The weekend brought a new energy to the apartment. Izuna woke up earlier than usual, stretching lazily in his bed. A notification on his phone caught his attention—it was a reminder from Athena about a team-building event planned at her office.

  “Team-building event, huh? Sounds like work disguised as fun,” Izuna muttered to himself as he got up.

  Meanwhile, Airi was already bustling around her apartment, sipping on her morning tea and scrolling through her messages. Her office had also planned a social activity for the weekend, a charity event at a local park. She was looking forward to it but couldn’t help wondering what Izuna would be up to.

  A knock at the door broke her train of thought. She opened it to find Izuna standing there, still looking a bit groggy but carrying his trademark grin.

  “Morning, Airi! What’s the plan for today?” he asked, leaning casually against the doorframe.

  Airi crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. “Why do you care? Don’t you have your own plans?”

  Izuna shrugged. “Athena dragged me into some team-building thing. Sounds boring, but I guess it’s better than doing nothing. What about you?”

  “I’m going to a charity event with my colleagues. We’re setting up activities for kids at the park,” Airi replied, her tone proud.

  Izuna smirked. “Wow, look at you, Miss Responsible. You’re making me feel lazy.”

  “Well, you are lazy,” Airi teased, but there was a playful glint in her eyes.

  “Touché,” Izuna admitted with a chuckle. “Anyway, good luck with that. Try not to boss everyone around too much.”

  Airi rolled her eyes. “And you try not to fall asleep in the middle of your event.”

  With that, they parted ways, each heading out for their respective activities.

  At the team-building event, Athena was in her element, organizing games and keeping everyone engaged. Izuna, on the other hand, found himself standing awkwardly on the side-lines, watching his co-workers enthusiastically participate in a relay race.

  “Hey, Izuna! Don’t just stand there! Join us!” Athena called out, waving him over.

  Reluctantly, Izuna joined the group, finding himself partnered with Athena for a three-legged race.

  “Try to keep up, okay?” Athena said with a competitive grin as they tied their legs together.

  “Shouldn’t I be the one saying that?” Izuna retorted, smirking.

  The race began, and despite their initial fumbling, Izuna and Athena quickly found their rhythm, laughing as they stumbled across the finish line.

  Meanwhile, at the park, Airi was busy setting up a face-painting station. Her colleague Tamaki was helping her, chatting animatedly about their recent projects.

  “You know, Airi, you’ve been in such a good mood lately,” Tamaki observed. “Does it have anything to do with that mysterious roommate of yours?”

  Airi nearly dropped the paintbrush she was holding. “W-What? No! Don’t be ridiculous.”

  Tamaki smirked. “Oh, come on. You’re blushing. Spill the details!”

  “There’s nothing to spill,” Airi insisted, though her voice was a little too high-pitched to be convincing.

  Before Tamaki could press further, a group of kids arrived at the station, distracting them both. Airi was grateful for the interruption, but Tamaki’s teasing words lingered in her mind.

  As the day went on, Izuna and Athena’s event wrapped up, and Airi’s charity activities came to a successful close. Both were tired but content as they returned to the apartment building.

  When they ran into each other in the hallway, they exchanged knowing smiles.

  “Survive your event?” Airi asked.

  “Barely. You?” Izuna replied.

  “Same.”

  They stood there for a moment, the quiet camaraderie between them feeling more natural than ever.

  “Dinner?” Izuna suggested.

  “Sure,” Airi said, her tone softer than usual.

  They headed to their respective apartments to freshen up, both feeling a little lighter after the day’s events. Though they hadn’t spent the day together, it felt like they’d somehow grown a little closer.

  Later that evening, Airi stood in front of her wardrobe, deliberating over what to wear for dinner. It wasn’t like this was a date or anything, but for some reason, she wanted to look... nice.

  After a moment of hesitation, she chose a simple yet elegant navy blouse paired with a beige skirt. She brushed her hair and added a light touch of makeup.

  “Why am I putting in so much effort? It’s just dinner,” she muttered to herself, shaking her head.

