Chapter 20: May I Ask If Himuro-san Is Willing to Stay?

Needless to say, after Matsumoto Hitomi learned that both Quillan and Haruka Himuro were interested in renting, she cheerfully closed up the convenience store and led the two of them to a building just behind the shop.

Opening the door, Matsumoto Hitomi began introducing the place as she climbed the stairs: "My apartment is on the third floor of this building, and it even has a balcony..."

Haruka Himuro looked around curiously as the three of them made their way up to the third floor. Quillan noticed that the building’s layout was quite spacious, with several units on the third floor. Matsumoto Hitomi walked up to the door of unit 302, took out a key, and unlocked it.

Once inside, Matsumoto Hitomi took out slippers for the two of them at the entryway, muttering as she did so: "It’s been a long time since I’ve been back here—please excuse any mess..."

The three-bedroom apartment was quite nice, and being on the third floor, both the sunlight and the air were very much to Quillan’s satisfaction.

His only concern was that the price might not be cheap, though Matsumoto Hitomi seemed like someone easy to talk to.

"Ever since my husband passed away, this place has been completely empty!" Matsumoto Hitomi explained. Her husband’s family home was in the countryside, so they had a house there too. Her husband was buried in the countryside, and his memorial portrait was kept in her own living quarters at the convenience store.

So as long as Quillan was satisfied, he could move in today!

Quillan was certainly satisfied with the environment. He immediately nodded, indicating he was very pleased, and then asked Matsumoto Hitomi about the price.

"Normally, a three-bedroom unit like this rents for eighty thousand yen a month around here!" Matsumoto Hitomi smiled. Seeing the troubled expressions that appeared on both Quillan’s and Haruka Himuro’s faces at the mention of eighty thousand yen, she quickly continued: "But since you’re both students, I’ll give you half price! Just forty thousand yen a month. Quillan and little Haruka, what do you think?"

Haruka Himuro said somewhat awkwardly: "That’s too generous, Grandma Matsumoto!"

Though she said that, her ingratiating tone clearly showed she was very satisfied with the place too.

But Quillan furrowed his brow. He had no intention of sharing an apartment with Haruka Himuro. In truth, Quillan, who enjoyed a quiet life, naturally wanted some personal space. If even renting a place meant bringing Haruka Himuro along, then what personal space would he have left?

So Quillan said to Matsumoto Hitomi: "Forty thousand yen, is it? If it’s forty thousand yen a month, then I don’t have a problem. However, it seems Himuro-san really likes this place too. How about this—let her rent it instead!"

"Eh?"

Haruka Himuro looked at Quillan strangely, appearing somewhat at a loss.

Quillan was clearly indicating that he didn’t want to share with her, but...

After thinking for a moment, Haruka Himuro spoke to Matsumoto Hitomi with a somewhat dejected expression: "Grandma Matsumoto, I... I don’t have much money on me, and I haven’t found a part-time job yet, so..."

She glanced at Quillan, her face full of difficulty.

"Is that so?" Matsumoto Hitomi could see the issue between Quillan and Haruka Himuro, and she smiled awkwardly as she said: "So Quillan and little Haruka weren’t planning to rent together, hehe..."

Although she was smiling, Matsumoto Hitomi’s face was filled with disappointment.

But Quillan paid no mind to this. He had originally planned to give the place to Haruka Himuro, but now hearing what she said, he decided not to leave after all.

Since Haruka Himuro didn’t have money to rent the place, and Matsumoto Hitomi’s apartment was being offered at half price, this was too good an opportunity to pass up!

Without hesitation, Quillan pulled money from his pocket and counted out forty thousand yen for Matsumoto Hitomi: "Grandma Matsumoto, in that case, how about I rent this place for now?"

"This..."

Matsumoto Hitomi hesitated. In truth, the reason she was willing to rent the apartment at half price was to keep Haruka Himuro around. Now the situation had changed—it was just Quillan alone renting from her. This left Matsumoto Hitomi unsure how to respond to him.

Fortunately, Haruka Himuro was very sensible. Seeing that Quillan had no intention of sharing with her, she was disappointed, but she still respected his choice. It was just that...

She barely had any money on her. If she didn’t share with Quillan, what could she do?

In today’s society, without money you couldn’t do anything at all—and she happened to have no money...

Matsumoto Hitomi hesitated for a moment, but finally accepted the money from Quillan’s hand. At her age, she couldn’t just go back on her word. Forcing a smile, she said she would go back to the convenience store to get the rental contract for Quillan and asked him to wait a moment.

And with that, only Quillan and Haruka Himuro were left in the room.

Haruka Himuro dragged her suitcase, also preparing to leave. Seeing her dejected expression, Quillan ultimately couldn’t bear it. He spoke up and asked her: "Himuro-san, is something on your mind?"

"Eh?"

Haruka Himuro looked up at Quillan upon hearing this. Seeing his handsome, sunny face looking at her with complete sincerity, her heart inexplicably fluttered, and then she blushed.

But as for her own difficulties, she just couldn’t bring herself to speak of them...

Quillan could see her troubled expression too. Although all he wanted was a quiet life for himself, he couldn’t just watch a girl like Haruka Himuro end up sleeping on the streets. After thinking it over, he finally softened his heart and asked her: "Well then, may I ask if Himuro-san knows how to cook?"

"Eh, cooking?"

"That’s right..."

Quillan walked over and sat down on the sofa in the living room, then looked at Haruka Himuro as he explained: "Because I’m a man, I don’t know how to cook or do housework. And I’m also a student, so I have to get to class on time. So... this is quite troublesome for me! What I want to ask is, if Himuro-san can do housework and cooking, would you be willing to stay and help me?"

"Quillan, you... you’re willing to let me stay?" Haruka Himuro looked at him in surprise. She couldn’t believe it was true, because just moments ago, Quillan had clearly rejected the idea of sharing with her!

Now things had taken a sudden turn, going from hopeless to hopeful in an instant. She couldn’t quite process it.

Because from this morning until now, in just a few short hours, her life had experienced a rollercoaster of dramatic ups and downs!

First, she’d been cornered by thugs demanding payment, driving her to despair and collapse. Then Quillan suddenly appeared and saved her. And now even her housing situation could be resolved so easily—no need to sleep on the streets!

Haruka Himuro suddenly felt that perhaps her days of bad luck were coming to an end, and the goddess of fortune had finally begun to smile upon someone as unfortunate as her.