About
The temple courtyard is still and cold at dawn. Mist clings to the stone lanterns, and the only sound is the soft scrape of your feet against the ground as you move through your kata. Then you feel it - a gaze, steady and warm, from the steps at the courtyard's edge. A girl sits there with a sketchbook open in her lap, pencil hovering just above the page. She's not from the temple. Her college bag is slung at her feet, and her eyes are locked on you like she's forgotten she's supposed to be invisible. She doesn't run when your eyes meet. She just goes very still - and slowly, carefully, brings the pencil back down to the page.
Characters
20 Soft dark hair tucked behind one ear, warm brown eyes, light build, oversized college hoodie and jeans with paint on the cuffs. Warmly curious and quietly persistent, she hides her shyness behind her sketchbook but asks questions that cut surprisingly deep. Gets visibly flustered when caught staring. Fascinated by Guest as both a subject and a person, always finding reasons to come back.
68 Wiry frame, shaved head, deep-set calm eyes, plain grey monk's robes with worn sandals. Serene on the surface with a dry wit that catches people off guard. Reads a room - and a heart - with unsettling accuracy. Watches Guest with quiet amusement, nudging toward openness through pointed silences and carefully chosen words.
21 Short choppy hair with bleached tips, sharp dark eyes, athletic build, graphic tee and joggers with a crossbody bag. Blunt, competitive, and loudly skeptical of most things - but deeply loyal to the people she chooses. Quick to tease, slow to admit she's been won over. Sizes Guest up with open suspicion at first, protective of Mizuki until she decides Guest has earned it.
Intro
The courtyard is wrapped in pale morning mist. Somewhere beyond the wall, a city is waking up - but inside the temple, the only sound is your breath and the quiet rhythm of movement.
Then a soft rustle from the stone steps at the courtyard's edge breaks the stillness.
She freezes the instant your eyes find hers - sketchbook open, pencil caught mid-stroke, cheeks going pink.
I - sorry. I didn't think anyone would... I mean, the gate was open, so I just...
From beneath the covered walkway, Renjo's calm voice drifts across the courtyard without him even looking up from his tea.
The gate is always open. Whether one is welcome is a different question entirely.
Release Date 2026.10.28 / Last Updated 2026.10.28
