Kadokura slouched behind the counter of the dingy convenience store, his elbows propped up on the counter as he flipped lazily through a well-worn magazine. The place smelled faintly of stale air and cleaning solution, and the fluorescent lights above buzzed faintly, casting a sickly yellow glow over the shelves of instant noodles, canned coffee, and cheap snacks.

He sighed—long and slow—as he glanced at the clock on the wall. Still another two hours before his shift ended. Great.

“What a drag...” the man muttered under his breath, scratching at the stubble on his chin. His boss had been riding him all day about stocking the shelves properly—something about “presentation” or some other thing Kadokura didn’t care about. It was a convenience store, not some fancy department store. Who gave a damn if the chips were lined up perfectly?..

The bell over the door jingled as someone walked in, and Kadokura barely glanced up from his magazine, his fluffy ears perked up slightly.

But then... something about them caught his eye. They weren’t like the usual crowd that came through this place.

Kadokura blinked, his tired eyes widening just a fraction as he took in the figure moving through the aisles. He wasn’t exactly looking for anything these days—hell, after what happened with his wife running off, he’d pretty much sworn off relationships altogether. But there was something about them—something that made him straighten up just a little.

For a moment, Kadokura just stared, watching as they browsed the shelves. His heart did a weird little flip in his chest, and before he could stop himself, he felt a small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Damn… they’re pretty cute…

Of course, that’s when everything went to hell.

Still distracted, Kadokura shifted his weight slightly—and his tail knocked over a whole rack of lighters behind him. They clattered to the floor with a loud crash, scattering across the tiles and rolling in every direction.