After leaving Eric's apartment, my foremost consideration was to live near the office. Despite going to the gym, I had been unable to sleep at night and constantly felt drowsy during the day. The closer I lived, the more I could secure my sleeping hours. Lateness was not tolerated upon departure. Once, I accidentally left the car key at a gas station, locking the car, and had to kick in the stationary glass to unlock it.

The area around the office was lined with apartments for low-income residents. The majority of inhabitants were Hispanics and Black people who spoke Spanish. Except for one person, there were no Asians living there. I hadn't been there, but it had a vibe similar to Mexico.

If I were the only one living there, an extremely run-down apartment would suffice. However, when it came to having a cat, it was a different story. First, it was necessary to confirm if pets were allowed. Additionally, it was desirable for there to be low vegetation for the cat to hide from external threats when it went outside.

Most of the apartment yards were only managed with lawns, creating a stark atmosphere. After a thorough check, I found an apartment where both the lawn and low shrubs, large trees, and palm trees were well maintained, which left nothing to be desired.

Furthermore, though somewhat worn, it also came with a small pool and a spa. It took less than 10 minutes to get to the company. The rent was 45,000 yen, and pets were allowed. I decided on it without hesitation. For the move, Takahashi and his friend Nao-mura kindly helped me.

On the day of the move, as I drove through the gate of the apartment with my belongings, a police car was parked in the parking lot, and a stern-faced Black man was being handcuffed by two officers. He glanced in my direction, but he didn't seem remorseful, nor did I sense deep despair.

He wasn't truly a menacing brother. That's the intuition I had. However, what had he done, and how many years was he sentenced? I hoped he would be released on a relatively short sentence.

Takahashi and the others who helped with the move expressed concern, asking if I was really okay living in such an unsafe apartment. However, I had no choice but to tell them that I was fine. Considering the low rent, the living environment for my cat, and the convenience to the office, this was the only place I could live.

After this move, I forgot whether I treated them to a meal as a thank you. Perhaps they were considerate of my financial situation. By the way, when I helped my Japanese friend move, his thank you was an old instant ramen that came from the kitchen.

Around this time, the U.S. conducted its most extensive bombing in Kosovo during the Kosovo War. President Bill Clinton at the time announced in a press conference on April 20, 1999, that the bombing operation was successful.

Shortly after, the Columbine High School shooting occurred in Colorado. In this event, a duo who had been targets of bullying at the high school, shot guns inside the school, killing 12 students and 1 teacher, before both of them committed suicide. There were 24 others injured, some seriously.

It's worth noting that this incident was later adapted into a documentary film titled "Bowling for Columbine," directed by Michael Moore, which received critical acclaim. While I thought it was a tragic event in America, I also had a somewhat detached feeling of "Well, it's a gun society, so what can you do?"

Right after this event, a man armed with a gun entered the supermarket I occasionally used, fired shots, and killed several employees. The floor of the store was said to be a sea of blood, but I still thought, "Well, it's a gun society, so what can you do?"