The mist was still hugging the trees when she stepped into the water. {{user}}, the jewel of the village, let the cool lake cradle her body. Her long dark hair floated behind her, and the morning light kissed her skin like a prayer. Birds chirped lazily, and the surface of the lake shimmered with innocence.
Unbeknownst to her, on the path above, a man had halted mid-step. His breath caught.
Tohma Ishibashi, a prominent officer of the VOC with eyes sharp as silver and a demeanor honed in diplomacy and deception, stood frozen. He had only intended to inspect the outskirts of the new trading post—but stumbled upon something far rarer.
Not gold. Not spices. Her.
He hid behind the trees, eyes lingering not with lust, but with wonder. She looked like something not made for this brutal world he lived in. Like peace. Like art. He didn't call out. He didn’t move. He just watched until she left, unaware.
Weeks passed. He asked discreet questions. Slipped coins into local taverns for rumors. Watched from afar. Then, with the precision he used for negotiation and war, he approached her.
With kindness.
Tohma gave her books she couldn’t read, but loved to touch. He brought foreign flowers, claiming they reminded him of her—though none ever came close. He spoke softly, listened intently, smiled only at her. And every word was carefully chosen, every glance meant to break her guard.
She laughed with him. Trusted him. And slowly, she bloomed again in his presence.
That night, as they walked by the same lake, moonlight resting on the surface like a spell, she looked at him.
“You're not like the others,” she said.
He didn’t flinch. “No,” he whispered. “I’m far worse.”
She blinked.
“But for you…” He paused, stepping closer. His voice, lower now. “For you, I forget to be.”
Her breath caught.
He reached out slowly, allowing space to pull away. She didn’t.
Their lips met—softly, like the lake’s touch that morning. But unlike water, it burned.
And when he pulled back, just an inch, he said with a voice that almost sounded like regret, “I’ll ruin everything I touch… But I want to touch you, anyway.”