The next day began like any other—rushed and chaotic. Airi woke up early, as usual, her alarm clock blaring at precisely 6:30 AM. After her morning routine, she was out the door by 7:15, heading to the marketing agency where she worked. Izuna, in contrast, barely managed to roll out of bed at 9:45 AM, giving himself just enough time to brush his teeth before starting his freelance graphic design work from his laptop.
At the agency, Airi sat at her desk, typing furiously on her keyboard as she finalized a presentation for a big campaign. Her closest colleague, Tamaki Yurine, leaned against the desk, sipping her coffee.
“You look like you’ve been through a war,” Tamaki said with a smirk.
Airi groaned. “I feel like it. My new roommate is a disaster.”
“Oh?” Tamaki perked up. “The one you mentioned last week? The guy?”
“Yes,” Airi said, exasperated. “Izuna Kyouhei. He’s the most infuriatingly laid-back person I’ve ever met. He doesn’t take anything seriously.”
Tamaki laughed. “Sounds like he’s driving you nuts.”
“You have no idea,” Airi replied, leaning back in her chair. “He rearranged my kitchen, broke one of my plates, and somehow convinced me to let him stay even after all that.”
Tamaki raised an eyebrow. “And yet, you haven’t kicked him out?”
Airi hesitated. “Well… he’s not completely useless. He made breakfast yesterday, and it was actually good. Plus, he’s… not awful to talk to.”
“Uh-huh,” Tamaki said, grinning. “Sounds like you’re warming up to him.”
“Absolutely not!” Airi said quickly, her face turning red. “He’s just… tolerable, that’s all.”
Tamaki chuckled, clearly unconvinced. “Sure, sure.”
Meanwhile, Izuna was taking a break from work, sitting in a cozy café with his friend and fellow freelancer, Ren Kirayuu.
“So, how’s the roommate thing going?” Ren asked, stirring his iced coffee.
Izuna shrugged. “It’s… interesting.”
Ren smirked. “That bad, huh?”
“Not bad, just… different,” Izuna said. “Airi’s the complete opposite of me. She’s super organized, always working, and has this weird obsession with labelling everything.”
“Sounds like your nightmare,” Ren said with a laugh.
“Yeah, but she’s also kind of fun to mess with,” Izuna admitted. “The way she gets all flustered when I do something stupid—it’s hilarious.”
Ren gave him a knowing look. “You sure it’s just ‘hilarious’? Or are you starting to like her?”
Izuna nearly choked on his drink. “What? No way. She’s way too uptight for me.”
Ren leaned back in his chair, grinning. “If you say so.”
Back at the agency, Airi and Tamaki were heading to the break room when they overheard a conversation among their colleagues.
“Did you hear about the client’s feedback on the campaign?” one of them said. “Apparently, they loved the visuals but want the slogan changed.”
Airi sighed. “More last-minute changes. Great.”
“Sounds like your roommate isn’t the only chaos in your life,” Tamaki teased.
Airi groaned. “Don’t remind me.”
By the end of the day, both Airi and Izuna were ready to leave their respective workplaces. As they headed home, they found themselves thinking about their conversations with their colleagues.
For Airi, Tamaki’s words lingered in her mind. Am I really warming up to him? She wondered, shaking her head.
For Izuna, Ren’s teasing echoed in his thoughts. Like her? No way. She’s just… interesting.
Neither of them realized how much they were starting to occupy each other’s thoughts.
That evening, the apartment was unusually quiet. Airi sat at the dining table with her laptop, reviewing a presentation for the next day. Izuna lounged on the couch, flipping through his phone, occasionally sneaking glances at her.
“You’ve been glued to that thing all day,” Izuna said, breaking the silence. “Do you ever take a break?”
Airi didn’t even look up. “Some of us actually work during the day instead of lounging around.”
“Hey, I work too,” Izuna shot back. “Just because I’m not in some fancy office doesn’t mean I’m slacking.”
Airi glanced at him skeptically. “Sure. What exactly did you do today?”
Izuna smirked. “Finished a logo design, sent it to the client, and even managed to start a new project. All without wearing pants.”
Airi groaned, rubbing her temples. “I didn’t need to know that last part.”
Izuna chuckled, clearly amused by her reaction. “You should try working from home sometime. It’s way more fun.”
“Fun isn’t the point,” Airi muttered. “Work is supposed to be productive, not fun.”
Izuna rolled his eyes. “You’re missing out, Ms. Perfectionist.”
