.

「𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ⇀ 𝑲.𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒐」

── ❝𝗜 𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗞𝗡𝗘𝗪         𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗟𝗗 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗗         𝗠𝗢𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗜𝗡         𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗦 ❞

    〡𝑲𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒔𝒖 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒐 𝑿 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓〡

◉ ┅ ┅ ┅ ┅ ┅ ┅ ┅ ┅ ┅

𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦

❀

Chapter Index:

❀ | ①    ❀ | ②   ❀ | ③  ❀ | ④  ❀ | ⑤ ❀ | ⑥ ❀ | ⑦

♔ | 𝐗𝐈𝐈

»»-----　♔　-----««

The sun had set a long while ago.

Jyushimatsu had made his own way home, calling Ozo to let him know. The car was much more silent on the way back to the Midorito Estate, most likely due to how tired the both of you were from the busy day.

Rolling up to the stone step entrance, Ozo left the keys in as he got out of the car, swiftly opening your door for you once more and offering a hand. You managed to get out without a stumble this time, although a share of smiles weren't passed up.

"So, did you enjoy your little tour around Akashika?" Ozo grinned, his hand still wrapped around yours. You squeezed your fingers as you laughed softly.

"I really did. Thank you for that.." you stared into each others eyes, the moon above casting a bluish glow on your faces, enticing and mystical, unable to tear your eyes away.

"I... I should get going," you reluctantly sighed. "Chorosuke and Dayoko are probably waiting for me, so..."

"Uh, yeah, okay.." Ozo mumbled, slowly retracting his hand from yours, his fingertips brushing against your palm before settling by his side. You began turning away, a foot resting on the first stone step, before you suddenly turned back around.

You walked back over to Ozo, who was watching your curiously until you stopped right in front of him, chests touching and faces close again. His cheeks darkened as you rested your hands against his chest, pushing yourself up by the slightest bit to reach his height. You could feel his heartbeat begin to race, matching your own pace.

He could feel your warm breath tickle across his skin as you placed a soft, lingering kiss on his cheek. You pulled back the slightest bit, murmuring against his skin.

"Goodnight, Ozo."

Not giving him a chance to reply, you quickly took off for the stairway, steadily climbing up without looking back. Your hands came up to your own cheeks, the burning skin pulsing against your hands.

Ozo was left by his car, stunned. He blinked a couple times, raising a shaky hand up to his cheek, the feeling of your lips still lingering. A grin slowly broke onto his face, almost splitting his face in two.

As you reached the front door of the Estate, you could hear an echoing yell of celebration from behind you, the voice all to clear. You chuckled, heart fluttering faster in your chest.

'Maybe I should do it more often if it makes him that happy..'

Knocking against the doorway, the door eventually slid open to reveal Chorosuke, who, at first, looked over your shoulder with a look of disapproval.

"He didn't do anything weird to you, did he?" Was the first question. You hoped it was dark enough to hide your embarrassment.

"N-No, no! I had a lot of fun today, actually!" You smiled, prompting Chorosuke to return the look as he stepped aside, allowing you in. As you removed your shoes, you glanced around.

"Where's Dayoko?"

"Ah, she's been waiting for you in the sitting room all day! It seems she's really grown attached to you," he chuckled, leading you along. Your smile widened, a warmth settling in your chest as Dayoko came out into the hallway upon hearing your voice, practically running to you and almost knocking you over as she jumped into an embrace.

"Woah, are you okay, Dayoko? Did you miss me?" You laughed aloud, gently rubbing a hand up and down her back. She moved back, her smile in place and questions already falling through her lips. "Okay, wait! Slow down!" You held her shoulders. "Let's eat first. I'll tell you all about what happened today afterwards, okay?"

Not needing to be told twice, she then took hold of your hand, rushing you down to the main room to eat as quickly as possible. Chorosuke watched on happily, glad his sister was finally able to make a friend for herself in this small village.

"I haven't seen her this happy since before your passing..." he turned to the table beside him, his hand lightly tracing the single framed photo resting on the wooden surface. His father's eyes — much more similar to Dayoko's than his own — glinted back at him, the photo-taken smile never wavering.

┊   •° ੈ ⋆°  ┊

"Dayon?! Dayon??!!!!"

"Shh! Not so loud!"

Dayoko had whisked you to the washroom so you could wind down after such a long day out, and the moment you stepped out in a fresh set of nightwear, she was there this time to pull you back to your room. Your futon was already lain out, and she pushed you to sit down, begging for details.

