He typed the pin into the machine.
The screen flashed green, the transfer zipped through, and then —
BAM.
That unit was his.
『Congratulations. You now officially own a home that doesn't have black mold and a rat named Rico living in the sink.』
Jason cracked a grin. 'Upgrades.'
Almost immediately, the receptionist tapped her headset and called someone from the back.
A few moments later, a young woman practically tripped into the room, fumbling with her uniform and trying to tuck her blouse in properly.
"Jazmine," the receptionist said in a clipped voice, "escort Mr. Norman to his new home and help him get settled in."
Jazmine's eyes lit up like she'd just been assigned a royal prince. "Y-Yes, right away!"
She nodded a little too hard, cheeks pink, then turned to Jason and gave a bright smile. "Right this way, sir!"
Jason followed her with a sigh and whispered to the bracelet, "Bet she wants to help me unpack more than just boxes."
The system buzzed.
『Focus, Romeo. You just became middle class. Don't get greedy.』
Jason smirked. 'Let me dream, damn.'
The shadow bunny yawned on his shoulder.
…
They stepped out of the building, sun glinting off the sleek glass panels that made up the outer wall.
Jazmine, the assistant from earlier, walked just ahead of Jason, her long ponytail bouncing with every brisk step.
He followed behind, carrying two of his smaller bags while she had surprisingly snatched up the bulk of the heavier ones without a single complaint.
"Aren't those a bit heavy?" he asked.
Jazmine glanced over her shoulder with a faint smile. "You bought luxury, sir. You're carrying budget."
That made him chuckle.
They turned the corner, and that's when he saw it — a hovercar parked just to the side of the building's parking bay.
Sleek, chrome black, with silver underlights glowing faintly beneath it like it was something out of a sci-fi movie.
The kind of car that, a week ago, he wouldn't even have looked at unless it was in a music video. He had ridden in one already today though.
Jazmine popped the boot with a flick of her wrist, and it whooshed open with a clean hiss of hydraulic air.
As she began loading his stuff in, Jason couldn't help but notice something else.
Namely her.
More specifically, how damn pretty she looked from up close.
Her features were sharp but elegant —like someone sculpted her with a perfect balance of "cute and intimidating."
The slight sheen of sweat on her forehead did nothing to ruin the effect.
And her scent, God — the cologne or perfume or whatever she was wearing hit his nose like an unexpected uppercut of sweetness.
Was that peaches? Roses? A forbidden combination of both?
『Would you like me to analyze the chemical composition of her scent?』
A screen popped up just beside his head, displaying a mocking digital graph titled: SIMP ALERT DETECTED with a blaring red siren emoji beside it.
Jason swatted the screen away with a grunt. 'Shut up, I'm just observant.'
『Right. Observant of how her ass jiggles when she walks.』
"Will you please shut the hell up?"
"What was that?" Jazmine looked at him from the other side of the boot.
Jason blinked. "Uh — nothing. Just talking to… myself."
She arched a brow but said nothing as she closed the boot with another hiss and climbed into the driver's seat like she'd done it a million times before.
Jason followed, slightly more awkwardly, sinking into the smooth leather interior of the passenger side.
As soon as the door shut behind him, the car purred to life and slowly began to rise.
Hovering.
Like.
A.
Damn.
Spaceship.
Jason was still gaping at the windows when Jazmine glanced sideways and smirked. "First time in a hovercar?"
"No," Jason lied. "I just haven't been in one this... top-tier."
『Translation: He's never been in one that didn't belong to a GTA Online YouTuber.』
He ignored that.
They took off, the streets shrinking below them as the car slipped into one of the designated air lanes for high end hover vehicles.
The sensation was smooth, almost too smooth, like floating on a cloud with air conditioning.
"So…" Jason said after a moment of awkward silence. "Is this your regular job? Driving new tenants around and giving them the grand tour?"
Jazmine glanced over at him again with a sly smile. "Only when they drop 50K in cash and show up looking like a lost hobo prince from the lower alleys."
Jason groaned and sank further into his seat. "I bought new clothes."
『Correction: I saved him from being yeeted out of the store by security.』
He waved the screen away again.
"Well, they look good on you," Jazmine said with a smile.
"Thanks," he said, trying to not let it show how much his self-esteem had been mollywhopped in the last hour.
They drov e — or hovered — along the edge of a large metallic wall that separated the thriving core of the Lower District from the shabbier zones beyond.
Jason peered out the window.
The view from up here made everything look like toys: compact buildings stacked like Tetris blocks, the neon gleam of streetlights flickering, street vendors shouting, children sprinting between shops.
It was chaotic, but it had a charm to it. A weird, grungy charm.
"City always this busy?" Jason asked.
"Only when people aren't dying of poverty or overworking themselves to death."
"Charming," Jason muttered.
『Don't get comfortable. You're still one sex tape away from total cancellation.』
Jason rolled his eyes. 'Can I please have five minutes of peace?'
They finally reached the edge of a mid-rise apartment complex — sleek, modern-looking, with automated gates and an AI security system blinking at the front.
The hovercar gently touched down, and Jazmine hit a switch that popped open the trunk.
"I'll help you with the bags," she said, stepping out.
Jason followed, grabbing the light ones again. This time, though, it felt different.
Maybe it was the shirt that cost more than his previous rent. Maybe it was the damn bunny summon trotting behind him like some kind of goth Pokémon.
Maybe it was just the fact that for the first time in forever, he didn't feel like some loser slaving away in a dingy shop for minimum wage and a bad back.
He felt…
New.
Jazmine led him toward the entrance, scanning her ID as the gates slid open. The reception bot gave a polite chirp and rolled aside to let them pass.
They entered a bright, clean lobby with polished marble floors, potted plants, and even some fake birds chirping in the background.
It was like walking into an Airbnb for billionaires.
"Your place is on the 7th floor. Full kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom with hydro-regen tub, and a balcony with a city view."
"Wait — balcony?" Jason's eyes lit up.
"Yep. Don't fall off."
They stepped into the elevator. Jazmine hit the button for his floor, and the doors closed with a chime.
As they rose, Jason looked over at her again. "So… is it weird helping out a total stranger like this? Some random guy who just suddenly bought a luxury apartment?"
She shrugged. "I've seen stranger things. At least you're cute."
Jason blinked. "Huh?"
"I said the weather's cute," she replied with a grin.
『Smoooooth.』
The elevator dinged open, and they stepped out.
Jason was still blushing as they walked to his door, but deep down, he couldn't help the grin tugging at his lips.