Chapter 18 – New Neighbors, New Noise

Kazunami Town did not welcome people quietly.

The wind smelled like salt and old fish, the streets were narrow, and the buildings looked like they had given up on repainting decades ago. Yuji stood in front of a three-story apartment that leaned slightly to the left, like it was tired of standing straight.

This was home now.

The rent was cheap. The walls were thin. The stairs creaked like they were complaining.

Perfect.

Yuji balanced Mai in one arm and dragged his suitcase with the other as he climbed to the second floor. His key stuck in the lock, and he had to jiggle it three times before the door finally opened.

The apartment was… small.

One room. A tiny kitchen. A bathroom that looked like it had survived several disasters. The wallpaper peeled in one corner like it was trying to escape.

Yuji exhaled. “We’ll make it work.”

Mai yawned.

That was enough approval for him.

He had barely placed Mai on the futon when the door slid open loudly.

“NEW FACE!”

Yuji nearly jumped out of his skin.

An old woman with silver hair tied into a bun leaned in, squinting at him like he was a suspicious vegetable.

“I’m Mrs. Kaneko,” she announced. “You’re loud.”

“I… I’m sorry,” Yuji said automatically, bowing while still holding Mai.

Mrs. Kaneko’s eyes dropped to the baby.

Her entire expression changed.

“Oh.”

She stepped inside without permission.

“Ohhh.”

She crouched immediately. “Whose baby?”

“My daughter,” Yuji replied carefully. “Mai.”

Mrs. Kaneko poked Mai’s cheek.

Mai frowned.

Mrs. Kaneko gasped dramatically. “She judged me.”

Yuji blinked.

“I like her,” Mrs. Kaneko declared. “She has spirit.”

She stood and pointed at the kitchen. “You don’t know how to boil water properly, do you?”

“…I can learn.”

“Good,” she said. “You’ll come to my place tomorrow. Babies need soup.”

Before Yuji could respond, she was gone.

The door slammed.

Yuji stared at it.

“…Okay.”

Thirty minutes later, someone knocked again.

This time, the knock was cheerful.

“Pizza delivery!”

Yuji opened the door to a tall man in his late thirties wearing a pizza-stained apron and a big grin.

“I’m not ordering—”

“I know,” the man said. “I live next door. Name’s Tetsuo. I own the pizza place downstairs.”

He peeked inside. “You the single dad?”

Yuji stiffened. “…Yes.”

Tetsuo nodded seriously. “Rough life.”

Then he shoved a pizza box into Yuji’s hands.

“Welcome pizza,” he said. “Don’t argue. It’s illegal here.”

Mai started fussing.

Tetsuo leaned in. “Whoa, she’s tiny.”

“She was born early.”

Tetsuo scratched his head. “Then you’re definitely not cooking tonight.”

Yuji almost smiled.

The third neighbor arrived at midnight.

The door flew open, and a woman in oversized sunglasses and a hoodie burst in dramatically.

“I’m home—!”

She froze when she saw Yuji.

“…Who are you?”

Yuji raised a hand awkwardly. “Uh. New tenant.”

She stared at Mai.

“…Is that a baby?”

“Yes.”

Her shoulders slumped. “Great. I move to a quiet town to focus on my acting career, and I get a crying infant next door.”

Yuji bowed deeply. “I’m sorry. I’ll do my best to keep her quiet.”

She sighed, rubbing her temples. “No. It’s fine.”

She looked at Mai again.

“…She’s cute,” she muttered.

“My name’s Rin,” she added. “Junior actress. Struggling. Broke.”

Yuji nodded. “Yuji.”

Rin squinted. “You look dead inside.”

“…I get that a lot.”

She laughed unexpectedly. “You’ll fit in here.”

Life didn’t magically get easier.

But it got louder.

Mrs. Kaneko taught Yuji how to cook baby-friendly meals while scolding him about everything else.

Tetsuo watched Mai behind the counter while Yuji filled out job applications, slipping him leftover pizza with suspicious generosity.

Rin practiced lines in the hallway at night and ended up rocking Mai between takes.

“Don’t tell anyone,” she whispered once. “This ruins my cool image.”

Mai babbled in response.

“Wow,” Rin said. “Rude.”

A week later, Yuji got a job.

Truck delivery.

Early mornings. Long hours. Heavy lifting.

The pay wasn’t great, but it was steady.

When he came home exhausted that first night, Mrs. Kaneko was waiting with soup.

Tetsuo waved from downstairs.

Rin clapped dramatically. “Single dad with a job arc. Character development.”

Yuji looked at Mai sleeping peacefully in his arms.

For the first time since everything fell apart, something inside him eased.

This place wasn’t perfect.

But it was alive.

And for now, that was enough.