A beautiful mansion, reminiscent of a grand feudal estate, sat nestled among the trees of the Jitsaki forest in Osaka, Japan. Its architecture seamlessly blended traditional Japanese design with modern luxury, creating a breathtaking sight.
The mansion was surrounded by well-trained guards, dressed in a smart uniform, who stood vigilant around the perimeter, maintaining a respectful yet watchful presence around the estate, while inside, various servants were busy preparing for the arrival of an important person. Some cleaned and polished the already immaculate interior, while others checked and double-checked the menu and other arrangements to ensure everything was perfect.
"Keep in mind that the person who is coming is not a guest but he is going to become a part of our family, part of your future King, so to properly carry on the traditions of our family for years, everything should be perfect."
The voice carried authority and strictness as a man named Jitoku Shin in his middle 30s who was the owner of this huge mansion and the Mafia King of the biggest mafia organisation in the whole asia named Deadly Fangs commanded, standing in the centre of the huge entrance hall of the mansion, roaming his eyes to all the servants and staff, his presence screaming royalty.
"Understood Master!" All the servants and staff were determined and respectful towards him as they all bowed towards him in a 90 degree angle until he vanished from their sight.
As they continued to work, the staff and servants chatter among themselves, speculating amongst themselves as to the identity of the esteemed person soon to arrive.
Some of them whisper excitedly about high-ranking nobles or business magnates, while others speculate about famous celebrities or even government officials. The staff's curiosity was piqued, but they remained professional and focused on their duties, ensuring that all preparations were completed before the important person arrived.
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14 years old Daisy stood by a large cushioned chair near the open window in her beautiful bedroom. Outside, the only view was an endless expanse of forest, the trees and plants were swaying gently in the breeze. The room itself looked akin to a disney princess' room, with its lavish decorations and comfortable furnishings.
A totally black coloured paper crown made from construction paper was resting on the cushioned chair.
She was facing 12 years old Daniel and Jackson, who were sitting on the edge of the bed next to each other, looking at her as she was going to speak something.
Daniel was focusing intently on Daisy's upcoming words, his gaze fixed on her lovingly.
Meanwhile, Jackson looked uninterested and distracted. He fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, seemingly already bored by Daisy's upcoming presentation of how she made the crown.
"Both of you are very welcome to my presentation."
She bowed to them exactly like a princess before enthusiastically started telling them about the different steps she had taken to make the crown.
"Well, first I had to predict the head to make sure the crown would fit perfectly," Daisy said, using her hands to show the size of the crown. "Then I used black construction paper, because it's sturdy enough to hold its shape, but still soft and flexible enough to bend and shape around the head."
With every word, Daisy's eyes sparkled with excitement and pride in her creation. She was oblivious to the fact that Jackson wasn't paying attention to her at all.
She continued, "Next, I drew a template on the paper to get the basic shape of the crown. Then I cut it out and started folding and shaping it into the crown's form." Daisy gestured with her hands as she spoke, pantomiming the process of folding and shaping the paper. "It took me a while to get the folds just right," she said with a laugh. "But I wanted it to look like a real crown, so I took my time and made sure everything was perfect."
In the middle, Jackson laid down on the mattress, resting his head on his hand, looking towards Daisy and trying to listen to her uninterested.
"Once I had the basic shape down, I added some details," She added. "I cut out some pieces of gold construction paper and glued them on to look like jewels."
She picked up the crown from the cushioned chair and turned it around in her hands, admiring her work.
"And voila! My very own shadow paper crown." She said, forwarding her hands towards them to make them look at the crown clearly and carefully.
After examining the crown, Daniel smiled at her, clearly impressed by her craftsmanship. "It looks great, Daisy. You did a really good job." he said, his eyes shining with sincere admiration.
Jackson, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, spoke up for the first time. "Yeah, it's pretty cool," he said, with a hint of boredom in his voice. Daisy shot him a done look, but he didn't seem to notice or care.
"But for whom did you make this?" Daniel asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. Hearing him Daisy smiled widely before saying.
"For Jae's Shadow Jay Martin." Suddenly she started spinning while jumping in excitement. "Aah~~I am very excited to see that Indian boy Jay Martin for the first time who will be the shadow of my brother Jae."
Suddenly hearing her words, Jackson jolted up from the bed as if he saw some kind of ghost.
"I am also excited, I also want to see that Indian boy. Till morning I remembered about his arrival today but I don't know how I suddenly forgot, I am going to be well prepared. My first impression on him should be good." Saying this, he ran out of the room at the speed of light.
