And now the thrilling (lol nah) follow-up to the previous chapter!

There were a lot of interesting differences between apartment life in America vs Japan. I think what surprised me most is that a lot of units are just unfurnished. And I mean UNFURNISHED. In America most apartments I've been to come with a fridge or washer/dryer. Not so over there for the most part. You have to literally buy almost everything. I think it's like that in Germany too? Super interesting stuff!

CHAPTER 5: FREEDOM

During the walk from his parent's house to Hashirimawaru, Ataru struggled to compose himself. Like a madman he snickered down the streets he'd roamed since boyhood, waving jovially at any neighbor who spared him a glance while ignoring their questioning looks. And every so often he'd succumb to a fit of cackling that led to whispers over his mental stability - a parting gift for his poor mother, who'd probably be fielding questions from busybodies all afternoon. Likewise, he shook the nerves of passers-by on the busy streets of Tomobiki's shopping district, and even at the Station itself he further troubled patrons with more of the same unhinged behavior. Not a soul came near him on the short train ride between towns either. And when he got off at Senshoo nobody joined him, though that was more a testament to the sleepy town itself than a reflection of the fear he'd stoked in his fellow travelers. Not that he'd act any differently if the station was crowded; there was simply no containing his glee, and he didn't want to either. He'd earned this, and dammit he was going to enjoy every moment!

Ataru's new landlord, Mrs. Miwa, was a wizened, sour-faced old woman who'd taken a disliking to him almost immediately. When they first met for a tour of Maisupēsu, he'd delighted over the unit she'd shown him as though it were a palace, only to grow cold and argumentative over the cost. Everything he'd praised was suddenly a problem, and he brutally haggled her down to the lowest rate she dared to charge. About the only price Ataru couldn't negotiate was the key cost, and he'd taken to complaining in a way that reminded Mrs. Miwa of all the things she didn't miss about being a mother. But he had the money, and she needed a tenant - a scarcity in such a quiet old town. Which, honestly, had been part of the allure for Ataru. Less people meant less applicants, which gave him more buying power. Really he'd put forth more effort in finding a place to live than he'd ever expended during his entire career as a student. Even if bartering made him an enemy of his new glorified mother (what else was a landlord if not that?) it was a cost he gladly paid for independence.

So he didn't mind Mrs. Miwa's distrustful scowl as she handed him the key and a copy of their rental agreement. Neither did he pay much attention to her blathering about the trash schedule and noise policy. To all of it he nodded and smiled, letting her words bounce off his head, which was too full of daydreams and fantasies to hold any practical information. Of course there were other costs he hadn't considered besides key money. But those, along with the business of unpacking, were the problems of future Ataru. Present-day Ataru was far too busy basking in the glow of his newfound freedom.

After their brief meeting he'd all but skipped out of her office (which was, thankfully, located on the opposite end of the complex) and made his way merrily to the eastern side of the building. There was really nothing extraordinary about Maisupēsu. It sat at the corner of two connecting streets, spanning a block each way to form an almost perfect square, with a featureless gray property wall surrounding it on all sides minus the entryway. Each door was identical, and he assumed each suit was similarly constructed as well. Except for the corner units, which, Mrs. Miwa boasted, had additional windows for natural lighting. Ataru was lucky to have landed one of them, she'd said, and he agreed, though it didn't dissuade him from haggling. A grin twisted on his face as he ascended the stairs to the second floor of the gray building, reliving the thrill of his journey up to this point – searching, taking his first tour, haggling, and finally, getting the key and walking these last several steps. And when he stood at his own front door the tendrils of his spine danced with a chill. He took out his key and turned it beneath the afternoon sun, watching a shine of light dance across the shaft. It might not seem like much, but for Ataru, this key was tangible evidence of the many trials he'd overcome to get here. After a moment he thrust it into the keyhole and with a swift flip of his hand, turned it to release the lock.

Ataru was home at last.

