Exiting the carriage outside his home, Ryo stepped onto the dirt path and took a deep breath. He patted down his blood- and dirt-stained robes — or what was left of them.
His steps were slow. Hesitant.
He opened the door.
Inside, his mother turned. Her eyes widened as they landed on him — on the torn robe, on the claw-like scars etched down from his chest to his hip.
She dropped the brush she'd been holding and rushed over, wrapping her arms around him.
Ryo chuckled softly, patting her back.
Su pulled away just enough to look at him, her eyes shining. "You must've been through so much... my boy." Her gaze dropped to the scars again, and she winced. Then her hands cupped his shoulders, firm and warm. "Sit down. I'll make your favorite dinner tonight. Forget the outcome. What matters is that you're home."
She gently guided Ryo toward a stool.
He smiled awkwardly, just about to correct her — when the door swung open behind him.
Ren stepped in, holding Sayuri in one arm and a bag in the other.
"Mommy! Look, I got sugar cane!" Sayuri beamed, chewing the end of one before her eyes landed on Ryo. She wriggled free and ran toward him.
"Ryo! Ryo! Are you okay? Did someone hurt you?" She pointed at the scars down his side, her eyes already glassy.
Ryo grinned and patted her head. "It's fine, you know. I'm strong." He flexed his arms, showing off his biceps.
Ren approached, setting the bag on the table and walking over. His eyes trailed down Ryo's body — the chest scars, the cut along his thigh.
"How did you do?" Ren asked, his tone unreadable.
Ryo scratched his head and gave a sheepish grin. "I barely passed."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "Another scraped pass, huh? Just like last time."
Ryo opened his mouth to respond, but Su cut in.
"You passed?! Why didn't you say anything?" She turned to Ren. "Don't be so hard on him — he passed! And he's home. Isn't that what matters?"
Ren raised a hand, stopping her mid-sentence. She gritted her teeth but didn't say more.
His eyes stayed fixed on Ryo, waiting.
Ryo hesitated. "The first person I beat… was the bodyguard of the heir to the Rafkat Minor Clan. The second was Peng Fu… heir of the Saltec Minor Clan."
Ren froze.
Then, like a man struck by lightning, his face lit up. He lifted Ryo off the stool and threw him over his shoulders, spinning in place.
"Ahh, slow down! I'm gonna fall!" Ryo shouted, clutching his father's head.
Ren kept hopping from foot to foot. "I knew it! You didn't believe in yourself, but I did!"
Ryo laughed, his head bouncing with every spin. He remembered all the times his father had pushed him, even when he'd just wanted to read books and laze around. And now here he was, bouncing on the shoulders of the man who never gave up on him.
Sayuri danced in circles, cheering wildly.
Su laughed, covering her mouth.
Then Ren's eyes flicked to the family portrait on the wall.
Su's face changed. "No. You don't."
Ren gently set Ryo down and bolted across the room, Su chasing him.
"Ren!"
He reached behind the picture, sliding it aside to reveal a small hole in the wall — clearly carved on purpose. From within, he pulled out a pouch of coins.
"Ren, no! That's the last of our savings!" Su hissed.
Ren just grinned, holding the pouch high.
"Let's party!!"
Sayuri cheered, throwing her arms up. "Yay! Party! I want cake!"
Ryo rubbed his forehead, watching the chaos unfold.
"…I guess I do deserve some cake, don't I?"