"Are you okay?" Makoto asked as Toshima unlocked the door to the apartment they were about to view. The real estate agent had bags under her half-open eyes and she seemed to be carrying herself with a bit of a slump.

"I'm fine," Toshima replied. "I just had a busy weekend."

Eiko had mentioned something about her probably being out on dates…

"Oh, I hope it was pleasant then," Makoto tried to smile encouragingly.

Toshima gave her a strange look but didn't say anything.

Stepping inside the apartment, Makoto could see it had been well-kept. Ren had only shared the listing with her the night before and she hadn't looked closely, only noting the price was a bit above her range—still feasible, but not ideal—and that it was a newer building.

It seemed a bit roomier than the other places they had looked, save for some of the older ones. Makoto took out her phone, verifying that it was indeed several square meters more than the typical ones they viewed.

The kitchen was big enough for two, three if necessary, and looked out over the modest living area and balcony. A sliding door along the left wall separated the small bedroom. Most of the added space must have gone to the kitchen and washroom. The latter offered a slightly larger sink area with carefully designed storage. The bath was spacious compared to the others they had seen and came with modern features.

Makoto walked over to the balcony. The view wasn't anything special but the distance to other residences was workable.

All in all, it was quite nice. Makoto supposed it was easier to find places like these at this price point. She didn't really need the extra space though, nor to pay that much in rent…

"What do you think?"

Ren's voice startled her. She turned her head just as he was resting his arms on the balcony ledge next to her.

When had he arrived?

"It's very nice," Makoto didn't want to put down a listing he recommended. "But isn't it a bit big?"

Ren probably had even less need than her. She didn't recall seeing many belongings in Leblanc's attic, not that she had been focused on her surroundings last she was there…

A pleasant warmth rose to her cheeks.

"So you like the kitchen layout?" he followed up on her first statement. "What did you think of the bath?"

"Ah, they were all pretty ideal, and then some," answered Makoto. "But-"

"Did you find any major drawbacks?" he spoke rapidly. "Anything that would give you pause about this place?"

"Well, there's the price-"

"Aside from the price."

"Hmm," Makoto brought a hand to her chin. There were little things that weren't perfect, but nothing show-stopping. "I can't think of any… just minor issues."

"Like what?" Ren looked over to her.

"The bedroom closet is a little small and awkward to access," Makoto recalled. Her gaze rose to the sky as she mentally went over what she had seen. "And there's no built-in shoe storage by the entryway. These are just nitpicks though."

"Hm," Ren smiled, turning back to stare out over the balcony. "So you like it then?"

"I do," Makoto admitted. "But I can't justify the rent… or the extra space."

"Then it's okay if I apply for it?" He was looking at her again.

"Of course, you found it after all."

"I agreed I'd let you have dibs," Ren's tone was calm, laid back even. "This was your search first."

"Well, either way, it's yours," said Makoto. She smiled.

"Hopefully," said Ren. He pushed back from the balcony railing and ran a hand through his hair. "We'll see if they accept my application."

He had been confident about appeasing landlords in their earlier conversations, so it was surprising that he was hedging now. The listing was relatively new and it wasn't yet high season.

Makoto looked back into the apartment, wondering what it would be like to visit. Maybe they would make dinner together in the kitchen. The living area had space for a sofa. She imagined them cuddling there after a long day. The washroom cabinets had plenty of space if she wanted to leave a-

"Ren…" she began puzzling things together. "You're not getting this place on my account are you? It's expensive and-"

"Well..." he rubbed the back of his neck. The right corner of his mouth bunched in a half smile. "I can't say having somewhere you'd want to visit didn't cross my mind…"

"It's too much, you don't have to-"

"Let me finish," he let his arm come to rest at his side. "It's not just that, so don't feel guilty. I figured coming back here… and after living at Leblanc for a while… I should get a bigger place, just for myself. The city can be confining enough as it is."

Ah.

Makoto glanced down. So he still had mixed feelings about moving here...

"Don't worry," he said in a relaxed tone. "It's not that big a deal. I'm not normally bothered. Just something I keep a pulse on."

"Really?"

"Really."

"If you want to talk-" she started.

"I know," he smiled.

Makoto let it rest.

"Will it be okay?" she asked. "The rent I mean…"

"It's doable, not as frugal as I'd like, but not a strain either," he explained. "Like I said, I want to splurge a little on myself for this, make sure I have room to breathe."

"Okay…"

"If it ends up being an issue, it's only for two years," he continued to argue, likely sensing her lingering apprehension. "I was living with my parents, so my savings are in a good place. All in all, I'm comfortable with it."

Two years had seemed like a long time when Makoto was considering renting her own, smaller apartment, but when he put it that way, it didn't seem as risky.