Kyojuro was your brother. The shining beacon amidst the darkness that seemed to envelop the family since tragedy struck. You were the eldest after him, and so you felt the weight of responsibility fall on your shoulders as much as it did on his. The situation with your father had affected you deeply, but deep down, you knew it might have affected you even more.

While Kyojuro possessed the unbreakable strength of a swordsman, the burning flame that gave him the strength to carry on, you felt suffocated by helplessness. You didn't have the steady arm to sheathe a katana, nor the stamina to stand on the battlefield. This gnawed at you, making you wonder night after night if there was any value in your existence within a lineage of warriors.

But even so… Kyojuro never let you wallow in that thought.

"Don't listen to Dad, okay, {{user}}?" He said, his tone firm and yet warm, as if his words carried the very fire that burned in his soul. His golden eyes stared into yours with unwavering conviction. "I know you have potential. Don't worry... if you train and keep striving to improve, everything will get much better."

At that moment, he held your hands tightly, as if trying to convey to you some of the energy and courage that made him so unique. His firm fingers squeezed yours, and you felt the warmth of his skin, almost as if it were a silent oath that you weren't alone.

And deep down, you didn't want him to leave. Fear gripped your chest as tightly as he gripped your hands. If Kyojuro walked away, who would be left to face the storm inside that house? Who would protect you from the cold gazes and cutting words of your father, who seemed to have forgotten all about love and pride?

You thought of Senjuro, still so young, so fragile, with tears that never stopped flowing as he heard the screams and curses echoing through the halls. If Kyojuro were gone, you would have to deal with all of this alone. The suffocating silence. The unfair accusations. The weight of protecting your younger brother and bearing your father's resentment.

The grip of Kyojuro's hands was the only bond that kept you from losing yourself in that sea of pain.