You had only just told her about the small incident in the cafe, and she was already freaking out.

"Dayon?!"

'How does that happen on the first date?!'

"D-Date?" You spluttered. "It wasn't a date, Dayoko! He was just being nice and, y'know, showed me around. That's all, it wasn't— it wasn't a date."

"Dayon." She stared at you blankly.

'Yeah, sure it wasn't.'

"I'm serious!" You whined. With a roll of her eyes, she gestured for you to continue.

'And then what happened?'

"Well..." You recounted the trip to the sunflower fields. You couldn't help the smile on your face as you remember the flowers, the sky, the vivid memory akin to a dream with the way you described it.

"And then, he said he wanted to get to know me, and.." you paused for a moment, tracing aimless circles on the fabric of the futon.

'And?' Dayoko raised a brow. 'What did you say?'

"I said... that I would think about it."

'...WHAT?!'

The volume of her voice startled you.

'Why would you say that?! He's clearly interested in you!'

"Yeah, but Dayoko," you furrowed your brows, unsure of yourself now, "We literally only just met yesterday... Wouldn't it be moving too fast?"

'Hm, I guess you're not wrong...' With a reluctant sigh, she moved on, keeping in mind that she would definitely come back to talk about this again at some point. 'Okay, well, did anything else happen on the way back?'

Your cheeks instantly began to heat up at the question, your gaze averting back to the floor.

"Yeah, a-actually.."

'What? What is it?' She leaned closer in anticipation.  

"So... So he dropped me off outside your house, by the stairs, and I was gonna go up... But then — and I don't know why I did this!! But I turned around, and I.. I-I kissed his cheek and—"

The squeal that emitted from Dayoko's throat pierced your ears harshly, the sheer volume and pitch creating the slightest crack in the vanity mirror.

Somewhere on the opposite end of the house, Chorosuke paused his task of sprucing up a few flowers in his room, straining his ears. He turned to look over his shoulder, waiting for a moment, and upon hearing nothing, he shrugged, returning back to his task.

'I can't believe you did that!!! You're so bold ohmygoshican't—!'

Your blush worsened as she clasped your hands, continuing to praise you.

'I mean, Ozo can be a scum-bag at times, but if it's you, then surely it's meant to be!!'

"Y-You're talking about this like this is fate, or something.." you chuckled wearily.

'That's exactly what I'm saying! Just think about everything that's happened between the two of you in less than twenty-four hours! What else could it be?'

Fate. Was it really fate? Did stuff like that really exist? Was she right?

'Listen, [Y/N].'

The girl's voice caught your attention, bringing you back to the present.

'All I'm going to say is this: You should just take a chance and go for it! Who knows? Maybe it will be better than you expected! But you'll never know until you try.'

With those final words, she bid you a cheerful goodnight, slipping out of the room, leaving you to your thoughts.

Slowly, you got up from where you sat, moving to switch off the lights before laying yourself under the covers of your futon, eyes finally resting onto the sight of the moon outside the window, a single glowing orb against the clear night sky.

You had heard words similar to those before. People encouraging you to take the leap, to not be afraid, just take the moment before it's too late. However, time and time again, you were always held back by something. Something more than fear. Thinking back, it was always like a hand, grasping firmly onto the back of your shirt, forcing you back and away from anything new.

Now, though, there was nothing here to stop you. Nothing, other than yourself.

As you closed your eyes, you wondered: did you really want to hold yourself back?

»»-----　♔　-----««

♔ | 𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈

»»-----　♔　-----««

The taxi came to a slow and steady halt, the rumble of its engine dying down as the keys were removed.

"Here we go.." Ozo muttered to himself, removing his seatbelt. He quickly left the car, leaving you to start opening your own door until he opened it himself, extending a hand down to you with a grin.

"Allow me," his chivalrous act didn't fail to make you smile again. You slipped your hand into his, realising just how small yours were compared to his larger palms. He wrapped his fingers around yours firmly, tugging you up and out of your seat. You stumbled slightly as you stood, but Ozo was quick to wrap his other arm around your waist, pulling you against his broad chest so you wouldn't fall. Your eyes met, wide and flustered. There was a tense silence between you both for a split second before you nervously laughed, being the first to pull away.

"Uhm.. thank you.." you looked down at your shoes.

"It's nothing.." he rubbed the back of his neck, turning away and heading towards a nearby building. "The cafe's just over here."

