Interviews

Chapter 43 - Interviews

Torin arrived at Blazing Tower with the interview schedule already arranged. When the elevator doors opened, he found a small group of people waiting in the hallway outside the office. Some held folders against their chests while others checked their phones every few seconds, occasionally glancing toward the closed office door. Torin gave Lenna a brief nod before walking past them and entering the office.

Lenna stayed outside for a moment and turned toward the waiting applicants. “You can relax. We'll call you in one at a time, so there's no need to worry about being first.” She took out her notepad, checked the names against the schedule, and made a few quick notes before following Torin inside and closing the door behind her.

The office was not ready for interviews yet. Papers covered most of Torin's desk, with several documents scattered across the floor near the chair. Torin gathered the loose papers while Lenna sorted the remaining files into separate stacks. They worked without wasting time, clearing the desk, organizing the applications, and wiping the surface until there was finally enough space for the laptop and interview documents. Once everything was in order, Torin sat down and opened his laptop while Lenna returned to the door.

She called the first name.

A family entered, greeted them politely, and took their seats. Torin introduced himself before beginning the interview, keeping his questions straightforward. He asked about their current work, income, reason for moving, how long they expected to stay, and a few other practical details. Lenna made notes while the applicants answered.

The same process continued with the next family and then the next.

By the fourth interview, Torin was beginning to feel the repetition. He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes after the family left, then glanced at the notes in front of him. Almost every applicant had brought up the rent. Some tried to negotiate before Torin had even finished explaining the terms, while others mentioned cheaper apartments in nearby buildings or brought up personal circumstances and asked whether he could make an exception.

Torin listened to each request patiently, but his answer rarely changed.

“I understand,” he would say, keeping his voice polite, “but the rent is already set based on the property's costs. I can't reduce it further.”

There was nothing personal about it. He had expenses to cover, and the numbers only worked if he kept the apartments at the agreed rates. A few applicants thanked him and left disappointed, while others decided to accept the terms after thinking about it for a few minutes.

The next knock came before Torin had finished reviewing the previous file.

Lenna opened the door and stepped aside.

A family of three entered.

They were dressed neatly without looking as though they were trying to impress anyone. The husband wore a well-fitted suit that looked expensive but not extravagant, along with a simple watch. His wife wore a modest necklace, a single ring, and carried a plain but well-kept purse. Their daughter stayed close to them, quietly looking around the office before taking her seat.

“Please, have a seat,” Torin said.

The family thanked him and sat down.

Torin opened their application and glanced through the information again. “Let's start with your current employment.”

The husband answered clearly, explaining where he worked and how long he had been there. When Torin asked about his income, he gave the figure without hesitation. His wife added a few details when necessary, particularly when Torin asked about their previous residence and the reason they were moving.

Their answers were straightforward.

No exaggerated claims.

No awkward attempts to impress him.

When Torin asked about debts, the husband explained that they had none beyond their normal monthly expenses. When asked how long they planned to stay, he said they were looking for somewhere they could remain for several years rather than moving again after a few months.

Torin looked through the application one more time.

Everything matched.

He closed the folder.

“I think we're done.”

The husband glanced at his wife before looking back at Torin.

“Does that mean we're approved?”

“Yes.” Torin gave a small nod. “We can finalize the agreement today. Once everything is signed, you can move in whenever you're ready.”

The man's shoulders relaxed slightly.

“We'd like to move tomorrow morning, if that's possible.”

Torin raised an eyebrow. “Tomorrow?”

“My new job starts the day after tomorrow,” the man explained. “We've been looking for a place for most of the month. We didn't want to sign somewhere just because it was available, so we've been taking our time. Now that we've found a place that works for us, we'd rather move in immediately.”

Torin nodded. “Tomorrow is fine. We'll make sure everything is ready.”

Lenna brought the agreement papers over while Torin opened the file and went through the important terms with them. He explained the payment schedule, the responsibilities of both sides, and the conditions they had agreed to. The husband read through everything carefully before signing. His wife signed afterward, and Torin added his signature to complete the agreement.

Lenna made copies of the documents and placed them into separate folders. She then handed the family their set of keys.

“Everything you need is in here,” she said. “If there's any problem after you move in, contact the office.”

“Thank you,” the husband said.

His wife gave them a polite smile. “We appreciate it.”

They left together, their daughter walking between them as they disappeared down the hallway.

Torin waited until the door closed before reaching for the next application.

“Next.”

The interviews continued through the afternoon.

Some applicants were rejected because their income was too unstable. Others wanted to negotiate the rent beyond what Torin was willing to accept. A few looked good on paper but gave answers during the interview that made him question whether they would actually be reliable tenants. Torin and Lenna worked through each case carefully, neither of them rushing simply to fill the apartments.

By the time the final interview ended, the office had grown quiet. The people who had filled the hallway earlier were gone, and the only sound came from the faint hum of the air conditioner.

Three apartments had new tenants.

Torin closed his laptop and leaned back in his chair.

“Three done,” he said, looking at the stack of signed agreements. “Not a bad day.”

Lenna gathered the files and straightened the edges against the desk before placing them into a neat stack.

“Not bad at all.”

Torin glanced toward the empty hallway through the glass door.

After hours of interviews, the building finally felt quiet again.

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