  On the other side of the apartment, Izuna was experiencing a much less complicated preparation process. He pulled on a clean white shirt and dark jeans, ruffled his hair a bit, and deemed himself ready.

  When he knocked on Airi’s door, he was momentarily taken aback by how polished she looked.

  “You look... different,” Izuna said, his tone genuinely surprised.

  Airi frowned, folding her arms. “Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?”

  Izuna laughed. “Definitely a compliment. You look great. Ready to go?”

  She nodded, hiding a small smile as they left the apartment.

  They decided to eat at a cozy ramen shop a few blocks away. It was a small, bustling place with a warm atmosphere, the kind of spot that felt like a hidden gem in the city.

  As they sat down and placed their orders, the conversation flowed naturally.

  “So, how was the charity event?” Izuna asked, leaning back in his chair.

  “It went well,” Airi said with a smile. “The kids had fun, and I didn’t mess up too badly with the face painting.”

  “I can’t imagine you messing up anything,” Izuna teased. “You’re like a perfectionist machine.”

  Airi raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really? And what about you? Did you survive your team-building thing with Athena?”

  Izuna chuckled. “Barely. She roped me into a three-legged race. Let’s just say it wasn’t my most graceful moment.”

  Airi smirked. “I wish I could’ve seen that.”

  As their food arrived, the conversation shifted to lighter topics—favorite foods, childhood memories, and funny workplace stories.

  At one point, Airi couldn’t help but notice how at ease Izuna seemed. His usual carefree attitude was still there, but tonight, he seemed more genuine, more present.

  “You’re different tonight,” Airi said suddenly, surprising even herself with the observation.

  Izuna looked at her, tilting his head. “Different how?”

  “I don’t know. You’re just... more real, I guess,” Airi said, feeling a little awkward.

  Izuna smiled softly. “Maybe it’s because I’m with someone who lets me be real.”

  The sincerity in his voice caught Airi off guard, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to respond.

  As they walked back to the apartment after dinner, the conversation turned quieter, more reflective. The city lights cast a warm glow around them, and the cool night air felt refreshing.

  “Thanks for dinner,” Airi said as they reached their building.

  “No problem. It was fun,” Izuna replied.

  They stood in the hallway for a moment, neither quite ready to part ways.

  “Well, goodnight,” Airi said finally, opening her door.

  “Goodnight,” Izuna replied, watching as she disappeared inside.

  As he walked into his own apartment, he couldn’t help but smile to himself. Tonight had felt... different. In a good way.

  Airi, on the other hand, leaned against her door, her heart feeling strangely light. Maybe this whole “roommate” thing wasn’t so bad after all.

  The next morning, Airi woke up earlier than usual. The previous night’s dinner lingered in her mind, but she shook off the thought as she prepared for the day. She had a meeting at work, and the last thing she needed was distractions.

  Meanwhile, Izuna was already in the kitchen, frying eggs and humming a tune. Airi hesitated at the doorway, watching him. There was something oddly domestic about the sight, and it made her feel... something she wasn’t quite ready to name.

  “Morning,” she said finally, stepping into the kitchen.

  Izuna turned, flashing her a grin. “Morning. Breakfast?”

  Airi raised an eyebrow. “You cooked?”

  Izuna chuckled. “Don’t look so surprised. I’m not entirely useless.” He placed a plate of eggs and toast on the table.

  Airi sat down, giving the food a cautious look before taking a bite. “Not bad,” she admitted.

  “Wow, high praise coming from you,” Izuna teased, sitting across from her.

  They ate in comfortable silence for a while before Airi spoke.

  “By the way, I’ll be late tonight. We have a big campaign launch meeting at work,” she said.

  Izuna nodded. “Got it. I’ll save you some dinner. Don’t work too hard.”

  Airi glanced at him, a little taken aback by his casual thoughtfulness. “Thanks,” she said softly.

  At work, Airi found herself more distracted than usual. As she reviewed campaign proposals, her mind kept drifting back to Izuna. It wasn’t just the dinner or the breakfast—it was the way he seemed to fit into her life so naturally.

  Her closest colleague, Tamaki Yurine, noticed her zoning out.

