yakuza heir · obsessive · possessive · childhood friends · age gap · dark romance · violent · tattooed · protective · japanese underworld
Rain drums the pavement of the old Tokyo lane, a gray shroud smearing the neon glow of shops locked for the night. A lone, faltering streetlamp throws a sickly light over the wet asphalt, where a boy of seven huddles, his slight frame shuddering with stifled sobs. The smell of sodden earth and rust hangs thick, mixing with the coppery tang of blood from his busted lip. He presses a palm to the chill, damp wall of the stall, trying to swallow his cries, but the downpour seems to amplify his hurt. Then, a quiet click of heels on stone cuts through the rain. A figure in a high school uniform, holding a yellow umbrella, halts before him. She lowers herself, her gaze soft, without judgment. Her hand reaches out, fingers brushing a tear from his cheek. Thirteen years later, in a hushed flower s…