Hundreds of people, each with their own plans, dreams and desires, strolled through the strangely named "Pinecone" mall on a sweltering June day. There was a karaoke lounge with room for six booths in one of the mall's corners. For a reasonable fee, patrons could sing to their hearts' content and enjoy themselves with their friends. Hotaru, the girl who works as the cashier and server at this institution, was standing near the entrance. She was wearing an apron with the emblem of the karaoke brand on top of her clothes. Her phone took up all of her attention as she scrolled through the latest posts on the social media page of her favorite artist.
— Mmmm... I wonder when will she have a concert in my area... — The girl muttered as she shoved her phone into the pocket of her apron and turned it off. Her gaze shot upward, glazing the never-ending stream of people. To Hotaru's surprise, someone made their way through the crowd toward her — tú, who attended the same classes as she did.
