Although I mentioned I'd found an apartment in this post, the place I'm currently living in isn't that one with a view of a crape myrtle. On the first weekend after writing that post, I actually went to see it and was really disappointed. The road from the bus stop was not only long but also gloomy. On top of that, the opposite side of the crape myrtle was a hospital with a lot of signboards displaying various disease names in large, cheesy colors and fonts. I didn't want to live there.

I was totally at a loss but then I found an apartment that looked better in a nearby danchi online. It was Sunday, so I knew I wouldn't be able to see the room without a reservation. However, I went there anyway. I loved the road from the bus stop, and the overall atmosphere was wonderful. I kept walking around the building where the room was located and stared at it from outside.

Suddenly, I noticed this older lady looking at me. It was understandable that my behavior appeared weird, so I explained to her that I was thinking of moving there but I couldn't see the room from inside. She invited me to her apartment, saying it wasn't too different from the room I was interested in.

I didn't stay in her apartment for long, but it was a pleasant experience. She told me she'd been living in the danchi for a very long time, and had moved within it twice, when her kids left home and when her husband passed away. Currently, she lives alone in the smaller apartment on the ground floor.

After I met her, my difficult moving process started to go smoothly. I brought a small gift for her when I moved into the danchi, but I couldn't remember exactly where her room was, so I hadn't been able to give it to her.

Today, after finishing work, I was casually looking out the window and found her enjoying chatting with neighbors. I dashed out and I was finally able to greet her and give her my gift, which is a small amount of rice made in Toyama. She told me to come visit again someday and smiled as if we were old friends. I don't know if we'll become actual friends or not, but I'm really happy to have moved here.