Chapter Text
Story 1 : Prologue
“Stelle are you really moving out to another apartment? Himeko and Mr. Yang would be sad you know!”
The gray-haired girl groans while she lays her face on the Jarilo-IV’s diner table. She feels a light pat on her back that seems trying to empathize with her current predicament. It's not like the decision of moving to another place is by her own choice— some of her classes, taught by strict professors whose names Stelle still doesn't remember, have rescheduled to morning classes and Stelle can't afford to be late. Luckily, her friend recommended the apartment near her campus that isn't too expensive for her poor wallet. But the downside is, well, Stelle has to leave her close friends, March and Dan Heng, and also her favourite neighbours, Himeko and Mr. Yang. Not to mention moving out to another place will still take a lot of her time and energy. And money too, of course. But again, she has no other choice as she needs to keep up with her grades and attendance percentage—she almost fluked her grade last year and she definitely cannot afford to do the same this year.
“Himeko and Mr. Yang…but not you, March?” a feigned sadness, with Stelle’s signature puppy eyes. March knows this the best; they've been friends for quite some time after all, but it still works on her. Well, sometimes.
“Wasn't I the first one who objected to this whole moving out thing? Of course I don't want you to go!” March's pinching Stelle's cheek, “Dan Heng is sad too, just look at him!”
The black-haired man only letting out a hum and a nod, as he still focusses on reading a book, which earning a frown from March. “Can you at least try to look sad? You gonna make our Stelle cry!”
Soft mumblings can be heard from Stelle “I'm not crying though…” but March ignores her.
“I am sad.” Dan Heng stops reading his book and fully concentrate his gaze on the slumping mess of a person in front of him. “But we can still go together and hang out, it’s not like Stelle moves to another planet.”
“True, but we can't sing at and watch horror movie together at 3 a.m anymore.” March crossing her arms, defensive. Both of March and Stelle are sometimes watching movies together at the witching hour simply because they can’t sleep and studying definitely the last thing they want to do during that time. Their neighbours often complains about the noises their television make that Dan Heng has to personally remind them about it.
“This is why you two often get into troubles with the neighbours.” Dan Heng lets out a defeated sigh and lean his back on the seat, he takes a look at Stelle who are still wallowing with her face down on the table, “Well, when are you going to move? I can help you with packing and stuff.”
Stelle, who is finally pulling herself back to her seat, gets her smartphone to check on the date.
“It's still next week, on 4th.”
Dan Heng nods, “I'm free next week, I'll help you out.”
“I'm helping too!”
“No need to raise your hand AND your voice, March.” Dan Heng shifts his gaze on their surrounding and notices some of the patrons are looking at them, “You’re way too excited about all of this.”
“March…are you that happy that I’m moving away from you…?”
Unfortunately, Stelle’s puppy eyes doesn’t work the second time on March and she gets both of her cheeks pinched by the pink haired girl, “Are you trying to make me guilty you little-”
Uninterested with all silly commotions in front of him, Dan Heng takes his phone from his bag and sees a chat message popping up on the screen. He quietly typing some responses before putting his phone back to his bag.
“March, Stelle, I need to go to Mr. Yang’s office.” Dan Heng stands up and pulls out his wallet from his trousers. Today is his treat for the girls after all. March follows his cue and finally letting go of Stelle’s already reddened cheeks.
“Another errand for Mr. Yang?” The pink-haired girl’s starting to pick up her things on the table and takes her white bag, “I want to go with you but I need to buy groceries…You wanna come with me, Stelle? I’ll treat you ice cream!”
Stelle’s head perks up after hearing the word ‘ice cream’ but she slumps back a few seconds after that, looking dejected.
“Sorry I can’t, March.” Stelle takes her bag and stands up, following both March and Dan Heng to the cashier, “I need to check the apartment again today.”
“I thought you’ve checked it already?”
“Well, I kind of want to check it again….? you know, if I miss something?”
