Tsuka District, Sakura City.
11:30 AM, Tuesday, June 1st.
By the end of the morning, the unrelenting torrent of the early rush had finally begun to transition into a steady, rhythmic cruise. Outside the polished windows of Questline Bookstore, the Tsuka District was bathed in the brilliant, high-altitude glare of the midday sun. The towering silhouette of the Sakura Tree Tower on the horizon formed the backdrop to the sleek glass skyscrapers and traditional tiled entryways of the commercial avenue. The sidewalk remained a flowing river of pedestrians—salarymen loosening their ties as lunch hour approached, university students sharing notes, and tourists pausing to snap photos of the modern-meets-traditional architecture. Yet, almost every passerby instinctively slowed their pace when they walked past Questline's front glass facade, their eyes drawn to the vibrant mosaic of the top-ten manga and light novel displays.