The next morning, Airi arrived at work early, as usual. Tamaki was already waiting for her in the break room, holding two cups of coffee.
“You look exhausted,” Tamaki said, handing Airi one of the cups.
“Thanks,” Airi said, taking a grateful sip. “It’s Izuna. He’s so frustratingly carefree. I swear, it’s like living with a child.”
Tamaki smirked. “Let me guess—he did something stupid again?”
“Not exactly,” Airi admitted. “He actually did his work yesterday. But the way he talks about it, like it’s some kind of game… it’s infuriating.”
“Maybe he’s just trying to lighten the mood,” Tamaki suggested.
Airi frowned. “I don’t need my mood lightened. I need a roommate who knows how to take things seriously.”
“Or maybe you need to learn how to loosen up,” Tamaki teased, earning a glare from Airi.
Meanwhile, Izuna met Ren at the same café as before. This time, Hikaru Tachibana, another mutual friend, joined them.
“So, how’s life with Ms. Perfectionist?” Ren asked, leaning back in his chair.
“It’s… entertaining,” Izuna said with a grin. “She’s like this tiny hurricane of stress and organization. I swear, she’s labelled every single spice in the kitchen.”
Hikaru laughed. “Sounds like you’ve got your hands full.”
“More like she’s got me on a leash,” Izuna said dramatically, earning chuckles from his friends.
Ren raised an eyebrow. “And you’re just letting her boss you around?”
Izuna shrugged. “Eh, it’s not so bad. She’s got her moments. Plus, I get a kick out of messing with her.”
“You sure you’re not enjoying this a little too much?” Hikaru asked, smirking.
Izuna smirked back. “Maybe. She’s fun to annoy, but I gotta admit, she’s got her stuff together. Makes me feel a little… lazy in comparison.”
Ren and Hikaru exchanged a glance. “Sounds like she’s rubbing off on you,” Ren said.
“Please,” Izuna scoffed. “I’m still the same carefree guy you know and love.”
That evening, back at the apartment, Airi and Izuna found themselves in the kitchen at the same time.
“I’ll stay out of your way,” Izuna said, grabbing a glass of water.
“Good,” Airi replied, rummaging through the fridge.
As they moved around the small space, their shoulders brushed, and for a moment, they both paused.
“Sorry,” Izuna said, stepping back.
“It’s fine,” Airi replied quickly, avoiding his gaze.
The awkward silence lingered for a moment before Izuna broke it. “You know, you could stand to take it easy once in a while.”
Airi shot him a look. “And you could stand to take things seriously.”
They stared at each other for a moment, neither willing to back down. Then, almost simultaneously, they both burst out laughing.
“Maybe we’re both hopeless,” Airi said, shaking her head.
“Maybe,” Izuna agreed, still thinking.
The next day at work, Airi found herself in a rare moment of peace. She sat in the break room with Tamaki, nursing her coffee while they waited for the printer to spit out their reports.
“So,” Tamaki began, leaning on the counter, “have you talked to Izuna about setting some boundaries?”
“I tried,” Airi said, sighing. “But somehow, he always manages to twist the conversation into something ridiculous. Like last night, he said I should ‘relax’ more.”
Tamaki snorted. “Well, he’s not wrong.”
“Don’t you start,” Airi groaned. “He’s already turning my life upside down. I don’t need you on his side.”
“I’m just saying,” Tamaki teased. “Maybe you could learn something from him. Let loose a little, have some fun.”
Airi narrowed her eyes. “Fun isn’t going to get me a promotion.”
Tamaki shrugged. “Maybe not, but it might keep you from burning out.”
Airi rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. Deep down, she knew Tamaki had a point, even if she wasn’t ready to admit it.
Across town, Izuna was in the middle of a brainstorming session with Ren and Hikaru at their usual café.
“So, let me get this straight,” Ren said, tapping his pen against a notebook. “You live with this girl who’s basically the polar opposite of you, and instead of driving each other crazy, you’re… laughing together?”
“Hey, I never said we weren’t driving each other crazy,” Izuna replied, leaning back in his chair. “But yeah, there are moments when it’s… not awful.”
Hikaru smirked. “Sounds like she’s growing on you.”
Izuna scoffed. “Nah, she’s just… interesting, that’s all. Like, I didn’t know people could be so obsessed with order.”
Ren chuckled. “And yet, here you are, living with her. You think she’s gonna change you?”