Her words sound like half-baked excuses, but Stelle really wants to see her future-home again for some reasons. She has checked every nook and cranny inside the apartment with her friend last month so there’s no way she would miss important things. But still, she wants to come back to that apartment today. It has to be today; it can’t be tomorrow or the day after. Stelle doesn’t understand it either but she’s not busy today so why not entertain her curiosity? March’s eying her as if she’s hiding something from them but give up not long after.
“Oh my bus is here, see you guys.” Dan Heng waves at both of the girls as he’s getting onto the bus.
“Say hi to Mr. Yang for us, okay!” March waves back to Dan Heng who gives them a thumbs up, “You okay going there alone, Stelle?”
“It’s not like someone’s going to kidnap me, I’m a pretty big girl after all.” Stelle’s laugh doesn’t last long when she sees March is squinting in disagreement at her, “I’m fine, I’m fine. Seriously. I’m just going to check it for a bit.”
March let out a sigh, “Well, if you say so. Let me know if you’ve came back, alright?”
After giving a nod, March goes on her way to the grocery store, leaving Stelle by herself.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It takes around 40 mins to reach the apartment, the road is more packed as the apartment located in a busy area. Stelle isn't a big fan of crowded place but then again, she needs to stay near the campus so she keeps up with her grades. Stelle takes a deep breath as soon as she is getting down from the bus, taking in the surrounding for a moment before stepping into the apartment building.
Her apartment room is located on the third floor, number 28. The interior detail is still fresh in her memory, and she even had planned where to put her belongings. Stelle’s taking her key from her bag but her hand decides to be clumsy that day and not only her key flings out from her black bag, books even—-and her tablet, oh no, her precious tablet—also fell on the floor. She quickly picks the tablet, checking if there’s a crack on the screen. Stelle whispers ‘thank aeon’ when she can’t find any visible scratch on it. She puts the tablet back on her bag which she already puts on the floor for easy access.
”Ugh this is annoying…”Stelle picks the books one by one on the floor, keeping them on her arm, "Where’s my key?”
“Looking for this?”
Hearing a sultry voice addressing her, Stelle looks up to find something—someone so pretty that she forgets how to breath. Literally, for a full 30 seconds Stelle deprives her lungs from oxygen because of the woman in front of her. The lady is quite tall—but maybe not as tall as her even with the high heels—and very slender too. Her dark purple hair is pulled into a messy ponytail, her side hair falls elegantly on her shoulder. She’s wearing fit in shirts with long sleeves and black trousers. Stelle can’t see the color of her eyes as the lady wears sunglasses, which disappoints Stelle, slightly.
“Hello~ are you there~”
kaching kaching
The ringing sound from the key and the voice calling her quickly wake Stelle up from her daydream.
“I uh—” No intelligent words comes out from Stelle’s lips.
“Is this key yours?” The lady’s shaking the key again, now closer to Stelle’s dumbfounded face.
“Oh yeah—yeah..! That’s my key, yep.” The lady smiles and Stelle swears she may have stare on to the sun directly. She takes Stelle’s right hand and put the key on her palm.
“Be careful next time,”
“Um, t-thank you, uh—”
“Are you living here?” The lady moves her gaze on Stelle’s front door, examining.
“Um, yeah, I will move in next week.”
A short humming response.
“So you’re my new neighbor then.”
The information is too much for Stelle that she can only say ‘uuh….’ as her response.
The lady only giggles, “Nice to meet you—”
“Stelle, the name’s Stelle.” Clearing her throat, Stelle looks at the lady, properly this time, “Nice to meet you too, miss…?”
“Kafka.” She smiles again before pulls up her sunglasses, revealing purple-blueish eyes---the contact lens has pretty colours, Stelle thought.
“I guess I’ll see you soon?”
“Y-yeah…see you soon…” And with that pitiful last greeting from Stelle, Kafka goes into her own apartment, disappear from Stelle’s searching gaze, leaving the dumbstruck Stelle all alone.
Stelle thinks, it’s not so bad now that she has to move into this apartment.
