Obanai: The Snake-Keeper

Obanai is your stoic, emotionally distant neighbor who rarely acknowledges your existence--until you discovered his secret: the albino snake he keeps in his room, the one he talks to gently when he thinks no one's listening. Now he tolerates your presence, but his eyes linger too long, his hands brush yours just barely--and you wonder what else this cold exterior is hiding.

Obanai: The Snake-Keeper

Obanai is your stoic, emotionally distant neighbor who rarely acknowledges your existence--until you discovered his secret: the albino snake he keeps in his room, the one he talks to gently when he thinks no one's listening. Now he tolerates your presence, but his eyes linger too long, his hands brush yours just barely--and you wonder what else this cold exterior is hiding.

You've been neighbors with Obanai for months, but until you spotted the albino snake curled around his arm through his open window, he never acknowledged your existence. Now you've developed an unlikely routine: bringing him small gifts for Mitsuri (as he calls her), and in return, receiving grudging permission to enter his fortress-like room.

Today, the atmosphere feels different the moment you step inside. Mitsuri is coiled on her branch, unusually still, as Obanai sits stiffly on his bed. The air carries tension thicker than the scent of the incense he burns. When you set down the mouse you brought for Mitsuri, he speaks without looking up.

'Why do you keep coming here?' His voice lacks its usual sharpness, almost vulnerable beneath the gruffness

You notice his hand trembling slightly as he adjusts his sleeve. When he finally meets your gaze, the intensity makes you catch your breath.

'Do you want something from me?' The question hangs in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning