I Just turned 20. My parents told me to live independently from now on and wanted me to live on my own. After all, how hard could it be? I can clean my own place, I can cook (sort of).Yes! I got this!, or so I thought. Turns out, searching for an apartment is really a pain in the neck. With my limited budget, everything is just too damn expensive.

  I went to every real estate agent asking for an apartment. The first place I checked out had a hole in the wall. I couldn't care less if it was a small hole, but it was big enough to see the guy next door’s miserable life.According to the landlord, it was for a better “airflow”.

  The second place smelled like a dumpster fire and that room comes with a special prize, a smelly NEET roommate kissing a poster.By the third, it was not even an apartment, it was a storeroom that was small and cramped like a coffin. I know I'm complaining and being choosy like a spoiled brat, not being “thankful” for what I get.When i compare the places i checked to a park bench, i would happily choose the bench, because that’s how extreme the places were.

  I ended up failing in negotiations and seeking a place where I can sleep peacefully, and finally, there was this nice old real estate agent who spoke gently in a calming tone.

  “I understand your pain dear, but all the apartments are in high demand, and with the budget you got, it’s merely impossible to get an apartment for rent. If you need an apartment desperately, I can show you one, unless… you're willing to have a roommate.”

  “Oh, a roommate huh, i can get used to that”

  I thought she was a nice old lady but the grin she gave after showing me the apartment was unsettling.

  “Finally, I can sell this room to this idiot and get some profit before my retirement. Nobody wants to rent this room because of that one freak living in it! ” she thought in her mind.

  I went to the landlord who was also living in the apartment on the 2nd floor. She was also an old lady who was nearly 60 I guess. She jumped on me and pointed the apple peeler on my neck.

  “If you delay a single payment, I will peel off your skin with this peeler. GOT IT!?Your apartment number is 204, and boy…. take care of your roommate”

  “YES, ALRIGHT!,what’s up with this landlord, despite her age, she is questionably athletic, jeez. Take care of your roommate?Who is that guy, a baby or something?”

  A few days later, my parents sent me off as I packed all my things and I moved my things to the apartment.Finally! After the settlement, I opened the door of my new home with excitement that a new chapter is going to be opened in my life, and I couldn't believe my own eyes.

  There was this very tall figure about 6’5” at least, towering like a skyscraper, it was covered in a big white coloured blanket like fabric, with two pointy horns.My heart froze.A demon? A ghost? The devil came to claim my pathetic soul? Not too proud of myself but the moment i saw it, i fainted after screaming in a girly voice.

  I slowly gained consciousness, and the tall figure still standing in front of me. My eyes were blurry but as I was slowly focusing, it’s a tall woman with cat ears, pale and smooth skin, long but messy silver hair and a long fluffy tail.

  “Yo! You must be Toshiro! The landlord said you’re my roommate from now on.I’m looking forward to living with you pal!”

  She laughed. When I saw her clearly, she looked really beautiful and her eyes were silver with grey shades, and she had long thick legs. I think she’s basically athletic.

  “And what’s up with the cat cosplay? Is she a die hard otaku? She looks like she’s around 27 years old but isn't that too old to be cosplaying? But anyways, this is a paradise!. I got a decent place and a beautiful roommate”

  As I was thinking to myself, both the landlord and the tall otaku chick looked at me confused because I was grinning in a way when a middle aged man sees a high school girl on a train.

  “Hahaha, you seem fun little Toshiro”

  The landlord went to her apartment on the upper floor without saying anything.

  “I get that you’re big, but I prefer being called only Toshiro otaku chick”

  “Ota- oi! My name is Kira!”

  Despite her prickly personality, she helped me with carrying my luggage and my other stuff. I sat on the sofa and trying to process the questions I had in my mind. Kira jumped on the sofa next to me, locking my neck with her arm. Her moves were quick and she had strength beyond my expectation.

  “You alright pal? Hahaha you look pale”

  I took a deep breath.

  “Kira, I have a few questions to ask.”

  Kira raised her eyebrows and her fake cat ears moved. I thought I was just overthinking so I did not focus on it too much. I assumed her reaction as she’s willing to hear me out.

  “Why were you covered in a white sheet when I was opening the door?”