Once he'd closed the door to the world behind him and reveled in the privacy of his own genkan, Ataru tore through the apartment like a gale wind. Every inside door and window was flung open, and he gazed upon each room with the romantic passion of an explorer on his maiden voyage. Despite the smallness of it, and the bareness of every room (he didn't even have a fridge), Ataru felt a surge of joy knowing it was all and completely his. Whatever he chose to stock in the fridge - once he got one - was up to him. And he could decorate or not decorate as he saw fit. Why, he could even leave all the lights on if he wanted, without worrying about the shrill reprimands of his mother. In fact, he'd never hear her bemoaning his habits again! No more daily reminders that they were merely scraping by, and no more guilt to be laid on his conscience. Neither would he have to share his limited space with a spoiled fire-spitting child. And best of all there wouldn't be anyone nagging after him to do this or that, or questioning his every move. Ataru could actually leave his home without getting the third-degree from an overly paranoid "housewife". Oh how sweet such silence would be!

Some thirty-ish minutes later Ataru's legs grew weary, so he took a break to sprawl on his Livingroom floor with a contented smile and faraway gaze. And as he wound down, with nothing left to explore, his mind fell to more serious matters. Sternly did he regard the ceiling, arms folded, as he worked over all that was left to do before his move was complete. Already he'd taken care of the more fundamental aspects of living alone, specifically, setting up automatic payments on his utility bills so he wouldn't have to think about them. So really all Ataru had to worry about were his more immediate concerns. For example, he had work the next morning and needed to rescue his clothes from his bag before wrinkles set in. Pajamas too, because he certainly wasn't going to bed in his day clothes. Toiletries would also need to be sorted and laid out, preferably before bed.

On the matter of sleeping, he'd have to pick up a new futon at some point; there hadn't been room enough to pack bedding and he needed to travel light to avoid being found out. Tomorrow he'd get one, and tonight he'd just make do with the bare floor. That was fine, if uncomfortable. Still worth it to keep Lum in the dark. And although he'd surely need them, for now he could survive without a fridge or washer and dryer (although he planned on stringing his clothes up initially). Anything else, he'd figure out along the way. Mostly because he couldn't fathom what else he'd need in the first place. There was a small temptation to ring his mother and ask, but it was swiftly banished. For one, he'd look stupid if he called her the same day he left. And for another, he wasn't ready to talk to Lum, who he just knew would barge her way into their conversation. The pleading look she'd given before he left flashed momentarily through his mind and Ataru sat suddenly upright. No no, he wasn't ready for that either.

"Time to go shopping!" Ataru snickered at his verbal misdirection – shopping, certainly, but not for any furnishings. He needed something to keep his mind busy and void of any intrusive thoughts, and what better way to do that than with a little harmless flirting?

Finding his second wind Ataru jumped to his feet and returned to the genkan where his keys and shoes awaited him. Clumsily he assembled himself, then dove into one of his bags to fetch a new notebook he'd gotten for the occasion. Ataru smirked as he thought of filling it – ah, but where to go? Realistically there were only two options, here or the city. And while Senshoo was nice it wasn't well populated, at least judging by his walk over here. If he really wanted to celebrate then there was only one right answer; Rokuyō. So Ataru pushed the notebook into a free pocket and stole out the front door, relishing the lack of an interrogation as he closed it behind him. Pulling his key out again he held it toward the sky, squinting slightly at the glow of sunlight framing its sharp outline. For a second time he pushed it through the keyhole, turned his wrist, and locked the door to his castle. Once it was secure he pivoted sharply and tore down the hallway, back down the stairs, and jogged the entire way to Hashirimawaru station two blocks off.