You nodded silently, following along behind him, hands latching onto the strap of your bag. You walked up to an average sized building, the front of which was simply lined with small bushes and a set of chairs and tables for outside seating. Above the opened doorway was a wooden sign, white letters written across it spelling:

'Cafe New York'

"Has your brother been to New York before?" You asked as you walked through the door behind Ozo.

"Nope," he grinned. "The cafe's just named after Iriabi. It's a play on words." He looked back at your confused face before laughing. "Hey, you're a smart girl! You'll figure it out, easy!"

"You have too much confidence in me.." you shook your head with a smile. Stepping into the cafe, you were hit instantly with the smell of sweet coffee and sugared pastries. Your eyes were immediately drawn to the vast display case by the till, lined with cakes, cookies and other delicious delights that made your mouth water.

Ozo walked over to the front, leaning against it as he peered about the empty cafe.

"Oi! Takashi! Where are you?" He called. "Your favourite big brother's here to visit you!" You giggled as he looked back at you with a joking smile. You heard a muffled voice call from somewhere in the back, past a closed door.

"Wait a minute!" There was a set of footsteps approaching the door before it swung open, revealing a man similar looking to Ozo and his brothers, busy frowning down at something on his phone. His hair was shorter than Ozo's, though it was mostly covered by the black fedora he wore. He wore a pink V-neck T-shirt, a beige apron on top, with a brown beaded necklace on his neck and a similar bracelet hanging from his wrist.

He shut the door behind him, finally placing his phone down on the counter with a roll of his eyes before looking up. He ignored his brother, his eyes landing straight onto you as he gave you a cutely curved smile.

"Well, hello!" His voice was dripping with honey. "I don't think I've seen your face around here before!" He rested his chin on his hand, leaning forward.

"I just arrived here yesterday from the city!" you admitted, closing your eyes with a smile.

"Uh, hello!" Ozo glared at his brother. "I'm here, too!"

"I literally saw you yesterday. You're not important." Takashi flatly told him, not even sparing a look his way as a smile came back into his lips. You felt a stab of pain from the coldness of his words, watching as Ozo froze, mouth flailing open and closed as he clutched a hand over his heart.

"I'm Momose Takashi!" The man continued, holding a hand out to you. "What's your name?"

"..Uh, it's [L/N] [Y/N].." you stared slowly, shaking his hand (and taking note of how incredibly soft it was) before placing it back by your side. Then something clicked. "Wait.. Do you all have different second names?"

"Oh no.. You've met those idiots?" Toshio groaned, coming to terms that his opportunity to make a lady friend was promptly thrown out the window before he even got a chance.

"No, not all of you. I've met Chorosuke and Jyushimatsu, though." You clarified.

"What d'ya mean, 'those idiots?!'" Ozo suddenly cried.

"You know exactly what I mean, idiot," Takashi hissed, turning back to you. "As for the name thing... It's kinda complicated. You really don't wanna know."

You frowned slightly as the quick dismissal, but you also knew better than to pry, so you left it there. Instead, you gestured over to the display case.

"Did you make all these? They look amazing!" You praised. Takashi blushed, rubbing the back of his head, gladly taking all your kind words.

"Aha, yup! My dad taught me how to make all these!"

Ozo grinned devilishly, sidling up to your side as covering his mouth in a mock whisper, his voice still loud enough for Takashi to hear.

"He says that, but really, everything here is just from the sto-"

"WOULD YOU like to try some?" Takashi cut him off, slamming a box of assorted desserts onto the counter, his smile tense and shaky. "Since you're new here, I'll let you have these, on the house!"

"Really? Are you sure? I can pay for them!" Your hands flew to your bag, but Takashi stopped you.

"No, really! You can try as many as you'd like! I can't force myself to allow such a nice girl to pay for everything when she just got here," he winked. You blushed, thanking him kindly as he gestured for you to take a seat anywhere you'd like. "I'll make us some coffee while you get comfortable."

"What about me?!" Ozo's complaint went unheard as the back door slammed shut. He grumbled, dragging a chair out and plopping himself down beside you. Feeling bad for him, you turned the box towards him with a small smile.

"You can have some, too. I don't mind."

"[Y/N], you're the best!" He exclaimed, swiftly taking a frosted cupcake and taking a large bite, humming at the taste. You took a bite out of your own cupcake, eyes widening at the sweet taste of chocolate hitting your tongue.

