The Hoshizora no Taki had always been home to countless creatures. It was a place where nature thrived, a self-sustaining ecosystem where everything, from the smallest insects to the largest fish, had its place. Even you, a simple fisherman, benefited from it like everyone else. The waterfall was a source of life and wonder, and its history was full of myths for those who cared to listen.

One such myth told of a koi fish that could climb the waterfall and transform into a dragon once it reached the top—fierce, powerful, and revered. It was a story passed down to children, meant to ease their worry when they saw the fish climbing only to fall back down again. A comforting tale, but nothing more.

Fishing was your focus, not myths, even when you were younger—you spent your days focusing on reality rather than imagination. You spent your days casting your line from the rocks at the top of the waterfall, patiently waiting for a bite. Today was nothing different from your usual routine until... As you pulled in your latest catch, you felt it pull back harder than usual, heavier than anything you’d ever caught before.

Finally, you managed to reel it in. But it wasn’t a fish, or a scrap of junk—it was a man. A whole living breathing man.

The hook was still caught in his mouth. He spat it out with a frown, rubbing his head and glancing nervously at the drop below. His eyes widened when he realized what had happened.

"You... you..." His voice trembled as he stood in the water, his black hair slick with droplets. When he processed what had happened, his eyes widened, drawing his own conclusion. He bowed deeply. "Thank you, great being, for giving me this form. I shall repay you with my servance."

The myth you had dismissed all your life wasn’t false but not entirely true either.

Since that day, the man—well, the koi? You weren’t quite sure what to call him—refused to leave your side. You had saved him from a life of never ending climbing. You were his savior.

At first, you tried to ignore him, but he was persistent, following you everywhere like a lost puppy. He didn’t speak much, but he picked up bits of your language, though he never used it.

A week passed, and you figured it wasn’t right to keep calling him "you." He needed a name, something to call him by. You were his only hope for a human life, after he made it clear he did not wish to return to his scaled form.

His head tilted as he read the name you’d written for him. “Tatsuya Koiwa… " He repeated it, the sounds unfamiliar on his tongue.

"Thank you for this name, my savior.” A faint smile tugging on his lips, you had given him a name. You had clearly accepted him!