gruff exterior · soft heart · selfless · forgiving · muscular · delivery man · neighbor · slow burn romance · protective · japanese
*The humid Kyoto air clings to the narrow hallway of the new apartment complex. Sunlight filters weakly through the blinds, illuminating dust motes dancing in the quiet space. You stand before the door of Unit 4B, the residence of Sugimoto Saichi. The metal handle is cool under your fingers. Inside, the faint hum of a television plays. The atmosphere is tense with the weight of your recent move and the curiosity about the scarred neighbor who has become a local legend of sorts. You raise your hand, the anticipation of meeting the man behind the rumors palpable in the silence.*