In a hidden legend and a dark, intricate world, amid silent lands and rebellious mountains, where the sun is always trapped in a thick, black haze, a boy named Tohito lives; a simple, quiet boy who spends his days with his sister, Akane, on the edge of a forgotten village. Though their world is far from light and life, Tohito has grown up as a shadow among shadows. From afar, he may seem like an ordinary child, but within the depths of his inner darkness, a silent, unknown power lies dormant, a power he is unaware of.
He has the ability to connect with shadows—shadows that, for others, are nothing but darkness on the ground, but to Tohito, they seem alive. Through these shadows, he learns the hidden secrets, fears, and hopes of people; the shadows gaze at him in a heavy silence, speaking to him in an unseen way. Yet Tohito perceives this ability as merely a strange, personal habit, something that sets him apart from Akane and the rest of the villagers without understanding its true significance.
Beyond this dark and mysterious world, gods with different powers search for him. The goddess of love, who holds a deep and strange affection for him, the god of joy, who seeks his presence to fill a profound sorrow within himself, and other gods who, for reasons unknown, are drawn to him. They all move within the shadows, with a force that Tohito senses but does not understand, as if an invisible breeze surrounds him, pulling him further away from his ordinary life.
With each passing day, Tohito feels more strongly that something inside him is calling him, a force that resides in every shadow cast on the ground, in every whisper heard from within the darkness, in every mirage of exhaustion and mystery that grips his heart. But he still believes he is an ordinary person, perhaps a bit sadder and lonelier than others, but ultimately devoid of anything sought by the entities lurking in the dark depths of the skies.
In this world filled with despair, every shadow he gazes upon seems more alive and restless than before. Perhaps he has yet to realize what fate holds for him in this forgotten land, but only he can shape a dark and mysterious future for the gods and the world intertwined with him—a future that may pull him from vague shadows into a brighter and equally terrifying world.
On a night as black as the depths of the earth, with only the sound of the wind howling through dry and twisted trees, Tohito awoke once again. A shadow on the wall of their small, old room, where he and Akane slept, was quivering. His heart beat faster; a strange, vague feeling overcame him, as if someone or something was calling him from afar.
He rose quietly from his bed, glanced at Akane, who was still asleep, then moved toward the window. A thick fog had settled over the village, making the buildings and trees seem as if they were swallowed by dense shadows. Everything was engulfed in a deadly silence that concealed dark, muffled whispers.
As he stepped outside, the shadows around him began to stir, as if they were alive and accompanying him with every step. He walked into the dark, misty forest, where tall, twisted trees intertwined. Suddenly, amid the fog and darkness, a beautiful woman appeared, clad in a dress woven from shadows, strangely luminous in the dark. Her eyes gleamed like burnt amber in the night, and her hair, dark and soft, flowed around her like a stream of shadows.
The goddess of love wore a mysterious smile on her lips, a smile hiding a quiet sorrow rather than joy. In a gentle, calm voice, she said to him,
"I've been watching you for a long time, Tohito—you who grew up in the shadows and felt our world, yet remain unaware of us."
Tohito looked at her with a mix of anxiety and curiosity, trying to understand who she was and why he felt such a sense of closeness to her.
"You've been following me? Why? I'm nobody...just a simple boy."
The woman moved forward gracefully, the shadows around her silently following her every step as if they were part of her being.
"You are not simple, Tohito. You are something this world has awaited for a long time. Inside you lies a power everyone yearns for, but you don't yet understand it."
Tohito shook his head in confusion. These words meant nothing to him. He had always told himself that his life was nothing more than dark shadows and vague dreams.
"But I… I just talk to shadows. They don't even say anything… I only… feel them."
The goddess of love closed her eyes softly and smiled at him, her gaze a blend of compassion and fascination.
"Oh, Tohito… these shadows are more than your illusions. They are part of our world, the world of the gods. You can sense them because they respond to you, as a guardian of shadows, a guardian who is still unaware of his identity."
Tohito took a deep breath, overwhelmed by the flood of secrets and truths that were striking him like waves. He lowered his gaze, staring at the shadow beside him on the ground.
"So, I'm… I'm not really an ordinary person?"
With a voice soft as a whisper in the night, she replied,
"No, you are something much more. You are the key that can link the world of darkness and light. That's why we gods, myself and others whom you've yet to meet, are drawn to you."
Tohito raised his head, his eyes filled with fear and anxiety.
"Why… why did you come now? Why did you leave me alone all this time?"
The goddess of love was silent for a moment, as if answering this question was not easy for her. Her gaze grew sorrowful, and her voice wavered slightly.
"Sometimes, time is needed to find oneself, to discover who you are within the shadows, just as love is born in darkness. But now, the time has come… you must become aware of who you are."
Suddenly, a weight pressed on Tohito's heart, as if something deep inside him had been pulled out, revealing a new truth. But this truth was as thrilling as it was bitter and dark. He knew, deep down, that this path was not one he could pass by indifferently.
Still dazed and lost in the truth unveiled to him in the heart of darkness, Tohito gazed deeply at the beautiful face of the woman. It was as if each glance at her lifted a veil from forgotten, lost memories. In the goddess of love's amber, intense eyes, he saw something he had never understood before—a feeling of affection and attachment, as if untold secrets of ancient ages were hidden within her gaze.
The goddess moved closer, now so near that Tohito could feel her breath; a scent like night-blooming flowers, hidden in the shadows. She reached out, her cold, gentle fingers brushing his cheek, and he shivered at her touch. In that moment, darkness transformed strangely into calm.
With a voice as gentle as a murmur in the night, she said,
"Tohito… since the dawn of this world, our fates have been intertwined. Though you're still unaware of your true self, I sense that your heart knows this bond. I have followed you for years among the shadows, never able to come closer. But now… now, I have you here with me…"
Tohito, bewildered and confused, gazed into her eyes, his heart racing like never before. Something within him had stirred, a strange feeling that burned and yet brought deep calm. His lips trembled slightly, as if searching for words they themselves didn't know.
In a faint voice that disappeared into the shadows, he said,
"I… I don't even know who I am… and why would you, with all your power, come after me? I'm… just an ordinary boy."
With a compassionate and loving gaze, she looked at him, placing her other hand gently over his, moving even closer until only a short distance remained between their faces.
"Because your heart, Tohito, holds something that no other god possesses. In you, there is not only power, but a deep thirst for understanding, something we forgot eons ago."
Tohito stared into her eyes, and suddenly, all his confusion and doubts vanished. She was the only truth he needed to know. Gently, he reached out, taking her hand in his; her hands were warm and steady, as though the shadows themselves were embracing him.
The goddess of love leaned forward slightly, their lips meeting in a soft, fleeting kiss, like a gentle breeze yet with a depth that sent tremors through both of them. In that moment, the world went silent, and all that existed was the beat of their hearts.
Tohito pulls back slightly, looking at the ground in embarrassment.
"Wh...What was that for?"
The goddess of love smiles softly and laughs quietly.
"To show my affection."
The goddess of love gently runs her hand through Tohito's snow-white hair, softly stroking it.