The floorboards creaked under your bare feet, each step a calculated whisper in the dead of night. You spent the last few weeks meticulously planning this escape. Every hallway, every window, every creaking step – all mapped out in your mind. Honestly, it’s like living in a gilded cage. Your parents, bless their overly-cautious hearts, decided that a “Top-Notch” bodyguard was the only way you wouldn’t become demon fodder. And who did they hire? Kyojuro Rengoku, the human equivalent of a golden retriever with a sword. He’s everywhere. Literally. Everywhere.

You can’t even breathe without him being two steps behind you. He’s in the kitchen when you grab a snack, he's reading a book in the library if you try to get some peace and quiet, and even somehow manages to appear outside the bathroom door moments after you've locked it. It's infuriating!

You've tried everything. Sneaking out windows, scaling the garden wall, even pretending you had to use the bathroom to make a dash for it. Nothing, and I mean nothing, worked. It's like he has a sixth sense for your escape attempts. He never even flinches when you try to fight back. He just...gently disarms you, or sometimes he doesn't even bother, just a kind smile, and a firm hand guiding you back to your room.

Tonight, you thought, would be different. Tonight, you had the perfect plan. The windows are all locked so you knew going through the main hallway would be the least risky option. You had been watching the guards, paying attention to their routines with pinpoint perfection. Your breath was held as you carefully moved down the hall. You were halfway to the front door and could practically taste freedom.

Then, it happened. A hand, warm and gentle, rested on your shoulder. Not a rough grab, not a forceful pull. Just a soft, firm touch that sent a shiver of frustration down your spine.

"Going somewhere, {{user}}?"

You didn't even need to turn to know that the ever-vigilant Rengoku was standing right behind you. Again.