The next afternoon, the two of them arrived punctually at the real estate agency in Kanda.
The agent was a woman in her thirties, surnamed Yamamoto.
She wore a well-tailored business suit, her smile warm and professional.
"Mr. Tsushima, Miss Yukinoshita, welcome, welcome."
Miss Yamamoto showed them into the reception room, served hot tea, and then brought out detailed listings for three properties.
"The weather's nice today. Which one should we look at first?"
"Let's do the third one."
Yukinoshita Shizuku answered almost without hesitation.
"The detached house with the terrace."
"Sure, let's head out now."
Miss Yamamoto rose and led the two of them out of the agency.
In March, the streets of Kanda were quiet and tidy.
Most of the shops lining the street were long-established sweet shops and bookstores.
Here and there a café gave off a faint Showa-era feel.
"This house is about a seven-minute walk from Kanda Station."
Miss Yamamoto explained as they walked.
"There's a supermarket, a convenience store, and a post office all nearby — very convenient for daily life."
"The school district is good too. I know you two probably don't have children yet, but thinking ahead..."
The tips of Yukinoshita Shizuku's ears went faintly red, but she said nothing.
Tsushima Kagami let out a small laugh.
"That's quite far ahead to be thinking."
"Well, it's only proper to consider it."
Miss Yamamoto nodded with a smile and stopped in front of a three-story house.
"Here we are. This is it."
Tsushima Kagami looked up at it.
The exterior was simple and modern — gray-white walls, a dark gray roof, everything looking fairly new.
By the entrance stood a small mailbox, and beside it a tree of some unknown kind was just beginning to sprout tender green buds.
Miss Yamamoto opened the door, and the two of them stepped inside.
The first floor held a living room, dining room, kitchen, and a bathroom.
The living room was large, and the south-facing windows let sunlight pour in across the whole space.
The kitchen was open-plan, fully equipped with a stove, sink, and oven.
The whole place had a natural-wood look that felt warm and cozy.
"This kitchen's nice."
Yukinoshita Shizuku stood in the kitchen and ran her hand over the countertop.
The second floor had three bedrooms, each facing south with good natural light.
The master bedroom was the largest, with a walk-in closet and an en-suite bathroom.
The other two bedrooms were a bit smaller, but still plenty spacious.
The third floor was the room with the terrace.
It was a big open space, good for a study or a hobby room.
The terrace itself was open-air, floored in wood, with a view of the surrounding streets.
"This terrace is really nice."
Miss Yamamoto said, smiling, as she stood out on it.
"You could grill here in summer, and sunbathe in winter."
"Very pleasant."
Tsushima Kagami looked around and nodded, but said nothing.
Yukinoshita Shizuku glanced at him and knew exactly what he was thinking.
"Let's go see the next one."
Miss Yamamoto nodded and led them to look at the other two properties.
The second one was the detached house with the small garden.
It was older than the first, built with a wooden frame.
Well maintained, but it had an overall older feel to it.
The garden, though, was quite spacious, planted with several pine trees and a cherry tree, the ground paved with bluestone slabs, giving it a distinctly Japanese charm.
"This garden is actually pretty good."
Tsushima Kagami stood in the garden, looking at the cherry tree.
"Sitting here drinking tea in spring would be lovely."
"It would. And once you have kids, they'll be able to run around and play in the garden all they like."
Miss Yamamoto said enthusiastically.
Yukinoshita Shizuku looked at the garden too, as though picturing the scene in her mind.
Then she nodded slightly.
"It's a shame the house itself is a bit small, and a bit old."
Tsushima Kagami walked once around the interior, frowning.
"The kitchen's too small, and there's no walk-in closet."
"That can be renovated," Miss Yamamoto said quickly.
"This house has good bones — there's a lot of room to remodel."
Yukinoshita Shizuku thought it over and didn't answer right away.
She turned to look at Tsushima Kagami.
"What do you think?"
"Let's see the third one."
The third property was the tower apartment near Kanda Station, a five-minute walk away.
It was on the fifteenth floor, three bedrooms and a living room, just over ninety square meters.
From the windows, you could see the whole streetscape of Kanda.
"This place has a great view."
Miss Yamamoto said, standing by the window and pointing off into the distance.
"That's Akihabara over there, and Ueno beyond it."
"The transportation is very convenient too — Kanda Station, Awajicho Station, and Ogawamachi Station are all within walking distance."
Yukinoshita Shizuku walked once around the apartment, checking the kitchen, the bathroom, and the bedrooms, and finally stood on the balcony, looking out at the scenery.
"The view really is great."
"But..."
She paused, then turned to look at Tsushima Kagami.
"What do you think?"
