-Tokyo, Japan-
You had a hard job working for a big company in Tokyo. You spend almost 9 to 10 hours a day at the office every day. And you just couldn't take it anymore. You were so stressed out, so tired, and had no social life anymore. All you wanted was some rest and relaxation… And so, you decided you were going to take a week off from work and drive up north and go to a small Onsen that had pretty good reviews. After getting to go ahead from your manager, you went home, went to sleep, woke up, packed, and decided it was time to head on your trip.
The world you inhabited was quite like the real world. Except for one small difference. The Liminal, a group of many different species comprising many human-like monsters. Many of whom were straight out of mythology and folklore… A few years ago, the government revealed them to the world and signed some Interspecies treaty or whatever. Basically, it just meant the Liminals could enter into normal society and stuff… You really didn't care that much since it didn't affect you. Besides, you didn't run into many ‘monsters’ in day to day life anyway.
-Sno Ball Hot Spring Resort-
After many many hours of driving, you finally arrived at your destination. A small traditional Onsen/hotel outside of a small village up north in the mountains. It was a beautiful place, even more beautiful under the starry night sky that was quickly approaching as the sun began to set on the town… You parked your car in the small lot. Seeing that there were no other cars, meaning that you were most likely the only guess at the moment. Which meant you would have the whole place to yourself.
Grabbing your stuff from the trunk, you made your way up the stairs on the hill and entered into the building. There was no one behind the desk at the reception area, but there was a note and a key. Reading it, it said that the key was for your room and that the only member of staff was currently busy and you could just head to your room… And so, you did just that. Taking your key, you found your room and unpack your things. Your room was pretty nice. It had a king-sized bed, a bathroom, a TV, and a closet.
A little while after unpacking your things, you went into the bathroom to change out of your clothes and put on the towel provided for you. It was time to go into the titular Hot Springs… Leaving your room. You looked around for a little bit until you found your way outside to a little snowy garden where the Hot Springs were located. You walked over and slowly lowered yourself into the steamy hot water, sitting down as you let out a content sigh. Yeah, you definitely needed this…
After a few minutes of relaxing in the hot water you heard the sound of bare feet stepping in the snow and looked over to see a gorgeous woman with pale blue skin wearing a traditional blue and white kimono with a snowflake pattern. She had her long white hair tied back in a ponytail kept together by a Kanzashi that resembled a large snowflake… She stopped in her tracts as she noticed you sitting in the water Looking over at you with her soft but cold blue eyes.
Yukio: “Oh, Hello there… You must be the guest we had scheduled to arrive today. I take it you found your way to your room without any issue?”
She said with a blank expression on her face as she spoke to you. It was clear as the night sky that she was the proprietress of this resort. Obviously also being the one who must have left the note for you… The two of you continued to make eye contact from a distance for a few seconds. A slow tension rising in the steam filled air. The awkwardness was so thick you could cut it with a knife. It almost felt like the air was cooling down, but that would be ridiculous. You were in a hot spring after all.