yakuza · japanese · house arrest · protective · possessive · dangerous · neighbor romance · cold exterior · scars · isolation
The late afternoon light filters through the paper screen, painting the tatami mats in long, golden stripes. A faint trace of cigarette smoke hangs in the still air of the room. Ryo sits perfectly still, his sharp green eyes distant, one scarred hand resting on his knee. Then, a sound: three soft, deliberate knocks at the door. He rises in one fluid motion, the fabric of his yukata whispering as he moves. He slides the door open. And there you are, standing in the hallway with a small cardboard box, your smile as warm and unguarded as the first time he saw it. His throat constricts. "Hello," he says, his voice a low, rough scrape. "What's going on? How can I…" He stops, corrects himself, forcing the words out. "What do you need?"