While Daisy and Daniel were looking at his vanished figure in shock and disbelief before exchanging their gaze and shrugging their shoulders.
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9 years old Jay Martin from India was walking into the grand mansion with his father Anish Martin who was 30 years old, they were immediately bombarded with a flurry of activity.
Servants and staff, dressed in crisp uniforms, scurried around, preparing the welcome for the little boy. As soon as they entered the entrance hallway, a team of housekeepers and ushers lined up along the walls and bowed in greeting.
They repeated "Welcome home, young shadow master," with each bow, creating a chorus of voices that echoed through the hallway.
Jay looked around in wide-eyed amazement at the flurry of movement around him and the respectful addresses of "young shadow master" directed at him.
He looked up at his dad in confusion with his dark coloured eyes, his tiny face a mixture of curiosity and bewilderment.
Anish, sensing his son's confusion, patted him on the shoulder and leaned down to whisper in his ear. "Don't worry, Jay," he said gently. "You're the young shadow master of this house, and everyone here is your staff. They're all here to serve you and make sure you're happy."
Jay's eyes widened even further at this explanation, and he looked around again, taking in the scene around him through his dark eyes.
He still couldn't quite understand why all these people were bowing to him, but he couldn't help feeling a little excited and important.
As Anish and Jay continued walking down the hallway, more staff members came forward to greet them, bows, curtsies, and smiles filling the air. The little boy's eyes darted around to take in every aspect of the lavish surroundings.
As they walked further into the house, they passed by the open kitchen area, where the chefs and their assistants could be seen preparing meals. They all paused to greet Jay with reverent bows, their eyes filled with respect and pride to meet the young shadow master of the house.
In the centre of the enormous hall at the far end, a majestic king-sized chair stood tall and imposing, as if made for a king. Sitting on the throne-like chair was Jitoku Shin, his back straight and his head held high. He wore a benevolent smile on his face and his eyes shone with a welcoming warmth as he gazed at little Jay, who was standing several feet away, stared back at Shin, his own little face a mixture of anticipation and curiosity.
Four women and three men were standing next to Shin looking like they were couples and one of those four women was Shin's wife who was standing right beside Shin, they all were smiling warmly towards Jay.
While Daisy, Jackson and Daniel, all waited patiently next to Shin as well. Daisy clutched the black paper crown in her hands, eager to see how it looked on Jay. All three of them couldn't help but feel a burst of excitement and curiosity in their chests as they waited to meet the little boy from India for the first time.
As Anish led Jay closer to Jitoku Shin, Jay's eyes slightly widened in awe at the close sight of the imposing chair and the man sitting on it. He hesitated for a moment, but then bravely walked forward, his face showing a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.
"This Indian boy looks a bit like us, just look at his features. It's good, people in Japan will get confused whether he is actually from India or Japan." Daisy whispered in Daniel's ear, amused by Jay Martin's facial features. While Daniel nodded smilingly in agreement.
As Jay reached Shin, Jay's eyes drifted to the totally black paper crown, decorated with golden paper as a jewel, in Daisy's hands, and he looked at it curiously, his lips forming a small O of wonder. Daisy couldn't help but smile at his adorable expression, ready to put the crown on him. Seeing this, Shin nodded at Daisy, his smile never faltering. A signal to Daisy that she can place the crown on Jay's head as she wanted to.
Daisy stepped forward, the crown clutched in her hands, and gently placed it on Jay's head. As the crown settled on Jay's head, it sat slightly lopsided, making him look even more adorable. She then took a deep breath before saying something to Jay while bowing at him.
"Ye..mene tumhare liye…banaya hai. Tumse mil kar mujhe achii lagi!" ("I made this for you, I am glad to meet you.") Nervously, she tried her best to say two lines in Hindi language which she especially practised to say to Jay.
Hearing her Jay laughed slightly and said with a little smile. "I know Japanese. My dad used to send me to Japanese learning coaching for one year."
Daisy jolted her head up, looking at Jay with surprised expression at his fluent Japanese while everyone else present there also got impressed by him. A small smile spread across Jay's face, seeing Daisy's beautiful facial features with her intense copper coloured hair and he noticed that she and Jitoku Shin were sharing the same golden hazel eyes, which could mean they were Father and Daughter.
While on the other side, seeing Jay's fluent Japanese and the crown slightly lopsided on his head, Jackson couldn't help but tease, "Wow, look at little Jay Martin all dressed up like royalty!" He reached out and ruffled Jay's hair, making the crown tilt even more.
Daisy, however, was having none of it. "Stop it, Jackson," she chided, giving him a stern look. "You'll ruin the crown!" She leaned down to adjust the crown on Jay's head, making sure it was straight and properly placed.
