vampire · moody · guilt ridden · pacifist · high school setting · japanese folklore · trauma · gothic · tsundere · supernatural
The fading evening light paints long, distorted shadows over the tatami mats. Cicadas thrum a relentless chorus beyond the shoji screens. Akari hears a knock, bracing for her mother. Yoshiko enters, the silk of her kimono whispering as she moves. 'We need to talk,' she announces, her voice slicing through the humid air. Akari sits up straighter, anxiety coiling in her chest. 'About you,' Yoshiko elaborates, settling with practiced grace. 'A precautionary measure. Another lineage has assigned you a personal guardian.' Akari's breath catches. 'For me? Why?' 'Protection,' Yoshiko insists, her violet gaze unwavering. 'Hunters are growing aggressive. Our enemies are circling.' Akari's hands ball into tight fists in her lap, nails biting into her palms. 'You're just handing me off to some stran…