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Description
It was a beautiful day in Japan. Very beautiful, but nothing out of the ordinary. Rioichi Cooper was on his way to get more fish. He had just very recently opened his sushi restaurant but it had already proved to be a success. The customers just kept coming in and he had again run out of fish. He was on a very good mood. He did everything by himself so his job could be hard, but it was also rewarding because he got to do what he loved. As he walked with light steps toward his favorite fishing spot, he had no idea that this day would change not only his life, but someone else's as well.

As he got closer, he noticed someone in front of his fishing pond. Of course he only saw this person fom behind but could soon tell that it was another raccoon. A female raccoon. She was as white as snow. Rioichi grew curious, and as he started making his way toward this lady, his plan was simple. He was going to politely greet her, maybe ask how she was doing, and then calmly proceed to fish. Rioichi's movements were as silent as they always were, but eventually his curiosity got the best of him and he neglected to notice a little detail. He was almost behind the white raccoon when he accidentally stepped on a small bamboo branch that was on the ground in front of him. The branch snapped swiftly in half. This got the female raccoon's attention. First her ear twitched back towards the noise, and with it she also turned back to see what had caused it in the first place. Then she saw Rioichi who stood rather awkwardly behind her, frozen in place. The white raccoon got startled and forgot that she was sitting right next to a pond. She leaned back and lost her footing, which in return caused her falling into the pond. It was not too deep, but deep enough for someone unable to swim. Noticing that he alone had caused this, Rioichi quickly knelt down and reached out to help her back up. She indeed took Rioichi's hand on her own, but in her panicky state only managed to pull him in as well. He wasn't really at home in water either. And the water was cold, very cold. Rioichi's hood was soaking wet and had become glued to his head. He did all he could to stay on top of the surface and felt the other raccoon latch on to him. Eventually he managed to clumsily swim back to the edge of the pond. The first thing he did was help his companion back to dry land, and only then did he pull himself up. They were both shaking of cold.
"I am deeply sorry, I did not mean to startle you,"
Rioichi said politely, sounding apologetic. The female raccoon slightly shook her head.
"It doesn't matter,"
she said but it was clear that it mattered in some way.
"I didn't mean to intrude in your fishing pond,"
she continued.
"I do not mind,"
Rioichi said.
"I visit this place very often but I do not own it. I am Rioichi. Rioichi Cooper. I do not believe I got your name yet."
"Haruka. My name is Haruka,"
the white raccoon lady said.
"Haruka-san. I do have to apologize. It is my fault that you are cold. Allow me to try and make this up for you. You are free to follow me to my restaurant. You can get to see it, get warm and stay as long as you like. You are free to stay as my guest for as long as you want to."
Haruka seemed pleased and accepted Rioichi's offer.

Neither of them knew it yet, but this day meant a new start for them both. Eventually they would start a family of their own..

Description
It was a beautiful day in Japan. Very beautiful, but nothing out of the ordinary. Rioichi Cooper was on his way to get more fish. He had just very recently opened his sushi restaurant but it had already proved to be a success. The customers just kept coming in and he had again run out of fish. He was on a very good mood. He did everything by himself so his job could be hard, but it was also rewarding because he got to do what he loved. As he walked with light steps toward his favorite fishing spot, he had no idea that this day would change not only his life, but someone else's as well.

As he got closer, he noticed someone in front of his fishing pond. Of course he only saw this person fom behind but could soon tell that it was another raccoon. A female raccoon. She was as white as snow. Rioichi grew curious, and as he started making his way toward this lady, his plan was simple. He was going to politely greet her, maybe ask how she was doing, and then calmly proceed to fish. Rioichi's movements were as silent as they always were, but eventually his curiosity got the best of him and he neglected to notice a little detail. He was almost behind the white raccoon when he accidentally stepped on a small bamboo branch that was on the ground in front of him. The branch snapped swiftly in half. This got the female raccoon's attention. First her ear twitched back towards the noise, and with it she also turned back to see what had caused it in the first place. Then she saw Rioichi who stood rather awkwardly behind her, frozen in place. The white raccoon got startled and forgot that she was sitting right next to a pond. She leaned back and lost her footing, which in return caused her falling into the pond. It was not too deep, but deep enough for someone unable to swim. Noticing that he alone had caused this, Rioichi quickly knelt down and reached out to help her back up. She indeed took Rioichi's hand on her own, but in her panicky state only managed to pull him in as well. He wasn't really at home in water either. And the water was cold, very cold. Rioichi's hood was soaking wet and had become glued to his head. He did all he could to stay on top of the surface and felt the other raccoon latch on to him. Eventually he managed to clumsily swim back to the edge of the pond. The first thing he did was help his companion back to dry land, and only then did he pull himself up. They were both shaking of cold.
"I am deeply sorry, I did not mean to startle you,"
Rioichi said politely, sounding apologetic. The female raccoon slightly shook her head.
"It doesn't matter,"
she said but it was clear that it mattered in some way.
"I didn't mean to intrude in your fishing pond,"
she continued.
"I do not mind,"
Rioichi said.
"I visit this place very often but I do not own it. I am Rioichi. Rioichi Cooper. I do not believe I got your name yet."
"Haruka. My name is Haruka,"
the white raccoon lady said.
"Haruka-san. I do have to apologize. It is my fault that you are cold. Allow me to try and make this up for you. You are free to follow me to my restaurant. You can get to see it, get warm and stay as long as you like. You are free to stay as my guest for as long as you want to."
Haruka seemed pleased and accepted Rioichi's offer.

Neither of them knew it yet, but this day meant a new start for them both. Eventually they would start a family of their own..