moment I stepped into my new apartment, reality hit me harder than the winter wind outside.
Eighty thousand yen.
Every month.
The contract was already signed.
There was no turning back.
So the first thing I did wasn't unpacking.
It wasn't admiring the spacious rooms.
It wasn't celebrating my "big move."
No.
I opened Google and searched for a local broker.
My hands were slightly shaking when I dialed his number.
"Hello?"
"Yeah… I just rented a four-room apartment," I said, trying to sound confident. "I need three roommates."
He replied casually, "Okay. Send me the apartment details and photos. I'll find you three partners."
I exhaled.
Then he added—
"Ten thousand yen per person."
My heart skipped.
Ten thousand.
Per person.
That meant thirty thousand yen just for his service.
For a second, I wanted to hang up.
But I couldn't.
I had already burned the bridge behind me.
"…Okay," I said.
And just like that—
My bank account officially reached zero.
Days passed.
Then weeks.
The apartment remained silent.
Four rooms.
Four echoes.
No roommates.
No money.
Just me.
Every morning I went to class.
Every afternoon I worked.
Every night I calculated numbers in my head.
Eighty thousand yen.
In four days, the new month would begin.
And I didn't even have half of it.
That night, I was lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling.
Darkness felt heavier than usual.
If no one comes…
What will I tell my parents?
Another loan?
No.
I clenched my fist.
I can't fail.
Not here.
Not after everything.
Then—
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
My heart started pounding.
I picked up immediately.
"Bro," the broker said, "I found three people. They like your apartment, but—"
"But what?" I cut him off.
"I'll send them by Friday evening."
He tried to continue, "Listen, there's just a small—"
"Make sure they send the money within three days," I interrupted again. "I need confirmation fast."
"Kai, I was trying to tell you—"
"Okay, send them. I'll transfer your commission soon."
Click.
I ended the call.
Silence returned.
I stared at my phone.
Something about his tone felt… strange.
He was trying to say something.
More than once.
But I didn't let him.
I was too desperate.
Too focused on survival.
Too afraid to hear bad news.
I lay back on my bed and closed my eyes.
"Idiot…" I muttered to myself.
If I had just listened.
If I had given him ten more seconds.
Maybe things would have been different.
But maybe—
This was destiny.
And destiny doesn't wait for careful decisions.
Tomorrow evening…
Three strangers will walk into this apartment.
Three lives will enter my already unstable world.
And my busy schedule?
It's about to become chaos.
I don't know what the broker was trying to warn me about.
But I'll find out soon.
Very soon.
The Night Everything Changed
The doorbell rang.
A single, sharp ding that echoed in the empty apartment.
I froze.
I had been lying on my bed, exhausted from classes, part-time work, and trying to write my novel.
This is it, I thought. The three roommates are finally here.
I swallowed hard and walked to the door, trying to act calm.
I twisted the knob.
And then I saw them.
Three girls.
All three standing there. Together. With luggage.
And not a single one looked like a timid student.
One had long, silver hair that caught the light like liquid metal. Her piercing eyes scanned the apartment like she already owned it.
Another had short, fiery-red hair, tied in twin tails, and a mischievous smirk on her face. You could tell she was trouble just by the way she shifted her weight from foot to foot.
The third… she was quiet. Dark hair, almost hiding her eyes, but they glimmered with intelligence and curiosity. She carried herself like someone who had secrets that could change your life if you knew them.
I froze.
My brain stuttered.
All… all girls?
I had expected students. Maybe a boy. Maybe someone normal.
But three girls?
Together?
At my apartment?
My pulse skyrocketed.
Before I could speak, the silver-haired girl stepped forward.
"We're staying here starting tonight," she said, her voice calm but commanding, like she was announcing the arrival of royalty.
I blinked.
"Uh… wait… what?" I stammered.
The redhead giggled, a teasing sound that made my ears heat up.
"You didn't read the condition, did you?" she asked, tilting her head, eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Condition?" My voice cracked.
"Yeah," the dark-haired one said, stepping closer, almost shy but sharp. "The broker mentioned you had rules for roommates. Or… that you thought you did."
