Chapter 1

In the heart of Tokyo’s neon-lit streets, where cherry blossoms whispered secrets and shadows concealed danger, lived Hana Tanaka.

Her porcelain skin and obsidian eyes held a quiet strength, inherited from her father, Kaito Tanaka, the feared yakuza boss of the Black Lotus Clan.

Hana’s life was a delicate dance between tradition and rebellion. She longed for freedom beyond the crimson doors of her family’s estate.

But, her father had other plans, a marriage alliance with the rival Crimson Dragon Clan. The groom? A man she’d never met, whose name echoed through the underworld: Soto Nakamura.

However, Hana refused to succumb to her father’s wishes and knew she must escape before it was too late.

On the eve of her arranged wedding, Hana slipped away, her silk kimono rustling like autumn leaves. She fled through narrow alleys, her heart pounding in sync with the city’s pulse.

Her only ally was a cryptic note from an unknown sender: Meet me at the Sakura Bridge.

As she reached the bridge, a stranger emerged from the mist. His eyes held secrets, and his voice was a velvet whisper.

“Need help, little blossom?”

The stranger introduced himself as Ryuji, a wandering artist. His touch ignited sparks within Hana, and she was quick to explain her troubles to the man she had just met.

He listened, his gaze never leaving her face. “I’ll protect you,” he vowed, his fingers tracing the delicate curve of her jaw.

Hana hesitated for a brief second, but for some reason she felt she could place her life in Ryuji’s hands. She nodded her head and spoke, “I believe you.”

Days turned into weeks. Ryuji guided Hana through hidden tunnels and forgotten shrines, evading her father’s henchmen. Yet, he never revealed his true identity, the promise he’d made to her father.

For Ryuji was none other than Soto Nakamura, the man she was meant to marry. He was sworn to secrecy that he would never allow Hana to know it was him that helped her escape and not Ryuji, the wandering artist.

Ryuji watched Hana blossom like the sakura, her laughter like wind chimes. He reveled in her trust, even as guilt gnawed at him. He taught her to wield a tanto blade, their bodies moving in a dance of evasion and desire. But every stolen kiss was a lie.

Guilt gnawed at Ryuji’s heart as he continued to hide his true self away from Hana. Would she grow to hate him once she found out the truth?

These thoughts ate away at him night after night as he held Hana in his arms, while she slept innocently unaware of the truth.

Should he just tell her and risk it all? Maybe, not. After thinking it over for the billionth time, Ryuji finally decided it wasn’t the right time to tell Hana. He would wait a little bit longer and cherish the time he had with her.

Little did Ryuji know, his secret would soon be discovered and he would have to atone for all the lies he had told her up till then. For secrets can never stay secrets forever!

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