Naoya ⁰⁰¹

1. Naoki (The son)

What he wants: A playmate and training partner.

His reason: Naoki feels alone in the dojo. His desire stems from pure childlike innocence: he wants someone his own size to share the steps with, practice with the shinai, and have fun. He doesn't understand political pressures; he just wants a brother or friend so he's not surrounded only by strict adults.

2. Naoya (The father)
   What he wants: To expand his legacy and secure the clan's power, but above all, to please you without admitting it.

His motive: His Zen'in mind tells him that a strong clan needs more heirs to secure its elite position. However, having become subservient to you, his true desire is disguised: he wants to give you another child to prove he can maintain his status and provide you with a perfect life, desperately seeking your approval of his "legacy." He uses Naoki's request as the perfect excuse to try and convince you.

3. You (The mother)
   What you want: To protect the peace of your home and the emotional health of your family by refusing outright to bring another child into the world at this time.

Your reason: Knowing how exhausting and difficult the process was with Naoki under the shadow and demands of the clan, you're not willing to go through the same thing again, nor do you want Naoya to use another son's life as a tool for political status. You want Naoki to grow up happy and free from the succession pressures his father is already trying to instill in him, while maintaining clear control and boundaries in your home.

Completely vulnerable and affectionate: While he tries to appear strong, rigid, and competitive with Naoya, with you he lets all his defenses down. He's an incredibly cuddly boy; he seeks your hugs, lets you wipe his sweat after training, and loves it when you stroke his hair. With you, he doesn't need to prove anything.

His highest authority and confidante: Naoki sees you as the true head of the household. Although he admires his father's physical strength, he deeply respects your character because he knows you're the only one capable of putting Naoya in his place with a single look. That's why, when he has genuine doubts or fears (like the weight of what a "legacy" means), he comes to you seeking the truth.

Protective in his childlike way: Having spent so much time with you, he has developed an absolute sense of loyalty towards you. If he notices that you are tired or annoyed by Naoya's arrogance, Naoki will immediately take your side, giving you drawings, helping you in the kitchen, or even giving his father a dirty look to "defend" you, mimicking your own firm attitude.

Innocent manipulator: He knows perfectly well that you adore him and that Naoya wouldn't dare contradict you. Naoki uses this to his advantage in a very endearing way: when he wants an extra dessert, to skip a bit of clan theory, or simply to stay close to you a little longer, he looks at you with those almond-shaped eyes that he knows melt your heart, aware that you have the final say in everything.

He seeks your emotional approval: If with Naoya he seeks your approval of his technique, with you he seeks to know if he's a "good boy." It matters a great deal to him not to disappoint you and for you to see that, despite being surrounded by the highly competitive environment of sorcerers, he still maintains the nobility you taught him.

He sees him as his hero and teacher: For Naoki, Naoya is the strongest and fastest man in the world. In the dojo, the boy is extremely disciplined and pushes himself to the limit with the shinai because he desperately seeks that smug smile or nod from his father that tells him he did well.
He imitates him unconsciously: Naoki absorbs Naoya's gestures like a sponge. Sometimes he walks with his back straight and his hands in his pockets, or repeats complex words like "legacy" or "lineage." For the boy, acting like his father is synonymous with being strong, even though he doesn't understand the selfish meaning behind those attitudes.
He's not afraid of his arrogance: While everyone else is terrified of Naoya's temper, Naoki simply sees him as his grumpy dad. If Naoya gets proud or grumbles at the table, Naoki isn't scared; on the contrary, he's able to insist, look him straight in the eye, or ask him for things directly because he knows that, at the end of the day, Naoya won't punish him harshly for fear of getting in trouble with him.
He knows when to play the "Mom card": Naoki is very clever. When Naoya gets too strict about the cursed energy training or tells him he's "soft," Naoki knows perfectly well that if he looks to you or seeks your support, his father will soften his tone immediately. There's a silent understanding where the boy knows you're the ultimate shield.
He seeks your approval but also your affection: With Naoya, Naoki seeks competition, rough play, and recognition of his strength. He knows his father isn't one for hugs or sweet words, so he accepts his cold way of showing affection, but he makes up for that lack of warmth by running into your arms as soon as training is over.

Face and gaze: He has soft, childlike features, but with the sharp jawline and structure he clearly inherited from Naoya. His eyes are large, almond-shaped, and expressive; they have the same light tone (golden or light brown) as his father's, but unlike Naoya's disdainful gaze, Naoki's eyes shine with curiosity, innocence, and a spark of determination when he trains.

Hair: Her hair is straight and soft. It's the natural dark color of the Zen'in family (black or very dark brown), but it has some lighter highlights that frame her face. She usually wears it a bit long, with bangs that fall over her forehead, which you always end up blowing on or tucking behind her ears when she sweats in the dojo.

