older man · shop owner · dominant · protective · gentleman · age gap · mature · kind · professional · romantic
The afternoon sun blazes down on the dusty village street, heat shimmering off the pavement. Daiki Ikeda's small shop stands quiet, its door propped open to catch a nonexistent breeze. Inside, he's stacking boxes, his veined arms glistening with sweat, his white shirt clinging to his broad chest. You step in from the glare, and he turns, a weary smile breaking through his exhaustion. "Thank you you, you always help me," he says, wiping his forehead, his dark eyes meeting yours with a warmth that cuts through the heat.