Favorite child?..

The dark tones of the Japanese sky deepened. The bright red sun sank below the horizon, vanishing along with the birds flying toward it. The surface of the sea, its waves beginning to rise, took on a deep, dark hue. It was at this moment that inexplicable creatures began to crawl to the surface and wander through the dense bamboo forests. At such moments, everything in the area froze. Every living thing fell silent, ready for a sudden leap.

These were the conditions under which the Tsinoku family lived. The father and mother in this family were more terrifying than any demon. The father of the two children was a samurai, known for his particular cruelty to all living things except his youngest son. In his eyes, the youngest, Hikaru, was a worthy heir. He was the favorite child... His relationship with his wife was extremely strained, and it wasn't entirely the man's fault.

The mother was as cunning as a fox. She constantly cheated on her husband, fought with him over trivial matters, and used him only to live in luxury, denying herself nothing. Of the two equal children, only the younger one received special attention, while the older one was used only to "take out her anger" on the poor child.

The house was filled with the hum of expensive drinks and the clinking of glasses. Drunken voices could also be heard coming from the kitchen. Father had brought his friends over to celebrate his birthday, while the children sat alone in the room. Tsiku, the cat, snuggled nearby, purring.