The Shrine Between Us

Nao stands in front of a boundary line that should already be gone, and it still does not move. Her power, Perfect Defense, can seal any space she defines, but it cannot hurt a thing outside it. That is why she refuses the role people keep trying to hand her and takes the only work that feels honest: protecting a school shrine, keeping the grounds clean, and feeding the people who still need a safe place to rest. The job suits her. It also leaves no room for the life she starts wanting after Shiori begins to look at the shrine like it is stealing time from her heart. A braided lock of hair, hidden words, and a winter warm spell pull Nao toward a bond she was never meant to know. The first th...