  “Earth to Airi,” Tamaki said, waving a hand in front of her face. “What’s up with you today?”

  “Nothing,” Airi replied quickly, straightening in her chair.

  Tamaki smirked. “Uh-huh. Spill it. Is it about that mysterious roommate of yours? What was his name again... Izuna?”

  Airi sighed. “It’s nothing. We just had dinner last night, that’s all.”

  Tamaki’s eyes lit up. “Dinner? Like a date?”

  “No! Just... dinner. As roommates,” Airi said, feeling her cheeks heat up.

  “Sure, sure,” Tamaki teased. “But you like him, don’t you?”

  Airi opened her mouth to protest but found herself hesitating. Did she? She wasn’t sure, and that uncertainty was frustrating.

  Meanwhile, at Izuna’s office, the mood was equally light-hearted. His colleague, Ren Kirayuu, was leaning against Izuna’s desk, smirking.

  “So, how’s life with the perfectionist queen?” Ren asked.

  Izuna laughed. “Not as bad as you’d think. She’s surprisingly human when she’s not scolding me for leaving socks on the floor.

  Ren raised an eyebrow. “Human enough for you to start catching feelings?”

  Izuna rolled his eyes. “It’s not like that.”

  “Uh-huh. So, you’re telling me last night’s dinner wasn’t romantic?” Ren pressed.

  “It was just dinner,” Izuna said, though the memory of Airi’s smile under the café lights made his denial feel a little hollow.

  Ren leaned closer. “If you’re not interested, you’re an idiot. She’s smart, she’s gorgeous, and from what you’ve told me, she keeps your chaos in check.”

  Izuna chuckled. “Yeah, and I drive her crazy half the time.”

  “That’s what makes it fun,” Ren said with a grin.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  Izuna shook his head, but a small smile tugged at his lips. Maybe Ren had a point.

  By the end of the day, both Airi and Izuna found themselves thinking about each other more than they cared to admit.

  As Airi left her office, she caught herself smiling at the thought of returning home to their shared apartment. And as Izuna cooked dinner, he found himself hoping Airi wouldn’t work too late.

  Something was shifting between them, and neither of them could deny it much longer.

  Airi arrived home late, her shoulders sagging from the long day at work. The apartment was dark except for the soft glow of the kitchen light. She set her bag down and was surprised to find a neatly wrapped plate on the table with a note that read:

  “Don’t skip dinner. – Izuna.”

  She stared at the note for a moment, a strange warmth spreading through her chest. Even though he wasn’t around, he still managed to look out for her. She unwrapped the plate, revealing a simple but hearty meal of rice, grilled fish, and vegetables. It was still warm.

  After eating, Airi cleaned up and wandered into the living room. The door to Izuna’s room was slightly ajar, and she could hear faint music playing.

  “Knock, knock,” she said, tapping lightly on the doorframe.

  “Come in,” Izuna’s voice called out.

  She stepped in to find him sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by papers and his laptop. The screen displayed what looked like character designs for a project he was working on.

  “Burning the midnight oil?” Airi asked, leaning against the doorframe.

  “Something like that,” Izuna replied, glancing up at her with a smile. “How was work?”

  “Exhausting,” Airi admitted. “Thanks for leaving dinner. It was good.”

  “Glad you liked it,” Izuna said, gesturing for her to sit. “Want to see what I’m working on?”

  Curiosity piqued, Airi stepped closer and sat beside him. He showed her his designs—vibrant, dynamic characters for a mobile game.

  “These are amazing,” she said, genuinely impressed.

  “Thanks,” Izuna said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m still tweaking a few things, though. My client’s pretty picky.”

  Airi studied the designs for a moment before pointing at one. “This one. The color palette feels a little off. Maybe tone down the green?”

  Izuna tilted his head, considering her suggestion. “You might be onto something. Thanks.”

  They worked together for a while, with Airi offering occasional input and Izuna making adjustments. It was a quiet, companionable moment that neither of them realized they needed.

  The next morning, Airi woke up to the smell of coffee. She wandered into the kitchen to find Izuna already dressed, a cup in his hand.

