In life there’s a saying, there are ups and downs in life, persevere and move ahead. However, even if my life was at its ups, my living situation was as if I was one of my financial downs, though I had enough money to rent myself a studio in a city like New York.

Well, it wasn’t as bad as people would imagine it to be. After graduating law school with honours, I started writing crime fiction novels, both online and physical books. The daily revenue was good and so were the royalties. My readers love my writing skills more than the plot. Honestly speaking, no matter how much I tried to save my plot being wreaked by my crazy editor, my editor being the boss would anyways change it. I lived in a regular two room studio flat with another writer, Pete. Unlike me, Pete majored in literature and was a romance novelist. I really don’t if it was his genre which chose him or he was the genre for the number of lovers and one night stands he brought to our small studio were uncountable. The noise of him doing the deed would anger me to death when I write. Imagine, if I be writing about the crime scene and hear moaning sounds, the entire mood gets ruined.

Out of desperation, I contacted my old classmate, my best friend and also my sister in law, Susanne.

“Hi Susanne. Do you have anyone in your lane who needs a roommate?” I messaged.

“Maybe. I’ll ask around.” She replied.

After three months she found one. One night, she called me up. “Daisuke, about the roommate problem, I found one. His name is Dimitri Medvedev. He’s an alumni of ours. He currently is a criminal lawyer, mostly for victims. He has a duplex and wants a roommate. I told him about you and he wants to meet you. Are you free tomorrow?”

Dimitri Medvedev. I knew that name every well. A living legend. He was a gold medalist in his year and my older brothers long rival. In the end, my brother lost against him in mock trial and ended up being silver medalist. Dimitri’s free notes were the cheat sheet that I attained behind my brother’s back to pass the tests successfully.

I said, “I am but why does a guy like him needs a roommate?”

“How do I know? Your eldest brother was the one who told me about him. I was shocked when he recommended him ‘cause their enmity is still prevalent.” She exclaimed.

“Something’s fishy. Anyways, I will drop by. Where do we meet?” I asked.

“Baker’s Café, near your brother’s firm.” She replied.

Next day, I left a little early for the subway. Normally I would have taken a cab, but, I just felt to take the subway. By the time I reached, I saw Susanne.

“Hi. You’re early today as well.” I said.

“It’s become a habit after I joined as your brother’s secretary. Anyways, how are things going? Anything else you are uncomfortable with?” She asked.

“No . Nothing really. I am still healthy and doing fine.” I replied. My family babies me too much. I am the youngest from both, maternal and paternal side, that’s the reason why everyone gets worried about me.

A little later Dimitri entered.  He looked as if he hurried over. He quickly sat and said, “Sorry secretary Millers, the trail went too long.”

“It doesn’t matter. We all are law students here. We all know how things work out in a trial. Anyways, how was it?” Susanne asked.

“Good. The criminal got what he deserved-” he was cut by the server who brought the drinks Susanne ordered for us. Caramel latte for herself, black coffee for Dimitri and Citrus-blueberry tea for me.

“-thank you. Yeah, three years inprisionment and 80 billion dollar fine.” He said.

  “That’s a good deal.” I said.

“Oh, wait. I haven’t introduced you both. Dimitri, he is Daisuke-“ Susanne was cut off by Dimitri.

“Watanabe Daisuke, gold medalist of batch 2020-21. I remember going to your graduation day because the dean begged me to and I wanted to see the guy who bet me and got a perfect score even in mock trail.”

“It is an honour of mine. I really looked upon you as my senior for the notes you sent to juniors for free. They helped me a lot.” I replied.

“So you want a roommate?” He asked.

“I do.” I replied.

“I have certain conditions or questions or to be precise, requests.” Dimitri said.

“Shoot.” I replied.

“Are you fine with late night lights?” His first question.

“It depends. As a writer, often ideas pop up very late at nights, let’s say, around 12 am or maybe 3 am and when I get an idea, I have to write it down so that I can work upon it. So, how late is my point.” I stated.

“Hmm, so not a big problem I suppose. Are you ok with people popping up at home at random moments for consultation or just visiting?” His second question.

“As long as they don’t bother me when I am at work or invade my personal space, then I suppose, having visitors doesn’t bother me at all.” I answered.

“If I provide your residence at the second floor, is that fine?” His third question.

“That’s more that enough. I hardly get out of my room other than my regular workout or visiting the library.” I said.

“Are you good with household chores?” His fourth question.

“Good enough to cook, clean and do laundry.” I answered.

“It’s decided then, I am fine with sharing my apartment with you. Do you want to visit my apartment now?” He asked.

“If you are fine with it.” I said.

“Let’s go together then.” Susanne finished her coffee and stood up.

I finished my tea and stood up too. “Let’s go, shall we?”