"Wow, this is really good!" You spoke after swallowing a bite, licking your lips. Ozo agreed, sighing when he finished, licking the frosting off of his thumb. Looking over to him, you giggled, finding a touch of frosting on his cheek and around his mouth.

"Ozo, you got a little something here," you pointed to your own cheek, watching amusedly as he attempted to wipe it off, missing entirely.

"Did I get it?"

"No— here," you laughed, grabbing a tissue from the table and leaning forward, removing the frosting yourself. Focused on your task, you didn't realise how close you had gotten to his face until you looked up, finding yourself mere inches away from his lips. His face was tinted as red as your own, praying that you wouldn't be able to hear how fast his heart was pounding in his chest. His hands twitched, wanting to instinctively hold onto you, but he clenched them into fists on his lap instead.

"...I got it.." you breathed. A part of you didn't want to move away just yet, so you stayed there, close to him, revelling in the warmth he seemed to constantly give off. After a moment, Ozo's blown eyes relaxed back into their lazy look, finally bringing his hand up to your face.

"You've got some too, y'know.." his tone matching yours, breathless and hazy. He swiped his thumb over your bottom lip, the feeling sending a jolt of electricity up your spine, catching the bit of icing before bringing his thumb to his own mouth and licking it off. You stared, flushed and dizzy, unable to break away.

What was this? You had only just met, and you felt like your high-school self all over again. As if you were head-over-heels for him already, right? That would be ridiculous...

So why were you leaning in closer?

His breath fanned over your cheek, his hand resting itself on your waist, pulling you closer. You clutched tightly onto the front of his shirt, fluttering your eyes closed, the tingle of his lips just oh-so close to your own making you heat up considerably, and—

"I've got the coffee!"

You fell back into your seat with a jump, directing your body to face entirely away from the other two in the room. You were sure you looked akin to a tomato, and you hoped that Takashi hadn't just seen that..!

"Uh, are you two.. okay?" He asked after an awkward moment, observing your withdrawn form and Ozo's frigid look. His face was practically steaming. "Is it that hot in here? I guess I can turn the AC on.."

Takashi placed the coffee down on the table, and upon closer inspection of his brother, he paled. He struggled to contain his scream of despair as he suddenly latched a death-grip onto Ozo's arm, dragging him away.

"I-I'm sorry, [Y/N], but can you wait there a second? I need to have a little chat with my brother, haha.." he didn't wait for an answer, pulling a stuttering Ozo behind him and slamming the back door for the second time.

"What the fuck did you do?!" Takashi whispered hotly once they were out of earshot, his face morphed into horror and absolute anger. Ozo blinked, his mind still reeling after what had just happened.

"W-What? What happened? Nothing happened, why?" His voice was trembling, but he kept up the act. Takashi wasn't convinced though, ready to punch his brother in the guts.

"I'm seriously gonna kill you in a minute!" He grabbed Ozo's shoulder tightly. "If nothing's happened, then why the fuck have you popped a boner, you bastard?!"

»»-----　♔　-----««

♔ | 𝐈𝐈𝐈

»»-----　♔　-----««

Chorosuke sighed deeply, pressing his forefinger and thumb against the bridge of his nose with his eyes screwed up in frustration. The knocking became more frequent and obnoxious the longer Chorosuke sat there, with you and Dayoko glancing at each other with unease.

"My apologies," he spoke through gritted teeth as he tried to keep his composure. "I'll have this issue sorted soon. Please, continue to eat." Nothing more was said as he swiftly got out is his seat and left the room, grabbing a rolled up newspaper from somewhere and rolling up his sleeve before closing the door behind him.

The silence was somewhat tense and awkward as you held your utensil up in midair. Did you really want to keep eating? A dark pit was forming in your stomach.

Clearing your throat, you looked over to Dayoko, who was chewing her food slower than before.

"Dayoko..?" You asked cautiously. She looked towards her, inclining her head. "Do you.. Do you know who's at the door?"

"D-Dayon!" Her smile was tense and shaky. She isn't too sure? Somehow, that made you feel worse. Even though you had never been to Akashika before now, you knew that the District as a whole was small. Everyone would know each other, right? That was what you had initially thought.

You decided to drop it, seeing as the girl was clearly just as uncomfortable as you were. The small voice in your head began filling you with doubt as you chewed on your food. Had you made a mistake coming here? Were they right, saying this was a dumb idea?

