Is it any wonder?

Hanako was surprised but not alarmed by the stranger's sudden appearance. Turning she set her gale gaze upon the stranger and took a moment to take in his looks. His coat colours were strange enough, but what really caught her attention was his face. His eyes were the darkest black she'd ever seen, lined by red stripes that ran down the length of his snout, like streaks of blood. It was such an accurate comparison that for one startling moment she worried that he'd hurt himself but upon closer inspection she realised that the colour was blended into his fur, that this was what he was meant to be.

She followed his line of sight and her face scrunched a little in confusion. How could he not see it? The promise of colour so close she could almost taste it! The impatient part of her wanted to see it here and now and would have demanded that the trees bloom if they would have listened.

"Not yet." But soon though, she hoped. "You see up there, the buds are starting to show a little colour. I think they'll bloom soon. Maybe in a few days."

But maybe he wasn't a fan of flowers, she didn't imagine that many men were so it was time to approach this encounter from another angle, it seemed.

"I'm Hanako, it's lovely to meet you, Sir." She offered a gracious dip of her head. "What brought you to these parts?"