Dimitri took us to his apartment by driving his Porsche. Wow, a Porsche, duplex house, good custom made  suits. This guy has got all that a man needs in his life to get settled peacefully. The question then raised in my mind, ‘If he’s so competent and successful, then why does he need a roommate?’

Out of curiosity, I ended up asking. “Mr. Medvedev, out of curiosity I am asking you this question. Why did you decide to have roommate? Like your partner might become uncomfortable with a stranger at home.”

Dimitri laughed softly and said, “Firstly, it’s Dimitri, please. I may be your older twin’s school rival but still we are friends. So, call me Dimitri. Secondly, I don’t have a partner, as in romantic partner. For a workaholic person like me, I don’t have time.”

“Oh, is that’s so? That must be annoying at times, not having time your yourself.” I said.

“Not really. I am not really interested in dating now.” He replied.

Dimitri’s apartment was really huge. It was good enough to call it a small villa. It was on the 7th floor (or say 14th and 15th floor based on regular flooring) and had huge bulletproof glasses for the living room view. The kitchen was good enough and so was the second floor. It had two rooms, one for closet and other for sleeping. Similarly was the first floor with an extra room which he uses a study. The dining area was attached to the open kitchen and beside that was the staircase that attached the first floor to the second. The house was very neat and what attracted me the most was the piano kept on the hallway. It was a tuned piano and frequently used one.

I asked, “Do you play the piano regularly?”

“When I can’t the answer I am looking for.” He said.

“Oh. I like playing the violin too whenever I am in a slump.” I replied brightly.

“Ok.” Dimitri replied.

“Is the house to your liking?” Susanne pulled my sleeve and whispered in my ears.

“Oh very much. To the point I don’t think I would ever want to leave this house!” I whispered back with a light giggle.

“Alright then, can Daisuke shift here by tomorrow?” Susanne asked Dimitri.

“Definitely.” Dimitri replied.

After living with Dimitri, I learnt a few things about him.

One, he gets too engrossed at work. Be it filing boxes of previous cases or just giving consultations for free, once he is in the mood to work, no one can stop him from doing it.

Second, he does household chores as stress relief. Him doing housework is him complaining about life and work and cleaning at the same time. Didn’t understand? No problem, let me give you an instance. Last week, Dimitri took the steam cleaner and started mopping the floor. I asked, “What happened, why are you mopping the floor that I have already cleaned?”

What he replied was, “Do you remember the assailant who broke into a orphaned girl’s house when she was alone and raped her?”

“The 2015 case, right? The one who got just 10 years of imprisonment for something… like a mental illness , that one right?” I replied, pondering.

“That bastard got a parole and now a free man. Tomorrow he’s gonna come back to Vegas.” He gritted his teeth and mopped furiously.

But that’s a very cute trait of his.

Third thing I learned about him is, he owns a gun and loves practicing with it on the shooting range hung on his study wall with a silencer. That’s one of the reason why his study always smells of gunpowder.

Honestly speaking, after living in Dimitri’s house, my slump sort of started leaving me. After a week observing him gave a few ideas on my protagonist and started looking forward for the crazy plots and imaginations that started to float in my mind. I even wrote character sketchs’ of my future characters and drew a rough figure of them too. However, living in his house was too peaceful.

And this peacefulness vanished when Dimitri and I were returning from grocery shopping two weeks ago.

Dimitri, looking at me sitting at one place and writing a thousand words at one shot, said, “Ok, let’s go for grocery shopping. We don’t have much of grocery stuff at home.”

I looked at him. All bored, slouching on the sofa with nothing to do, no case to work on. I saved my writings and switched off the computer and said, “Let’s go then?” I took the list attached to the fridge regarding our necessary items.

“Not gonna wear contacts or change?” He asked.

“Well, I am wearing a white shirt with army track pants and do I really have to change into contacts for grocery shopping? Plus, the convenience store is so close. I won’t bother changing. Change, if you want.” I replied.

“No need. Let’s go.” He said and took his wallet.

Shopping didn’t take much time. By twenty minutes, we were over with our shopping and Dimitri paid the bill.

While coming back home, we heard a loud bang.

I turned back but Dimitri blocked my vision with his hand. He whispered, “Sometimes, seeing everything out of curiosity can bring harm to one. Don’t see what you shouldn’t see.”

“What is it that I shouldn’t see?” I asked.

“My new client’s face or business.” He whispered. Wait, was it me or was just that he’s voice sounded dangerous? This made me even more curious to know who it was but he pushed me behind him and his large and taller figure blocked my view.

“Long time no see, Mr. Medvedev. I need your help, that too, very urgently.” The new client’s voice was very heavy. It sounded like a rough backstreet gangster.

“Long time indeed, Mr. Peterman. How can I help you?” Dimitri asked.

“Oh that will be explained on the way. Boys, bring them up.” Mr. Peterman roared and eight men manhandled me and Dimitri into their black suv cars.

My love and passion for crime scenes made me looking forward for what would happen next.