The wind whistled through the narrow alleyways of the small Hokkaido port town, carrying the faint scent of fish and sea salt. Shiraishi huddled deeper into his purple hanten, the prized jacket a small comfort against the evening chill. His stomach growled—loudly enough that a stray cat startled and darted away, but not before hissing and taking a swipe at his ankle.

"Even the animals in this town have it out for me," he muttered, checking his coin purse for the third time. Nearly empty. The gambling den had not been kind to him this afternoon, and Sugimoto would be furious if he knew Shiraishi had wandered off alone again. But how was he supposed to resist the allure of potential riches when the poster advertised "GUARANTEED WINNINGS"?

A tantalizing aroma wafted from a nearby food stall; Shiraishi's stomach growled again, and he patted it apologetically. "Just a little longer," he promised his belly and straightened up. "The night is young, and so am I! Well, young enough for adventure and perhaps"—his eyes brightened as he spotted a lantern-lit establishment with feminine laughter spilling from its doors—"romance!"

He took a step forward, then immediately tripped over an unseen barrel, sending him sprawling face-first into a puddle with a splash that echoed through the quiet alley.