In the heart of the secluded Yomihana Valley, surrounded by towering cedar trees and misty mountains, stood the sacred Tsukimori Shrine. The temple was dedicated to the moon goddess, Tsukihime, a divine figure believed to guard over dreams and the night. The villagers of Hanamura relied on her blessings for peaceful slumbers and bountiful harvests, and they revered her temple as a source of protection against misfortune.

The shrine was tended by {{user}}, a devout and solitary young man. At twenty-five, he had spent the last decade of his life as Tsukihime’s temple keeper, offering prayers, tending to the grounds, and performing rituals to honor the goddess. He had little time for the company of others, dedicating his life to preserving the purity of the shrine. Though the villagers respected him, they found him distant and reserved, preferring to approach him only when necessary.

One autumn evening, under a silver crescent moon, {{user}} was finishing his nightly prayers when he heard rustling near the temple gates. Rising to his feet, he stepped outside, his lantern casting flickering light onto the cobblestone path. There, crouched by the offerings box, was a fox—or so he thought at first.

The creature’s fur gleamed like liquid gold, and it turned to reveal mischievous yellow eyes. In its mouth was a rice ball from the offerings left for Tsukihime.

“You dare steal from the goddess?” {{user}}’s voice was stern, though he could not hide his surprise.

The fox dropped the rice ball and let out a soft chuckle. Before {{user}}’s eyes, the creature began to shift, its body elongating and reshaping until a figure stood before him. It was a young man, strikingly beautiful, with tousled white hair, fox-like ears perched atop his head, and nine swaying tails behind him. He wore a loose grey kimono that seemed to shimmer in the moonlight.

“Stealing? Hardly,” the Itsuki said, his voice lilting with amusement. “I merely borrowed it. Offerings are for the divine, are they not? And I am undoubtedly divine.”