Izuna shrugged. “Doubt it. But who knows? Maybe I’ll rub off on her instead.”
Hikaru laughed. “Now that, I’d like to see.”
At work, Airi’s day took a chaotic turn when her boss, Athena Fujisawa, called her into the office.
“Airi, we need to rework the entire presentation for tomorrow’s client meeting,” Athena said, handing her a stack of papers. “I know it’s last minute, but I trust you can handle it.”
“Of course,” Airi replied, hiding her panic behind a professional smile.
Back at her desk, Tamaki leaned over, whispering, “Looks like you’ve got a long night ahead.”
“Don’t remind me,” Airi muttered, already diving into the work.
That evening, Airi returned to the apartment exhausted, her laptop bag slung over her shoulder. She found Izuna in the living room, sprawled on the couch with his laptop.
“You look like death,” Izuna said, glancing up.
“Thanks,” Airi replied dryly, dropping her bag onto the floor.
“What happened?” he asked, sitting up.
“Last-minute project,” she said, heading to the kitchen for some water. “I’ll probably be up all night working on it.”
Izuna watched her for a moment, then said, “Want some help?”
Airi blinked, surprised. “You? Help me?”
“Hey, I’m not completely useless,” he said, grinning. “I’m good with visuals, remember?”
She hesitated, then sighed. “Fine. But if you mess this up, I’m kicking you out.”
“Deal,” he said, moving to sit beside her at the table.
As they worked together, Airi couldn’t help but notice how focused Izuna was. He offered suggestions, tweaked her slides, and even made her laugh a few times.
“Okay,” she admitted after an hour, “you’re not completely useless.”
“High praise,” he replied with a smirk.
For a brief moment, the chaos of their shared life seemed to fade, replaced by a surprising sense of teamwork.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
The following day at the office, Airi arrived groggy but relieved. Thanks to Izuna’s unexpected help, the presentation was not only finished but polished. Her boss, Athena, had even complimented her in the morning meeting.
Tamaki, however, was far more interested in Airi’s home life than her professional triumphs.
“So,” Tamaki began as they sat in the break room during lunch, “tell me more about this roommate of yours. He helped you with work? That’s… unexpected.”
Airi stirred her coffee, trying to seem indifferent. “He’s surprisingly competent when he tries. It was just a one-time thing.”
Tamaki leaned closer, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Uh-huh. And how often does this ‘chaotic mess’ of a guy actually help you out?”
Airi hesitated. “Rarely. But when he does, it’s… not terrible.”
“That’s a glowing endorsement,” Tamaki teased. “Admit it, Airi. You don’t hate having him around.”
Airi frowned. “I never said I hated him. He’s just… frustrating. And messy. And annoying.”
“But?” Tamaki prompted, raising an eyebrow.
“But… he’s also kind of funny,” Airi admitted reluctantly. “And thoughtful. In his own weird way.”
Tamaki grinned. “Sounds like someone’s warming up to her roommate.”
“Don’t start,” Airi warned, though her cheeks turned slightly pink.
Meanwhile, Izuna was at his favourite café with Ren and Hikaru, reliving the events of the previous night.
“So, you actually helped her with work?” Ren asked, incredulous.
“Yeah,” Izuna said, sipping his iced coffee. “She was stressed out, and I figured, why not? Plus, I’m great at graphic design.”
“And she didn’t kick you out for meddling?” Hikaru asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Not only that, but she admitted I was useful,” Izuna said with a smug grin.
Ren laughed. “You’re making progress, man. Maybe she won’t throw you out after all.”
Izuna shrugged. “She’s all right when she’s not bossing me around. I guess she’s… growing on me.”
Hikaru smirked. “Wow. The great Izuna Kyouhei, actually tolerating structure and rules. Who knew?”
“Don’t get used to it,” Izuna said, leaning back. “I’m still the same guy you know and love. But yeah, she’s not as bad as I thought.”
Back at the office, Airi tried to focus on her work, but her mind kept drifting back to Izuna’s help the night before. Despite her initial doubts, she had to admit he’d been genuinely helpful—and even fun to work with.
Tamaki noticed her distraction and leaned over. “You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?”
“What? No!” Airi said quickly, her cheeks flushing.
“Relax,” Tamaki said, laughing. “It’s normal. You live together. Of course, he’s on your mind.”
Airi sighed. “It’s not like that. He’s just… different. And annoying. Did I mention that he’s annoying?”
