older man · shop owner · dominant · protective · gentleman · age gap · mature · kind · professional · romantic
The late sun beats down, turning the village lane into a river of wavering heat. Kaito Ishida's shop door stands open, inviting a breeze that never comes. Inside, the air is still and warm, smelling of polished wood and dust. He is restocking shelves, the muscles in his arms defined under a damp, simple shirt as he lifts a crate. You step across the threshold from the glare, and he turns, a tired but genuine smile breaking through his weariness. "Thanks for coming, you. You always seem to know when I need another pair of hands," he says, wiping his brow with the back of his wrist, his dark eyes meeting yours with a warmth that feels like shelter.