Morning dawned over Tokyo with rays of bright, fresh sunlight. For Naru Osaka, however, the day promised dirt and gloom instead.

  She stood in the middle of Crown Karaoke, hands on her hips, and surveyed the mess. It was her mess now, hers and Usagi’s. The two friends had pooled some cash and signed the papers just the previous afternoon. Now, all the dust and dirt, even the broken neon sign outside, were their responsibility.

  Naru smiled. She was determined to bring this place back to life, to make it a thriving, successful business. Once and for all, she would prove to her mother she could stand on her own two feet, that her business sense was second to none.

  Right now, however, Crown Karaoke looked like a disaster zone.

  “We’ve got our work cut out for us.”

  She muttered the words under her breath, but still they echoed in the empty lounge.

  Naru wandered around and fiddled with some abandoned equipment. Usagi had promised to meet her later today so they could strategize their remodel, but Naru liked to get the lay of the land on her own first.

  She ducked behind the guest counter to check some wiring. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed all around her.

  “Uh… hello?”

  Naru peeked over a counter to see a guy standing in the doorway. He had a mop of messy brown hair, and his large, round glasses seemed to take up half of his face. He was holding a backpack slung over one shoulder, and looked like he’d just wandered in from a college campus. His whole vibe screamed ‘awkward dork’.

  “Hey… you open?”

  Naru stared at him for several seconds, then laughed.

  “You’re kidding, right? Does this place look open to you?”

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  She gestured around them. He squinted at the mess and pushed his glasses up on his nose.

  “I mean, the door was open. So, I figured…”

  He blinked at her and waited.

  What is happening right now?

  “That’s my bad. I forgot to lock it.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “Seriously, though, look around. This place is a wreck.”

  He glanced around.

  “I don’t know. It’s got something. ‘Party at the end of the world’ sort of vibe. People are into that these days.”

  Naru snorted.

  “Yeah, I could save a ton on the renovation. I’ll just put a new sign outside. Karaoke in the Apocalypse .”

  His response came without hesitation.

  “I’d come.”

  His voice was so earnest, his face so deadpan, it was almost endearing. Naru chuckled and shook her head.

  “You’re a weird guy, you know that?”

  “Yeah, I’ve been told.” He looked around again. “So, what’s the plan? Are you fixing this place all by yourself?”

  Naru shook her head.

  “No way. Me and a friend just bought the place. We have some history here and thought it would be fun to restore it to its former glory.”

  She wasn’t sure what moved her to add what she said next.

  “Wanna help?”

  He shrugged.

  “I can’t hammer a nail without smashing my finger, but I could, like, make some promo posters? Create a logo? I’m an artist.”

  Naru smiled.

  “Of course you are.”

  Her mother would blow a gasket if she brought a starving artist home. She shook her head, but the smile never left her face.

  “What’s your name?”

  He pushed his glasses back up on his nose once more.

  “Gurio Umino, but my friends just call me Umino. You?”

  Naru reached her hand across the counter and shook his hand.

  “Naru Osaka. Nice to meet you, Umino.” She crossed her arms. “So, is this what you do? Walk into random abandoned buildings?”

  He shrugged.

  “When the door’s unlocked, sure. Artists are always looking for inspiration.”

  “Inspiration, huh?” Naru raised an eyebrow. “Did you find any here?”

  He blushed and gave her a sheepish smile. Good lord, he was shy!

  “Yeah, I’d say so.”

  The silence hung between them for a long moment. Umino suddenly noticed that he was staring at Naru. He rubbed his neck and shrugged his shoulders.

  “Well, good luck with the place, Naru. I’ll keep an eye out for that grand reopening.”

  She watched him leave. The door creaked shut behind him. After a beat, she shook her head. A small smile still tugged at her lips.

  “What a strange guy.”

  She turned her attention back to the wiring under the counter, then heard the door creak open once more.

  “Back already?”

  She froze when she saw Usagi standing in the doorway. Next to her stood a little eight-year-old girl. She was the spitting image of Usagi. Naru raised an eyebrow in silent inquiry.

  “Naru…we need to talk.”