The Matter of Starting to Live Together With a Long-Time Friend From High School After Becoming a Working Adult

――At this time, there are hardly any people walking around.

As I left Meguro Station and headed towards Arikura’s apartment, this was the thought that crossed my mind. No matter how big the city is, it seems like this is how it is past eleven at night.

I thought about buying something at the convenience store along the way, but I passed it by.

Right now, the priority is to rush to Arikura. If I make even one mistake in the order of priorities here, I will regret it immensely—this feeling was inescapable.

Even so, I can’t help but feel that the time spent walking is truly precious. In reality, it’s only a ten-minute walk from the station.

“Ah… I finally arrived.”

I looked at that building and I unconsciously muttered that. It seems I was quite on edge myself.

Taking a light breath, I pass through the first automatic door and enter the room number into the machine at the entrance.

And after pressing the call button for a few seconds――

“…Yes?”

Hmm. For now, there’s a response, so it seems she hasn’t become a corpse.

“It’s Katase. I’m sorry for being late, but I’m here.”

However, what a lifeless voice it is. It would have been good if I could confirm my worries at this point, but it seems the seriousness is quite significant.

In fact, since the first word, there had been no response from Arikura, and the auto-lock in front of me opened silently.

I found myself hurrying towards the elevator.

Fortunately, there was only one elevator stopping on the first floor, and I could get on immediately. However, the time it took to go up to the upper floors felt incredibly frustrating.

――Ding!

Oh! I finally arrived, huh? It hasn’t even been a minute, but it still feels like such a long time.

Well, that’s neither here nor there.

I jump out of the elevator and hurry to Arikura’s room.

And when I knocked on the door of the room I arrived at――

“…Ah, Katase-kun.”

Arikura appeared. Her ghostly expression, devoid of any hint of brightness, and her completely lifeless, hoarse voice were beyond what could be described as exhaustion.

She must have been working until just now, as she hasn’t even changed out of her suit. Her hair is more tousled than usual, and it looks oddly greasy, probably not just from hair products.

“It seems like you’re not okay… I’ll be coming in.”

Before waiting for Arikura’s reply, I went inside. Then, after looking around the living room for the first time in weeks, I was left speechless.

“…It’s in terrible shape again.”

I couldn’t help but voice my thoughts. It was that dire. It might even be messier than when I first saw it a few weeks ago. It was almost as if it had been ransacked.

“I’m s-sorry… I haven’t been able to clean the room at all…”

Arikura, who is making a frightened sound from behind, is indeed different from usual. Normally, she wouldn’t show such a weak demeanor.

“Is work really that busy?”

“Um…”

――Guuuuuuuuuu!

Before I could say anything, her stomach growled. In the midst of the subtle tension, my sigh echoed through the room.

“You don’t seem to be eating properly.”

“Eh? Um, well…”

“Wait a moment. I’m going out to do some shopping now.”

I turned on my heel and headed towards the entrance. There was no room left for excuses. Just as I was putting on my shoes, Arikura hurriedly ran up to me.

“The supermarket is already closed, isn’t it?”

“There is a convenience store.”

“Are you going to buy a bento or something?”

“I’ll go over there and think.”

Since it’s already late, I’d like to avoid heavy things like katsudon. If possible, I’d prefer something like udon or soba.

Or maybe a side dish and instant miso soup. These days, there are also many grilled fish options that just need to be microwaved, in addition to salads and simmered dishes. If it were a bit earlier, hamburgers or curry would be great options too, but—well, I could always buy those for tomorrow.

Anyway, I won’t know what’s there until I go, so honestly, at this stage, I can’t say anything.

“So, take a shower or something before you get back home and freshen up a bit.”

“Y-yeah…”

It seemed that Arikura was somewhat satisfied for the time being, as I could hear the sound of footsteps returning to the room.

It should probably be fine in about thirty minutes. The convenience store is close to here, so I think I could go and come back even faster if I just go back and forth normally.

“Katase-kun, this――”

Then Arikura came back and offered me what she was holding in her hand.

It was the key card for this room.

To be honest, I didn’t expect it to go that far, so I was slightly taken aback and ended up staring at the card key.

“…A spare?”

“Nope. Just this one.”

“That’s a bit much…”

“Just take it already. If it’s Katase-kun, then… I can trust you.”

I don’t think it’s just a matter of trust being good—well, it’s a waste of time to be chatting like this anyway.

At this point, it seems like it would be quicker if I just gave in.

“Got it. I’ll pay you back properly, so don’t worry.”

“Yeah. I believe you.”