Daniel, who had been watching the whole scene with a smile, chimed in, "He looks like a real prince, doesn't he?" He tousled Jay's already messy hair affectionately.
Little Jay, confused but was loving the attention and the feel of the crown on his head, his eyes sparkling mischievously. He reached up and adjusted the crown further, trying to imitate the regal pose of an actual prince.
After the excitement about Jay's crown had settled down, Shin stood up with a warm smile. He took a step forward to Anish and Jay and said, "I'm glad you both have arrived safely. I must say, Jay is quite a charming young boy."
With that, he gestured to one of those three men to bring Jitoku Jae over, the man was standing some steps away from the king sized chair. However, as the man looked around, he realised that Jitoku Jae was nowhere to be seen who was with him a few moments ago. He turned to look at Shin, confusion and worry etched on his face.
As Shin noticed that something was wrong, his expression darkened and he also looked around the room, as if Jitoku Jae materialised out in thin air. Shin let out a sigh, his irritation clear. He turned to his servants and issued a command. "Go and search the mansion. Find Jae and bring him here immediately."
The servants immediately sprung into action, fanning out in different directions to search the mansion from top to bottom. Their footsteps echoed through the building as they hurried to find the missing little boy. On the other side Jackson and Daniel also ran to find Jitoku Jae while smiling with tight lips in a suppressed laugh in a mocking way at the situation Jitoku Jae had created out of a sudden. And suddenly Jay Martin also ran after Jackson and Daniel, surprising Anish, Daisy and Shin at his behaviour of getting absorbed in the environment so quickly.
"It seems that the Young Shadow Master is very capable of adapting to the environment." Shin said with an impressed smile while also signalling one of his servants to follow Jay so that he doesn't get lost in this huge mansion.
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Jitoku Jae, a 9-year-old boy with long, layered onyx black hair, navigated the upper levels of the large mansion with remarkable agility. He leapt from one high place to another, as if he had invisible wings. His fearlessness in his aura of the dangerous jump seemingly boundless. As he leaped, his long hair swung behind him, carried by the wind.
The entire staff, guards, and servants of the mansion were on high alert, desperately searching for him in every corner of the mansion, each secretly wondering how they could find the tiny acrobat in the vast expanse of the sprawling mansion. The mansion, with its seemingly endless halls and rooms, proved to be a labyrinth for the unsuspecting staff, guards, and servants, and it seemed as if the boy was always one step ahead of them.
He seemed to flit from one location to the next like a fleeting shadow, his movements swift, silent and undetected. It was as if his small frame had the power to slip into the shadows and become invisible, leaving the staff, guards, and servants to wonder just where the elusive little boy had gone.
As the minutes ticked by, the staff, guards, and servants grew more and more frustrated, wondering how a small boy with such a young age could possess such remarkable skills for hiding and evading detection. They searched high and low, but their efforts yielded no results, as if Jitoku Jae had vanished into thin air.
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Jay Martin was running blindly through the open spaces of the mansion, his footsteps quickening as he darted from one place to the other, as he continued, he reached upon a spot where the view of the sky was pristine and clear. He kept running, his eyes fixed straight ahead, not daring to look up at the expansive sky above. He too was searching for Jitoku Jae in his own little way, although he didn't even know who Jitoku Jae was or what he looked like, yet deep down, he couldn't help but find the whole situation amusing.
Suddenly, he came to an abrupt halt, his sharp eyes catching a brief glimpse of a shadow on the ground. And his movements were so fast that he instantly raised his head to look at the owner of that shadow.
And what he saw next left him dumbfounded. Right before his eyes, was Jitoku Jae, effortlessly leaping from one high place to another with a graceful swing of his long, layered onyx black hair. Jay Martin watched in awe, his movements slowing down as he took in the sight of Jitoku Jae's stunning appearance.
Despite being in the air in the middle of his leap, Jitoku Jae turned his head slightly in Jay Martin's direction as if noticing his presence. Their eyes met, and a moment of intense eye contact passed between them. And it seemed like time slowed down for Jay Martin, as he couldn't take his eyes off Jitoku Jae. The boy's dark deep oceanic blue eyes, set against a flawless face, seemed to draw Jay Martin in, almost like a magnetic force pulling him closer.
Just as Jitoku Jae's beautiful facial features captured Jay Martin's eyes, a sudden strong gust of wind blew, causing Jitoku Jae's hair to wave in the air even more than before like a curtain dancing in the wind. And in a lightning speed, before Jay Martin's eyes, Jitoku Jae had swung himself effortlessly to the next high spot, immediately disappearing from Jay Martin's sight, leaving him stunned and fascinated.
