tossed it out the window.
Matsuzaka stood frozen for a moment before stiffly muttering, "Th-thank you…" and immediately slamming the door shut.
Later that evening, as Yoichi returned from work, he saw Matsuzaka crouching by the roadside.
She was gently talking to a stray orange cat, her voice soft and warm—completely different from her usual sharp tone. The cat rubbed affectionately against her leg, and for a moment, her expression was surprisingly tender.
But the moment she noticed Yoichi, she instantly straightened up, brushing off her skirt. "What are you staring at? I was just passing by," she said coldly, before quickly heading inside.
Yet just before entering, she discreetly poured some cat food onto the ground.
Yoichi couldn't help but smile slightly.
The most troublesome part, however, was the end of each month.
Every time her salary ran out—usually after spending too much on luxury items—Matsuzaka would survive on instant noodles.
One evening, Yoichi cooked curry, and the rich aroma drifted into the hallway.
A few minutes later, his door creaked open just a little, and an empty bowl slowly appeared through the gap.
"I… I just thought it would be wasteful if you made too much," came her muffled voice. "It's not like I wanted any…"
Yoichi said nothing and simply filled the bowl generously.
As he handed it over, he clearly saw her eyes glisten for just a moment before she quickly turned away.
That night, Yoichi worked overtime and returned around ten.
As he stepped out of the elevator, he saw Matsuzaka standing stiffly in front of her door, clutching her phone tightly. Her face was pale.
"Ms. Matsuzaka? What's wrong?" Yoichi asked, immediately sensing something was off.
Her lips trembled slightly before she spoke. "I… I think someone followed me home."
She explained that someone had been trailing her since she left work and was still lingering downstairs.
Yoichi's expression turned serious. He quickly ushered her into his apartment, locked the door, and called the police.
While waiting, Matsuzaka sat on the sofa, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes.
"…I wasn't always like this," she said suddenly, her voice unusually quiet. "Back in the countryside, I could even catch mice with my bare hands."
She let out a small, self-mocking laugh. "But after coming here… I kept trying to act like a sophisticated city woman. Somewhere along the way, I just… lost myself."
Yoichi didn't interrupt. He simply handed her a glass of warm water.
He remembered Hiroshi mentioning how she had been struggling alone all this time—strong on the surface, but deeply lonely.
The police arrived quickly and caught the "stalker"—just a drunk man trying to hit on her.
After seeing them off, Matsuzaka stood at the doorway, hesitating for a moment before quietly saying, "…Thank you. For today."
"It's what neighbors do," Yoichi replied with a small smile.
She turned to leave, then paused.
"Oh, and… the curry you made last time was pretty good," she said, trying to sound casual. "If you cook it again, let me know."
Before Yoichi could respond, she quickly shut her door.
Yoichi looked at the closed door and let out a soft chuckle. Taking out his phone, he sent Hiroshi a message:
"Cousin, living at Sekoguchi Apartments is definitely… challenging. But honestly, it's not bad."
Moonlight streamed through the window.
From next door, faint laughter could be heard—Matsuzaka was probably watching one of her dramas again.
Leaning back on his sofa, Yoichi realized something.
Living alone wasn't as quiet as he had imagined.
What he didn't know—
Was that Matsuzaka Ume was standing just behind her door, listening to the faint sounds from next door.
A small, almost imperceptible smile curved on her lips.
"…He's somewhat useful," she muttered softly.
Then, after a pause—
"But if he thinks I'll admit he's a good neighbor… not a chance."