A loud thud from the hallway made you jump. Fear crept into your veins for a moment, only to hearing Chorosuke's annoyed tone.

"I am not giving you a meal! Not after the mess you made last time!"

"Huh? But you're rich! Just hire some maids or something to clean it up!"

The arrival of a second voice startled you. You spared a look at Dayoko, who's face and turned sour. So she did know who it was. Your curiosity was peaked.

It sounded... familiar, the voice in the hallway. Slightly more boyish than Chorosuke's, maybe a little too laid back. There was a teasing lilt that hung onto his words, although whether it was intentional or not was unclear to you.

"Choromatsu-niisan is hiding something!" A third voice called out. It was cheerful and loud, giddy and child-like, and a lot closer than the other two, sounding right outside the door. The door itself began rattling, sliding itself open. Dayoko appeared tense in her seat, glaring wearily at the doorway.

The door slid away to reveal... Chorosuke? Only it wasn't Chorosuke. Was it? Your brain was hurting from the confusion.

He had the face of Chorosuke, only his pupils was larger and his smile was more of a normal curve than a 'V'. His clothing was different, too; he wore a pale yellow polo-shirt with grey slacks, and he walked barefoot, not bothering to put on any house slippers. Your gaze landed on the paper bag in his hand, slightly crumpled from where he held it, with two large holes on the front. What was that for?

His own dark eyes bore into your own for a moment, though to you it felt like a long, drawn out time. It was like he was studying you carefully, even though his eyes were glued to your face. A small chill ran up your spine. Was it cold in here?

"Osomatsu-niisan!" He suddenly called out, making you jump again. You were glad you had settled your food onto the table earlier, or else it would have been thrown onto the floor by now. "There's a girl in here!"

"It's just Dayoko! As if this guy could pull a girl— OW!" 'Osomatsu' (a peculiar name, you thought) cried out in pain after a 'thwack' was heard. It seemed that Chorosuke had put the newspaper to good use.

"No, it's someone else! A different girl." The man glanced down at your chest briefly before looking back at your face. "She's pretty!" You flushed deeply, quickly covering your chest with your arms. Dayoko places her arms around you, her angered glare doing nothing to deter the man from leaving the room.

"Oh?" Osomatsu sounded much closer now. "Has she got a nice pair of tits?" Another 'thwack' followed by a pained whine. "I'm just kidding!"

"Stop terrorising my guest, you idiots!" Chorosuke hissed.

"We haven't done anything! Jeez, chill out, will ya? So uptight all the... time.."

The other man had stepped into the room, half of his body peeking through the doorway as he paused. Your gaze was drawn to his, locking onto his familiar large brown eyes, tracing the curve of his soft-looking face and over his slicked back dark hair, a few locks falling over his forehead. He wore a white dress shirt, with the tie and upper buttons loosened greatly and his over-coat draped over his shoulder.

His own eyes were looking you over, too, albeit with less subtlety. He followed the way your hair framed your face, the curve of your shoulder down to your chest, lingering there for a moment before going back up to your [e/c] orbs.

"Woah... WOAH!" His dazed mutter was overtaken by a yelp of surprise as he stumbled into the room, looking back with a glare at Chorosuke's outstretched arm. "What was that for?!"

"You were blocking the way," Chorosuke seethed, his glare burning into the man before he rushed over to you. "[Y/N]! I am so terribly sorry for these imbeciles! Had I known they were coming, I would have made sure to keep them away!"

"Why are you acting all high and mighty all of a sudden?" Osomatsu cut in, his brow raised incredulously. "You're even worse than we are, Chorofappyski!"

Chorosuke paled, freezing in place. His eyes looked devoid of life as he refused to move. It was beginning to concern you.

"Chorosuke..?" You waves a hand in front of his face, receiving no response.

"Dayon.." Dayoko stood up with a roll of her eyes, easily dragging her brother by the arm and laying him down in his previous seat, making sure his head was resting against the pillow.

"Don't mind him. It was the only way I could get him to shut up." Osomatsu sat down with a sigh, a cat-like grin crossing his lips as he studied you once more. "So. Do I get a name for that cute face?"

Your cheeks were set ablaze again. You averted your eyes down to your lap, fingers fidgeting with your clothing. You mumbled your name timidly, picking up the way he repeated it, each syllable rolling off of his tongue like honey.

"I'm Akashika Ozo! Always at your service," he winked, leaning closer to you. You furrowed your brows slightly in confusion.

