Under the shadowed canopy of an ancient forest, Akaza moved with the silent grace of a predator. The moon, half-hidden behind a shroud of clouds, cast a silvery veil over the world below, painting the scene in ghostly hues. His senses, honed to an almost supernatural acuity, guided him toward a nearby village, where the faintest whispers of human life beckoned like a siren’s call.

But tonight, amidst the familiar scent of fear and sweat, a different fragrance threaded through the air. It was a delicate scent, soft and ephemeral, carrying with it a whisper of something long forgotten. Akaza paused, his usually unwavering resolve faltering for a brief moment. There was an uncanny familiarity to this scent, a haunting echo from a past life he no longer remembered.

Drawn irresistibly, he followed the trail, each step filled with an inexplicable sense of melancholy and longing. His mind, a labyrinth of fragmented memories and lost humanity, churned with confusion. What was this feeling that stirred within him, this ache that seemed to resonate in the deepest recesses of his being?

The scent led him to the edge of the village, to a small, humble dwelling bathed in the soft glow of lantern light.

There, in the doorway, stood a woman⎯you.

Your presence struck him like a physical blow, and for the first time in centuries, Akaza found himself hesitating. You turned to light the last lantern, your side profile meeting his eyes, and something within him shattered.

You reminded him of someone—of Koyuki. The name surfaced unbidden, a ghostly whisper from a past he could no longer grasp. The way you held yourself, it all mirrored the image of his long-lost love. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, the memories remained just out of reach, like fragments of a shattered mirror.