The Animagus: From Hunter to Monster-Chapter 73: Got my own Apartment

On his way to finding a suitable apartment for himself, Buji could only walk with purpose.

He had alreadyooked up rental agencies before leaving the clinic. It wasn’t hard to find them—there were plenty of places renting rooms or apartments for citizens.

On his part, he only needed a place that will offer him privacy. A place where all his activities won’t be monitored. Somewhere not far though, but somewhere not open.

After walking for about an hour on the road in a seemingly lonely street, he finally found himself standing in front of large building with a poster that carried a bold lettering on them.

"HOMIE REALTY—House of Agents."

The words, carved into a plaque that was fastened on the wall, were painted in deep blue, standing out against the concrete structure.

"This was it," he muttered, and after mustering enough courage, pushed the wooden door open.

Stepping inside, the office felt like a relic untouched by time yet pulsing with an eerie vitality. It appeared to be so old, native and also, kind of otherworldly.

The scent of rusty parchment, burning camphor, and something faintly metallic lingers in the air. The floor is made of uneven wooden planks, darkened probably because of its old existence, creaking under each step.

At the center of the room, an old wooden desk, gnarled and polished by countless hands, stands. Upon it, there was an ancient abacus sitting beside a rusted brass bell which seemed to ring without touch whenever a new customer arrives.

On the right way a collection of tattered chairs, with no two alike, encircling a low wooden table carved with symbols. Strange symbols according to Buji. In the middle of the encirclement, was a bigger chair. And on the bigger chair was a lady with a lean structure, glancing menacingly at the book on the desk, scribbling things as well.

"Yes, you can come over here," the lady spoke out to Buji. "How can we help you?"

Her words entered through Buji’s left ear and went out through his right ear. He just couldn’t stop imagining what kind of place is this he has come, and what kind of apartment he was going to get.

The office felt to be rooted in reality, quite right, but something about is suggests otherwise. For Buji, time seemed to flow strangely, and sometimes, just sometimes, the office feels like it’s watching you back.

"Are you here for sightseeing?" The lady asked with a tinge of disbelief in her voice. "That’s not allowed here, you can make use of the door."

’Yeah, that’s right,’ Buji thought and wanted to leave. He simply felt uneasy staying in the room, let alone banking business with them.

But...

He pulled out his phone, and saw from his researches that the group should be trusted, and that they owned different estates which houses personalities. He decided to give them a try then.

"Good afternoon," Buji turned and greeted the lady who still scribbled something on paper with a warm smile.

"I thought you were about to leave just now," the lady said in a slight harsh tone. "Why are you here?"

’Must she be arrogant?’ Buji kept thinking, the lady treated him unlikely.

"I’m looking for an apartment to rent," Buji answered. "Heard about you through my researches from social media."

"That’s good," the lady’s facial countenance changes for good. She closed the book that was in her front and pulled beside her, another book that seemed to be filled with listings. She adjusted her classes, strolling her eyes as she flipped the page. "We have several options here, are you looking for something...close by?"

"I think, no," Buji shook his head. "If I can get somewhere that could offer me more privacy."

"...And somewhere affordable, at least."

The lady nodded, flipping through the pages and stopped, with her fingers pointing to one page. "We have a few options here that might suit your request."

"That’s better," Buji stated.

"Unfortunately, they have been rented out," the lady added, flipping through once again.

The lady, however, stopped again, tapping a page. "Here are other options that perfectly suits your request."

"But..." Buji anticipated her to have something to say.

"They might not be affordable. They’re expensive," the lady said softly.

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"Can I see the list?" Buji demanded, as he pulled the book to his own side.

His eyes dropped onto the option with a description that seemed to satisfy his taste. It had almost the same description with others, except this one clearly said "two bedrooms flat".

"Can I see this one?" Buji requested.

"Of course," the lady collected the book from him. She wanted to ask if Buji saw the prices attached to each building, but she withdrew. ’Of course he has eyes.’

She stood up, strengthening her skirt, allowing Buji to see the real height that was behind that small wooden table. She was not too short, but she was not tall either.

