Our Life That Begins with a Convenient Relationship - Chapter 12

As I finished cleaning the dishes and left Sakura-san’s apartment, a somewhat damp breeze brushed against my cheeks. There must have been a passing shower, I thought while walking toward the entrance.

On the way, my fingertips touched the bills in my pocket. It was the taxi fare she had more or less forced into my hand just as I was leaving.

“This is for the taxi! I already called one, so please, at least use it to get home today! I don’t want you to push yourself, walk, and get hurt!”

Those words still lingered softly in my mind, and strangely, my heart felt warm.

She was truly worried about me. She was looking out for me. That simple fact felt oddly ticklish, and a small smile touched my face.

Before long, a taxi arrived near the entrance. My reflection caught in the black paint of the car, and I flinched for a second. My hair was a mess, and my expression looked exhausted.

However, this was after spending the whole day being taken care of at Sakura-san’s place though I might have done more of the taking care of part. For a face at the end of a day like that, I thought it didn’t look too bad.

The door opened quietly. Not wanting to waste her kindness, I gave the driver a small bow and climbed in.

I sat in the taxi for a while, swaying with the motion. As I idly watched the city scenery flow past the window, my run-down apartment building soon came into view.

I handed over the cash, said “Thank you,” and got out. Once the car drove away, the area suddenly became silent. Only the sound of insects chirping echoed in the distance.

“…I’m home.”

I whispered the words to myself in front of the apartment and opened the door. Of course, there was no reply. As I turned the key and stepped inside, a chilly air crawled up from my feet.

I took off my shoes, set down my keys, and turned on the light. These simple actions made me feel like I was being dragged back to reality, and my heart sank heavily.

When I sat down in my chair, one I had used for years, it felt surprisingly uncomfortable compared to the one in Sakura-san’s room. The cushion was thin, and the angle of the backrest didn’t quite fit. Every time it creaked, I was reminded of how used to cheap things I had become.

“A fake marriage… huh.”

I let the words slip out and looked around my cramped one-room apartment.

The walls with repair marks, the window that let in a draft, the rattling desk, and the inconvenient kitchen. It was a familiar space that made up my life, yet it suddenly looked faded.

This was certainly the place where I had lived, but when I remembered the brightness, warmth, and scent of her room, this place felt cold no matter what.

Sakura-san’s proposal for a fake marriage. Her words: “Why don’t we live together?”

At the time, I was confused and couldn’t give an immediate answer. But now that I was all alone, that smile of hers kept flashing through my head.

When someone says something so directly to you like that—it’s impossible to refuse. But at the same time, I was scared to say yes so easily. And why was my heart fluttering so much?

To calm myself down, I decided to organize the mail that had arrived.

Utility bills, ads from online shops, and a pile of flyers that had been shoved into the slot. Among the familiar stack of papers, one white envelope caught my eye.

The sender was the manager of this old apartment. Seeing the words “Important Notice/Request,” I felt a bad premonition in my gut.

I opened the seal and unfolded the letter. After reading a few lines, a dry laugh escaped me.

“…Haha, talk about perfect timing.”

What was written there was a notice of a rent increase. A 2,000 yen increase starting the month after next… which meant my yearly expenses would go up by more than 20,000 yen.

Some might think it’s just a small amount, but for me, it was a big deal. As I crunched the numbers in my head, my shoulders naturally slumped.

The wave of rising prices was reaching even a place like this. Of course, if I negotiated, I might be able to keep it down a bit. I did have years of history here, after all.

However—

“…I guess it’s enough.”

I let out a small sigh and placed the paper on the desk.

I had my share of memories in this cramped, old space. I had lived here for nearly half my life. Starting to live alone when I entered university felt like such a long time ago.

On cold winter nights, I would layer on clothes to avoid using the heater. In the summer, I’d feel a sense of coolness from the sound of a wind chime somewhere, even as I sweated.

That was how I went to college, graduated, and how I live now as a part-timer.

Every bit of it was proof of my life.

But maybe I finally had a reason to let it go. Thinking that, my heart felt strangely lighter.

“Thanks for everything.”

My whisper echoed quietly in the small room. It probably didn’t reach anyone, but that was enough.

I reached into my pocket and took out a business card. It was Sakura-san’s. Black text on a white background. A neat font and her title— “Section Manager.”

After experiencing her kindness and the warmth of that room today, I wanted to tell her right now.

Her straightforward words: “Why don’t we live together?” The answer to that, now that I was back in my room facing reality, began to take shape naturally.

There was no reason to cling to this room anymore. In that case, it wouldn’t be so bad to try being by her side.

My finger trembled slightly as I tapped the number. After a few rings, a familiar voice reached my ear from the other side of the phone.

“Hello, this is Haruno.”

“Ah, Sakura-san? It’s Kyoko Sakurai.”

“M-Ms. Sakurai?!”

She sounded completely shocked. I heard a thud, like she had dropped her phone, and I almost laughed.

“Um, are you okay?”

“I-I’m fine! B-but what’s wrong? We just saw each other!”

“…I called to give you an answer to your proposal from earlier.”

“Eh? Weren’t you going to think about it overnight?”

“No, it’s fine. I’ve made up my mind.”

Contrary to my quiet words, my heart was thumping loudly. In the moment I put it into words, I felt like something big had started to move.

If she ever finds someone she truly loves, I’m sure I’ll be kicked out before long. But that’s fine. I’ll just cherish the time until then. I can save money, and above all—I want to enjoy that comfort of being next to her a little longer.

“I’ll be in your care, Sakura-san. Let’s do the fake marriage.”

After a moment of silence, a bouncy voice came back.

“! Y-yes! I look forward to it!”

The joy coming through the phone wrapped around my ears like a warm glow. Hearing how happy she sounded, my heart naturally softened as well.