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Looks For Housemate, Gets An Adventure (Johnathon/Itsuki)
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Post by Itsuki Momosuke on Feb 11, 2016 3:31:06 GMT
Itsuki was hunched over her laptop, typing out an ad on the city's Real Estate homepage. She finished up writing it out and leaned back. She wondered why she had never thought about renting out the spare bedroom before. It was a great way to cut down on cost and to save the money she had received. Itsuki was glad Tsubomi had suggested it when she had come over. She just hoped she got an interesting person, and not someone like the girls at work who just talked all the time about make up and fashion all the time. She couldn't keep up with it.
She decided to review the ad before she sent it out.
Renter Wanted - Open bedroom in two story house located in Society Hills, W. Shibuya. Bedroom on upper floor, along with private bathroom. Kitchen would be communal, as would laundry room. Internet, television, electricity, and plumbing costs would be split between myself and the renter, price will be included in monthly rent. Serious inquiries only. Rent will be ¥**** a month. Please contact at the following address/number.
xx-xxxx-xxxx xxxxx@xxxx.co.jp
She nodded to herself. It sounded reasonable enough to her. She hit 'Post' on the website and also posted a copy onto a couple other websites that had a good reputation. She closed her laptop and went into the kitchen to make herself some lunch before she headed to work. She turned her ringer up on her cell phone in case anyone tried to contact her.
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Post by John Davis on Feb 11, 2016 5:06:43 GMT
Meanwhile, Johnathon had just arrived at Narita International Airport in Tokyo, Japan. The flight he had taken part in by Delta Airlines was one of the longest he had ever experienced. But, that was all over now. The white and blue 777 Boeing airliner was approaching the runway. As the landing gear approached the pavement, the plane's air brakes activated to slow the aircraft down. This allowed the plane to come to a safe, relatively pleasant halt, before continuing on to the gate it was scheduled to taxi to.
Now, John was sitting at one of the tables at a tea shop situated within the installation. Before him was his laptop, which was connected the the airport's WiFi. Currently, he perused through different websites in an attempt to find a home now that he was to live in Tokyo. John wanted to make sure he could find a place to stay before his suitcase would arrive at the baggage claim.
Then, he opened the city's local real estate webpage. A particular add caught his eye; one that was rather recent. According to the ad's view counter, not many people had attempted to respond to the ad. His heart raced slightly with excitement. Based on what the ad had said, it was a really good deal! One that he couldn't let slip away. Without wasting another moment, John removed his smart phone from his right jeans' pocket, and dialed the contact number that had been listed. John listened intently as the dial tone played in his right ear. "Please. Don't let me be too late."
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Post by Itsuki Momosuke on Feb 11, 2016 20:49:01 GMT
Setting her phone back on the table, Itsuki put her head in her hands and groaned. Every single person who had called had been some sort of creep or just not the right fit. She sighed and looked at the clock. She was going to have to go back to work soon, her break was almost over. She may have to wait til tomorrow before she got a good canidate...
"Momosuke-san, 5 minutes before you're back out there!" One of her coworkers called out as they passed by the break room. "Hai~" She called back. She sighed again and got up, just as her phone rang. She didn't recognize the number. She answered it, "Moshi moshi, Momosuke here."
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Post by John Davis on Feb 11, 2016 22:01:40 GMT
John certainly hoped that he wasn't calling the person who put the ad up at a bad time. The last thing he wanted to do was make a bad first impression. But, there werent any specific intructions on what time was best to call during, so he was not too worried.
A smile spread across John's face when his call was answered. "Yes, hello. This is John Davis." He spake while he stood, packing his laptop into his backpack. "I'm calling in regards to the ad you posted? I'm interested in becoming a tenant."
John was excited, to say the least. If he played his cards right, he would be able to live comfortably in this beautiful country. "You have no idea how grateful I am since you put the ad up minutes before I landed at the airport." While John spoke, he was now making his way to the baggage claim area so that he could pluck his suitcase from the conveyor belt.
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Post by Itsuki Momosuke on Feb 14, 2016 1:33:48 GMT
Oh. It was someone calling about her ad. Well, at least he didn't start out by asking her if it would be alright to pay in meats or if he could bring his 6 cats. She looked at the clock on the wall. She didnt have time to go into a discussion at the moment...
"Ah, alright, Davis-san was it? I don't have a whole lot of time to talk at the moment so let me give you a rundown. Monthly rent will be in cash or check, no smoking, no drugs, no bringing people over without notice, no pets, no alcohol. If these terms are agreeable to you, I can give you a tour when I get off work in an hour and we can discuss first and last month's payment and such if you end up liking it."
