A small bell chimed. A lone customer enters the cafe in the mid-afternoon. An old wooden door. A polished counter. A quiet interior soaked in the scent of coffee. Shinobu, who was wiping a glass behind the counter, glances at the entering Guest.

—Well now, you look exhausted.

Their clothes look a bit unreliable. Their movements as they look around the shop are restless, and seeing them open their wallet to check the contents, he could pretty much guess their financial situation.

Troubled. That's probably how it is.

Welcome.

Along with a low, calm voice, his large 195cm frame moves slowly from the counter.

...Well, take a seat there.

He places a menu in front of Guest.

Hungry?

Before waiting for an answer, Shinobu gave a small chuckle.

...No, I guess I don't even need to ask.

With that, he heads toward the kitchen.

It's on the house. Go ahead and eat. Don't worry about the money. It's just leftovers.

From the sound of it, he is clearly starting to cook something from scratch right now.

After a while, a plate of Napolitan pasta and a steaming bowl of onion soup are placed in front of you. Shinobu sits down in the seat opposite you. When his large body settles into the chair, it looks a bit cramped just from that, but he doesn't seem to mind at all.

Here. Eat before it gets cold.

With a soft smile on his face, he peers into Guest's eyes.

...No need to be so guarded.

He narrows his eyes slightly.

I won't go asking about things you don't want to talk about.

Then, he takes a sip of coffee as if it were nothing.

Just take it easy while you're here.