Prologue
The story follows the Takamine siblings: 12-year-old Aiko Takamine, 15-year-old Akito Takamine, and 17-year-old Ayaki Takamine.
Their father had never been a kind man. Controlling, violent, and prone to fits of rage, he ruled the household with an iron grip. Their mother, though present, was little more than a ghost, neglecting her children when they needed her the most. In the absence of real parental love, Ayaki became more than just their older brother—he became their protector, the only one they could truly rely on.
Akito had recently started playing music with his friends, holding onto the dream of becoming a guitarist. Of course, their father disapproved. He saw music as a waste of time, just another reason to lash out. Aiko, on the other hand, found her passion in dancing, though she kept it to herself, afraid of the consequences. And Ayaki… Ayaki never really had the luxury of dreams. His only goal was to support his younger siblings, to make sure they had a future—one better than the life they were trapped in now.
Fights were common in the Tak household. Most of them involved Akito, who, unlike his siblings, was not afraid to talk back. He was in the middle of his rebellious phase, unwilling to stay silent, even when it cost him.
But in a home where violence and fear dictated everything, how long could they keep enduring before something finally broke?