"I will take you there," the lady said, leading the way to the door. She pulled the door, leaving it to open with a creaking sound, and stepped aside for Buji to exit, before she followed. "It’s at a far distance, fortunately, I am mobile."

"Mobile?"

The lady looked at Buji with a surprises look. "I’ve got a car that’s what I meant."

Buji followed the lady until they got to a garage with fleet of cars, parked in a neatly order. He looked around him to be sure of where he was. Everyone seemed lonely, but, there are cars parked her.

He became even more surprised when he saw the car the lady was about to claim as her own. ’Then why is she working in an office like that?’

"Get in," the lady said, opening the front door for Buji to enter. She drifted the car swiftly, avoiding hit with other cars, and in moments, they were already on the road.

The silence between Buji and the lady as they drove in the car got him bored. Probably, he wasn’t the type to easily start up a discussion or, keep on with a discussion. He only stared outside from the car, observing as their car moved relative to buildings.

The buildings were a contrast combination of both old and new. The new buildings seemed to be differentiated by the full dominance of technology combined with the modern infrastructures that made up the buildings. While the old ones, Buji’s gaze wandered, took in some vibrant graffiti which were on the walls plus the vegetation that seemed to reclaim part of some buildings.

’Leave grow on buildings? Or is this some kind of decoration.’

He got distracted by the sudden halt of the car at a road, wedged between two tall buildings.

"We will walk by foot from here," she said, straightening her eyes to the narrow road in between the two tall buildings.

"It is already late in the evening," the lady said, attracting Buji’s rapt attention.

Buji on his part didn’t want to think of it. His mind simply went negative as he tried to think about what the lady had said, but she cleared the thoughts as if knowing what Buji’s mind housed at the moment.

"We need to hurry," she said. "Anyway, I will be going home after showing you the apartment. Only hope all my efforts this evening won’t be a waste."

Buji understood what she meant by all her efforts being a waste. Maybe, she was talking about Buji declining or not being satisfied with what he was going to see. Or was she thinking I won’t be able to make the payment.

’I’d prefer to get an apartment here anyway, it seem to define the kind of environment I wish for.’

The lady led him up a narrow road, as they continued walking before arriving in front of a big gate. She pressed on the bell socket by the side of the walls, and moments later, the gate slip open revealing a uniformed man. The building’s gateman.

Buji, along with the woman went inside, and after a few minutes of walking down to where the buildings were, found themselves strolling up a delicately built staircase, with intricately designed rails.

Their steps echoes off the walls as they climbed the stairs, before finally reaching the third-floor landing. In front of a golden-painted iron door, the lady pulled out three bunch of keys, and searched for the possible one that belonged to the building before finally choosing the key for the door.

Just like he had expected, he was going to rent this apartment. The sitting room was welcoming with the chandeliers that dangled up on the ceiling, the wide plasma television that hung on the wall with the vase of flowers placed on the center table.

Buji followed the lady to view the rooms—two bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and toilet. And he was satisfied.

The apartment was furnished already to a great taste. That must be the reason for its expense.

"It must be quite expensive," Buji said knowingly, and in a tone that sent signals of disapproval to the woman.

The lady turned immediately, focusing her gaze on Buji. She must be thinking, ’Make sure you don’t decline this apartment. Don’t waste my efforts this evening.’

"It’s one of the affordable so far since it only has two bedrooms, unlike other apartments which had more," the lady explained, trying to keep her tone not to discourage Buji.

"Hmm... it’s late already," Buji said. "And I’m not mobile."

He paused, walking out from the kitchen with the lady behind him. "It’s satisfactory, I guess. So, how will I be making the payments."

’You guess?!’ If only the lady was tall enough, she wished to give Buji a knock. However, she brought out a slip from her handbag and handed it over to Buji.

"Here," she said, handing out the slip. "It contains the price to be paid and the account it should be paid into."

"Alright."

"I’ll be heading home now," she stated. "I will come back tomorrow so we can handle the paperworks." She said and left.