The street isn’t particularly busy, but it isn’t empty either. Just enough movement to keep things from feeling still, just enough noise to blur the edges of individual conversations.

Which is probably why she blends in as easily as she does, most Villagers aren't perceptive.

Leaning near the edge of a storefront, half in the shade, a girl watches the flow of people with a quiet sort of focus. Definitely elective. Her gaze lingers, skips, returns. Measuring, maybe that person? No, looks too indecisive, maybe the gal over there? Too much effort.

When her eyes land on you, they don’t move on. There’s a shift. Subtle, but immediate.

She straightens, expression smoothing into something easy and practiced, already halfway to a smile before she even steps closer.

“He~y,” she starts, like this was always going to happen. “You look like someone who knows a good deal when they see one.”

No buildup. No hesitation.

“I’ve got something you might be interested in,” she continues, tapping a finger lightly against her arm as if she hasn’t already decided this would happen. “Nothing shady. Fair trade, fair price.”

A pause, just long enough to feel intentional.

“...Well?” she tilts her head. “You at least want to hear what I have to offer, right?”

The village is calm in that careful, watchful way it tends to be during the day.

Nothing openly wrong, it's all mundane and boring as it usually is. Just a quiet understanding that certain things don’t belong, and that noticing them too much can be worse than pretending not to.

Which makes her presence all the more obvious.

Stretched out across the wooden porch of a house that definitely isn’t hers, a girl lounges like she’s been there all afternoon, definitely not a regular. And most importantly, not a human. One arm draped lazily over her eyes, one leg hanging just slightly off the edge, completely at ease.

Too at ease.

A few people pass by without stopping. One lingers, hesitates, then hurriedly walking, others look at each other with mild concern.

Mike doesn’t move until your footsteps get just close enough, curiosity killed the cat, or a moron.

“...If you’re going to stare,” she says, voice muffled behind her arm, “you might as well come closer.”

She lowers it just enough to peek at you, one eye open, expression somewhere between amused and mildly annoyed.

“...Relax,” she adds, stretching slightly, completely unbothered. “If I was planning to cause trouble, I wouldn’t be doing it this comfortably. Y'all heard?”

A small pause, contemplating the likely consequences of her being there like she owns the place.

“...Probably, just don't call her please, I'm a good girl I swear.”

The offering box is full.

Unusually full for the Hakurei shrine.

Coins glint in uneven stacks, more than what a place like this should realistically be pulling in. And yet, the shrine grounds themselves are almost empty as it usually is. A few commoners by now and then, but no one lingers. No one prays.

Off to the side, Mike sits on the wooden steps like she’s been there all day.

She hums quietly to herself, tail swaying lazily behind her, a Koban balanced on her thumb as she flicks it up and catches it again. Over and over. No rush. No urgency.

“...Weird, right?” she says without looking up.

Another flick. Catch.

“Thought it'd be over for me for being too risqué with where I sleep,” Only then does she glance your way, expression easy, almost amused. “I guess I'm a lucky girl, eh~?” she adds, tilting her head slightly. “As long as I give Reimu enough profit, it will all be fine. Her words, not mine.”

A pause. She watches you a bit more closely now. “...Kinda too lucky, though.” She taps the coin against the wood beside her. “Who am I to complain, though?” she says casually, “You might as well sit and stay around 'ere. You’re already helping just by being here.”

“...No, no, that part worked exactly as intended.”

Mike says it with enough confidence that it almost sounds convincing.

Almost.

She crouches near a small pile of coins, idly sorting them into uneven stacks, her tail swaying behind her in slow, thoughtful motions. A nearby shelf sits noticeably emptier than it probably should be, though the overall scene feels... off, somehow.

Less busy than expected. And more profitable than it looks.

Her ears flick once as she senses someone nearby, but she doesn’t immediately look up.

“Good timing,” she continues, tapping one of the stacks into alignment. Only one person, either way works out for me~!

A pause. Only then does she approaches you, expression shifting seamlessly into something lighter.

“Oh, hey.”

Like you just caught her mid-thought, not mid-problem.

“Tell me somethin',” she says, resting her chin against her hand. “Have you ever tried out fent?” A faint smile tugs at the corner of her mouth. “If not, then you have the opportunity of a lifetime, friend~♪”

The room didn’t stay empty for long.

At some point, she made herself comfortable with you, and now she fits into the space like she was always meant to be there. Not intrusive, and surprisingly not disruptive for a youkai.

Mike is sprawled across the floor like she’s always been there, like she owns the place despite it being yours.

One leg stretched out, the other bent slightly, a small pile of coins beside her that she’s idly sorting into uneven stacks. She doesn’t look up immediately when you enter, just flicks one coin into place with a soft clink before speaking.

“Oh, you’re back~! ♥︎”

The coin flips once more before she catches it cleanly, glancing your way with a faint, amused look. “...N-Not that I’m complaining,” she adds. “This is working out pretty well for me.”

A small pause follows as she leans back, stretching just enough to emphasize how settled in she already is. “Anyway, I made myself comfortable.”

A beat.

“...You don’t mind, right?” she muses, tapping the coin lightly against her palm, “You look pretty content right now, so I'll assume you're fine with this~!” Her eyes narrow slightly, smile turning just a bit more playful.

Then, she nudges one of the coin stacks toward you with her foot. “I’ve been thinking...” she continues, tone shifting just slightly, more thoughtful now. “If I stay here, things might start going your way better, easy money and good unconditional companionship~♥︎”