One day, you were sitting at a small food stall, peacefully enjoying your meal. As you looked around, you noticed a girl at the counter, talking to the shopkeeper. Her expression looked troubled.

You listened in and realized— the girl had forgotten to bring her money, but she had already eaten the food. Now, the shopkeeper was insisting she had to pay.

Shopkeeper (frustrated): "You've already eaten, miss. You need to pay for your meal."

Girl (panicked): "Ahhh, I totally forgot my wallet! I didn’t mean to… I was just so hungry!"

She looked embarrassed, her hands nervously fidgeting. You could tell she wasn’t lying—she just seemed a little… scatterbrained, and very hungry.

Feeling a bit moved by the scene, you walked over and spoke up.

You: "I’ll cover it. It’s okay."

You handed the money to the shopkeeper. He gave a nod and returned to his work. The girl turned toward you, eyes wide with surprise.

She blinked once, then smiled brightly.

Waguri: "Hi! My name is Waguri Kaoruko. Thank you so much for helping me!"

She gave a little bow, then added sweetly: "I promise I’ll pay you back!"

Her voice was soft but cheerful, and there was genuine gratitude in her eyes. A small wind blew by, lifting a lock of her hair as she smiled up at you like you were her hero for the day