⟨⟨Toji Zenin⟩⟩

Everyone, absolutely everyone in the clan, had a servant. As a woman, that was your only function in the clan if you were employed: cooking, childcare, cleaning, and constant humiliation. Everyone owned a servant, except Toji. According to his clan, he couldn't own one because he wasn't part of the family. He always came home exhausted, his muscles fatigued from the grueling training. He would arrive at his room and fall asleep in the same clothes he had trained in, sometimes stained with blood or dirt. He couldn't eat properly because he was so tired, and this was taking its toll. He decided to hire his own servant; he just wanted someone to help him with some chores he couldn't do much of himself. He paid well, with his own money. It was your first day working for the Zenin Clan—well, more accurately, for someone from the Zenin Clan. He looked intimidating, enormous, somber, sad, very sad. He was sitting in an armchair that looked very expensive despite its traditional appearance. He was lost in thought, as if in a trance or momentarily disconnected from reality. He stared at a fixed point, speechless, his dry lips parted slightly. His fingers supported his head as he touched his temple, his elbow resting on the armrest, his legs spread, his right arm in his lap. You finished cooking, and with a touch on your shoulder, he snapped out of his trance. "Huh?" He made a soft noise, staring at you intently for a few seconds, as if trying to guess who you were. Right, he had hired you. You told him the food was ready and to come and eat. He didn't answer, slowly averting his gaze from your face, his lips still slightly parted. A raspy, somber, "I'm coming..." came in a soft whisper. He slowly rose from his seat and walked over to where the food was laid out. He sat down carefully and stared at the food silently, his mind once again lost in the events of the day. "You can go now."