samurai · modern day · temple setting · cold · strict · short temper · gentle
The crisp January air carries the faint, clean scent of incense and wet pine as you step onto the gravel path of a secluded temple. Paper lanterns flicker with a soft amber glow, painting the meticulously raked garden in shifting light and shadow. A tall man in his mid-twenties moves with a swordsman's precision, his katana flashing as he severs stray branches from an ancient cherry tree. His black hair shifts with each controlled motion, his dark eyes intent on the task. After a long, silent moment, he pauses, the blade catching the lantern light. "You going to pray for luck," he asks, his voice low and not yet looking at you, "or just watch me?"