Hinomoto Monogatari: The Camellia and the Kitsune (Book 2)

⚠️CONTENT WARNING⚠️

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INTEREST IN READING THE CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF IZANAMI AND YORITSUNE. WHILE THIS IS A STORY OF LOVE AND RESILIENCE, IT IS TOUCHED WITH THEMES THAT MAY BE VERY STRONG FOR SOME AUDIENCES. THIS IS WHY THIS STORY IS CLASSIFIED AS MATURE.

BELOW IS A LIST OF TOPICS THAT ARE EXPLICITLY MENTIONED OR APPEARED IN THE STORY. I ALWAYS TRY TO ENSURE THESE ISSUES ARE TREATED WITH THE GREATEST RESPECT POSSIBLE. IF ANY OF THEM IS A TRIGGER FOR YOU, PLEASE DO NOT CONTINUE READING. YOUR MENTAL STABILITY IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT.

Death of characters (includes close family members and minors)

Suicide and suicidal thoughts

Physical and emotional violence

Illness and epidemic (death from fever)

Blood and wounds descriptive

Psychological abuse/trauma

Manipulation and unequal power relations

Loss, grief and depression

References to assassination attempts

Alcoholism

Discrimination (due to lineage or hybrid race)

🪷BEFORE READING🪷

Hello!

First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to keep reading my story. If you enjoy it, please show your support by hitting the “like” button 😊

Before you start reading, I’d like to make a few important points:

This is the second book in the *Hinomoto Monogatari: The Camellia and the Kitsune* series.

This time around, there won’t be as many side stories expanding the *Hinomoto* universe; this is to ensure the main story flows more smoothly. However, if you’d like to learn more about the world I’ve created—inspired by rich Japanese culture—please check out my social media links at the bottom of this post or on the main banner.

You may notice that some words in Izanami’s dialogue appear in italics or that her sentences are grammatically incorrect. This is intentional; she hails from Kamigami-chi (the northern region), where the dialect is difficult to understand. That said, most of her dialogue is written correctly, as she has been speaking the southern dialect since she was seven years old.

As I mentioned, this story is inspired by Japanese folklore and mythology, and “Hinomoto” is an ancient name for Japan. All characters and situations are fictional and belong to me, as do some of the images (which I will identify as I share them). Please do not use any of this material without my permission.

This is a romantic fantasy novel. In this second book, you’ll find a bit more romance, but almost no “spice.” The protagonists are still young; while they communicate openly and engage in consensual situations (in my world, Yoritsune—18—and Izanami—17—are considered adults), they aren’t quite ready to take the step toward anything much more intimate.

Since the story includes many Japanese terms, I’ve done my best to explain any that might be unfamiliar. If you come across a confusing term while reading, please leave a comment, and I’ll be happy to answer as soon as possible. Once again, I want to thank everyone who has read the first book. There may be few of you, but you have no idea how happy your reactions make me, or how thrilled I am that this story—which I’ve been writing for over three years—is reaching more people.

I also want to thank the artists who have helped bring my characters to life. I had always wanted an illustration by Alba—known as *kalisdice* on social media—and I was overjoyed when she agreed to illustrate my story (I’m a very small-time writer, with more wild dreams than followers XD). Having her say yes was truly a dream come true.

Although I’d ​​love to have illustrations of all my characters, my budget is limited. For now, I hope you enjoy the images I post on social media and that you support these incredible artists—even if it’s just by liking their work or following them.

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy this story, into which I’ve poured my heart and soul.

ARTISTS’ SOCIAL MEDIA

INSTAGRAM

@edithsotoart

@sugar_bunny__

@saresy_rose

@kalisdice

@jaune