"'Ozo'...? But, didn't he say your name was 'Osomatsu?'" You pointed out, glancing to the other yellow-shirt man to see that he was busy grabbing the food from Chorosuke's bowl.

"It's just a.. nickname he's come up with," Ozo answered quickly, looking away from you. The man in question raised his head towards you, smiling widely.

"I'm Jyushimatsu!" He laughed. You didn't know why he was laughing, but it was certainly contagious, causing you to smile back at him.

"Stop telling people that that's your name!" Chorosuke rose from the dead, pointing a finger accusingly at Jyushimatsu.

"Call me Jyushimatsu! It's way better!" Came the reply.

"His real name is Ogami Toshio," Chorosuke sighed, "He's the son of the mayor in Akatsuka Village. He's quite unpredictable, so I highly suggest you stay away from him," he whispered the last part to you, only to be pushed out of the way by Ozo. He settled comfortably next to you, grabbing a bowl for himself and ignoring Chorosuke's protests.

"This food looks great! Let's just eat already!" Quickly following Jyushimatsu, Ozo piled his bowl with various morsels of food before digging in, noisily chewing away at his food.

"Hey! Where's the beer?"

"You're not invited to this dinner!" Chorosuke cried, powerless to the two 'intruders' in his house.

»»-----　♔　-----««

♔ | 𝐈

»»-----　♔　-----««

It was odd, stepping off of a quiet train and onto an even quieter platform. There weren't any large crowds bustling around the station, no queues waiting by the entrance gates. No loud chatter from the groups of people waiting for their departure.

There was only a still silence, with the occasional twitter of a bird or rustle of footsteps coming from somewhere nearby. A whistling wind carried itself through the area in which you stood, the smell of summer wafting around you.

You stood for a moment longer before allowing your feet to carry you out of the station and onto equally silent streets. You raised a hand to cover your eyes from the sudden glare of sunlight hitting your face, squinting to adjust your sight.

Once the blur had gone, you could see your surroundings better. To your left and right was a stretch of grey concrete road, just wide enough for cars to pass through. Across the street were modest sized buildings, each connected together wall to wall, with their own unique signs dangling above the doors, squeaking softly as the wind tousled them around.

There were no people. Just a few wandering stray cats that disappeared as quickly as they appeared. Street lamps scattered the sides of the road every now and then, their tall poles casting elongated shadows onto the structures around you.

A small chill ran up your spine. You weren't used to such silence. The everyday activity of the city was something you grew up with. The sudden change felt like something heavy had just seated itself onto your shoulders. You couldn't quite place how you were feeling.

You decided to follow the road down to the right, attracted to the lush greenery dancing in the wind further down. As you walked, you glanced around to see if any of the supposed shops were open, or if you could at least find someone to help you find a place to stay for the next while; but it was to no avail.

As you reached the end of the path, you found that the large trees were actually bending over to form a makeshift arch, casting soft shadows over the set of stone steps leading upwards. You tilted your head curiously. You had never seen something as intriguing as this before. A voice in the back of your mind teased you for finding stairs interesting, however you ignored it as you began to climb each step, awing at the vibrant greens surroundings you.

By the time you had reached the final step, your breath was light and legs sore. You took a moment to lean against your legs, eyes screwed shut as you focused on regaining a steady rhythm of breathing. Taking one final deep breath, you straightened back up, only to freeze.

Before you stood a vast traditional-Japanese mansion, complete with zen stone walls surrounding the perimeter of the building. You could just about see the top of a few trees beyond the roof of the structure, teasing you ever more, beckoning you forward.

You began to wonder where exactly you had brought yourself as you allowed your curiosity to get the best of you once more, stepping up to the sliding door and knocking against the wooden beams beside it. You watched the growing flowers around you as you waited, smiling gently at their vibrant colours and opened buds.

There was a patter of footsteps before the door slid open, revealing a girl with elongated cheeks, stretching her mouth wide across them. You stared for a moment, wondering whether that was natural or if something had happened to her. Her brown hair was tied up nearly into a bun, decorated with a few flowers, and she wore a simple traditional pink kimono, embroidered with cherry blossom petals.

"Dayon!" Was the only word she spoke. Her large eyes were round and inquisitive as she tilted her head towards you, bowing slightly. You quickly moved to do the same before standing straight.