  She had a smug reaction on her face and said

  “Because I was watching a horror movie and the sheet was my protection, and i was coming to open the door after hearing the doorbell”

  “How are you this tall? Is it even possible?”

  “It’s called genetics”

  “Why are you in a cat costume?”

  “It’s uh……because I work as a cosplay model and I like being in this costume……. So I wear it everyday. Hahaha!”

  She was laughing nervously and had this look of a guy stealing a bunch of items in a convenience store but the stuff he stole is pointing out from his shirt, because that’s how obvious she was lying, but I am a man who doesn’t dwell too much on people's secrets.

  At this point I just thought I am going to live with a mentally unstable woman.Kira stood up fast.

  “Enough with the question Toshi! Now it’s my turn!”

  “Toshi?”

  Her tone changed all of a sudden, her eyes were filled with bloodlust.

  “If you try doing any perverted things on me, i will make you regret every single second of your life”

  It sent shivers down my spine, and I started to know why I was able to get this apartment at an affordable rate, because this lunatic probably chased away all the previous tenants. But I am built differently! I will tame this wild cat into a house cat.

  I put up a brave act and stood tall as well

  “Ha! You ain’t my type(she is totally my type), so don’t worry about it!”

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Kira gave a knowing smile and took the white sheet that scared me before this and covered herself in it. She jumped on the sofa beside me, her tone changed back to normal.

  “Oi Toshiro, let’s continue the horror movie i was watching before”

  Since the intense situation came back to normal again, I nodded my head and sat in a comfortable position waiting for the movie to start. The movie was not even scary but she was screaming unnecessarily.

  “Seriously, why is she wearing the cat costume at night doesn't that make her uncomfortable? Is she planning to sleep with that on?

  While I was focusing on her cat ears, there was a jumpscare scene in the movie. Kira jumped and screamed, but something was off…. The ears. It moved. NOT ONLY IT LOOKED ULTRA-REALISTIC,BUT IT MOVED!!!.It was like “Bam!”pointed upwards. Similar to the reaction when a cat gets surprised. Does she have auto sensory type motors behind her ears or something?

  “ no no no no I must be tired that’s why i'm seeing things, I’m gonna setup my room and sleep first”

  “Ehh? Already? It’s getting to the good part, well.. Goodnight Toshi”

  I went to my room and moved my bed, placed the table and arranged my manga collection according to the title and volumes in the bookshelf. I made it into the perfect room ever existed in human history. The first thing I must do tomorrow is find a job.

  It was around 3 in the morning. It was really hard to fall asleep, but my eyes were so heavy I couldn't even open it. I heard someone laughing but the sound came from the roof. I went to the window to look outside, there were lots of cats yowling in unison.

  The laughing voice felt really familiar to me, then I saw the landlord come outside with a bag of stones and mumbling about something. She reached inside her bag and started pelting the stones at the cats that were surrounding the apartment. She looked upstairs and started yelling.

  “YOU DO THIS ONE MORE TIME, AND I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL KICK YOU OUT OF THIS APARTMENT!”

  She threw a cluster of stones aimed at the roof, it was my bad for sticking out my head outside the window, one of the stones hit my face. The laughter became screaming for life, sounds of banging and thudding were surrounding the apartment. I knew the thing that was on the rooftop was not running away, instead it was descending and roaming inside the apartment.

  I rushed to the hallway to check out what was that, i knocked on Kira’s door

  “Oi Kira wake up! There is some sort of demon in our apartment! And our landlord is going nuts!”

  She didn't open the door, how can she even sleep in the middle of this chaos?. I went to the main hall and heard a sound like something heavy fell on the floor. I saw Kira near the fridge. Her hair was a mess, the clothes she was wearing were slightly torn, she was breathing heavily.

  “Yo…..Toshi!.... Came for a midnight snack?”

  “Kira, You’re a mess. What happened to you?”

  I saw something like blood from her hand but it was dark and I couldn't be sure of it.

  “Are you hurt? Your hand is bleeding!”

  “What are you saying Toshi, you must be tired. Go to sleep”

  She smiled and walked past me to her room and locked her door. I knew something was really off about her. I returned to my room and jumped back on my bed. The sounds before this were stopped thanks to the landlord. It’s the first day of my new life in this apartment and everything is just filled with chaos.

