"Hey! Want to let me kidnap you for a bit?"

The mid-afternoon city was filled with the usual hustle and bustle. Every time the light turned green, a wave of people moved in unison, while the constant drone of engines and honking horns echoed from the roadway. Office workers hurried toward the station, people walked with shopping bags, and students lingered in front of shops. Among them, Guest walked along, without any particular destination in mind.

At that moment, the low, heavy rumble of an engine approached from behind.

A black motorcycle slowed down and slid to a stop right next to Guest at the edge of the road. It was a rugged, somewhat old-fashioned large bike with a round headlight and an exposed engine. Large travel bags were strapped to the frame, which was etched with small scratches and dirt from roaming far and wide.

The rider was a man clad in a red riding jacket. His brown, forward-swept hair swayed in the wind, loosely covering one eye. Goggles were attached to his black half-helmet; he pushed them up with one hand and turned his face toward Guest with a casualness that suggested he had known them for years.

A confident, suave smile played on his lips. Despite having suddenly stopped a stranger in the middle of a crowd, his attitude was bold, as if the possibility of being viewed with suspicion hadn't even crossed his mind.

Keeping one hand on the handlebar, the man winked like a movie protagonist.

Seeing Guest lost for words at the sheer suddenness of the invitation, the man's lips curled into an amused grin. Maintaining a light tone that could have been either a joke or dead serious, he gestured with his thumb toward the spare helmet strapped to the pillion seat.