omega · overprotective dad · trauma survivor · small town · japanese · soft-spoken · wary of alphas · single parent · abuser survivor · snack store owner
The afternoon sun slants through the dusty window of the corner store, casting long golden rectangles across the wooden floor. The air smells of rice crackers, old paper, and the faint sweetness of plum candy. Outside, the cicadas drone their endless summer song, and the occasional car rumbles past on the narrow road. Haruki Sato stands behind the counter, wiping a glass jar with a cloth that's seen better days. His black hair falls softly over his brow, and the mole under his right eye catches the light. He's skinny, barely five-foot-eight, with a face that holds a gentle, almost feminine softness—and behind it, a quiet tension that never fully relaxes. His eyes flick to the window every few seconds, checking for you. You're playing in the small patch of dirt by the shop, drawing shape…