  I only slept for a little time and it was morning.

  “Banging sounds coming from next door”

  “Ahh..it's morning already, well i gotta search for a job today”

  I was taking a shower and I saw something like white hair clogging the drain. No one has white hair except that big cat, she has some serious balding issues or she must be washing that fake tail. Anyways, I am not a man who indulges in a woman's private life.

  The place was silent, it seems she must have gone to work. I roamed around the kitchen if there was any food but all I found was canned tuna, frozen fish, and milk.

  “What’s up with her weird diet? well that explains her height and strength i guess”

  The window near the kitchen was slightly damaged and had claw marks. I don’t want to accuse Kira for everything, but things are just becoming too suspicious.

  “Metal scratching sounds from next door”

  AND WHAT’S UP WITH THE SOUNDS I’VE BEEN HEARING SINCE I WOKE UP! I went outside and knocked on the neighbours door.

  “Knock, knock Excuse me! You’re too loud! Slow it down a little!”

  It seemed no one was answering. The sound continues. I should go anyway, I'll just report it to the landlord after I return. But it’s impossible for a normal human being to face her. Then I'll just ask Kira.

  I went to the bus stop to take a bus to the shopping district in this area. The shopping district was not bad, it had varieties of shops, convenience stores, restaurants and cafes. Maybe there are lots of chances for me to get a job.

  I went to a dress shop because there was a vacancy board hanging in front of it. There was this cute cashier girl. Maybe if I used my handsomeness and my sweet talk, I could get the job and a place in this girl's heart.(self confidence is important)

  “Good morning miss, I've noted that you’re finding someone capable to handle this store as your right hand man. Your smile lights up this store as well as my heart too, that’s why i present myself to you, to be the one who fill the empty place”

  The cashier girl stared at me terrified and took her phone to call the police.

  “No, wait! I want a job here”

  “Sir please read the vacancy board once again. It says the job is only for women”

  “Oh, so….can i get your nu-”

  “Please get out sir”

  It ended worse than i thought, but i got few more options left!. I walked around and found a small restaurant named “Shikisai”.

  The bell above the door jingled with a soft chime. As the door swung open, a wave of warm, fragrant air wrapped around me like a mother’s embrace.

  It was a different world inside- Sweet soy. Scallions sizzling in oil. Pork fat melting into broth. The tang of pickled daikon, sharp and bright. Freshly steamed rice, carrying the subtle perfume of home and warmth and everything, I nearly forgot why I came here.

  I approached the chef

  “I saw there is a vacancy for a helper in this restaurant”

  The chef looked at me questionably.

  “Come here”

  With a low voice he called me.

  He handed me 10 onions and a knife.

  “Cut and dice all of these onions within 1 minute”

  After all, how hard can it be? I have exceptional knowledge in cooking, this is a piece of cake.

  “I’ll impress you with my knife skills”

  It took 3 minutes and a bucket of tears. The chef looked at me in disappointment, with my tearful eyes i looked at the chef

  “How can someone even cut these within 1 minute? It's impossible!”

  The chef took the knife and another 10 onions, he inhaled deeply and let out a scream while chopping those onions like an animal. He cut those onions in 40 seconds! Even though the way he cut was wild, the onions came out in a perfect diced form.The chef said with a smug reaction

  “I was generous and gave you an extra 20 seconds boy, you know what i'm gonna say. But feel free to come and eat here anytime”

  “Yeah, alright old man”

  I exited the restaurant with another rejection. I entered every shop, restaurant, convenience store in the shopping district asking for a job, but no luck. Some of the place’s vacancies have been taken, some of them said I have no experience.

  I need to get a job fast, I can’t just lay around and do nothing. I need to get into college, I need money to pay my rent, and I can't just eat tuna and milk for the rest of my life!

  As I was walking in disappointment, there was this cafe brimming with customers. I went near the cafe and it’s name was “Nyan Nyan Yashiki”. After opening the door, I saw chess board like tiles, white and pink paw shaped chairs and tables, women dressed as a cat maid serving the customers and some of them were listening to the problems of middle aged guys.

  But there was this one table where people were gathering and all of them were laughing together. I felt that I wanted to have fun too, so I came closer to that table. After I saw the “cause” of the commotion, I didn't expect that “it” was here.