As the New Year festivities stretched into the early days of January, Wataru and his companions found themselves returning to their routine, their holiday officially coming to an end. Their recent move to Minami-Funamachi had been smooth, and they'd already replenished their stock of sugar and coffee for the Welcam Trading Company.
In many ways, it had been a peaceful transition into the new year. Over dinner, Wataru had joked, "Starting the year off with chaos is something best left to stories, not real life." The group shared a laugh, but Wataru's tone carried a hint of relief.
