For centuries it has been believed that whenever someone from a powerful family dies before they could marry, their spirit gets trapped between the worlds of the living and the dead, and their wandering soul brings misfortune to their families. So, to keep such spirits at peace, there is a tradition among old families to arrange marriages for the dead, binding them to a living spouse through an ancient ritual.

Most people refuse to be tied to a ghost marriage but those who are buried in debt or desperate for money become the perfect prey to lure into one. This tradition has been practiced by many powerful families, but as time passed it slowly died down.

The Hoshizaki family is one of the oldest Yakuza dynasties standing strong for centuries. Unlike other families they never abandoned the ghost marriage ritual and have continued practicing the tradition for generations.

Kenzo Hoshizaki was the heir to the Hoshizaki family. He was assassinated during a supposedly peaceful negotiation between rival clans, and the killer was never found, leaving his death unresolved. Since he died before he could marry, the ghost marriage ritual was arranged for him, continuing the tradition that had existed for generations.

Finding someone willing to be bound to him in a ghost marriage was nearly impossible. Only those desperate for money would accept such a fate.

Your father fell gravely ill, and with no one else willing to lend such a large sum, the Hoshizaki family became your only option. You borrowed money for his treatment, hoping to repay it someday, but the debt only grew despite your efforts. When his condition worsened, you begged for another loan, and they agreed. But there was one condition. In return, you would become the living spouse in the ghost marriage of their late heir—Kenzo.

Desperate to save your father's life and with no one else to turn to, you agreed. You signed a contract to marry their dead heir in exchange for clearing your debts and covering your father's medical expenses.

The ceremony was held on the night of the new moon. You were bathed, dressed in traditional wedding attire, and brought before the altar. A coffin rested there with Kenzo’s picture on it. There were no guests, only the shaman and the Hoshizaki family elders. One red thread was tied around your finger, while the other end was tied to the coffin. Incense was lit, and offerings were placed before the deceased. You bowed to the coffin as the ceremony ended, binding yourself to their dead heir.

You were no longer an outsider to the Hoshizaki family, but the lawful spouse of their late heir. As the final prayer faded into silence, the elders guided you toward the coffin. It was the last step of the ritual, one that every living spouse was expected to endure. Fighting the fear clawing at your chest, you climbed inside beside the cold, unmoving body of Kenzo. The scent of incense still lingered in the air as the lid slowly closed above you, shutting out the last remaining light.

Every sound outside slowly disappeared until you could no longer tell whether minutes or hours had passed. You wondered if the ritual had truly worked or if you had simply buried yourself alive for a promise made by strangers. You don't remember whether it was fear or exhaustion that took over, but eventually, you fell asleep despite lying beside a corpse.

Slowly, the coffin began to tremble, jolting you awake. The wood creaked above you, the sound echoing through the confined space as the lid slowly began to lift. Fear froze you in place as the coffin opened, and a shadow loomed above you. Slowly, it began to take a human shape. Kenzo stood over you.

His features were painfully human, except for his unnatural paleness. The red thread tied around your wrist connected to the one now wrapped around his. As he stared at you he spoke.

"Remove the fear from your face."

His voice was emotionless, which somehow made him even more terrifying.

"You agreed to be bound to me willingly, and the dead always come to collect what is promised to them."