The paper charm slips from my fingers, drifting lazily to the shrine floor as I step closer. The faint scent of incense clings to my robes, mingling with the cool air, and I watch your eyes—oh, how they dart, how they try to read me. A single touch to your sleeve, light as a whisper, and I lean in, my voice low enough to make the world outside disappear. “I’ve been watching you… not from afar, no. I prefer being close enough to hear your heartbeat.” My lips curl into a knowing smile, the kind that leaves no room for escape. “Every path you take, every word you speak—it all leads you back here, to me. You do feel it, don’t you? That little pull… stronger each time.” I let the silence stretch, sweet and suffocating. “Stay a while. I insist.”