“Only a dozen times,” Tamaki said with a smirk. “But you also said he’s funny and thoughtful.”
Airi groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Why do I even talk to you?”
“Because I’m your best friend, and I give amazing advice,” Tamaki replied, patting her on the shoulder.
That evening, Airi returned home to find Izuna in the kitchen, attempting to cook.
“What are you doing?” she asked, dropping her bag by the door.
“Making dinner,” Izuna replied, holding up a frying pan. “Figured I’d thank you for letting me crash here by cooking.”
Airi raised an eyebrow. “You? Cooking? This I’ve got to see.”
“Hey, I’m not that bad,” he said defensively.
As he worked, Airi couldn’t help but smile at his unorthodox methods. He might not have been the most conventional roommate, but life with Izuna was certainly never boring.
As Izuna busied himself in the kitchen, Airi watched with equal parts curiosity and skepticism. His casual confidence didn’t quite match his somewhat haphazard approach to cooking.
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Airi asked, leaning against the kitchen counter.
“Absolutely,” Izuna replied, flipping something in the pan with a little too much enthusiasm. Some sauce splattered onto the counter. “Cooking is just like art—you improvise!”
“That’s not how cooking works,” Airi muttered, grabbing a cloth to wipe up the mess.
“Relax, Miss Perfectionist,” Izuna said with a grin. “You’ll see. This is going to blow your mind.”
Airi crossed her arms, skeptical but slightly amused. “I’ll believe it when I taste it.”
Twenty minutes later, the two sat at the small dining table, staring at Izuna’s creation. It was… an attempt. A strange fusion of pasta, vegetables, and what Airi assumed was meant to be a sauce.
“Well?” Izuna prompted, watching her expectantly.
Airi picked up her fork hesitantly and took a small bite. She chewed slowly, her expression unreadable.
“So?” he asked, leaning forward.
“It’s… edible,” Airi said finally.
Izuna burst out laughing. “Edible? That’s high praise coming from you.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Airi replied, though a small smile tugged at her lips. “But I’ll admit it’s not the worst thing I’ve ever eaten.”
“See? I told you I could cook,” Izuna said, taking a big bite of his own dish.
As they ate, the conversation drifted to lighter topics.
“So, how was work today?” Izuna asked, genuinely curious.
Airi sighed. “Busy, as usual. Athena dropped another last-minute project on me. But Tamaki kept things interesting.”
“Tamaki?” Izuna asked, raising an eyebrow. “Is that the friend you were talking about before?”
“Yeah,” Airi said. “She’s… a little too interested in my personal life, though. She wouldn’t stop asking about you.”
Izuna smirked. “Oh? What’d you tell her?”
“That you’re a messy, annoying roommate who somehow managed to help me with my presentation,” Airi said bluntly.
“Messy and annoying, huh?” he said, feigning offense. “You forgot ‘charming’ and ‘helpful.’”
“Sure, let’s go with that,” Airi said, rolling her eyes.
As dinner wound down, Airi realized she was actually enjoying herself. It was strange—she’d expected living with Izuna to be a constant source of frustration. But moments like this made her reconsider.
“Thanks for dinner,” she said as she stood to clear the plates.
Izuna leaned back in his chair, stretching. “No problem. Next time, you can cook for me.”
Airi paused, giving him a pointed look. “Next time?”
“Of course,” Izuna said, grinning. “We’re roommates now. This is just the beginning.”
Airi sighed but couldn’t help smiling. Life with Izuna might be chaotic, but it was never dull.
The next morning, Airi woke up to the smell of coffee wafting through the apartment. Surprised, she shuffled into the kitchen to find Izuna pouring two cups of freshly brewed coffee.
“Morning,” he said casually, sliding a cup toward her.
“You made coffee?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Don’t sound so shocked,” he replied. “I figured it was the least I could do after you survived my cooking last night.”
Airi sipped the coffee cautiously. It was surprisingly good. “Okay, I’ll admit—this is decent.”
“Decent?” Izuna repeated, feigning offense. “This is artisan-level coffee.”
“Don’t push it,” she said, though her lips curved into a small smile.
As they sat at the table, Airi glanced at the clock. “I should head to work soon. I’ve got another meeting with Athena today.”
Izuna nodded. “Good luck with that. I’ve got a deadline too, so I’ll be working from home.”
Airi hesitated before speaking. “By the way… thanks for dinner last night. It was nice. In a weird way.”
