Prologue: Absence of Justice

How was it his fault? How could any of this be his fault? All he had wanted was to save that woman from the drunkard harassing her. Instead, he had been the one arrested. He had been the one tried and found guilty.

"I'll sue! Fucking brat, I'll sue!"

The drunkard's words still rang in his ears. Ren curled on his futon. Why? Why had the man won? He was the one guilty!

Outside his room, his parents still argued. He could hear their voice.

"Yotsuyu, he just tried to do what's right! You can't blame him for that! Look, you know it wasn't even a trial –"

"I don't care, Matsuba! Your brat got us in trouble! Now, we're the talk of the town as the parents of a criminal!"

"My brat, Yotsuyu? You didn't argue when Yugiri gave him to us after he was born. Ren is as much your child as he is mine, and whoever sued him is an asshole!"

"He is your brat, Matsuba! If you hadn't instilled all those stupid notions in his head, he would have left that woman alone and avoided his mess! In the meantime, rumors are going about us!"

Matsuba growled.

"Right, I am the one who instilled those so-called notions. Well, sorry for believing in complicity by inaction! I am proud of what he did, and if I had that man before me, he would get my fist in his face before he knew what hit him! Ren is my son. What happened to him isn't fair. I will not change my mind on the matter."

Yotsuyu sighed.

"Fine. Keep being so bloody stubborn. But I want him out of my face or I'll fill for divorce. I am your wife, Matsuba. The only reason I agreed to adopt the spawn of your former paramour is because I can't have children of my own and adoption simply takes too long."

"Keep using this tone about Ren and I might just take on your offer, Tsuyu. Also, don't forget this house is mine. I am a park ranger, and we live right next to the preserve."

"No wonder you got the manners of a bear, then. I called an old friend of mine, Sojiro. He works as a barista in Yongen-jaya, in Tokyo. He agreed to house your son until the end of his probation. I also got him enrolled at Shujin Academy. Matsuba, for the sake of both of you, I hope your wildling of a brat learns how to behave."

There was a long moment of silence, then the sound of nails scratching the wall echoed. This was Matsuba. He often did it when he was frustrated. Eventually, the door of Ren's room opened. The teen looked at his father. Matsuba was a colossus, 2, 30 meters of muscles, built like a tank and able to lift the heaviest log. His face was square, his eyes bright green and his hairs deep black and kept in a buzz cut for practical purpose. Anyone would have called him terrifying. Given his job, this wasn't surprising. But, when it came to his son, Matsuba was closer to a wolf than a bear.

"…I heard everything." Ren said weakly.

"I know. You got keen senses, one of the few things you take from me."

He knelt next to his son.

"You heard your mother. You're going to Tokyo next April. This is going to be a big change. Tataraba isn't exactly a small town, but it is nothing compared to the sprawling metropolis that's Tokyo."

"I'm scared." Ren whined.

"I know. Me too. Growing up, you spent more time in Shirakami with me than in town with your friends. Look… If it makes you feel better, just picture Tokyo as a forest of concrete, rather than wood. I taught you all I know about survival: how to go unnoticed, how to move around, how to fight. It will take you time, but you know how to adapt. You'll adapt to life in Tokyo, eventually. I trust you. You're a grown boy, and very brave at that. I don't regret what you did that night. I just regret how justice is so often thrown in the gutter these days."

"There's no justice anymore. Otherwise, the man would have been tried instead of me."

Matsuba held his son tight.

"You don't say…"