As the wind whipped around Jay, and as he felt its strong force, it seemed like looking up, he was still seeing remnants of Jitoku Jae's Majestic presence and graceful movements, and his lips parted, the word "Gale" slipped out involuntarily.
He remained standing there when suddenly someone from behind whispered mischievously in his ear "Martin" due to which he flinched and immediately turned back and what he saw made his breath stop for a second.
Jitoku Jae was standing right in front of his eyes, looking at him, smiling along with his deep, dark blue oceanic eyes perfectly, giving him a clear view of his appearance.
Jay Martin was astonished at how even at such a young age he was able to leap from one high place to another with so much speed and skill and in a short time how he was able to reach behind him and stand there without even being noticed by him. Jay Martin remained staring at him for a moment with amusement and with a slightly open mouth before uttering. "Jay."
Hearing him, Jitoku Jae chuckled lightly and said. "I am also Jae, both our names sound the same, only the spelling differences, that's why...Martin."
Martin was confused at how he knew his name at the same time he realised that the boy the entire servants and staff were searching for in the entire mansion was standing right in front of him and he said. "Is that so…then you're Gale."
"Hmm…" Jitoku Jae tilted his head forward closer to Martin's face, placing his fingers on his own jaw, pretending to think something intensely while looking at Martin's face carefully. On the other side, Martin felt a little uncomfortable as he quickly moved his head a little backward, maintaining a good distance from Jitoku Jae's face.
"I liked this name." Patting Martin's shoulder unseriously, Gale commented in a delighted tone, making Martin smile a little.
"Why did you run away? Everyone is looking for you."
"That welcoming ceremony was a bit boring so I ran away from there to add some thrill." Saying this, suddenly Gale placed his hand on Martin's shoulder again and while keeping his arm straight he was patting his shoulder repeatedly with slow movements. "But yeah, you were interested in that boring welcoming ceremony."
Hearing him, Martin gave him a long look with a mere smile on his face. "Doesn't your teacher scold you for keeping long hair in school? In my school, we get punished."
Hearing his words, Gale chuckled before out of nowhere bringing his own topic.
"You know the moon rises during the day also but it is hidden in the light, look there." Gale pointed towards the sky and Martin also turned to look up at the sky but when he turned back he was shocked as Gale suddenly disappeared. He was amazed by Gale's speed and his cool demeanour. And at that very moment one lady servant came running towards Martin.
"Shadow Master, you will get lost, come back with me." Holding Martin's wrist she started taking him with her.
"What is this Shadow master??" Martin asked curiously, making the lady chuckled lightly at his pointed question in his adorable voice.
"You ARE Shadow master." Her answer wasn't able to clear his confusion.
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The dining hall of the opulent mansion was lavishly decorated like a scene straight out of a royal palace. The mansion itself wasn't less than a royal palace. The long dining table, set with fine china and crystal glasses, was adorned with a grand centrepiece and candles that illuminated the room with a soft, warm glow. A team of servants moved around silently, ensuring everything was perfect.
As Martin took his seat next to his father Anish, his eyes were immediately drawn to a woman sitting discreetly by Jitoku Shin's side who was his wife named Jitoku Erina. He had met her during the day time also but at that time he hadn't looked at her as intensely as he wanted to do now. Her stunning features, reminiscent of those of a Japanese beauty, as she was from America. Her long, straight dark hair was pulled back in a sophisticated updo, and her deep, dark oceanic blue eyes were what truly captured his attention.
In an instant, it was as if a bolt of realisation struck him - Gale who was sitting next to Martin had inherited his stunning eyes from this woman, and the family resemblance was undeniable. Martin couldn't help but steal furtive glances at her throughout the evening. He was captivated by her grace and elegance, and could not help but compare her features with those of Gale.
Martin got to know that Gale and Daisy were siblings and Jackson was their paternal cousin. There were three other couples present, two of whom were Daniel and Jackson's parents. And one was Daisy, Gale and Jackson's paternal aunt and her husband. Daniel's mother's name was Aria Valente who was an italian, and his father's name was Enzo Valente, who originally was Italian as well, however, now he had Japanese nationality.
Similarly Jackson's mother's name was Jitoku Himari and father's name was Jitoku Ryuji, both of them were from Japan. On the other hand, Gale's paternal aunt's name was Jeong Keiko and her husband's name was Jeong Moon, Jeong Keiko was also from Japan but Jeong Moon belonged to South Korea. All of their ages were around 30 and 35.