Izuna smirked. “Was that a compliment? I think I need to write this down.”
“Don’t let it go to your head,” Airi said, grabbing her bag. “I’ll see you later.”
At work, Airi’s day started as hectic as ever. Athena handed her another last-minute project, and her inbox was overflowing with emails.
During lunch, Airi sat in the break room with Tamaki, who was eager for updates.
“So, how’s life with your chaotic roommate?” Tamaki asked, grinning.
“It’s… not as bad as I expected,” Airi admitted reluctantly.
Tamaki’s eyes widened. “Wow. That’s practically a glowing review from you. What changed?”
Airi shrugged. “He made coffee this morning. And dinner last night. It’s like he’s actually trying to be helpful.”
“Sounds like he’s growing on you,” Tamaki teased.
“Don’t start,” Airi warned, though her cheeks turned pink.
Meanwhile, Izuna was at his computer, finishing a design for a client when Ren dropped by unexpectedly.
“Dude, you’re actually working?” Ren asked, peering over Izuna’s shoulder.
“Yeah, deadlines wait for no one,” Izuna replied, not looking up.
Ren smirked. “How’s life with your roommate? Still driving her crazy?”
Izuna leaned back in his chair. “She’s bossy, organized, and way too uptight. But she’s not all bad.”
Ren raised an eyebrow. “Not all bad? That’s high praise coming from you.”
“She’s just… different from what I expected,” Izuna said, shrugging. “I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like we’re completely opposite, but somehow it works.”
“Sounds like someone’s getting attached,” Ren teased.
“Shut up,” Izuna said, throwing a balled-up piece of paper at him.
That evening, Airi returned home exhausted but less stressed than usual. She was surprised to find Izuna already cooking in the kitchen.
“What’s this?” she asked, setting her bag down.
“Thought I’d try dinner again,” he said. “Don’t worry, it’ll be better this time. I actually followed a recipe.”
Airi raised an eyebrow. “Should I be worried?”
“Trust me,” Izuna said with a grin. “You’ll love it.”
As they sat down to eat, Airi realized something unexpected: she was actually looking forward to these little moments with Izuna.
Life with him might be chaotic, but it was also starting to feel… comforting.
The next day at the office, Airi was determined to get through her workload without any distractions. But that plan was quickly derailed when Athena and Tamaki cornered her during the morning coffee break.
“So,” Athena began with a sly smile, “how’s life with your roommate? Any progress?”
“Progress?” Airi echoed, raising an eyebrow.
“You know what I mean,” Athena said, waving her hand dismissively. “Is he still the messy disaster you described, or has he surprised you?”
Tamaki leaned in, grinning. “Yeah, you’re blushing a lot less when we talk about him now.”
Airi sighed, taking a sip of her coffee to buy time. “Look, he’s… manageable. He made dinner again last night, and it wasn’t terrible. And he’s not as lazy as I thought.”
Athena exchanged a knowing look with Tamaki. “Not terrible, huh? That’s practically a love confession coming from you.”
Airi’s cheeks turned pink. “Can we please talk about something else?”
“Fine,” Tamaki said, though her mischievous grin remained. “But admit it—he’s not what you expected, right?”
Airi hesitated before nodding. “I guess not. He’s more thoughtful than I gave him credit for. He even made coffee yesterday morning.”
Athena gasped dramatically. “A thoughtful guy who cooks and makes coffee? Marry him immediately!”
Airi rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t suppress a small smile.
Meanwhile, at Izuna’s makeshift home office, Ren dropped by again, this time bringing Hikaru along.
“So, how’s it going with the ice queen?” Hikaru asked, plopping down on the couch uninvited.
“She’s not an ice queen,” Izuna replied, typing away at his computer. “She’s just… particular.”
“Particular?” Ren asked, smirking. “That’s an interesting way to say ‘bossy.’”
Izuna shrugged. “She’s actually pretty chill once you get past the perfectionism. We’ve even started having dinner together.”
Hikaru raised an eyebrow. “Dinner together? That sounds domestic.”
“It’s not like that,” Izuna said quickly. “We’re just trying to survive this weird situation. Besides, she’s fun to mess with.”
“Fun to mess with or fun to be around?” Ren teased.
Izuna paused, realizing he didn’t have an immediate answer.
“Look,” he said finally, “it’s not a big deal. We’re just roommates trying to make the best of it.”
That evening, when Airi got home, she found Izuna lounging on the couch, flipping through a gaming magazine.
