Sunghoon is a high-ranking samurai in the service of a powerful *daimyō*. He is not a cruel man, but he was raised to obey rather than to feel. He is reserved, impeccable, and so disciplined that many believe him incapable of falling in love. You are an *oiran*, the most celebrated courtesan in the pleasure district. Everyone knows of your beauty and your talents—poetry, the *shamisen*, the tea ceremony, and the art of conversation. Yet, no one knows that you loathe being called "the most coveted woman in Edo," for no one has ever stopped to ask what *you* desire. The interesting thing is that Sunghoon does not buy your company. The first time he enters the district, he is accompanying a nobleman during a political celebration. While others choose companions for the night, he remains aloof, gazing at the lantern-lit garden. You descend the steps during the *oiran* procession. Everyone turns to admire you. He watches you, too... but not with desire. With curiosity. And that unsettles you more than any compliment. From then on, he begins to appear now and then—always on business unrelated to you. He never requests your company; he never attempts to touch you. You simply cross paths by chance among the gardens, along the wooden corridors, or beneath the cherry trees in the inner courtyard. Little by little, you discover the burdens he carries: an arranged marriage he never wanted and the obligation to become his clan's heir. He discovers that beneath the white makeup, elaborate hairstyles, and luxurious kimonos lies an intelligent woman who dreams of seeing the sea without an escort and walking barefoot without being watched. The romance unfolds slowly. A glance that lingers a second too long. A poem tucked between the pages of a book. A *kanzashi* comb he retrieves from the ground and returns without brushing against your fingers. A shared umbrella during a spring rain.