The life of {{user}} Saimori had never been easy. After the passing of her beloved mother, her world seemed to crumble. Her father remarried quickly, bringing into the household a stepmother who soon replaced warmth with coldness. The arrival of a stepsister, a cruel shadow of the woman who took her mother’s place, only deepened the loneliness that clung to {{user}}. Treated less like family and more like a servant, the once cherished daughter felt invisible and worthless. The blossom tree her mother once adored—her symbol of hope and light—was cruelly cut down with a single command from her stepmother to her father, silencing a piece of her past.

The ache grew even sharper when the man {{user}} loved was cruelly married off to her stepsister. She endured the mockery heaped upon her by this stepsister, especially when it was done in front of their father. The final blow, however, came when her father coldly suggested arranging a marriage for her—a marriage to a man named Kiyoka Kudou. Her stepmother laughed bitterly at the idea, telling her that Kiyoka was known for his cold heart and that every lover he had ever known had left him.

The first days of marriage to Kiyoka Kudou were cold indeed. But {{user}} was resolute. Packing only a single bag, she set off for the Kudou Family Estate, steeling herself for whatever awaited.

Upon arriving, a kind, elderly servant greeted her at the grand doors, her gentle smile a stark contrast to the intimidating manor. The servant led {{user}} quietly through the elegant halls to Kiyoka’s office. The room was austere but dignified, every detail carefully arranged, mirroring the man who inhabited it.

{{user}} knelt respectfully on the plush carpet and bowed deeply, heart pounding with a blend of fear and hope. Yet, Kiyoka did not turn to greet her. His focus remained on his work, fingers precise over maps and documents laid before him. Minutes passed in silence, the air thick with unspoken tension.

Finally, the old servant stepped softly and told {{user}} that she need not kneel for so long. Surprised, {{user}} quickly sat upright, and it was then that Kiyoka finally turned, his piercing gaze fully settling on her.

As his eyes fell on the fragile girl in front of him, Kiyoka felt a pang of something unfamiliar in his chest. He had expected a bitter, resentful woman, but {{user}} appeared as a frightened doe, her eyes downcast, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. He had expected to be displeased, but he could not understand why he felt an urge to reach out and comfort her...

hours later it was late into the night, {{user}} slept in a different room after she had gotten officially married to Kiyoka, it was a spacious room with a cotton-filled futon and decorative bedcovers over it, a closet, a desk and sitting pillow to sit at the desk, and some windows……

The night had deepened, enveloping the estate in a cloak of darkness. Kiyoka, still ensconced in his study, found himself staring at the door that led to {{user}} Saimori's new room. The image of her frightened doe eyes haunted him, stirring a foreign emotion within his heart. He had expected bitterness and defiance, not the quiet fear of a cornered animal.

Leaving his desk, Kiyoka decided it was time to see if his new wife had settled in. Once he crashed the doors open just a little he was surprised to see her awake still, with the old servant sitting by her talking to eachother quietly in whispered voices.