“Rough day?” he asked as she dropped her bag by the door.
“Busy,” she replied, kicking off her shoes. “Athena and Tamaki wouldn’t stop asking about you.”
Izuna smirked. “Oh? What’d you tell them?”
“That you’re a messy disaster who somehow manages to be decent company,” Airi said, grabbing a glass of water.
“Decent company?” he repeated, pretending to be offended. “I’m practically the highlight of your day!”
Airi snorted. “In your dreams.”
As she sat down across from him, the two fell into an easy rhythm, chatting about their day. For all their differences, their conversations had started to feel… natural.
Izuna leaned back, grinning. “Admit it—you’d miss me if I wasn’t here.”
Airi rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile. “Don’t push your luck.”
Later that evening, Airi and Izuna sat at the small dining table, finishing a casual dinner. It had become an unspoken tradition for them to eat together, even if it often included sarcastic remarks and light bickering.
Izuna leaned back in his chair, swirling the last of his drink in the glass. “So, did your colleagues spend the entire day prying into your personal life again?”
Airi groaned, rubbing her temples. “You have no idea. Tamaki and Athena seem convinced we’re some sort of romantic comedy trope in progress.”
Izuna grinned. “Well, they’re not entirely wrong.”
Airi shot him a glare. “Don’t get any ideas.”
“Too late,” he said, smirking. “So, what did you tell them? That you secretly adore me and can’t wait to admit it?”
“In your dreams,” she retorted. “I told them you’re tolerable at best.”
“Tolerable?” Izuna said, clutching his chest in mock offense. “You wound me.”
Despite her exasperated tone, Airi couldn’t stop a small laugh from escaping.
As the conversation turned more serious, Izuna tapped his fingers on the table. “So, what’s up with all the extra work? You’ve been looking more stressed than usual.”
Airi sighed. “It’s just Athena piling things on last minute again. I don’t mind working hard, but sometimes it feels like she’s testing me on purpose.”
Izuna tilted his head. “She’s your boss, right? Maybe she sees your potential and is pushing you to grow.”
“Or maybe she’s just disorganized,” Airi muttered.
“Or that,” Izuna agreed with a chuckle. “Still, you’re doing fine. You’re one of those overachiever types, remember? You’ll handle it.”
Airi blinked, caught off guard by the rare sincerity in his voice. “Thanks, I guess. What about you? How’s your freelance stuff going?”
Izuna shrugged. “Same old. Juggling deadlines, convincing clients that ‘can you make the logo bigger’ is not a valid design choice.”
Airi smirked. “Sounds rough.”
“You have no idea,” he said with exaggerated despair.
As the clock ticked closer to midnight, they both lingered at the table, neither in a hurry to end the conversation.
Izuna rested his chin on his hand. “You know, for someone who’s always so uptight, you’re actually not bad to talk to.”
Airi narrowed her eyes. “That’s supposed to be a compliment?”
“Take it however you want,” he said with a grin.
Airi sighed, leaning back in her chair. “Well, for someone who’s usually insufferable, you’re… tolerable company.”
Izuna raised his glass in a mock toast. “High praise from the queen of high standards.”
She rolled her eyes but clinked her glass against his. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
The night ended with a shared sense of camaraderie, a small but growing understanding between two vastly different people navigating their chaotic new normal.
As the apartment settled into quiet, Airi retreated to her room, intent on finishing up some work emails before bed. She opened her laptop, but her thoughts kept drifting back to her earlier conversation with Izuna. His surprisingly genuine advice and laid-back demeanour had made her feel… oddly comfortable.
Meanwhile, Izuna sprawled on the couch in the living room, his gaming controller resting on his chest as he stared at the ceiling. For all their bickering, living with Airi wasn’t as bad as he’d initially feared. Sure, she was uptight and bossy, but she also had this way of grounding him.
In her room, Airi let out a frustrated sigh, closing her laptop. She couldn’t focus. Grabbing a notebook, she began jotting down a list of things to discuss with Athena tomorrow, hoping it would clear her mind.
A faint knock interrupted her thoughts.
“Hey,” Izuna’s voice called from behind the door. “You asleep?”
Airi frowned. “It’s barely midnight. What do you want?”
The door creaked open slightly, and Izuna peeked in, holding a steaming cup of tea. “Truce?” he offered with a grin.
She blinked in surprise. “What’s this?”
“Thought you could use a break,” he said, stepping inside and placing the cup on her desk. “You’ve been holed up in here for hours.”
