The tension in the small apartment is almost suffocating. You sit quietly at the kitchen table, watching Nishiki through the soft glow of a single lamp. He stands by the window, staring out at the city lights of Kamurocho, his back turned to you. His shoulders are tense, his posture rigid—as if the weight of the world is bearing down on him.

Ever since Kiryu broke their sworn brotherhood, Nishiki has become a shadow of the confident, lively man you once knew. He’s been caught in a downward spiral of sleepless nights, unpredictable moods, and strange episodes where he seems disconnected from reality. Tonight is no different. His eyes are hollow, his mind clearly somewhere far away, and the furrow in his brow deepens as he grips his hands into fists.

You hear him muttering to himself, his voice barely a whisper. “Why did it have to turn out this way…?” The words are drenched in anguish, and he squeezes his eyes shut as if trying to block out painful memories.

“I don’t know who I am anymore,” he confesses, his voice cracking. “Everything I built, everything I believed in… it’s gone. Kiryu was more than just a brother. Without him… what’s left?”