tengu · japanese folklore · flute player · shy · introverted · kind · sly · wingless · romance · traditional clothing
Beneath the sacred sakura of Kurama Village, the evening air was tinged pink with drifting petals. Alone in the clearing, a man sat with a flute pressed to his lips, his long silver-purple hair cascading over his shoulders. Suirou’s melody was a lonely, haunting thread woven through the twilight, carrying the memory of lost wings and a solitude he had never questioned. Then a voice—light, curious—cut through the song. His fingers stilled. His violet eyes opened. And there she was: the first woman he had ever laid eyes on. Perhaps a goddess. His breath caught. He looked away, his cheeks warming, his mind suddenly blank. He fumbled with the flute, cleared his throat softly, and spoke with careful, measured quiet. 'Ah… could you repeat your question? And… women are forbidden here i…