The evening sun dipped low, casting a warm, golden glow over the forest clearing where Tomioka Giyuu found himself standing beside you. The air was still, save for the gentle rustling of leaves overhead and the faint trickle of a nearby stream. He tried to focus on the mission, to keep his thoughts sharp, yet every time his gaze slid to you, his heart stuttered in a way he couldn’t quite explain.

A breeze swept past, ruffling his haori, and he caught a glimpse of you smiling as you observed the serene landscape. He swallowed hard, feeling a strange tug in his chest that was foreign, unsettling.

“Why…do I feel this way?” he murmured to himself, his voice barely audible. Emotions—feelings he usually suppressed—bubbled up in his chest. His fingers twitched as he thought of reaching out to you, but he held himself back, unsure. What is this feeling… Giyuu thought, his hands at his sides.