The shopping street "Suzuran-dori" in Akabane turned a pale violet in the twilight hours. For Kirihara Runa, walking through this street on her way home from work had become a habit. Twenty-six years old. Her black, straight long hair was tied back in a single ponytail, with a small white hairpin tucked behind her left ear. A plain beige blouse, navy skirt. The careful, unflashy appearance of an office worker. Her shoulders always carried tension, and her slender wrists—worn from years of desk work—showed slightly roughened fingertips. "Oh, Runa." As she passed the prepared foods shop "Okazu Yokocho," her mother emerged carrying a shopping basket. Yoshie. Fifty-six years old. She had the same black hair as Runa, but the lines of exhaustion ran deep across her face. "You must be tired. Working late again?" "Ah, just some purchase orders piled up." Her mother looked at her daughter's face with concern. "Don't push yourself too hard. Marusei isn't that big a company." Runa smiled modestly. "I'm fine. I'll do my best tomorrow too." She said this while averting her gaze from her mother's hands. She didn't want to worry her. The tuition for her younger brother, her mother's medical expenses—Runa had been calculating it all alone for so long. "I see. Well, I'll have dinner ready for you." "Thank you." After parting with her mother, Runa headed toward the set meal restaurant "Manpuku-tei." A cramped shop. Only four tables. The same regulars appeared at roughly the same time each day. "Welcome. Alone again today?" The shop owner, Okaouchi Genta. Sixty-three years old. He had been her father's close friend. Her father had died when he was in high school, so Runa barely remembered his face. But Genta sometimes told her stories about him. "Yes, please." She sat at the end of the counter, and Genta brought out the daily special. Pork ginger-grilled. Seven hundred fifty yen. Free large rice portions. Runa always ordered regular size, putting that money toward savings. "You should eat with someone once in a while. You're twenty-six." "You're right." She said it, but Runa had no one to eat with. She got along well with her coworker Miyazono Chisa, but she was in sales and went out to clients almost every day. A boyfriend? Such a thing didn't exist in Runa's life. Work earnestly. Support your family. Don't be a burden. Those three things alone were enough, Runa believed. She arrived home after eight at night. A thirty-year-old apartment in Akabane, Kita Ward. Two stories, and Runa's room was 102. A six-mat one-room with a bed, desk, and television crammed inside. Monthly rent was forty-five thousand yen. Fourteen percent of her salary. She sent the remainder to her mother and brother. She checked the mailbox. Regular letters, an electric bill, and— An envelope of particular luxury. White washi paper with delicate silver decoration. In the upper left corner, small text read: "Shiragi Group Legal Department." She closed the door and sat in her room's chair. Then she slowly opened the envelope. Inside was a document printed in formal typeface. "Marriage Contract Proposal." That's what it said. Runa read it over several times. Was there some mistake? Had a letter meant for someone else been misdelivered? But there, unmistakably, was her name. Contract Duration: 2 years Contract Compensation: Total 30 million yen (equivalent to 1.25 million yen monthly) Confidentiality Clause: Prohibition of disclosure of private matters to third parties during marriage Fidelity Clause: Prohibition of infidelity during the marriage period Social Event Attendance Obligation: Obligation to attend social events related to Shiragi Group Upon Contract Completion: Amicable divorce Response Deadline: Within 48 hours She picked up her smartphone. Her fingertips were cold. She searched "Shiragi Group." News sites appeared. 【Shiragi Group Exceeds 1.2 Trillion Yen in Consolidated Sales】 【Shiragi Group New Representative Shiragi Toshiya (29), Declares Management Reform】 In the image was the face of a cold, dark-eyed man. Toshiya. Current representative director and president of Shiragi Group. Two years ago, when his predecessor father died suddenly, he had risen to the top of management at a young age. Runa continued reading the article. The new representative's reform agenda. Factional conflicts within the group. Management strategy. Connections with politicians. She even found references to the Akatsuki-kai, a secret organization of the upper echelons of the financial world. (Why would someone like me—just an ordinary office worker—receive something like this from such a major corporation…) Her heart raced. No, that wasn't it. Her pulse quickened. Her hands trembled slightly. Why her? Shiragi Group and Marusei Foods did have a business relationship, but Runa worked in administration, not sales. There was no way Toshiya would know her. And yet. The figure of 30 million yen wouldn't leave her mind. Her mother's medical expenses were 2 million yen annually. Her brother's university tuition was 1.5 million yen per year. That meant 3.5 million yen every year. Nine years' worth. No, Runa herself would need retirement savings. With her current salary… (No. I can't think like this.) Runa shook her head. But her heart had already begun the calculations. She read the contract again. The last page contained instructions for response. Reply to the designated email address with either "I accept" or "I decline." That was all. It also stated that no explanation would be requested. Deep into the night, Runa couldn't sleep. On her bed, hugging her pillow, she stared at the ceiling. Below her left collarbone was a star-shaped scar. A burn from spilled hot water when she was small. When tense, she unconsciously placed her hand there—a habit. She was doing it now. (Is this…the right choice?) She picked up her smartphone again. She stared at the image of the contract. Where should she sign? Would she sign on actual paper, or use a digital signature? Such details weren't even mentioned in the notification letter. Should she consult her mother? But having watched her mother's struggles, Runa couldn't simply "consult" her. Her mother was already suffering enough. Working part-time every day for her children. Tell her brother? He was at a good university now. Their parents had insisted "don't take out student loans" for his future, so Runa and her mother supported him. How much did her brother truly understand about this? (I'll decide alone.) That's what she thought. Runa, earnest and conscientious, always thought that way. She mustn't burden others. She mustn't become someone's weight. So she carried her troubles, her worries, all by herself. Dawn approached. Outside the window was still dark. But morning was coming, certainly. Runa decided. With trembling hands, she opened the email application on her smartphone. To: Legal Department Designated Address Subject: Marriage Contract Proposal Response Message: "I accept." She wrote those two lines and held her breath. The send button glowed on the screen. Her finger moved toward it. (With this…) "Tap." The moment the button was pressed, Runa's heart jumped once, hard. "…my life will change." The send confirmation appeared. The time was 6:27 AM. Outside the window, the dawn glow of Akabane spread across the sky. The downtown shopping street was beginning to wake, bit by bit. It was a morning like any other. But the world Runa inhabited had shifted to a different place. Whether that was good or bad, Runa couldn't yet judge. Only, thinking of her mother's smile and her brother's future, tears spilled down her cheeks. An expression mixing anxiety and resolve. A new day was beginning.