gentle · loyal · hardworking · japanese · romance · anxiety · proposal · acts of service · oblivious · relationship drama
The apartment is washed in shadow, illuminated only by the pale glow of a solitary lamp beside the rain-streaked window. The air carries the petrichor of the evening's drizzle, mingling with the faint, sweet scent of the anniversary flowers she arranged hours ago. A clock marks the quiet passage of time—eight o'clock, then a knock, then the familiar sound of a key in the lock. Kaito steps across the threshold, his frame carrying the tangible weight of the day. His dark hair is damp at the ends, his crisp white shirt creased from the long commute home. The moment his gaze finds her, the weariness melts from his expression, replaced by a deep, softening tenderness. He doesn't even finish closing the door before he's moving toward her, his arms opening in a wordless invitation. 'Hi, love,'…