Tsushima Kagami stood in the middle of the living room, hands in his pockets, and couldn't stop himself from laughing.
In the past, this exact kind of spacious high-rise tower would have been just his type.
But things were different now.
For some reason, he'd developed a surprisingly strong attachment to the idea of a big garden.
"Sorry, but honestly none of the three really satisfy me," Tsushima Kagami said bluntly.
Miss Yamamoto blinked, but quickly recovered her professional smile.
"May I ask what it is you're not satisfied with, Mr. Tsushima? I can look for other listings for you."
Tsushima Kagami glanced at Yukinoshita Shizuku, then turned to Miss Yamamoto.
"I want a villa with a big garden."
"A big garden?" Miss Yamamoto confirmed.
"Right. The kind where you can plant flowers and trees, let cats and dogs run around, and kids too."
Tsushima Kagami said, thinking it through as he spoke.
"The house needs to be big enough too."
"And the location has to be convenient — a short trip to both the University of Tokyo and Keio University."
"Ideally under thirty minutes."
Miss Yamamoto was quiet for a few seconds, then nodded.
"I understand."
"A house like that is genuinely hard to find around Kanda."
"This is an old part of the city, after all — land is limited, and detached houses with big gardens are rare here."
"If you don't mind somewhere a little farther out, I could look into listings in Bunkyo Ward or Minato Ward for you."
"Bunkyo Ward?" Yukinoshita Shizuku asked.
"Yes. Bunkyo Ward is very close to the University of Tokyo — walking or biking distance."
"Getting to Keio would take about thirty minutes by subway."
"As for Minato Ward, it's close to Keio, a bit farther from the University of Tokyo, but still just over thirty minutes by subway."
Miss Yamamoto opened her notebook and quickly jotted down a few place names.
"There are a few areas I could focus on for you."
"Hongo, Nezu, and Sendagi are very close to the University of Tokyo, and some of the older houses there come with big gardens."
"Azabu and Shirokanedai are upscale residential areas, and some of the villas there have big gardens too."
"And then..."
Miss Yamamoto looked up at the two of them.
"If you want a truly large garden, you might want to consider Setagaya Ward or Meguro Ward."
"Land is relatively cheaper out there, but it's a bit farther from the city center. Getting to the University of Tokyo or Keio might take over forty minutes."
"We can skip that area," Tsushima Kagami said.
He glanced at Yukinoshita Shizuku.
Both of them were thinking of the house in Setagaya.
Neither of them had been back since that one time.
Later, Mrs. Yukinoshita had wanted to visit again during a trip to Tokyo, so they'd gone together once more.
Tsushima Kagami had always kept someone hired to maintain and clean it regularly.
"All right then."
"I'll go look into it and get back to you in about two or three days."
"Thank you, I appreciate it."
Yukinoshita Shizuku bowed slightly.
The two of them walked out of the agency and strolled slowly down the streets of Kanda.
The setting sun had already dyed the whole street a shade of orange-red.
"Guess it's not so easy to find the perfect house after all."
"Mm," Tsushima Kagami nodded.
"No rush, though. There's still over a month before the semester starts."
"But..."
Yukinoshita Shizuku stopped walking and looked up at him.
"I want a place that's really, truly ours."
Tsushima Kagami looked at her, then pulled her into an embrace.
"I know."
He reached out and ruffled her hair.
"That's exactly why we should take our time finding the one that satisfies us most."
"Mm."
Yukinoshita Shizuku nodded, then wondered — what kind of house did Kagami actually want, anyway?
Tsushima Kagami thought about it.
"Japanese, Western, or modern style — doesn't really matter to me."
"The main thing is a big courtyard."
"It'd be even better if there was a small pond."
"We could keep a few koi."
"And plant a tree or something."
Tsushima Kagami thought of the red maple in the backyard of the Setagaya house.
What about a loquat tree in the courtyard, though?
That felt a little inauspicious, somehow.
Better pick a different tree.
"We'll also need somewhere to grow vegetables."
"Vegetables?"
Yukinoshita Shizuku looked up at him, a little surprised.
"Do you know how to grow vegetables?"
"If I don't, I can learn."
Tsushima Kagami said with a smile.
He took her hand and kept walking.
"Come on, let's head home first."
"What should we have for dinner?"
"I want nei-nei."
"Be serious."
"Beef curry rice, then."
"Let's stop by the supermarket first."
Under the setting sun, their two shadows stretched long, very long.
Overlapping together, as if they'd never be apart.
Three days later, Miss Yamamoto called.
"Mr. Tsushima."
"I've found a few houses that might fit what you're looking for. When would be convenient for you to come take a look?"
"Where are they?"
"There's one in Hongo, Bunkyo Ward, with a garden of over eighty square meters."
