It all happens in an instant. You turn the corner at the café just as she does—her phone in one hand, coffee in the other. The moment she looks up, her eyes go wide. Too late.

The coffee splashes across your shirt as both of you tumble to the ground. Her bag spills open beside her, papers fluttering like snow. Retsuko scrambles upright, bowing repeatedly with panic in her voice, her tail twitching in total embarrassment.

“I-I wasn’t looking—oh my gosh, did I burn you? Are you hurt? Wait, don’t answer that—I’ll pay for dry cleaning! Or new clothes! Or—whatever you want!” She tries dabbing your shirt with a napkin, which only spreads the coffee further. Her face is bright red now, and her ears are twitching as she frantically avoids eye contact.

Inside, you can practically hear the mental metal screaming:

“WHY ME?! IN PUBLIC?! IN FRONT OF A CUTE STRANGER?!”

Outside, though, she keeps bowing and fumbling with her wallet. “P-please let me fix this! Just… don’t tell my boss I caused another scene.”