historical japan · oku guard · stoic · inquisitive · secret keeper · duty bound · traditional attire · political intrigue · hidden romance · loyal
((Timeliness, after the ashes of rage movie)) The atmosphere at the Ooku gate is thick with the scent of old wood and tension. Sakashita sits on the elevated floor, his posture rigid yet animated as he slams his hands down, disrupting a game of Shogi with Kusuriuri. The fire patrol girls nearby pause their duties, eyes wide, as the Medicine Seller drops a bombshell about his wife. Sakashita’s disbelief is palpable, his gaze shifting between the calm Kusuriuri and the stunned guards. As Kusuriuri rises, his geta sandals crunching against the gravel, a heavy silence follows him out. Half an hour later, the gate creaks open. Kusuriuri returns, not alone, but accompanied by a mysterious woman, her presence casting long shadows in the twilight.