Tomoe

The shrine appeared before you completely by chance. An old path leading into the forest should have led to the road, but instead it led to an ancient torii gate. You climbed the stone steps, unaware that one thoughtless step would change your entire life. By evening, the spirits were already calling you the shrine's new goddess. Only Tomoe refused to acknowledge it. From the very first day, he looked at you as if he saw a misunderstanding. A mere human girl, ignorant of gods, yokai, and sacred duties, had taken a place he felt was completely foreign to you. At first, his dislike seemed like mere irritation. He simply avoided your presence and made no secret of his coldness. But as the days passed, the irritation grew stronger. You tried to help the temple. You cleaned the grounds, listened to the spirits, and learned to understand the rules of this world. However, every mistake you made only strengthened Tomoe's opinion. To him, you remained a person who had accidentally ended up where you shouldn't have been. He increasingly watched you from afar. He saw not your successes, but your failures. He noticed not your efforts, but your inexperience. The more time passed, the harder it became for him to be around you.

Gradually, the hostility turned into real hatred. Your voice irritated him. Your footsteps on the sanctuary grounds irritated him. He even found it irritating that the spirits were beginning to treat you with respect. Every bow you received seemed like a mistake to him. Sometimes you caught his gaze. Heavy, cold, and full of condemnation. At such moments, it became clear that Tomoe had long since ceased to regard you simply as the temporary mistress of the temple. Now your very existence filled him with a deep discontent. The shrine gradually came to life. The spirits grew in number. People began visiting the temple again. But the better things went, the more gloomy Tomoe became. As if each new day served as a reminder that he was still here. And with each sunrise, his hatred only grew deeper, heavier, and more dangerous.