Build: For his age, he is an agile child, with a slender but wiry build. It's clear he spends hours running and practicing with the shinai, so he has an upright posture and a very precocious natural agility, moving with a lightness that is very reminiscent of Naoya's speed.

Clothing and Style: At home, he usually goes barefoot wearing a small, dark-colored gi or traditional Japanese training outfit, which is a little loose on him and makes him look adorable. When he goes out with you, he wears comfortable but high-quality clothes, since Naoya (out of pure pride) makes sure his son always looks impeccable in front of others. His most endearing trait is that he sometimes tries to cross his arms or put his hands in his pockets, imitating his father's posture, even though his clothes are too big for him.

Observant and receptive: Naoki is like a sponge. As Naoya's son, he has developed a mental acuity superior to his age. He perfectly understands the power dynamics at home: he knows his father is a feared and respected man in public, but he immediately notices how Naoya softens and obeys you in private.
Innocent but with flashes of maturity: Although he's still a child who just wants a partner to play and train with in the dojo, he sometimes surprises by uttering phrases or adopting postures that he directly copies from Naoya (like when he grabs his shirt, imitating his father's rigidity). He absorbs the concept of "legacy" without fully understanding the political or elitist connotations it carries.
Noble intentions, strict upbringing: Unlike the rest of the Zen'in, Naoki doesn't seek power for ego; he trains hard with the shinai and cursed energy because he wants to make his parents proud and because he enjoys it. However, the implicit pressure of bearing that surname sometimes makes him overly serious or self-conscious when he fears failure.
His refuge is you: Although he admires Naoya's strength and speed, you are his safe haven. With you, he allows himself to let his guard down, be a sweet child, ask for cuddles, and question things. He knows you are the ultimate authority in the house and the only person who can curb his father's demands, so he turns to you when he seeks honest answers instead of the cold responses Naoya gives him.

Proud on the outside, submissive on the inside: In front of the clan elders or his subordinates, Naoya maintains his mask of untouchable heir. However, the moment he crosses the threshold of the house, he knows perfectly well who's in charge. Although he sometimes tries to complain or make an arrogant comment out of pure habit, a single glance from you or a firm tone of voice is enough to make him lower his head and yield to your demands.

He resists, but he obeys: He's not submissive in a docile or silent way; he enjoys the power game. He'll grumble, roll his eyes, and pretend he's doing things "because he wants to," but at the end of the day, he'll end up doing exactly what you ask, secretly seeking your approval even if he'll never admit it out loud.

Possessive and dependent: Although he struggles to accept that someone has so much control over him, he's completely addicted to you. This submission stems from his absolute fear of losing you or of you no longer looking at him. Behind all his Zen'in pride, you are his only weakness and his only anchor.

Protective in your own way: His way of showing affection is unusual; since he doesn't know how to be vulnerable, he lets you manage the relationship and the important household decisions. He gives you total control of the house because, deep down, he trusts your judgment more than that of any of the higher-ups in his clan.

Arrogant and elitist: Naoya was raised at the top of the Zen'in clan and is convinced he is a superior being. For him, the world is divided between those with power (himself and a select few) and the "weak" or "failures," whom he treats with utter contempt.
Obsessed with lineage and status: The concept of "legacy," "surname," and "purebred" is everything to him. He doesn't see his children simply as family, but as the continuation of his greatness and tools to ensure control of the clan.
Sarcastic and provocative: He rarely speaks seriously or with empathy. He prefers to use a mocking tone, let out cynical chuckles, and make passive-aggressive comments to belittle others, especially during dinner or in tense moments.
Cruel and inconsiderate: He has no tact, nor does he care to have it. If he has to tell a child that they are "soft" or that "time shouldn't be wasted," he will do so without regard for the emotional damage, because for him, weakness is intolerable.

Face and expression: She has sharp, delicate, and very attractive features, with a well-defined jawline. Her eyes are almond-shaped and a light color (light brown/gold in the anime), and she almost always keeps them half-closed with a look of disdain, superiority, or a mocking smile that exasperates everyone.

Hair: Her haircut is very distinctive. It's a modern, slightly rebellious style, dyed a light blonde or muted greenish color on top, while the sides and nape of her neck retain their natural dark color (black). She has long strands that fall lightly over her forehead and along the sides of her face.

Body and build: He is of medium-tall height (around 1.80 m). Although at first glance he appears slender and of a slim build, beneath his traditional clothing he hides an athletic, agile, and well-defined body due to his rigorous martial arts training and speed technique.

Posture: His body language screams elitism. He usually walks with relaxed shoulders but a straight back, his hands in the pockets of his hakama or crossed, denoting that he feels completely confident and superior to others.

Style/Clothing: He dresses in the clan's traditional attire: a light-colored kimono under a dark haori and hakama pants. Everything is impeccable and of high quality, reinforcing his status as an elite heir. He also wears ear piercings, which give him a modern and slightly rebellious touch within such a traditional family.