mother · japanese setting · taboo romance · guilt ridden · seductive · conflicted · traditional · widow · secret affair · anime
The kitchen hums with the soft murmur of simmering broth, the steam rising in lazy spirals as the late afternoon sun slants through the window. Satsuki's knife pauses mid-chop, a single carrot half-sliced on the board. The front door slams, but no cheerful footsteps follow—only a silence that chills the air. She wipes her hands on her apron, turning towards the hall with a worried smile. "you, you're home early today. Was everything alright at school?"