I swallowed, trying to calm the panic rising in my chest.
My mind raced:
I have zero money left. I'm already exhausted. And now… three girls are living here? How is this even legal? How—how am I supposed to survive this?
The silver-haired girl rolled her eyes.
"Don't worry. We all agreed. We'll pay the rent on time. We just need a place to stay. Your apartment is perfect."
The redhead smirked again.
"And by the way… don't expect things to be boring. We all have our own… schedules."
Schedules? My heart sank. Oh no. This is going to make my life ten times worse…
But beneath that panic, a spark ignited.
Something I had been craving without realizing it.
Chaos. Connection. Life.
This wasn't just roommates.
This was destiny knocking…
And I was about to step into it, whether I was ready or not.
I took a shaky breath and stepped aside.
"Okay… come in."
The apartment, my carefully calculated little world, was about to explode.
And I had no idea how I was going to survive…
The moment the three of them stepped inside, my apartment felt smaller.
Not because of space.
But because my carefully measured life—classes, work, writing, sleep—was about to get obliterated.
The silver-haired girl dropped her luggage with a soft thud and stretched like she owned the place. Her eyes scanned every corner, lingering on my desk, the bed, the tiny kitchen.
"You have way too many books," she said, pointing at my pile of novels and notebooks.
"Uh… thanks?" I mumbled, backing away instinctively. My heart was pounding like a drumline.
The redhead bounced on her heels, peeking into the fridge. "Oh wow… no snacks. Really? Amateur move." She smirked, clearly amused by my pathetic provisions.
The dark-haired girl silently pulled out a notebook from her bag and scribbled something down. Then she looked up at me, eyes sharp. "You… schedule everything, don't you?"
I froze. How did she know?
"Uh… I mean… yes? I just—"
"Perfect," she interrupted, smiling faintly. "I like structure."
Structure? My brain short-circuited. She likes structure? I don't even know how I'm going to survive this week!
The Rules… or Lack Thereof
The redhead suddenly turned toward me with a mischievous grin.
"By the way… I hope you know we all have quirks."
"Quirks?" My voice cracked.
"Yes," the silver-haired girl said, walking past me and plopping onto the couch. "Like, I snore."
The redhead giggled. "I sing in the shower. Loudly."
The dark-haired one raised an eyebrow. "I… keep odd hours. And I work late."
I froze completely. My entire schedule, carefully balanced like a spreadsheet, was already collapsing in my mind.
Classes in the morning… work in the afternoon… writing at night…
And now three girls with quirks who live here full-time?
My head was spinning.
Chaos Sparks
The silver-haired girl stretched again, yawned dramatically, and looked at me.
"So… this is your room?"
"Yes…" I said weakly, realizing I had nothing to say.
She tilted her head, eyes glinting. "You live… alone?"
"Uh… yeah, before today," I admitted, feeling my face heat up.
The redhead giggled again. "Wow. A virgin apartment owner? This is… fun."
I blinked. "I—I'm not—"
She waved a hand dismissively. "Relax. I'm teasing… mostly."
Sparks in the Air
Even amidst the chaos, I couldn't ignore it.
The silver-haired girl's confident gaze… made my chest tighten.
The redhead's teasing… made my ears burn.
The dark-haired girl's calm, observant eyes… made my heart skip.
And the worst part?
I didn't even know how to react.
Because part of me was terrified.
And part of me… was thrilled.
I had survived the pandemic, college pressure, part-time jobs, and life-threatening debt.
But this?
This… could destroy me emotionally.
Or… change everything.
The First Night
By the time they had set their things down, it was already evening.
I sat on my bed, exhausted.
The apartment smelled of new luggage, perfume, and… chaos.
The silver-haired girl glanced at me, a small smirk playing on her lips.
"You're gonna survive this week, right?"
"I… I'll try," I whispered, knowing full well I had no choice.
The redhead leaned casually against the doorframe.
"Good luck, virgin landlord," she teased, then winked.
The dark-haired girl sat quietly in the corner, notebook on her lap, observing everything.
And I realized… tomorrow morning, nothing would be normal.
Because living with these three girls wasn't just roommates.
It was… romance waiting to explode.