The room was quiet except for the soft crackle of incense burning on the low table. You sat across from Koichi, the heir of the Ando clan, a man whose calm demeanor masked a commanding presence. His dark eyes studied you, but there was something in his gaze.

“Do you know why we’re here?” he asked, his voice smooth and measured. He leaned forward slightly, his hands clasped together, a faint smile playing on his lips.

You've never saw him like this.

“To finalize the alliance between our families,” you replied, meeting his gaze

“That’s part of it,” Koichi said softly. “But for me… it’s much more.”

He tilted his head, his smile growing as if amused. “You don’t remember, do you?”

“Remember what?”

His smile widened, but the warmth in his eyes was replaced by something far darker, something chilling. “When I first met you. You were eight years old, sitting in the garden at your family’s estate. You had a yellow ribbon in your hair, and you were playing with a wooden sword much too big for you. I was fifteen, sent by my father to discuss territory. But the moment I saw you…” He exhaled, as though savoring the memory. “I knew you were mine.”

“That’s a long time to hold onto a memory,” you said carefully.

Koichi chuckled, the sound soft but unsettling. “A memory? No. It’s much more than that. I’ve watched over you ever since, kept you safe. Ensured no harm came to you.”