Misaki moved into an apartment just a 15-minute walk from her university. Due to its age, the rent was surprisingly affordable—perfect for a student like her. The apartment was simple: a small kitchen, a six-tatami room, and a modest balcony. There was nothing particularly special about it—at least, that’s what she thought at first.
On the evening of her move-in day, while unpacking her belongings, she suddenly heard a voice from the balcony.
“Young lady, this is for you.”
Looking up, she saw an elderly woman with silver hair standing on the neighboring balcony, holding a single flower in her hand.
“Oh, thank you!” Misaki responded, slightly startled but accepting the flower.
The old woman smiled warmly. “Your name is Misaki, isn’t it? I saw it written on your moving boxes earlier.”
From that day on, the old woman occasionally handed her flowers or fruit over the balcony railing. Misaki learned that gardening was her hobby. At first, Misaki was taken aback by the unexpected kindness, but little by little, she found warmth in the old woman’s gentle gestures.
One night, Misaki awoke suddenly. The apartment was silent, yet she could hear the faint sound of piano music drifting through the air. The quiet, soothing melody filled her with an inexplicable sense of peace. The next morning, she encountered a young man on the staircase and discovered that he was the source of the music.
“Were you playing the piano last night?” she asked.
The young man looked surprised but quickly smiled.
“You heard that? Sorry, I have a habit of playing late at night.”
His name was Ryota, a music student who practiced the piano between his part-time jobs. There was something captivating about his music, and soon, their casual conversations became a regular part of Misaki’s daily life.
The residents of the apartment were all uniquely charming in their own way. The young couple downstairs often shared their homemade sweets, greeting Misaki cheerfully whenever they met in the hallway. These small interactions gradually added color to her new life.
One day, as Misaki was replanting one of the flowers she had received from the elderly woman into a balcony pot, Ryota called out to her.
“You like flowers, don’t you?”
“Yes,” she replied, smiling. “Lately, I’ve come to realize how much joy the little things around us can bring.”
Ryota nodded thoughtfully. “Then, I’ll play a piece that suits your flowers next time.”
From that moment on, the old woman’s flowers and Ryota’s piano music became indispensable parts of Misaki’s life. Over time, she realized that the people in this apartment were becoming something special to her.
“This apartment is pretty unusual, isn’t it?” Ryota mused one night.
“But maybe that’s what makes it interesting,” Misaki replied with a smile.
The peculiar yet endearing neighbors gradually blended into her daily routine, quietly expanding her world and filling her heart with newfound anticipation for the future.
