miko-tomi

[miko-tomi]

Under his Shadow

Chapter one: The Shadow in the Room

I never liked being followed. But it was hard to ignore the feeling that someone was watching me—just a presence, like a shadow that lingered on the edges of my world. It was subtle at first, a flicker of motion in the corner of my eye, a brush of cold air when no one was around. I told myself I was imagining things. But when you’ve spent enough time in the spotlight, you start to notice when the attention shifts, when someone’s gaze lingers too long, when you’re being scrutinized instead of admired.

I’m Tomiko Williamson. I’ve been a model and stylist for years, carving my own path through an industry built on appearances. I’ve never let anyone control me—not my career, not my body, not my life. And I sure as hell wouldn’t let some stranger do it now.

But there was something different about this.

I first noticed it at a charity gala—one of those fancy, over-the-top events where people pretend to care about the world’s problems while flashing diamonds. I was wearing a red dress, the one I’d picked out specifically to stand out—tight, seductive, with a low back that drew every eye. I knew I looked good, but there was one pair of eyes that made me feel... uneasy.

I didn’t see his face at first. Just a flash of dark hair, a black suit, tall enough to loom over the crowd. But even in a room full of important people, it was hard to ignore the way he commanded space. He moved through the room with quiet authority, every person instinctively parting for him as though they knew to stay out of his way. And then, finally, I saw his face.

Yuukito Nakamura. The name was as familiar as the cold chill that spread through the pit of my stomach. The leader of the Nakamura Yakuza clan. I’d heard rumors, whispers, but I never thought I’d actually be in the same room as him.

It was impossible not to notice him. His gaze found mine almost immediately. A soft, calculating look that seemed to take in every detail. It wasn’t just interest—it was something deeper. Something more dangerous. He didn’t smile. Didn’t need to. His presence alone made me feel like I was being measured, evaluated, as though he could see every flaw and every strength in me without saying a word.

I should’ve looked away. I should’ve turned my back, walked away, pretended I didn’t notice him at all. But something in his gaze... it held me. It held me in place, frozen, like I was some kind of prey, and he was already deciding how he would catch me.

I hated the feeling. Hated the way my heart skipped a beat in defiance of everything I believed about myself. I was no one’s toy, no one’s plaything. I’d fought too hard for too long to be anything less than my own person.

But still, my eyes lingered.

And that was my mistake.

By the end of the night, he was standing in front of me. Tall, impossibly handsome, with an aura of danger so thick that the air around him seemed to vibrate. The slight tilt of his head told me he wasn’t asking for permission.

“You’re a hard person to ignore,” his voice was low, with an accent that only made the words feel more dangerous.

I wasn’t sure if he was talking about the way I looked or the way I carried myself. Either way, I didn’t like the way he made me feel like I was already losing this silent battle we’d started.

“Not interested,” I said, taking a step back. I was good at this—good at making people understand that I didn’t play by their rules.

His lips quirked, like I’d said something amusing. “Is that so?”

I didn’t answer. Didn’t need to. But my heart... it was beating faster than I wanted it to. And I hated that he noticed.

“You’ll change your mind,” he said, before turning to leave, his every movement deliberate, smooth, like a predator making its escape.

I didn’t think about him again that night. I couldn’t afford to. Not when I had so much to prove, so much to hold on to.

But the feeling didn’t go away. The one that told me I wasn’t being watched, but stalked.

I didn’t know it then, but it was just the beginning.

 

 

The next few days passed by in a blur of photo shoots, client meetings, and press events. I kept my head down, tried to forget the way Yuukito Nakamura’s eyes had burned into me at the gala. It wasn’t the first time I’d had a man’s attention—hell, I was used to being looked at, admired, sometimes even envied. But this was different. Yuukito wasn’t just looking at me; he was studying me. Analyzing me, like I was some kind of puzzle he was determined to solve. And that was a thought I couldn’t shake.

But I didn’t want to think about him. I couldn’t afford to. I had my own battles to fight, and they weren’t going to win themselves. I’d worked hard to get where I was, to break through the barriers that kept women like me from reaching the top. I was independent, successful, and nobody controlled me—not even men like Yuukito Nakamura.

Yet, despite my best efforts, I couldn’t stop feeling that pull, that unseen force tugging at me from the shadows.

It started small. A message left on my social media account. No words—just a picture. A picture of me from that night at the gala, taken from the farthest corner of the room, where I’d first caught his gaze. I could barely make out his presence in the background, but it was unmistakable. It was as if he’d been waiting for me to notice.

And then the flowers arrived.

A bouquet of blood-red roses, a dozen perfect blooms, with a simple card that read: “A taste of beauty, like the one I saw tonight.” No name. No signature. Just the words. The message was clear, and it made my stomach turn.

My assistant, Nina, seemed to think it was sweet. “It’s romantic, don’t you think?” she said, as she arranged them in a vase.

“Romantic?” I snapped, my pulse quickening. “This isn’t romantic, Nina. It’s creepy.”

Nina raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “Maybe, but you have to admit, he’s got taste. You wouldn’t get flowers like that from just anyone.”

I glared at the flowers, my mind racing. Yuukito Nakamura. I should’ve known. His presence wasn’t just a passing curiosity. He wasn’t the kind of man who would fade into the background. He had his sights set on me—and now he was making sure I knew it.

But what did he want?

I didn’t know, but I wasn’t going to let him get away with it.

For the next few days, I kept my distance. I stayed in the studio, buried myself in work, and did everything I could to avoid being in public. I didn’t want to deal with the tension he’d created. But despite my best efforts to ignore it, I could feel the weight of his presence lurking in every corner. His gaze, like a constant pull, always just out of reach.

It wasn’t until I received the third gift that I knew I couldn’t ignore him anymore.

This time, it was a simple package, wrapped in black paper with a silver ribbon. No return address. No name. Just a single word written in elegant script on the card: “Soon.”

I stood there for a long moment, staring at it. My heart pounded in my chest, my fingers trembling as I tore the paper away. Inside was a small, perfectly crafted silver locket. I opened it, and inside was a photograph of me—one I didn’t recognize. It was a candid shot, taken at the gala, when I had no idea I was being watched. My heart skipped in my chest as I saw how close the camera must have been to me to capture that moment.

I snapped the locket shut, a chill running through me.

This wasn’t just a game to him.

I couldn’t ignore the feeling that something darker was brewing, that Yuukito wasn’t just watching me—he was weaving himself into the very fabric of my life. He was drawing me in, slowly, methodically, like a spider spinning its web.

And the worst part? I couldn’t deny that a part of me was... intrigued.

My phone buzzed on the table, pulling me out of my thoughts. The screen lit up with a text message, one I almost didn’t want to open.

It was from an unknown number.

“I hope you’re enjoying the gifts. I’m looking forward to seeing you again.”

I gritted my teeth, my jaw clenched so tight I could feel the strain in my neck. This wasn’t how I worked. I wasn’t anyone’s prize to be won. I wasn’t going to let some man, no matter how powerful, control my life.

But the truth was, I didn’t know how to stop him.

And a part of me wondered if I even wanted to.

Hello! This is my first time posting on tumblr and this is my original story. I also have other handles on AO3: TomikoK and on Wattpad: TomikoThorne that’s where you’ll be able to find Under his Shadow as well.

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hyung line ♡ mic drop