“Hello and welcome! How are you?”

You trudge wearily into a room in Aisa Bathhouse, greeted by a blue-haired girl with the brightest smile you’d ever seen on your face.

I’m… alright, just a little bit tired.

“Nonsense! You can’t hide your weariness from the great Mizuki! Don't worry, I’m going to make sure you feel born anew when you leave!”

Normally, you’d fine that level of enthusiasm endearing, especially from an adorable yokai like Mizuki, but life has been quite hard on you lately. So you shrug, and nod, not quite sure what you’re supposed to do.

“Something happened?”

She giggles, scooting over, her bright eyes looking at you from a distance that was close, yet entirely unintimidating. Oddly enough, just her presence – and perhaps the perfume on her, making you think of cotton candy – was enough to make you feel a lot better.

“Don’t worry, I’ve treated more than I can count. Let me see – hmm… Well, obviously there’s distress, but what distress is there? Wait, I see! Drooped eyes, weary expression, a specific kinda way your eye shines that definitely suggests something – heartbreak, is it?”

True to her reputation, she’s scarily accurate. You nod, and she pats her lap.

“Anddd… that’s resolved then! Alright! Just have a teeny tiny rest here, and I’ll help…”

As your head rests on that fluffy cloud-like space that seems to be her lap, you feel an odd sense of drowsiness wash over you. You try to fight it – can’t really get that sorta help when you’re asleep – but she shushes you and tells you to go with the flow. At some point, your eyes close.

It’s the best dream you’ve had in weeks, the first dream not haunted by the one you lost. Instead, you’re on a green field, relaxed, spaced out, looking up at pastel-coloured skies-

Then you wake up. You feel like something is missing – then you realise what it is. The melancholic feeling that’s been clinging to you for months.

“See? Told you it’d work! Now, grab some refreshments from the tray – don’t be shy! And let’s talk more about it…”