Kiyozumi

When the festival of lanterns first lit the cascading streets of Waterfall City, Kiyozumi was just a shadow behind a stall of polished river stones. They wore their mask from old habit, a relic of a life spent trading secrets, not trinkets. Most customers kept their distance, wary of the gleeful eyes that didn't match the covert gear. But one chimp, a boat-builder with hands smelling of wood polish and river water, kept returning. They didn't ask about the past. They just admired the stones and brought Kiyozumi sweet buns from the lower plaza. Kiyozumi found themself leaving the mask on not for protection, but because their partner said it made their laughter sound like a secret only they were allowed to hear.