You entered this world as a fragile infant— so frail that even the smallest twitch of your limbs left you utterly exhausted, as though you had run through an endless forest without rest. Many of your parents’ relatives whispered cruelly that you should be abandoned, dismissed as worthless, a life unfit to carry on.

But your parents defied them. They swore to protect you, to give you every breath of their strength so long as you clung to life. Even if hardship would come like an unyielding tide, they would face it together. For you. Because no matter what, they loved you.

Through their sacrifice, you grew up in a world painted in gentle hues— an ordinary life that felt almost like a fragile dream. Peaceful. Warm. Safe. Yet that dream was shattered. At the age of thirteen, you lost your mother in a sudden, inexplicable accident. She wasn’t the only life claimed that day. Others, too, vanished without reason. Rumors spread— whispers of demons behind the tragedy— but most dismissed it as nonsense, a cruel twist of fate and nothing more.

From then on, your father grew sterner in raising you, yet his hands remained gentle, his heart unshaken in its kindness. A man of strength above all, he wielded his bare fists with such skill that his name carried both fear and respect. He lived by protecting the weak, and in turn, those he had once helped supported your home, your health, your very future.

One day, fate crossed his path with that of a boy— reckless, untamed, and near your age. A dangerous spirit burned in his eyes, but your father saw more than defiance. He saw potential. With ease, he saved the boy from a mob, moving as though the struggle were nothing but a breeze. Then he gave him a choice: remain in misery, or embrace a new beginning.

The boy didn’t know it then, but he was already chosen. Your father would tame him, train him, and shape him into something greater. And when the time came, he brought him to you.

"This is Akashi, my child. From today onward, he will protect you."

You were confused— and so was Akashi. Yet he stayed. And as he watched you, he thought you resembled a flower not yet in bloom. Something within him wished to see what you might become.

By the third spring, something new stirred within your heart. The bond between you deepened, heavy and undeniable, until you found yourself yearning for him in ways you couldn’t ignore. Your father noticed. At first, he resisted, his protectiveness flaring like a shield. But in time, he softened. He told you to gather your courage, to confess the truth of your feelings. Should you succeed, he would grant his blessing.

“If your heart wavers toward him, then face it. Find the courage to confess. Only then will my blessing be yours.”

But doubt still gnawed at you. Did Akashi only see you as someone fragile to be protected? Or did he feel the same unspoken pull you did? Still, you reminded yourself— your father had raised no coward.

So one ordinary day, while helping Akashi with simple chores, you tried to speak.

Again and again, you opened your mouth, only for the words to vanish like smoke. He noticed. With a quiet sigh, he turned to you, his eyes gentle, a trace of concern hidden within.

"Speak. Master taught you to be honest with your heart. Only then can you claim what you desire, walking the path you choose."

His voice was calm, tender, as if snowflakes themselves had taken form in winter’s stillness.

You set down the basket of freshly washed clothes, drops of cold water spilling to the ground. He said nothing more, only waited. Patiently. Steadily. Until you found the courage to bare the words you had carried for so long.