The streets of Rokuyō were alive with weekend warriors, clamoring after the many advertised promises of fine food and entertainment plastered up on billboards and store windows. And despite the crawling mass of them, they passed one another with almost mechanical precision, flowing in and out of glass doors or passing from one street to the next in waves as dictated by alternating traffic signals. Cars, trucks, and bicycles swept through the streets in similar order, so it looked like a rushing river of machinery glittering beneath the low afternoon sun. And amid it all was Ataru, his mouth slackened at the organized chaos before him. He'd never been to Rokuyō on the weekend, and even when he walked the streets after work there was always a destination to guide his path. Today there was nothing tethering him, he could move freely down whatever avenue he pleased and after any woman he liked. And there were plenty of options! Coaxed out by fair weather and freedom, Rokuyō was flush with more beautiful women than he'd ever seen! Some wore their hair up, some cut short or grown down to their hips, and still others had stripes of color or mountains of curls. He saw short skirts, long skirts, and shorts (occasionally paired with leggings and stockings). High boots, ankle boots, shoes, sandals, sneakers even. Tanned and pale, done-up and casual. Every kind of girl his mind could conjure was here. Seeing so much beauty in one place was almost too much to handle! Where does he even begin?

Feeling overwhelmed by choices and a touch overheated, Ataru ducked into a nearby shopping mall to cool his head for a moment. Once inside he noticed a small café by the entrance - more specifically he noticed the barista - and decided this would be a good place to test his luck. Straightening his shirt and giving his hair a quick tease, Ataru strut toward the counter where she was waiting with a strained corporate smile and manufactured cheerfulness.

"Can I help you?"

"Well, miss, the thing is," He began, leaning over the counter to clasp her hands in his and embracing her with a passionate stare that claimed affection. "I just moved to this city. Its been a lonely journey, and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed." With feigned bashfulness he cast his eyes aside, all part of the act of course. And after a moment, composed himself with an appeasing smile that begged for her tender care. "If I had someone like you to show me around, then surely I could come to see this city as home. We could go to all your favorite places, my treat of course." He winked a gleaming eye at her and drew closer. "Just tell me when you get off work, and I'll be here waiting."

Unfortunately for Ataru, she didn't get paid enough to deal with men like him.

"We're closed." Yanking herself free of his grasp, the barista reached a swift hand up to pull the rolling shutters down, slamming his fingers in the process. Ataru yelped as he drew his hands into himself, clutching them tightly against the throbbing pain of being pinched. But he wasn't put out for long, and soon his whimpers devolved into a lewd snicker. Ah, his first rejection as a free man. Such a special moment. And what did it matter, he thought with a sordid grin, the sea was full of fish and he'd only just cast his net.

The next few hours were a montage of diverse encounters. For as many women as there were in the city there existed equally different methods of rejection. Some slapped him, a few ignored him outright, others still called him names or rolled their eyes. One girl tried picking a fight with him only to retreat once she realized he was just using the situation to get handsy. But Ataru didn't mind, he eagerly embraced the thrill imparted by both failure and success. Besides, the afternoon wasn't a total loss. By the rules of chance he managed to secure a few numbers and even planned to meet up with a girl he'd run into at a convenience store for drinks after sundown. Granted that meant he wouldn't be able to get a futon, and his clothes would likely be wrinkled by the time he pulled them from his bag. But who cared? Not like there was anyone at home to lecture him. How he spent his time was entirely up to him!

Some hours later, long after the sun left to visit the western world, Ataru stepped out into the city streets feeling reborn. There was a girl he didn't really know on his arm, a small buzz in his head, and a blissful haze in his eyes. It grew all the more over his face as he thought about the mysteries of future weekends. And in this moment his soul was liberated, as if he were on vacation, free from the predictable burdens of his old life. He was Icarus on new wings, flying toward the golden sun of adolescence.

And this was only the beginning.

Poor Ataru, has no idea how much like Icarus he actually is right now.

And at last, we come to the end of the first five chapters and the conclusion of Spring in the series. Each few chapters covers a season, with the first five happening in the springtime. The next few will cover the summer season and Ataru's experiences as a "single" working man (the entire story spans 1 year – spring to spring). It probably sounds dumb, but I'm excited for some of these chapters.

And yeah, the apartment is literally called Myspace. Apparently, this is a real complex, and I just had to use it XD. Ty Reddit for the list of weirdest apartment names people have found in Japan. They have some bizarre ones over there!