  “You’re up early,” she said, surprised.

  “Had a client meeting,” he explained. “Figured I’d make coffee before I head out. Want some?”

  “Sure,” Airi said, taking a seat at the table.

  As he poured her a cup, she noticed he looked a bit different today—his shirt was neatly pressed, and his hair was styled.

  “Big meeting?” she asked, teasingly.

  “Something like that,” Izuna replied with a smirk. “Why? Do I look good?”

  Airi rolled her eyes, but her cheeks reddened slightly. “Don’t fish for compliments this early in the morning.”

  Izuna laughed. “Fair enough.”

  He handed her the coffee and grabbed his bag. “See you tonight. Don’t work too hard.”

  Airi watched him leave, a small smile on her lips. Despite her usual annoyance at his antics, there was something endearing about him.

  Later that day, Airi found herself distracted again at work. Her colleague, Tamaki, noticed immediately.

  “You’ve been smiling to yourself for the past five minutes,” Tamaki said, leaning on Airi’s desk. “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing,” Airi said quickly, though her blush betrayed her.

  Tamaki narrowed her eyes. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with your roommate, would it?”

  Airi sighed. “He’s just... different lately. More thoughtful.”

  Tamaki grinned. “Sounds like someone’s getting attached.”

  “It’s not like that,” Airi insisted, though her tone lacked conviction.

  “Uh-huh,” Tamaki said, clearly unconvinced. “Well, if it does become like that, I expect details.”

  Airi groaned, but she couldn’t stop the small smile that crept onto her face.

  That evening, Izuna returned home to find Airi waiting in the living room. She had ordered takeout, something she rarely did, and had set the table.

  “What’s this?” Izuna asked, setting his bag down.

  “Dinner,” Airi said simply. “You’ve been cooking a lot lately, so I figured it was my turn.”

  Izuna grinned. “Thanks. I could get used to this.”

  “Don’t,” Airi said, though her tone was more playful than stern.

  As they sat down to eat, the comfortable rhythm they had developed as housemates continued to grow, blurring the lines between friendship and something more.

  The weekend arrived, and Izuna woke up to the smell of something sweet wafting through the apartment. Curious, he got out of bed and wandered into the kitchen to find Airi standing by the stove, flipping pancakes.

  “Whoa,” Izuna said, leaning against the doorframe. “Is this a special occasion, or did you hit your head and suddenly become domestic?”

  Airi shot him a glare but couldn’t hide the faint blush on her cheeks. “Don’t get used to it. I just felt like making breakfast today.”

  “Pancakes, huh?” Izuna said, grabbing a plate from the cabinet. “Smells good. You’re full of surprises lately.”

  “Sit down,” Airi said, ignoring his comment as she slid a stack of pancakes onto a plate and handed it to him.

  Izuna took a bite and gave her an exaggerated thumbs-up. “Perfect. You might actually have some talent after all.”

  “Don’t push it,” Airi said, though she couldn’t stop the small smile that crept onto her face.

  They ate together in a rare moment of peace. The atmosphere was light, and for once, neither of them felt the need to tease or bicker.

  Later that day, they both found themselves in the living room, going through their respective workloads. Airi was preparing notes for an upcoming presentation at work, while Izuna was sketching designs for his latest project.

  “You’ve been quiet all morning,” Izuna said, glancing at Airi from his spot on the couch. “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah,” Airi said, her tone distant as she scribbled something in her notebook.

  Izuna frowned. “You sure? You’re not usually this focused. It’s almost unnatural.”

  Airi sighed, setting her pen down. “It’s just... I’m nervous about this presentation. It’s for a big client, and I can’t afford to mess it up.”

  Izuna studied her for a moment before setting his sketchpad aside. “Want me to help?”

  “You?” Airi asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Hey, I’m not just a pretty face,” Izuna said with mock offense. “I’ve done my fair share of presentations. Maybe I can give you some tips.”

  Airi hesitated but eventually nodded. “Fine. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

  For the next hour, Izuna coached Airi on her presentation. He gave her pointers on how to structure her argument, how to keep her audience engaged, and even how to handle tough questions.

