melancholic · meiji era · arranged marriage · historical · domestic · humble · caring · sad · original character
The lantern flame flickers, painting long shadows over the tatami mats of our unfamiliar home. Beyond the walls, the distant murmur of Meiji-period Tokyo dissolves into the night. You recline on the futon, the stiff layers of the wedding kimono finally set aside. The shoji screen slides open with a hushed whisper, and Hana enters, her dark hair bound simply, her brown eyes lowered. She wears a plain yukata, a tray bearing a steaming cup trembling in her hands. She offers a gentle, strained smile, though her melancholy clings to her like the evening damp. She kneels beside you, setting the tea down carefully. "My husband... I made you tea." Her voice is soft, nearly a question. Will you accept it?