A few days later, Mochi found herself surrounded by a chaotic mess of boxes and furniture piled everywhere. Her new apartment, spacious and full of light, looked more like a battlefield than a home.
As usual, her parents were out of town for work and couldn't help her with the move. Haruka wasn't around either —she was on a mission outside the district— so the only ally Mochi had that day was Miyu, who had promised to lend her a hand with everything.
Her parents, delighted to hear that she had gotten such a good job despite still being a student, offered to pay her first month's rent as well as the moving expenses. That allowed her to spend guilt-free on what really mattered to her: two giant TVs, a mini fridge for her room, and a ton of new furniture and appliances that had turned the place into a little personal paradise.
The move took longer than expected, but the two of them managed to leave everything somewhat organized before nightfall.
During the process, they noticed something curious: moving heavy furniture or lifting large boxes wasn't nearly as hard as before. Ever since they had become OHRA agents, their physical strength had increased considerably. Mochi especially noticed it when she moved the refrigerator all by herself without breaking a sweat.
—Ufff… I thought we'd never finish —sighed Miyu, flopping onto the couch and wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
In one corner, empty boxes were stacked up, silent witnesses to the hard work they had done.
—We did it… more or less —said Mochi with a tired smile, tossing her a towel—. Here, dry yourself off a bit. I'm going to order some pizzas before I die of hunger.
—Pizza? Yes, please! —exclaimed Miyu, energetically wiping her neck—. But first, I think I need a bath. I feel like I've got dust even on my eyelashes.
—You can go first if you want —Mochi replied kindly—. I'll bathe after I finish organizing a few more things.
Miyu nodded and took a few steps toward the bathroom, but suddenly stopped, her expression lighting up with excitement. She turned around, eyes sparkling.
—Wait! —she exclaimed enthusiastically—. Let's go in together!
Mochi froze, blinking in confusion.
—Eh? Together…?
—Yes! It's your first night in your new home, right? —said Miyu, waving her hands energetically—. It's practically a sacred event, we have to celebrate! And what better way than breaking in the bathroom together, like good friends?
Mochi blushed slightly, averting her gaze.
—T-that sounds kind of… weird, doesn't it? Besides, I still have a few boxes left to open.
—You can't fool me, I know you're already done —insisted Miyu, stepping closer with a mischievous grin—. Come on, don't be shy.
—No, really. You go ahead —Mochi replied, instinctively hiding her tail behind her—. It's fine, really.
Miyu crossed her arms and made a small pout.
—That's not fair. It's your house, you should be the one to break it in. We have to do it together!
—Don't exaggerate, Miyu. It's just a bathroom —Mochi replied with a nervous laugh, trying to sound relaxed—. There's no need to turn it into a ritual.
For a few seconds, they stared at each other in silence. Miyu seemed torn between insisting or giving up, until she finally sighed in defeat.
—Fine, whatever you say… but next time, we're going in together, okay?
—Yeah, yeah, whatever you say —answered Mochi with a smile, trying to ease the tension.
Miyu turned around and headed to the bathroom with a carefree step, humming a cheerful tune. Once the door closed, Mochi let out a long sigh and collapsed onto the couch, sinking into the cushions as if she had just survived a battle.
Several minutes later, Miyu came out surrounded by steam, her hair still damp. Mochi went in right after her and finished her bath just in time to receive the pizza delivery.
Both of them sat in front of the TV, devouring slices while watching a horror movie. By the time the end credits rolled, they were completely satisfied… and also drowsy.
However, the night was only just beginning.
Because, aside from helping with the move, Miyu had another important goal: to confirm whether or not there really was an anomaly in the apartment.
They turned off all the lights, leaving the place dimly lit. Then they went to the main bedroom, where Mochi had already prepared an authentic fortress of snacks: piles of chip bags, candies, and soda cans.
—All set, Miyu —she said proudly—. With this, we'll be able to stay awake all night without any problem.
They sat side by side on the floor, leaning against the bed. They spoke in low voices, alert to the slightest noise. Each kept her ether weapon close, just in case something decided to appear.
—More than a ghost hunt, this feels like a sleepover —whispered Miyu with an amused smile.
—You're right —Mochi replied—. But if we're going to stay up all night, there's no reason not to have fun too. Okay, time to start with the snacks!
Miyu couldn't hold back her laughter at Mochi's exaggerated response.
—Hahaha, okay, okay. I believe you, Sempai.
And so the hours slipped by —filled with laughter, meaningless chatter, and a mountain of empty snack wrappers. Before they knew it, the first rays of sunlight were slipping through the window, bathing the room in a soft golden glow.
—Fuaaahhh… —Miyu let out a long yawn, rubbing her eyes—. Sempai, nothing happened after all. Looks like this place wasn't haunted in the end.
—Why do you sound disappointed, nyaah~? —Mochi tried to joke, but a huge yawn cut her sentence in half.
Both girls giggled sleepily, their voices sluggish and their eyelids heavy. The "hunt" had turned into an improvised sleepover… and now they were paying the price.
—Sempai, maybe staying up all night wasn't the best idea right before a school day —said Miyu, lying down on the futon—. I can barely keep my eyes open…
—Yeah, you're right —Mochi replied, holding her head in one hand—. If we go like this, we'll definitely fall asleep in class. How about we nap a bit and go later? I'd rather be late than get scolded for snoring in the middle of a lecture.
Miyu thought about it for a few seconds, then nodded.
—Mmm… fine. Just for a bit, okay?
Mochi stood up, still half-asleep, and went to the closet. From there, she pulled out an extra futon, neatly folded.
—Good thing I prepared this for when I had guests —she mumbled drowsily as she spread it next to her bed—. Alright, I'll set the alarm for two hours.
—Perfect… —murmured Miyu, already half-asleep.
The two of them lay down without another word. Within seconds, silence filled the apartment, broken only by the soft whisper of the wind seeping through the window.
The alarm rang two hours later… but neither of them would remember it.
Still half-asleep, they turned it off without even opening their eyes.
When they finally woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.
Miyu slowly sat up and looked at the clock.
—Sempai… it's twelve thirty…
Mochi lazily opened one eye.
—Eh? …Ah… I guess there's no point in going to class now, huh?
—None at all —replied Miyu, letting her head fall back onto the pillow with a tired smile.
Mochi chuckled softly and snuggled back under the blankets.
—Well, at least we confirmed the apartment's anomaly-free… and full of empty snack bags.
—And sleep —murmured Miyu before drifting off again.
The morning went by quietly.
The "haunted apartment" showed no signs of life that night…
Or at least, not while they were asleep.