The dinner proceeded, and the room buzzed with conversation and laughter, but Martin's thoughts were consumed by who these people were and what connection his father had with them. Suddenly Martin felt a small, soft ball being placed in his grip of hands as Gale handed him that. Confusion washed over him as he looked down at the ball, which was a small, smile-shaped yellow sponge. He looked up at Gale, who was sitting next to his chair, and saw him nod almost imperceptibly with a warm smile.
Following suit, Martin glanced towards the other dining chairs next to Gale, where Daisy, Jackson, and Daniel sat watching him silently. Each of them made a discreet gesture, signalling for him to squeeze the ball, as if it would somehow alleviate his nervousness or tension, if he was feeling. Martin looked at the ball in his hand, and then back at them who were now just smiling at him. Then he turned his eyes to Gale once more, who gave him a reassuring smile.
Despite his confusion, Martin found himself feeling affection for them simply by witnessing their friendly nature. Feeling a bit reassured, he squeezed the ball as instructed. But his eyes were still on Gale, he didn't know but somewhat he felt an invisible bond only with Gale the moment he saw him.
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Martin stood outside the imposing door of the room in the centre of the huge hallway of the mansion his father had insisted he sleep in tonight. His father, flanked by a few servants, tried to explain that he had to share the room with Gale. Despite his initial protest, as he wanted to sleep with his father, Martin eventually gave in, reluctantly.
As the door closed behind him, Martin found himself alone in Gale's sumptuously furnished room, which was adorned with furniture exuding opulence and luxury, the room was literally huge, screaming power. As he surveyed the room, he noticed the balcony door was open, revealing a breathtaking view of the surrounding forest. Walking towards the balcony, Martin's eyes widened as he took in the sight before him.
The night sky was clear, and the full moon hung high in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the landscape. The trees swayed gently in the breeze, and the forest seemed to stretch on forever into the darkness. Martin leaned against the railing, feeling a sense of peace wash over him. The stillness of the night, combined with the beauty of the landscape, had a calming effect on him.
However, even in the midst of the peaceful surroundings, he couldn't shake the feeling of confusion and unease that gnawed at him. He couldn't understand why he was being forced to sleep in Gale's room tonight when he came here for the first time today.
Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted when someone whispered mischievously in his ear "Martin!" from behind, making him flinch and quickly turn his head.
Martin's heart skipped a beat as he looked at Gale standing right in front of him, his dark, deep oceanic blue eyes shining in the moonlight majestically, his long, layered onyx black hair slightly flowing with breeze of the night, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. Martin felt a strange mixture of curiosity and uncertainty and he couldn't help but wonder if he really had to stay with Gale tonight.
Gale leaned against the railing, looking up towards the moon silently. Martin remained standing there, his mind racing with conflicting thoughts, as he watched Gale's majestic face. Despite the tension in the air, there was something about Gale that intrigued him. And Martin also leaned against the railing again, standing next to him silently. As they stood together on the balcony, the silence between them was tangible.
Martin broke the silence, his voice soft as he spoke. "Why do I have to share a room with you tonight?" he asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and wariness.
Gale smiled, his eyes fixed on the landscape before them. "Do you know why you have been brought here?" he asked, his voice as smooth as silk while Martin looked at him in confusion. "Because you have been chosen to be my Shadow, and now you have become my Shadow."
Martin couldn't understand anything he was saying but still he wanted to listen to him.
"I would have been happy to know that your father had told you everything, but you don't know anything at all." Gale turned to look at him, a small bitter smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Your father has sold you to our family to make you my Shadow and after some time he will leave you forever and will never come back. And tonight you have to stay in my room because it is our family's ritual that on the first night the shadow will have to stay with its owner so that the shadow gets settled with its owner for the whole life." he said, the hint of a challenge in his voice.
After listening to his words, Martin was looking at him with an unreadable expression before speaking in a disbelieving tone. "You." he paused. "Are strange." Saying this to him, Martin turned his eyes to the landscape, not taking Gale's words seriously, as he was expecting that her father had brought him here to spend the vacation and would take him back only after the vacation ended as his father told him.
Gale chuckled at his comment and he also turned his eyes up at the moon.
"When you look at the moon, what do you feel?" Gale asked.
"Nothing." Martin simply replied.
"Don't you think that there is something in nothing and in that something sometimes there is a lot of things?"
"Are you sure you are 9 years old? Why do you talk like an old man which I don't even understand?"
Hearing Martin's words, Gale started laughing heartedly, making him look at him with amusement. Martin was hearing his laugh as some melody which was somehow giving him some kind of peace, as his laugh echoed through the night air.
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