"There's one in Shirokanedai, Minato Ward — the garden's bigger, one hundred twenty square meters, but the price is a bit higher too."
"And there's one in Sendagi, very close to the University of Tokyo — fifteen minutes on foot. The house itself is quite distinctive, a Taisho-era building with a lot of character."
"Let's see all three," Tsushima Kagami said.
"Would tomorrow afternoon work?"
"That works. Tomorrow afternoon at two, I'll be waiting for you at the office."
After hanging up, Tsushima Kagami turned to Yukinoshita Shizuku beside him.
"News about the new house?"
"Yes."
"Miss Yamamoto says she's found three more houses that fit what we're looking for."
"We're set to go tomorrow afternoon."
"Good."
The next afternoon, the two of them arrived punctually at the agency.
Miss Yamamoto already had the materials ready, and after a bit of small talk, the three of them set out to view the houses.
The first stop was a house in Hongo.
Hongo was the heart of Bunkyo Ward, home to the main campus of the University of Tokyo.
Cherry trees lined both sides of the street, and though it wasn't blooming season yet, the branches were already thick with buds.
"This is about a ten-minute walk from the University of Tokyo."
Miss Yamamoto explained as they walked.
"The surroundings are very good — quiet, and well suited for studying and daily life."
The house was a two-story detached villa, Western in style.
White exterior walls, a red roof — it had a stylish, foreign look to it.
The garden was behind the house, a little over eighty square meters — not especially large, but not small either.
The ground was laid with a lawn, and a few trees grew in the corners.
One was a plum tree, already blooming with a few small white flowers.
"This garden's nice."
Tsushima Kagami stood in the middle of the garden, looking around.
"But it's still not big enough."
Yukinoshita Shizuku walked over to stand beside him.
"The house itself doesn't have much character — just an ordinary modern build."
Tsushima Kagami nodded.
"Let's see the next one."
The second was the house in Shirokanedai.
Shirokanedai was a well-known upscale residential area in Minato Ward, lined on both sides with high-end apartments and villas.
It was even quieter than Hongo, with barely anyone on the street.
The house was a three-story Western-style villa that looked as though it had been transplanted straight from some little European town.
The garden was one hundred twenty square meters — noticeably bigger than the one in Hongo.
And it was very well kept, with flower beds, a lawn, and even a small gazebo.
"This garden is big enough."
Yukinoshita Shizuku stood in the middle of the garden, nodding in satisfaction.
"We could dig a pond here, plant vegetables over there, put a swing over there..."
She said, sketching a rough diagram in her notebook as she spoke.
Tsushima Kagami looked at her profile and couldn't help but laugh.
"What are you drawing?"
"A blueprint for our future home," Yukinoshita Shizuku said, not even looking up.
"Let's go see the third one."
The third stop was Sendagi.
Sendagi was in the northeast of Bunkyo Ward, very close to Ueno.
It was a place full of old shitamachi charm.
The streets were narrow, and most of the buildings on either side had been standing for many years.
But they were all well maintained, carrying an air that spanned from the Showa era all the way back to Taisho.
"This is one of the few places in Tokyo that still preserves that old-town atmosphere."
Miss Yamamoto said as they walked.
"A lot of literary greats lived around here in modern times — it has a strong cultural feel."
"It's a fifteen-minute walk to the University of Tokyo, and about twenty-five minutes by subway to Keio."
The house sat deep inside a quiet alley, surrounded entirely by residences.
It was so quiet you could hear nothing but birdsong.
Miss Yamamoto stopped in front of a wooden gate.
"Here we are. This is it."
Tsushima Kagami looked up — and froze.
It was an old wooden gate, the paint on it faded and mottled, but still solid.
A wooden plaque hung above the lintel, carved with two characters — "Shizuen" (Tranquil Garden).
Miss Yamamoto pushed the gate open, and the three of them walked in.
Before them lay a garden of about one hundred fifty square meters.
Not enormous, but by Tokyo standards, already an extravagance.
The garden was a classic Japanese-style courtyard garden.
There was a pond, a rock garden, a path of bluestone slabs, stone lanterns, and several tall pines and cherry trees.
The water in the pond was clear, with a few koi swimming lazily about.
The bluestone path wound alongside the pond, leading toward a house with an antique, traditional Japanese air.
"This..."
Yukinoshita Shizuku stood beside Tsushima Kagami, tugging at his sleeve.
Tsushima Kagami smiled and patted her hand, then looked at Miss Yamamoto.
Miss Yamamoto explained with a smile.
"This house was built in the seventh year of Taisho — nearly eighty-two years ago now."
"The previous owner was a retired professor who lived here for most of his life. He passed away a couple of years ago, and since his children don't live in Tokyo, the family decided to sell."