  “Try to make eye contact,” Izuna said. “Not just with one person, but with everyone in the room. It makes you seem more confident.”

  “Easy for you to say,” Airi muttered. “You’re naturally charismatic.”

  Izuna grinned. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”

  Airi rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress a small laugh. Despite her initial skepticism, she had to admit that Izuna was actually pretty good at this.

  By the time they finished, Airi felt a lot more confident about her presentation.

  “Thanks,” she said as Izuna packed up his materials. “I owe you one.”

  “You owe me more than one,” Izuna teased. “But I’ll take payment in pancakes.”

  “Don’t push your luck,” Airi said, but her tone was warm.

  As Izuna headed to his room, Airi found herself smiling again. Despite their constant bickering, she realized that she genuinely appreciated having him around.

  Monday arrived, and Airi found herself nervously pacing in the office conference room, waiting for her presentation to begin. Tamaki entered, carrying a cup of coffee, and placed it on the table in front of her.

  “Calm down,” Tamaki said, giving her an encouraging smile. “You’ve got this.”

  “I know,” Airi said, though her hands trembled slightly as she adjusted her notes. “I just... what if I mess up?”

  “Then you’ll learn and do better next time,” Tamaki replied. “But you’re not going to mess up. You’ve been working hard, and from what you’ve told me, you even had a certain annoying roommate coaching you.”

  Airi let out a small laugh at that. “He was surprisingly helpful, actually. Annoying, yes, but helpful.”

  Tamaki smirked. “See? You’re already prepared. Just breathe and go for it.”

  The room began to fill with attendees—colleagues, senior managers, and the clients. Airi straightened her back, took a deep breath, and stepped to the front of the room.

  The presentation went smoother than Airi had expected. Izuna’s advice about eye contact and engaging the audience helped her stay confident, and she could see the clients nodding in approval as she spoke.

  When the Q&A session began, one of the clients asked a challenging question. Airi paused for a moment, then remembered Izuna’s advice to stay calm and think before responding.

  “That’s a great question,” she said with a small smile. “What we can do to address that concern is…”

  By the time the meeting ended, the room broke into applause. Airi’s manager approached her, beaming.

  “Excellent work, Airi,” he said. “The clients were very impressed. You’ve outdone yourself.”

  “Thank you,” Airi said, her heart swelling with pride.

  Later that evening, Airi returned to the apartment feeling lighter than she had in weeks. As she stepped inside, the smell of something delicious greeted her.

  “Welcome home!” Izuna called from the kitchen, wearing an apron as he stirred something in a pot.

  “You’re cooking again?” Airi asked, setting her bag down.

  “Thought I’d celebrate your big success,” Izuna said, flashing her a grin. “Tamaki texted me. She said you nailed it.”

  Airi blinked, surprised. “She texted you?”

  “Yeah, we’re kind of in a ‘gossip about Airi’ club,” Izuna joked.

  Airi groaned but couldn’t help smiling. “Well, thanks. It actually went better than I expected.”

  “Of course it did,” Izuna said confidently. “I mean, you had me as your coach.”

  Airi rolled her eyes. “Don’t push it.”

  Over dinner, Airi recounted the events of her presentation. Izuna listened attentively, occasionally chiming in with his usual teasing comments.

  “You know,” Airi said, setting down her chopsticks, “I was nervous about this job at first. But having people like Tamaki—and even you—makes it a lot easier.”

  Izuna smirked. “Aw, is that your way of saying you’re glad I’m here?”

  “Don’t ruin the moment,” Airi shot back, though her tone was light.

  Izuna laughed. “Fair enough. But seriously, you did great today. I’m proud of you.”

  Airi blinked, caught off guard by his sincerity. “Thanks,” she said softly, her cheeks tinged pink.

  As the evening wore on, the comfortable atmosphere between them deepened. For a moment, the usual teasing was replaced by a quiet understanding—a bond that was slowly but surely growing stronger.

  The next day, the office buzzed with excitement as news of Airi’s successful presentation spread. Tamaki greeted her with a grin as soon as Airi entered.