"Uhm, hello!" You started awkwardly. "My name is [L/N] [Y/N], I-I just arrived here in Akashika District not too long ago. I couldn't find anyone around, and I was wondering if you knew of any hotels nearby...?"

"Dayon! Dayon!" The girl began repeating the same word over and over, sometimes in slightly different pitches than others, whilst waving her arms up and down excitedly.

"Dayoko? Who are you talking to?"

A mans voice sounded from inside. The girl, Dayoko, paused, turning to look behind her as a figure began walking up the wooden hallway of the house. Dayoko's mouth opened into a smile as she began giggling.

"What's made you so happy?" The man chuckled, only to fall silent upon seeing you in the doorway. The man looked nothing like the girl, with a simple round face and neatly styled brown hair. His eyes were large but pupils small and half-lidded. He also wore a simple kimono in a plain mossy green.

He seemed to glare at you slightly, looking you up and down. You fidgeted in your spot, readjusting your backpack on your shoulders, moving your weight from one foot to the other. Your gaze went to the grass beneath you and stayed there for a second. When you looked back up, you were surprised to see that the man was smiling, a slight blush on his cheeks.

"Hello! Can we help you?" He asked sweetly. Dayoko seemed to speak for you, repeating the same word to the man whilst pointing towards you. You had no idea what was being said, but the man seemed to understand every word, nodding with a hum.

"Ah, I see. [L/N]-san, correct?"

"[Y/N] is fine!" You replied hastily. The man smiled once more before continuing.

"My name is Midorito Chorosuke, and this is my little sister Dayoko," the girl gave a gentle wave. "She has told me that you are looking for a place to stay?"

"Yes, that's right," you nodded. "I just got here a little bit ago, and I'm completely new to this District. Would you happen to know of any hotels nearby?" You repeated your dilemma, fingers playing with the material of your clothing. Chorosuke shook his head softly with a sigh.

"Unfortunately, Akashika does not have any hotels for newcomers to stay in. However..." he stood to one side, gesturing an arm for you to enter, "We are always happy to welcome newcomers to stay in our home for a while. It is large enough to easily accommodate new guests."

Your eyes widened at the suggestion. "Th-That's very kind of you, Midorito-san, but I couldn't possibly intrude-!"

Dayoko lightly took hold of your free hand, tugging you along trough the doorway. You stumbled in after her, reluctantly removing your shoes and replacing them with the soft house slippers Dayoko handed to you. Chorosuke waited nearby, his hands tucked comfortably in the sleeves of his kimono.

"Do not worry. It is no trouble at all. Dayoko and I are very willing to take care of you during your stay," he began turning away, leading you down large corridors. "And 'Chorosuke' is just fine, [Y/N]."

»»-----　♔　-----««

♔ | 𝐗𝐈𝐈𝐈

»»-----　♔　-----««

A dark hallway. Stretching far ahead of you, far behind you, the narrow walls beside you unmoving.

Nothing could be seen. Nothing could be heard.

Take a step forward, and the walls will follow you. There is no where to move, forever stuck in the same place.

A set of footsteps sound from behind. Or is it ahead? They grow closer and closer, louder and louder, echoing fervently in the hallway — or your mind.

Faintly, a light flickers before you. A single bulb, twitching dangerously. It's buzzing. A glimpse of a shadow amongst the shadows. Then silence.

You blink. The shadow is in front of you, now. Shorter than, staring up at you. Although, it's hard to tell what it is looking at when the face is obscured.

A little boy, you realise. Though, the innocence of such youth is lost to you, with your heart beating in your ears at a rapid, terrified pace.

He stares. And stares. And stares.

A gaping hole appears where his mouth should be. Distorted noises fill the tense silence, filling you with a deep sense of dread.

┊   •° ੈ ⋆°  ┊

You jolted up, gasping for air. Your hands come up to clutch at your night top, scrunching the fabric tightly between your fingers to give you something, anything, to hold on to.

What was that? Was that a dream? A nightmare? Whatever it was, it scared you. Really, really scared you.

You shakily got out of bed, wincing as rays of early morning sunshine hit your eyes. Moving to the bathroom, you went through the same process as yesterday; cooling your face with cold water, and taking deep breaths to calm down.

As you brushed your teeth, you hesitantly gave in to your curious thoughts and began wondering what the hell you had just dreamt about. You rarely had dreams anymore, and nightmares were something your childhood-self experienced for a short while.

So where did this come from?