"The house is old, but it's been very well kept — the plumbing, electricity, and gas have all been updated, so there's absolutely no issue living here."
Tsushima Kagami said nothing, just walked slowly along the bluestone path.
The stones underfoot were a little uneven, but pleasant to walk on.
Seeing someone approach, the koi in the pond swam over to the edge, mouths open, waiting to be fed.
He crouched down and dipped a hand into the water; the koi scattered in alarm, but soon swam back.
Yukinoshita Shizuku stood behind him, watching his back, the corners of her mouth curving upward.
"Let's go inside and take a look."
Miss Yamamoto pushed open the door to the house and stepped in.
Just past the entrance was a long hallway.
The floor was solid wood, and it didn't creak underfoot.
To the left of the hallway was a wide Japanese-style living room.
It was floored with tatami mats, with a large floor-to-ceiling window facing directly onto the pond in the garden.
"This living room is really nice."
Miss Yamamoto said.
"In summer, you can open the window and let the cool garden breeze in — you wouldn't even need the air conditioner."
Tsushima Kagami walked into the living room and stood by the window, looking out at the garden scenery.
"The kitchen's this way."
Miss Yamamoto led them further in.
The kitchen had been renovated — it kept the Japanese-style elements but had thoroughly modern equipment.
The stove had three burners, the sink was a large stainless steel single basin, and the cabinets were custom-built with plenty of storage.
Yukinoshita Shizuku looked it all over and nodded, satisfied.
The second floor had three bedrooms, each facing south with good natural light.
The master bedroom was the largest, with an en-suite bathroom and a small balcony.
Standing on the balcony, you could see the surrounding streets and, in the distance, the green of Ueno Park.
"The balcony's not big, but having coffee here in the morning should be lovely."
Miss Yamamoto said with a smile.
Tsushima Kagami stood on the balcony, quiet for a long moment.
"So, what do you think?"
Yukinoshita Shizuku walked up beside him and asked softly.
"This is the one."
"No need to look at any others."
"I was thinking the same thing."
The two of them looked at each other, then laughed together.
Miss Yamamoto stood off to the side, watching them, a look of relief and warmth spreading across her face.
"Then I'll go prepare the contract. You can sign as early as tomorrow."
"Good."
Tsushima Kagami nodded, then turned to look at Yukinoshita Shizuku.
"We finally have a home."
The signing took place on March fifteenth, a sunny, bright day.
Miss Yamamoto's smile was just as sunny and bright.
The two of them sat in the reception room of the agency, signing documents one after another under Miss Yamamoto's guidance.
As Tsushima Kagami signed and stamped each page, he looked at the number on the contract — two hundred eighty-five million yen.
Add in the agency fee, taxes, and various handling costs, and it all came out to just over three hundred million yen in total.
It wasn't cheap, but considering the location, the size, the scale of the garden, and the historical value of the building, it was reasonable enough.
More importantly, he and Yukinoshita Shizuku both loved it.
He could even squeeze a little extra benefit out of it — once the paperwork went through, he planned to mortgage the property to a bank right away.
After 2001, housing prices would crash by as much as fifty percent, and with no sign of the market recovering anytime soon, panic would spread to an extreme.
By then, the bank would have to choose between repossessing the house or just accepting repayment of the principal.
He could even hand the house over to the bank and then buy it back cheap at the bank's auction.
"Congratulations to you both."
Miss Yamamoto collected the signed contract, bowing repeatedly with a smile.
"From today, this house is yours."
Yukinoshita Shizuku held her copy of the contract, her fingers trembling slightly.
Tsushima Kagami stood up, took Yukinoshita Shizuku's hand, and smiled.
"Let's go see our new home."
"Mm."
They walked side by side through the alleys of Sendagi, passing through the quiet residential streets, past that old cherry tree, and stopped in front of the weathered wooden gate.
Tsushima Kagami took the key from his pocket, slid it into the lock, and turned it gently.
With a click, the door opened.
He pushed the gate open and stepped aside to let Yukinoshita Shizuku go in first.
Yukinoshita Shizuku stepped over the threshold, stood in the garden, and took a deep breath.
The air carried the scent of earth, of pine needles, of spring on its way.
And beneath it all, a faint scent that belonged to "home."
"Welcome home."
Tsushima Kagami stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
Yukinoshita Shizuku turned to look at him.
Tears finally spilled from the corners of her eyes.
"I'm home," she said, smiling.
The garden was quiet, with only the occasional soft splash as a koi leapt out of the pond.
The cherry tree's branches were heavy with buds — in a few more days, they would surely bloom.
And then, the whole garden filled with cherry blossoms, would be beautiful. Truly, truly beautiful.
____
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