Akitsu Shouga slowly opened his eyes.

  The familiar wooden ceiling greeted him.

  He was inside the dojo.

  For a brief moment, his body refused to move—as if afraid that even blinking might shatter the fragile reality around him. Then he noticed the low table in front of him… and the man sitting calmly on the opposite side.

  Kurogane Daichi.

  Akitsu was already seated at the low table.

  His eyes widened.

  Kurogane Daichi noticed immediately and tilted his head.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked with a chuckle. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  Akitsu let out a shaky laugh.

  “It’s nothing…”

  His voice sounded convincing enough—but Ayame Hoshizaki, sitting quietly at the side of the table, noticed something no one else did.

  For just a moment, Akitsu’s hands trembled.

  Kurogane Daichi lifted his bamboo cup.

  “You should drink your tea before it gets cold.”

  “Oh… yeah. I should.”

  Akitsu picked up the bamboo cup. The warmth seeped into his palms, grounding him. He drank the tea in one go, barely tasting it, and set the cup down gently.

  His gaze drifted toward the open dojo doors.

  The night sky stretched endlessly beyond them—clear, deep, and filled with stars.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Kurogane Daichi said.

  “Yes… it is beautiful,” Akitsu replied plainly.

  The silence that followed wasn’t uncomfortable—but it felt heavy, as though something unseen was listening.

  “Hey, Akitsu-kun…” Kurogane Daichi spoke again.

  “Yes, Master?”

  “These past few days during training… I’ve realized something.”

  Daichi smiled faintly.

  “You’ve already mastered a martial art. There’s nothing left for me to teach you.”

  Akitsu blinked.

  “…What?”

  “You’re far ahead of me already,” Daichi continued calmly.

  “So I’ve decided to let you graduate.”

  Akitsu stared at him, confused.

  “What do you mean?”

  Kurogane Daichi straightened his posture.

  “Akitsu-kun…”

  He paused.

  “Would you like to marry my daughter?”

  The words struck like a blunt weapon.

  Akitsu froze.

  His mind went blank.

  “What’s wrong?” Daichi asked, chuckling.

  “You don’t want to marry my daughter?”

  “I mean…” Akitsu stammered.

  “If it’s okay with Hoshizaki-san… I guess I’ll do it.”

  Ayame lifted her gaze.

  “I’m fine with marrying Akitsu-kun.”

  Daichi clasped his hands together, satisfied.

  “Akitsu-kun, do you want to marry my daughter?”

  “…It’s alright with me,” Akitsu said nervously.

  “Alright!” Daichi declared cheerfully.

  “You two are now married!”

  “Huh?”

  The following days passed quietly.

  Too quietly.

  There was no ceremony. No celebration.

  Ayame Hoshizaki and Akitsu Shouga simply became husband and wife—as if the world itself had decided it was only natural.

  Akitsu helped Kurogane Daichi and the villagers build a small church near the village center. He laughed. He worked. He slept peacefully.

  Nothing strange happened.

  And that scared him more than chaos ever had.

  One morning, Akitsu woke before sunrise and went for a walk.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  The roosters wandered freely along the dirt roads, the air crisp and calm. Rice fields stretched endlessly, shimmering faintly under the pale sky.

  “This is pretty peaceful…” Akitsu whispered.

  “…Nothing strange has happened in the past few days.”

  He hesitated.

  “I hope it doesn’t happen… I like how my life is right now.”

  A carriage approached.

  Pulled by a tired horse, it slowed to a stop beside him. A tall man leaned down.

  “Excuse me, could you help me?”

  “What is it?”

  “I’m looking for the village storage house,” the man said.

  “I need to deliver these fresh fruits before they rot.”

  “The storage house is in the village center,” Akitsu replied.

  “You’ll see it once you get there.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

  Akitsu watched as the carriage disappeared down the road.

  Something about the moment lingered.

  He turned back toward the dojo.

  The doors were open.

  It was quiet.

  Too quiet.

  Akitsu stepped inside—and stopped.

  Blood stained the floor.

  His breath caught.

  The door to Ayame Hoshizaki’s room was open.

  “Ayame…?” he whispered.

  He stepped closer and pushed the door open.

  Inside—

  Ayame Hoshizaki and Kurogane Daichi hung from the ceiling, ropes tight around their necks.

  Ayame’s head was soaked in blood.

  Akitsu’s knees buckled.

  He collapsed to the floor.

  “Why…?” his voice cracked.

  “Why?! Why does this always have to happen to me?!”

  “Why can’t I just live a peaceful life?!”

  “Why?! I didn’t even choose to be here!”

  Tears streamed down his face no matter how hard he wiped them away.

  He staggered to his feet and walked outside.

  The streets were chaos.

  Villagers ran past him, screaming, fleeing from the village center.

  Akitsu stood still, emotionless.

  Then he turned.

  Black smoke rose into the sky.

  His legs trembled.

  Tears fell again.

  “Damn it…” he whispered.

  “Why does it have to be this way?!”

  He tried to run—but someone shoved him aside.

  Akitsu fell.

  His head struck a rock.

  The world went dark.

  When he opened his eyes again—

  He stood on the red island.

  The sakura tree loomed silently at its center, surrounded by endless black void.

  Fourteen red sakura petals drifted on the dark water now.

  Above the surface, countless red doors floated.

  “I’m back here again…” Akitsu said softly.

  He stepped toward the water—then stopped.

  Something compelled him to turn around.

  He walked to the sakura tree and placed his hand against its bark.

  “Why am I the one who has a power like this?” he whispered.

  “It’s excruciating to die…”

  At the base of the tree, something new had grown.

  A single red spider lily.

  Akitsu stared at it for a long moment.

  Then he turned away.

  He stepped into the black water and walked toward a red door.

  When he opened it—

  The world fell into silence.