  “Star of the day!” Tamaki teased, linking arms with Airi. “You’re the talk of the office, you know.”

  “Please don’t exaggerate,” Airi said, though she couldn’t hide the small smile forming on her lips.

  “Exaggerate? Never!” Tamaki said dramatically. “By the way, some of the higher-ups mentioned they were impressed with your confidence. Rumour has it you might be considered for a bigger project soon.”

  Airi’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”

  “Yup,” Tamaki confirmed. “You’re moving up, girl. I’m proud of you!”

  As they walked toward their desks, Airi felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for more responsibility, but the thought of proving herself further was thrilling.

  Meanwhile, Izuna’s day had taken a less glamorous turn. At the studio, he sat at his desk, staring at a half-finished graphic design project. His colleague Ren Kirayuu peeked over his shoulder.

  “Still stuck on that one?” Ren asked, sipping his coffee.

  “Yeah,” Izuna admitted, running a hand through his hair. “The client keeps changing their mind about the colour scheme. I’ve gone through three different palettes, and now they’re asking for something ‘fresh but classic.’ What does that even mean?”

  Ren chuckled. “Welcome to the wonderful world of freelancing, my friend. Have you tried asking Airi for advice? She seems good at this kind of thing.”

  Izuna smirked. “You’ve met her once, and you’re already convinced she’s a design expert?”

  “She helped you with your last deadline, didn’t she?” Ren pointed out. “Sounds like a keeper to me.”

  Izuna rolled his eyes. “We’re not talking about this.”

  Ren raised his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. But seriously, maybe a fresh perspective would help.”

  Later that evening, Izuna brought up the conversation during dinner.

  “So, Ren thinks you’re a design genius,” he said casually, serving Airi a bowl of rice.

  “What?” Airi blinked in confusion.

  “He said I should ask you for advice on my project,” Izuna explained. “Apparently, you’re already legendary at my workplace, too.”

  Airi frowned. “I don’t know anything about graphic design, though.”

  “That’s what I told him,” Izuna said with a shrug. “But then I thought, why not? You’ve got a good eye for details. Maybe you could help me figure out what this client actually wants.”

  Airi hesitated, then nodded. “Alright, I’ll give it a shot. But don’t blame me if it doesn’t work.”

  As they sat in the living room, Izuna spread out his sketches and mock-ups. Airi studied them intently, occasionally asking questions or making suggestions.

  “This one feels too busy,” she said, pointing to a design with multiple overlapping elements. “What if you simplify it and focus on one central feature?”

  Izuna tilted his head, considering her idea. “Huh. You might be onto something.”

  They worked together for an hour, tweaking the design and brainstorming ideas. By the end of it, Izuna had a new concept he felt confident about.

  “Thanks, Airi,” he said, leaning back on the couch. “You’re surprisingly good at this.”

  “I just gave some input,” Airi replied modestly. “You’re the one who did all the work.”

  Izuna grinned. “Still, you saved me a lot of stress. I owe you one.”

  Airi waved him off. “You already made dinner. Consider us even.”

  As they cleaned up and prepared for bed, both felt a quiet sense of accomplishment. Their partnership, though unconventional, was proving to be more effective than either of them had expected.

  The following day, Izuna submitted his revised design to the client. As he sat at his desk waiting for feedback, his phone buzzed with a message from Ren.

  Ren said, “Dude, the boss saw your new design. They’re impressed. Nice work!”

  Izuna leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smile on his face. He couldn’t help but think back to Airi’s input. “Guess I do owe her one,” he muttered.

  At Airi’s office, the mood was just as celebratory. Her team had been praised for their recent work, and her manager, Athena Fujisawa, had taken notice of Airi’s contributions.

  “Airi, do you have a moment?” Athena called as Airi was tidying her desk.

  “Of course,” Airi replied, stepping into Athena’s office.

  “I wanted to personally thank you for your efforts on the presentation,” Athena said with a smile. “You really stepped up, and it didn’t go unnoticed.”

  Airi felt a flush of pride. “Thank you. It was a team effort, though.”

