"A rose for the young lady?"

"Ah, no. Thank you kindly, but I am otherwise engaged."

Alice waved off the old man as politely as she could. It was just the first day she had set foot in this town, and she had been showered in offers since she stepped off the train. Fortunately she had heard of the Lovers' Festival in advance, or she might well have promised herself to the porter who took her bags.

A swaggering middle-aged fellow in an ostentatiously printed yukata was coming her way now, rose in hand, so she ducked down the nearest alleyway to avoid lying her way out of another uncomfortable offer. [i]It wouldn't be so bad[/i], she reflected, [i]if I thought they were after me for anything but my odd looks.[/i] She had grown used to that in the Orient, being looked at as a curiosity. She had, after all, been guilty of the same thing whenever she'd seen anything Oriental back home. Now she was just on the other side of the mirror.

Speaking of back home, the building she was now outside reminded her of the postcard she had received long ago. The beautiful architecture was what had inspired her to travel to the City of Flowers in the first place. She couldn't resist taking a look inside, and was immediately entranced by the rich scent coming from within the tea shop. She stepped in, hung her hat by the door, and looked around. Most of the tables seemed occupied, but there was a man standing by the door.

"Oh, good day."