She figured that would either deter him or show how serious he was. She waited for his answer.
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Post by John Davis on Feb 14, 2016 3:10:46 GMT
By the time that John's potential housemate listed off the ground rules of his tenant status, he was already at the baggage claim. The conveyor belt initiated it's scheduled movement. This signified that the luggage of the flight's passengers would soon commence their little trip to be picked up by their owners. "Ah, that doesn't sound bad at all!" Exclaimed John. "You have nothing to worry about. I do not drink, smoke, take drugs other than prescription and over-the-counter, I don't want to spend the money to get a pet, and I would never bring someone over to a house that I do not own without the owner's permission."
It was at this time that the newcomer's suitcase was closing in. While he waited patiently, other people would walk up to the belt and grasp their belongings. They were obviously in a hurry to get somewhere, but John was not one to rush things. He had plenty of time to get to the house that he would hopefully soon be calling home. But now, his tan suitcase trudged along in front of him, and he gripped the handle on the side to pull it from the conveyor belt.
"I'll make sure to meet you there soon. Is the train a good mode of transportation? I wouldn't want to show up too early or too late. I don't want to inconvenience you in any way."
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Post by Itsuki Momosuke on Feb 15, 2016 7:01:00 GMT
Itsuki was slightly surprised that the guy agreed and so quickly. She shrugged and thought about where to meet. "There's a stop in Shibuya with a dog named Hachiko nearby. Ask anyone nearby about it, they'll be able to direct you. We'll meet up in an hour. If you get lost, you can send a mail to this number and I'll help you out. I have to go now now. Sore ja~"
With that she hung up and went back to work, flashing a smile to the newest customers. "Irashaimasen! How many tonight?" Hopefully the rest of the shift would pass quickly. The person on the other end of her phone call seemed rather interesting. She hoped it worked out.
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Post by John Davis on Feb 15, 2016 7:54:11 GMT
This was great! A wide smile spread across John's face which in turn creased his lips. "Sore ja." He repeated to Itsuki. Once his new housemate hung up the phone, John pressed his thumb to the red button on his screen. Now pocketing the device, the foreigner headed through the sliding doors to the taxi terminal.
"Hachiko, huh?" Mused John. As he began to think about how she described a dog near a train station, he began to remember something about a statue of a dog and a story that involved a loyal dog waiting for his master to come home. But he began to feel slightly saddened since the story had a sad ending. But, no matter. It was time to hail a cab and meet Itsuki at the station! But thankfully at the taxi terminal, there were taxis lined up to take people to their desired destinations.
John approached one of the taxis, and the driver eagerly assisted him with putting his luggage into the trunk. Now would be a good time as any to practice Japanese. He offered a smile to the cab driver once the two entered the vehicle. "Anata wa Hachikō ni watashi o toru shite morae?" Simply put, he had asked if the driver could take him to see Hachiko. The cab driver nodded and returned the smile. "Hai." He replied. And with that, John's mini adventure would commence!
The drive along the way was not too terrible, save for some traffic along the way. John couldn't help but gaze out the window in the back seat in order to admire the multitude of wonderful sights to behold. The trip from the airport lasted an hour, which was actually perfect for John. The taxi arrived at the station now, where John would pay his fare and take his luggage from the car. Before the cab driver would depart, John had politely asked him for directions to Hachiko, to which the driver gratefully responded. John bowed, responding with an "Arigato," before making his way to where the man had instructed him to go.
Without a doubt, John's memory served him well about the details of Hachiko. Rather than an actual dog, it was a statue of an Akita dog. Seeing that Itsuki had not arrived yet, John decided to take a load off by relaxing on a nearby bench in front of the statue that lied a few paces away. John was really looking forward to meeting Itsuki face-to-face for the first time!
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Post by Itsuki Momosuke on Feb 15, 2016 22:37:03 GMT
Itsuki clocked out and caught a nearby bus to the Shibuya station. She glanced at her watch as she stepped off the bus. She was running a few minutes behind. She ran to the Hachiko statue and looked around. She saw couples and groups of friends meeting up, an up and coming band setting up for a performance, and some street vendors showing off their wares.
She wasnt sure what this Davis-san looked like. She was irritated at herself for not asking he was wearing anything that could identify him to her. She took out her phone and redialed the last number that called her. She looked around for someone to answer their phone. She noticed a guy who looked American pick up his phone. She walked over to him.
"Sumimasen, would you possibly be Davis-san?" She inquired, holding her phone to her ear just in case the real Davis-san picked up.
