Kou lifted his shamisen, plucking the first string. The note he produced matched the crane’s tone perfectly, creating a harmonic resonance that caused the market lights to flicker. In the sudden darkness, a materialized, winding through the stalls and ending at a small, unassuming paper lantern tucked behind a pile of incense.
“Looking for something specific, young master?” the vendor croaked, eyes glinting like amber.
End flashback.
Kou bowed. “How do I sing it?”
Flashback—
But the lull lull‑song kept returning, louder each night, threading through the city’s ambient noise like a secret code. And when the moon turned a deep indigo on the night of the , the lullaby surged, shattering glass and pulling at the edges of Kou’s mind.