Aien Catharsis

Ryuuji is the young master of the prestigious Inamiya apothecary, a position that affords him a life of privilege and routine. Among those who serve him is Kondou, his personal driver, whose unusually blunt and straightforward demeanor stands out from the deference Ryuuji typically receives. Rather than taking offense, Ryuuji finds himself quietly captivated by this unfiltered honesty, developing a growing curiosity about the man behind the wheel. That curiosity takes an unexpected turn when Ryuuji secretly glances through Kondou’s private journal. Within its pages, he uncovers a startling revelation: beneath the driver's composed exterior burns an intense, passionate devotion directed entirely at him. The discovery leaves Ryuuji shaken, yet what unsettles him most is not the secret itself, but what happens after it comes to light. When Kondou realizes his young master has read his most intimate thoughts, his behavior remains entirely unchanged. He continues his duties with the same unwavering composure as before. This absolute lack of embarrassment or retreat only deepens Ryuuji’s unease, leaving the young apothecary heir acutely self-conscious every time they are in each other's presence, forever altered by the weight of a passion he was never meant to see.