= SARAH POV =

Calling up Ms. Takahashi was nerve-wracking. I felt out of my depth, making the shots when I always relied on Chris to do it, but I didn’t have anything to worry about as Ms. Takahashi turned up only 10 minutes after we hung up, and she immediately brought with her a stack of laminated sheets with examples of how the team could do up my room. 

In my previous place, I created a warm-tone cream-based room full of hanging stars and pink neon lights, and I wasn’t sure if I could get a similar color palette, however, once Ms. Takahashi showed me a similar theme but in pink, I knew I could trust her.

Next, she had her team come in and take measurements and then escorted me to their office, where I was able to pick out specific furniture that I would be using to confirm the look and feel for my personal taste.

The office of the service apartments was accessible through the basement, and along a long corridor, which took us to a massive lift at the end. 

Upon entering I saw that there were buttons with detailed facility descriptions for every floor. Now that I reflected on it, the apartment building was next to a large, discreet-looking building with no windows. It made sense that it was so plain on the outside, as I saw that not only did they have offices, but they had many different floors dedicated to different specialized activities.

 You could park your expensive car in the elite indoor car park, which had an automatic car lift service. 

Another level was just dedicated to massage and Spa facilities, and even another level had private meeting rooms that you could book to meet with clients if you were a freelancer or a remote worker.

The lift came to a stop on the 8th floor, which was labelled “Furniture warehouse.” 

“Ms. Yoshida, this way to the Gentle Lounge,” Ms. Takahashi said as we alighted from the lift.

 The level we entered was huge; it had to be at least three stories from floor to ceiling. 

I could see for at least a mile or two in every direction, and the place was divided up by partial walls that had signs labelling the different areas.

“Wow, this place is…kind of amazing,” I said in awe as I gazed around trying to see the end of the room.

“Ah, yes, we have combined up to three buildings in the area, making it one of the largest serviced apartment and personal facilities concierge in the area. We are proud to not only provide our services to our residents, but also to the public. If you ever need any of the listed services we have on our website, feel free to contact us, and we will be happy to assist anywhere in Japan” Ms. Takahashi explained with a pleasant smile, clearly proud to be part of such a prestigious company.

I felt my cheeks flush.

 I wish I could be as proud of my work as Ms. Takahashi was in hers. Hopefully with the improvements to the room, I would feel motivated to work harder than ever before.

Ms. Takahashi took me to an area where everything was a sea of cream, beige, and pastel pink. 

It was a cotton candy dreamland! 

There was a large white signpost with the words “The Gentle Lounge” hanging on it, indicating that we had arrived.

“Ms. Yoshida, please look around at this section with the computer chairs, I would highly recommend the high arch chairs which provide adequate back support, however, based on your aesthetic, I do feel that the shell-shaped plush chairs would suit your space nicely” Ms. Takahashi explained as she led me over to two very lovely looking office chairs.

An hour passed, and I was able to sit and try several chairs, agreeing with Ms. Takahashi’s choice of the plush chair, as well as agreeing with the table trimmings, side tables, side draws and lastly, the plush white carpet for under my desk and beside my bed.

There were some items not in stock, such as the desk Ms. Takahashi had in mind for me, but I already owned them.

Since Chris had given me a copy of the store room key, Ms. Takahashi drove me and a few able-bodied men to the storage unit, where they collected my desk and other fittings that I wanted, and brought them straight back to the apartment for me, with no charge. 

Not only did she go out of her way to get the theme and aesthetic of my choice, but she also even incorporated furniture that I already had, in order to make it perfect.

By the time we were done, it was already late in the evening. Ms. Takahashi ushered her team out of the apartment and turned to me, beaming.

 “Seeing how late it is, I’m sure you need rest, so my team will come in after lunch tomorrow to start the room officially. Do text me what time is suitable for you, and I will make arrangements. Have a good evening,” she said and bowed slightly, before taking her leave. 

 I waved as she closed the door behind her, buzzing with excitement about all the progress we had made.

I immediately headed back to the guest  room. 

Standing in the middle of the guest room with my new old desk and a set of dresser draws made me feel like I was moving into my very own space, even if it was a temporary solution.

Brimming with excitement, I got onto the computer and started sending in job applications. 

I took screenshots, as always, and sent them to Chris. The fact that the messages remained at one check mark didn’t affect me one for once.

 I felt accomplished and on cloud nine, and I was determined to turn my life around, whether Chris wanted to be an active part of it or not.