You didn't feel afraid of anything until that... kid, or whatever it was, popped up in front of you. Nothing that had happened recently had left you scared or worried. So that couldn't be it.

Drying your face with a towel, you sighed. Your mind must be playing tricks on you, then. That seemed to be a reasonable explanation, didn't it?

Either way, you didn't want to think about it anymore. The whole sequence just made you feel sick and uneasy.

Heading back into the bedroom, a set of folded clothing was left on the dresser for you, a small handwritten note on top.

'Try this on! - Dayoko xo'

With a smile, you took the clothes and unfolded them. Dayoko had given you another dress, coloured a simple white with gold linings over the frills. It was off the shoulder, the straps of the dress wrapping over your upper arm, holding it firmly in place. The skirt of the dress stopped just over your knees, flowing beautifully around you with each move.

You stared wide-eyed at your reflection.

"..I should ask her where she gets her outfits.." you mumbled to yourself as you turned this way and that, checking how you looked. Your hair tickled over your exposed skin, making you realise that you should probably put on some sun-screen.

As soon as you were done, you made your way downstairs to the main room, finally able to remember your way through the halls. Glancing around, you found it a little odd how you hadn't heard or seen your hosts yet, but you didn't think too much of it. They were busy people, unlike yourself.

The main room was empty, save for the breakfast food spread out onto the table for you, a single plate in place. The doors were wide open once again, only Chorosuke wasn't there. Approaching the table, you saw another handwritten note left for you, the handwriting neater this time, almost as if it were printed.

'[Y/N], I have kado lessons I must teach to my students, and Dayoko is accompanying me, so we unfortunately cannot join you for breakfast this morning. We should be back in time for dinner, possibly an hour later if we are needed for anything else. Please, feel free to roam the Estate or the District of you would like. We wish you all the best. —Chorosuke'

"Awe, man..." you mumbled under your breath. Slight disappointment ran through you, but you willed it away. They had things to do, it's not their fault. Besides, you had made yourself a small handful of new friends you could easily talk with, so it's not like you couldn't do anything without them.

Placing the note aside, you peacefully ate your breakfast, seating yourself so that you could face the back garden. You sighed softly as a cool breeze entered the room, the tousle of tree leaves and the trickle of the pond water doing wonders to keep you relaxed.

You wished you could be here all the time. No continuous and loud noises, no murmurs of voices echoing around you, no yelling or screaming or constant background noise giving you headaches.

Just a quiet place. For you to escape whenever you pleased.

A knock on the front door brought you back to the real world. You hastily placed down your chopsticks and got up, stumbling slightly at the sudden head-rush, moving to open the door just enough to peek at who was behind it.

"Oh, hey, [Y/N]!"

You opened the door wider, standing tensely as your free hand clutched at your skirt tightly, body tingling with nerves.

"G-Good morning, Ozo!" You stuttered. Your fingers suddenly felt clammy, worsening as you watched him grow closer to you, resting an arm against the wooden beam of the door.

His lips, soft and warm, pressed against your heated cheek, similar to what you had done to him. Butterflies erupted in your stomach, your heart roaring at the sensation. Your own hitched breath brushed against the side of his neck, making him shudder.

"Mornin', doll," he murmured against your skin, slowly moving himself away. He broke out into a grin, eyes tracing over your intense blush, his own face adorning a cute honey glow.

"Just thought I'd pay you back from yesterday. Even though I think I should do more than that," he chuckled as you tensed up, "I'll leave it there. You look like you're about to explode."

Your words were stuck in your throat, unable to even whisper a word in reply. You watched in a daze as he reached up to his shirt collar, tugging on it in an attempt to fan himself. He glanced at you, humming in approval at your attire.

"Looking good, Princess," he winked. Peeking behind you, he lowered his voice to a whisper. "Chorofappyski isn't home, is he?"

"Uh.." you took a deep breath, moving aside. "N-No, he and Dayoko left earlier t-today, so it's just... m-me.."

"Sweet! I came at the right time, then!" He exclaimed gleefully. He stepped inside, haphazardly kicking his shoes off and making his own way in to the main room, smile widening at the sight of food. He looked back at you, beckoning you towards him.

"C'mon, let's eat! Can't let all this free food go to waste!"

He left you standing in the entrance, stunned. A realisation slowly dawned upon you, and when it had fully emerged, it left you extremely nervous and knees weak.

It was just you and Ozo. Alone together.

»»-----　♔　-----««