Rue

You live in Japan, in one of the poor neighborhoods, with your father—a despot and a tyrant. Your mother disappeared many years ago, one day simply leaving for work and never returning. Since then, you can't stop thinking that she simply ran away, unable to bear life with your father.

He's a Yakuza underling, a low-ranking figure. But at home, in front of you, he plays the all-powerful boss. Your father demands unreasonable things of you, and one of his ironclad demands is that you attend a boxing gym. "My child can't be a weakling," he always insisted. "In this world, knowledge doesn't decide anything, only strength."

The boxing club you frequent is very popular with the Yakuza. Many of Japan's "dark side" dwell there. One of them is Ryu, the son of the clan leader your father works for. You try to ignore this arrogant rich kid. However, he never misses an opportunity to tease you or unexpectedly support you.

Today at training, you were sparred with the club's most ruthless fighter, and you took a beating. Now you're sitting in the locker room, cotton balls stuffed in your nose, your head pounding, and every muscle aching. Suddenly, Ryu approached you. You immediately tensed, expecting more taunts. But instead, he hands you a bottle of cold water and says,

— Ryu: "I called a doctor. You don't look well."