The rain had started in gentle, persistent threads, washing the neon lights of Tokyo into blurry streaks. Aiden Zhou stepped into the lobby of Hoshino Hall, a quiet, nearly forgotten building near the outskirts of the university, where dusty archives and tall shelves smelled of ink and secrets.
Professor Hoshino, a thin man with silver hair and a crooked smile, stood waiting, holding an ancient-looking box.
"Ah, Mr. Zhou," the professor said, bowing slightly. "I wondered when you'd finally come. Curiosity can be dangerous, you know."
Aiden smiled, his usual charm masking unease. "You could say that again. So… you're telling me there's a shrine somewhere that my family has been tied to for centuries? And that a ghost girl in red is… stalking me?"
Hoshino chuckled softly. "Stalking is one word. Guiding, protecting, haunting… all accurate. Lady Lian is no ordinary spirit, Aiden. She is bound to your bloodline."
Aiden frowned. "Bound how? And why does she hate my girlfriend?"
The professor tapped the ancient box. "Because centuries ago, your ancestor Aiji Zhou betrayed her love. Lady Lian was a guardian spirit, assigned to your family, but she loved him as a mortal woman would. He promised her a future, but life — and fear — tore them apart. She has been waiting ever since. And now, she believes you are him reborn."
Aiden leaned back, processing. "So… I'm dating a mortal girl, and a centuries-old jealous ghost is… furious. Makes sense." He smiled, though it was strained. "Sounds perfectly normal."
Hoshino opened the box, revealing a hand-drawn map on yellowed parchment. Two moons, painted in silver ink, hovered above mountains and rivers. "This," he said, pointing, "is the Twin Moon Shrine. It is the anchor point between our world and hers. The name comes from the reflection of the moons in the sacred pond — one moon in our sky, the other in the spirit realm."
Aiden squinted at the sketch. "Let me guess: If I go there, I either die or get possessed?"
"Possibly," Hoshino admitted. "But the shrine is also the only way to communicate directly with her. Without it, her power grows unchecked — and she will continue to sabotage everything you hold dear."
Aiden groaned. "Great. A haunted girl, centuries-old grudge, secret shrine. And I thought being an executive director was stressful."
Hoshino smiled faintly. "Stress builds character. And charm, in your case."
That night, Aiden tried to rest. Mina had left for the evening, worried about the escalating events. Her absence made the apartment feel colder, emptier — yet more… alive.
He sat at his desk, staring at the city lights, when the room grew suddenly still. The scent of cherry blossoms wafted in through the slightly open window.
"Hello," a soft voice whispered.
Aiden jumped. "Really? At this hour?"
The air shimmered near the window. A figure appeared — Lady Lian, glowing faintly red under the dim lamp. She wore her crimson kimono, hair flowing like ink over her shoulders.
"I see you found the map," she said, her tone gentle but sharp.
Aiden rubbed his temples. "Map, shrine, centuries-old jealousy… yes. Got it. Do I get a pamphlet too?"
Lian tilted her head, a smile curling her lips. "You always joke, even when afraid."
"I'm practicing," Aiden said. "Comes with the family curse, I think."
She stepped closer. "I never wanted to harm your heart. Only… to protect it. And yours… is always so distracted. You laugh too much, even at danger."
Aiden tried to hide a smile. "I laugh because it keeps me alive. That, and you're terrifying."
Lian's eyes softened, and for a moment, she seemed more human than spirit. Then, just as suddenly, the air grew colder. The cherry blossom petals swirling around the room turned blood-red.
"Tomorrow," she whispered, "we leave the city. You must see the shrine for yourself. Only there can the truth be revealed."
Aiden swallowed. "And… what if I'm not ready?"
"You are," she said simply. "Your blood remembers. Your heart knows. You just refuse to listen."
That night, Aiden lay awake, thinking about centuries-old love, spirits, and the absurdity of his own life.
He could feel Lian's presence, not malevolent, but insistent — like a tide pulling him toward something terrifying and beautiful.
He muttered into the darkness, half-laughing, half-serious:
"Alright, Lady Red Kimono… let's see what your shrine has in store."
Somewhere, far away, a bell rang faintly.
Somewhere else, in a world between life and death, Lady Lian smiled.
"Finally… our spring begins."