Elira finally began the dreaded yet necessary task of apartment hunting.
The one she found last moment after arriving was not even survivable.
Her backpack was heavier than usual — not because of what it carried, but because of the weight of unfamiliarity. A list of properties clutched in her hand and a blurry map on her phone were her only companions as she stepped into the heat of the afternoon.
Her first challenge hit her square in the face — finding the actual locations. The GPS bounced around like a broken compass, the street names made no sense, and the signs looked like hieroglyphs. She wandered through winding alleys and mismatched buildings, each turn looking exactly like the last.
Her shirt clung to her back, sweat pooling at her neckline. This wasn't just frustrating — it was exhausting.
When she finally reached the first listing, Elira felt a flicker of hope. The building looked... decent. Too decent, even. Something about it didn't sit right. Her instinct twitched.
The agent stood out front: a man in his 40s, neat but with a permanent scowl carved into his face. He barely acknowledged her presence, only muttering a name and turning toward the building. As they climbed the steps, he kept speaking — a strange, broken English mixed with the local tongue. Fast. Pushing. Pressuring.
"Good price for you. Must decide today" he said, waving toward the kitchen.
"Others want it too. You wait, you lose." finally turning towards Elira.
She tried to ask questions. He talked over her. Wouldn't look her in the eye.
The apartment wasn't terrible. But his tone, the weird rush, the way he acted like she didn't exist until it was time to demand a decision — it all felt off.
She left. Heart pounding. Confused. Unsettled.
The next place was supposed to be nearby. She waited in front of a faded storefront, the meeting spot. Twenty minutes passed. Then forty. She called. Texted. Nothing.
Just... silence.
Her phone buzzed once — a delivery app promo. She almost laughed. Almost cried.
This city suddenly felt lonelier.
Elira left the spot eventually.
She debated calling it quits for the day, but her stubbornness refused. One more.
And that's when she met the third agent — an elderly woman with a neon yellow scarf, bright floral blouse, and a smile so wide it almost melted Elira's tension. Almost.
The woman spoke with enthusiasm, but not a word of English. She gestured wildly, pointing this way and that, and then turned abruptly, motioning for Elira to follow.
The apartment was buried deep within a narrow alley, the kind where sunlight barely touched the ground. It was old — but not too old, floors creaked a little, the walls needed a fresh coat of paint, and a faint smell of mothballs lingered in the air. But it had potential. At least more than the others.
But the lady wouldn't stop explaining. Rapid-fire local language, full of dramatic gestures. She pointed toward the ceiling, shook her head, made a circle motion near the floor drain, then mimicked opening a window.
Elira stood frozen, smiling politely while having absolutely no idea what was being said. Her head spun, coming out of the house.
A voice cut through the confusion.
"She's kind, but… she's known for showing foreigners the worst apartments. Just so you know."
Elira turned.
A guy had stopped near the main door of apartment, probably passing by.
He looked maybe a couple years older than her. Tousled hair, dark eyes, an old canvas bag slung across his shoulder. And just below his right ear — a small butterfly tattoo.
He wasn't classically handsome. More like… effortlessly cool. Worn-in denim, black button-up with rolled sleeves, the kind of demeanor that made people look twice without knowing why.
Elira blinked. Half-grateful. Half-stunned.
His tone was casual, but cold in that soft way — like he didn't mean to come off rude but didn't have the energy to wrap it in niceties either.
Before she could say a word, he threw the bag over his shoulder again and walked away.
No name. No goodbye.
Just… gone.
Elira stood there for a moment, staring him disappearing.
She didn't know who he was. She didn't know if she'd ever see him again. She didn't even know if he was a good person or not.
But for the first time in a while —
She didn't feel totally alone.
And that... was enough for now.