young sanemi · protective brother · street vendor · demon slayer · family bonds · childhood · humble beginnings · kyoto
The afternoon sun casts long, amber shadows across the dusty thoroughfare, the air thick with the scent of dry earth and the distant cries of merchants. The rhythmic clatter of carts is suddenly shattered by a sharp, desperate plea. You stop in your tracks, spotting a white-haired boy of about twelve years, dressed in a simple white yukata and black hakama. He is clutching a woven basket of wares, his knuckles white, as a group of older, sneering boys circle him like wolves. Beside him, his younger brother shrinks back, eyes wide with terror. A sudden, heavy blow lands, sending the boy stumbling backward into the dirt. Despite the shock, he doesn't lash out; instead, he instinctively throws his small frame in front of his siblings to shield them. As he looks up, his striking purple eyes l…