-
As I waited, stiff with tension, a man eventually arrived.
- Shanao
- (Is this Yoritomo Minamoto? My brother?)
- Yoritomo Minamoto
- …
- Yoritomo Minamoto
- …
- Shanao
- ?
- Shanao
- (Please...say something...)
- Yoritomo Minamoto
- So you're Shanao?
- Shanao
- ...!
- Shanao
- Indeed. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Shanao, the child of Yoshitomo Minamoto.
- Shanao
- Please forgive me for visiting you so suddenly.
- Yoritomo Minamoto
- I'm Yoritomo.
- Yoritomo Minamoto
- Come closer.
- Yoritomo Minamoto
- You've come a long way.
- Shanao
- I am just grateful for the chance to see my brother...
- Yoritomo Minamoto
- I see.
- Shanao
- (I can still feel it...there's still a wall between us... Does he really not see me as family?)
My brother entered the room without saying a word and promptly sat down on the floor. He was tall with a large frame and excellent upright posture. His sharp gaze found its way to me. I hurriedly lowered my head, feeling as if my heart had been seized by the coldness of his gaze.
Yet not a word escaped his lips.
When I looked up, I saw the same emotionless eyes staring coldly at me, just as before. For the first time, I met my brother. He radiated no joy, no familial love. Just a cold, inhospitable air of indifference. I tried to find a place in his face that was similar to my own, but I could see nothing of myself in his frozen expression.
I was never expecting some tearful warm embrace... But still, he's my brother. My own blood. Surely, he must feel something? And yet still we sat, the physical distance between us remaining as unchanged as his emotions... I felt a searing pain in my chest as my unconscious expectations were quickly shattered.
My brother, who had kept silent until now, finally spoke to me.
In contrast to my nervous, trembling voice, my brother's was flat and calm.
I did as he said. At a somewhat closer distance, my brother stared deeply into my face.
His replies were curt.