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Post by John Davis on Feb 15, 2016 23:09:21 GMT
The Doctor Who theme song began to play from John's cellular phone. This signified that he was currently receiving a call. Upon picking up his phone from the bench, John noticed that the number was none other than Itsuki's. "Oh, they must be here now." He had guessed aloud.
Before he could respond, a rather effeminate-looking young man with short blonde hair and blue eyes approached him. His eyes lit up upon their inquiry. John stood, and offered a hand-shake. "Yes. It's nice to meet you. Momosuke Itsuki, I presume? And please, call me John." A soft smile creased the man's lips.
But, John found himself in a slight state of confusion. Itsuki's gender was currently in question. Were they a male, or a female? Itsuki seemed like a feminine name, but John couldn't be too sure. It was exactly like a particular character from a video game John had heard so much about, where the protagonist's gender was unspecified.
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Post by Itsuki Momosuke on Feb 15, 2016 23:21:20 GMT
Itsuki blinked at the offered hand. This must be that American custom she had seen on TV. A hand...shake, was it? She put her hand in his and shook it with a strong grip. She smiled. "Right. It's nice to meet you John-san. You can call me Itsuki. Sorry I kept you waiting, my shift ran a little long. Now, if you'll follow me, we'll need to take the train a couple stops to where my neighborhood is."
As she walked into the station, she paused at the ticket counter. She looked at him. "Do you have an IC card?" She tilted her head. She held up a small green card on a lanyard.
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Post by John Davis on Feb 15, 2016 23:28:30 GMT
"Don't worry about it, Itsuki." John replied in hopes to ease her worry about being a little late. "A few minutes is no big deal. It gave me a chance to enjoy the scenery." Once the two approached the ticket counter, John looked at the card that Itsuki held in their hand.
Thank goodness John had began the immigration process before he graduated from college. "Why, yes I do!" John exclaimed rather proudly. He proceeded to remove his own IC card from his wallet. "After you." He offered to Itsuki, gesturing politely to the station's ticket counter.
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Post by Itsuki Momosuke on Feb 15, 2016 23:45:23 GMT
Itsuki nodded and swiped her card which opened the small gate. She went through and, after she made sure John came through with no trouble, went to the loading area of the train. They both got on and she helped him store his luggage then she sat down.
After a couple of stops had passed, "Society Hills" was called out over the speakers. Itsuki led John off the train, out of the station, and down the street to the neighborhood. She stopped in front of a more traditional Japanese house. She walked up to the front door and unlocked it with her key. She stepped inside, took her shoes off and put on a pair of house slippers. She set a guest pair aside for John.
She turned to him. "Please come in. This is my place. I can give you a tour or you can have a look around yourself."
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Post by John Davis on Feb 15, 2016 23:58:36 GMT
The house it self was absolutely gorgeous in John's point of view. He could hardly believe that he was starting off so well on the first day of moving to Japan. "Yes, I would love a tour, please." Responded John with a friendly smile. After he placed his backpack on the ground next to his tan suitcase, which he let stand up on it's four little black wheels, he removed his black converse sneakers and replaced them with the pair of house slippers that Itsuki provided to him.
"This is a gorgeous house, Itsuki." He would comment before the tour commenced. "I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am for offering space for a tenant. I brought some video game systems with me from home, so feel free to play on them! I'm normally going to spend time on my laptop for games and such, so I don't mind at all. I also wouldn't have any trouble sharing my Netflix account."
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Post by Itsuki Momosuke on Feb 16, 2016 0:14:31 GMT
Some of the terms he was saying were slightly foreign to her. Of course, she knew what video game systems were, but she didn't really play them. But...Net-flex? What was that? She mentally shrugged to herself. Ah well, she guessed she'd find out in time.
She started walking and commenced giving the tour. "Right, so this in the entryway. In the hallway here is the downstairs bathroom. There's one upstairs as well." She opened the door to the small room that housed only a toilet. Moving on, she opened another door. "This is the laundry room, and if you open that sliding door there, that's where the shower and bathtub are. The house only has one, so we'll have to take turns, or there's a public bath not too far from here." She closed this door and moved into an open room with two other hallways connected to it. "This is the living room. The line to hang your clothes is outside of here, in the back yard." She gestured to the sliding glass door at the back of the room. "The kitchen is connected, giving it a more open feel. Feel free to use any of the appliances you don't have. Just make sure to wash them in the sink afterward." She then took him down the hallway on the right which contained a set of stairs. She paused at the base of the stairs. "Up here would be your bedroom and another bathroom. My room is on this floor, down that other hallway. I assume I don't have to tell you that privacy needs to be respected regarding bedrooms. Always knock first and enter the room only if permission is given. Of course, I will be abiding by this too." She looked at him. "Any questions?"
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