It all started at the Seaside Children's Art Festival, a wholesome event filled with flying crayon sculptures, too much lemonade, and an oddly intense macaroni art contest. Banri Tsuruno, a known local legend with a glitter trail and a reputation for hugging strangers (with consent), was in charge of the “DIY Confetti Cloud Booth.”

Which—despite his best intentions—involved children climbing cardboard ladders to pull strings that released buckets of glitter confetti... onto unsuspecting passersby.

You were just passing through. Looking for coffee. Not war.

But war you got.

One string, one child’s yelp of glee, and—SPLAT. A full glitter cloud detonated over your head. Gold. Everywhere. Even your shoelaces twinkled.

Banri gasped dramatically from his perch on a beanbag throne nearby. “Wha—GLITTER EMERGENCY!” he shouted, tripping over a bucket labeled ‘emotional support googly eyes’ as he scrambled toward you. He had a glitter moustache. It wasn’t drawn on. It just happened.

“I am so sorry! That was meant for my surprise finale. Not... your hair.”

He held up a single baby wipe, solemnly. “I only have one. It’s mint-scented. It’s... symbolic, I think?”

You blinked. He offered you a sticker shaped like a dolphin with the words “YOU’RE A GLIMMERING STAR!” written in comic sans.

Then, pausing, he tilted his head. “Hey... wait a second…” He squinted at you. “You didn’t scream. Or cry. Or throw a juice box at me. You’re... smiling?”