  “True, but your leadership shone through,” Athena said. “I’d like you to take the lead on another project we’re planning. It’s a bit more challenging, but I think you’re ready.”

  Airi’s eyes widened. “I’d be honoured. Thank you for trusting me with this opportunity.”

  That evening, as Izuna and Airi settled in for dinner, they shared their successes from the day.

  “So, your manager gave you a new project? That’s awesome,” Izuna said, raising his glass of water in a mock toast.

  “And your client liked the design, thanks to your hard work,” Airi replied, clinking her glass against his.

  “Our hard work,” Izuna corrected with a grin.

  Airi smirked. “You’re really giving me a lot of credit for someone who spent most of the time complaining about colour palettes.”

  “Hey, those complaints were vital to the creative process,” Izuna said defensively, making Airi laugh.

  Their light hearted banter continued as they finished their meal, both feeling a sense of shared accomplishment and camaraderie.

  As they cleaned up, Airi hesitated for a moment before speaking. “You know, it’s strange… I never thought I’d work so well with someone as… disorganized as you.”

  Izuna raised an eyebrow. “Disorganized? I prefer ‘creatively chaotic.’”

  “Call it whatever you like,” Airi teased. “But… I’m glad we ended up as housemates. I think we’ve both learned a lot from each other.”

  Izuna smiled, his usual playful demeanor softening. “Yeah. Same here.”

  The moment lingered between them, the usual teasing replaced by something quieter, more genuine.

  “Alright, enough of this sappy talk,” Airi said, breaking the silence. “We’ve got work tomorrow, and I need my beauty sleep.”

  “Agreed,” Izuna said with a chuckle. “Goodnight, partner.”

  “Goodnight, Izuna.”

  As they headed to their respective rooms, both felt a newfound appreciation for the strange twist of fate that had brought them together.

  The weekend arrived, bringing a welcome break from their hectic schedules. Izuna and Airi decided to spend the day tidying up their shared apartment.

  “Who knew two people could accumulate so much junk in just a few months?” Izuna remarked, holding up a tangled mess of wires he’d found behind the TV.

  “Correction: you accumulated the junk,” Airi said, arms crossed as she pointed to a pile of random knickknacks. “I keep things neat.”

  Izuna laughed. “Neat? You’ve got labels on labels. Even the spice rack is alphabetized!”

  “And yet you still can’t find the salt,” Airi quipped, tossing him a cloth. “Now stop talking and start dusting.”

  As the day went on, their cleaning efforts turned into a playful competition.

  “Bet I can clean the kitchen faster than you can organize the bookshelf,” Airi challenged.

  “You’re on!” Izuna declared, darting to the kitchen while Airi dove into the shelves.

  Minutes later, they both finished at the same time, collapsing onto the couch in mock exhaustion.

  “We make a pretty good team,” Izuna said, catching his breath.

  Airi smirked. “Don’t get used to it. This was a one-time event.”

  That evening, as they relaxed after their productive day, Airi received a text from Athena inviting her to a casual office gathering the following week.

  “You should come with me,” Airi said, looking over at Izuna.

  “To your office party? Won’t that be weird?” Izuna asked.

  “Not at all. Besides, you owe me for helping with your design,” Airi replied with a mischievous grin.

  “Fine, but only if you promise not to introduce me as your ‘messy housemate,’” Izuna said, making her laugh.

  “Deal,” Airi said.

  As they wound down for the night, Izuna leaned back on the couch, staring at the ceiling. “You know, for all the chaos, I think we’re doing alright as housemates.”

  Airi nodded, her expression softening. “Yeah. It’s not what I expected, but… it’s not bad.”

  They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the buzz of the city outside their window serving as a reminder of how far they’d come since their awkward first meeting.

  “Alright,” Airi said, standing up and stretching. “Time to call it a night. Don’t forget to take out the trash before you go to bed.”

  “Your wish is my command,” Izuna said with a mock bow, earning an eye roll from Airi as she headed to her room.

  As he tidied up the last of the day’s mess, Izuna couldn’t help but smile. Despite their differences—and the occasional frustration—he was grateful for the strange, unexpected turn his life had taken.