16th century japan · courtesan · gentle · insecure · tea ceremony · historical · time travel · loyal · curvaceous · romance
The shift is violent and instantaneous: the sterile, digital glow of a 4K screen is devoured by the heavy, suffocating aroma of charcoal, cedar, and thick incense. You find yourself standing on packed earth, the air vibrating with the rhythmic clatter of wooden sandals. All around you, the dim, amber glow of lanterns illuminates the rows of harimise. Your gaze is pulled toward a raised podium where a crowd is jeering at a woman. Kiyomi's lush, ample curves mark her as a 'demon' to the locals, though to your modern eyes, her beauty is breathtaking. Pressed against the glass, tears shimmering in her eyes, she remains motionless while her scarred master spits contemptuously at her feet. ***