Airi stared at the tea, then at him. “You’re unusually thoughtful tonight. What’s the catch?”
“No catch,” he said, holding up his hands defensively. “Just being a good roommate. Don’t get used to it.”
She couldn’t help but laugh softly. “Noted. Thanks, though.”
They ended up sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed as they sipped their tea.
“You’re really serious about work, huh?” Izuna asked, breaking the silence.
“Someone has to be,” Airi replied, shrugging. “I have goals, and I can’t afford to slack off.”
“Fair enough,” Izuna said. “But don’t forget to breathe. Burnout’s a real thing.”
“Since when are you the voice of wisdom?” she teased.
He smirked. “Since I became your roommate and realized someone has to stop you from overthinking everything.”
Airi shook her head, smiling despite herself. “You’re annoying, but you’re not entirely wrong.”
The comfortable silence that followed felt different—less awkward, more… familiar.
Izuna tilted his head, watching her out of the corner of his eye. “You’re not as scary as you seem, you know.”
Airi raised an eyebrow. “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
“Maybe,” he said, shrugging. “You’re not so bad once you stop glaring at everything that moves.”
“Gee, thanks,” she replied dryly, though her smile lingered.
As the tea disappeared and the clock ticked past 1 a.m., Airi stood, stretching. “Alright, I’m calling it a night. Thanks for the tea.”
Izuna grinned, heading for the door. “Don’t mention it. Goodnight, bossy.”
“Goodnight, messy,” she shot back, closing the door behind him.
For the first time in a while, Airi felt a little lighter as she climbed into bed. And in the living room, Izuna found himself smiling as he turned off the lights.
Though they’d never admit it, both were starting to realize that maybe, just maybe, they were better together than apart.
The next morning started as most mornings did in their shared apartment: with chaos.
Izuna stumbled out of his room, half-asleep, his hair sticking out in every direction. He shuffled into the kitchen, muttering something about needing coffee to function. Airi, already dressed in her crisp work attire, was seated at the dining table, meticulously planning her day with a notepad and pen.
“Morning,” she said without looking up, sipping her perfectly brewed tea.
“Morning,” Izuna grumbled, fumbling with the coffee maker.
The machine whirred to life, and Airi winced at the sound. “Can you keep it down? Some of us are trying to think.”
“Some of us are trying to wake up,” Izuna shot back, pouring the coffee into his mug. He took a long sip and let out a satisfied sigh. “Ah, life.”
Airi rolled her eyes. “You’re such a drama queen.”
As they both went about their morning routines, the familiar bickering began.
“You left the milk out again,” Airi scolded, holding up the carton.
“It’s fine,” Izuna replied, waving her off. “It’s not like it’s spoiled.”
“That’s not the point,” she said, putting it back in the fridge.
“Details, details,” he muttered, smirking.
Airi decided to let it go, focusing instead on her work bag. But as she double-checked her notes, she noticed Izuna hovering by the kitchen counter.
“What now?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
He grinned. “You’re really wound up in the mornings. You should try my method.”
“And what’s that? Oversleeping and rushing out the door?”
“Exactly,” he said, nodding as if it were a genius idea.
She sighed. “How do you even survive in the adult world?”
“Charm and sheer luck,” Izuna replied, flashing a cheeky smile.
As they both prepared to leave for their respective jobs, the comedy of errors continued.
Airi noticed Izuna’s wrinkled shirt and groaned. “You’re not seriously wearing that, are you?”
“Why not?” he asked, glancing down. “It’s clean.”
“It looks like you slept in it.”
“Maybe I did,” he said with a shrug.
“Unbelievable,” Airi muttered, grabbing an iron from the laundry room. “Give it here.”
Izuna handed over the shirt with a smug grin. “I knew you cared.”
“Don’t push your luck,” she warned, quickly ironing out the wrinkles.
By the time they were ready to leave, they found themselves standing awkwardly by the front door.
“Don’t mess up your meeting,” Izuna said, surprising Airi with his sudden sincerity.
“Don’t forget to submit your project,” she replied, equally surprising him.
They exchanged a small, almost shy smile before heading out in opposite directions.
As Airi walked to the subway, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of balance in her day. And as Izuna hopped on his bike, he found himself chuckling at how easily she’d slipped into his life.
Neither of them would admit it, but their chaotic mornings had become a part of their routine—a routine they were starting to enjoy, despite themselves.