Crimson Bonds

Chapter 1: The Path Home

The sky was painted a dim shade of gray as Yuji Kamado hoisted the basket of charcoal onto his back, feeling the weight press against his shoulders. He wiped a streak of soot off his cheek, exhaling a puff of cold air into the wintry breeze. As he turned to leave, he heard a familiar voice call out.

“Yuji!” His mother’s voice was soft but laced with worry. She hurried over, wrapping a thin shawl tighter around herself. “Be careful, please. The snow is coming down hard, and I don’t want you slipping on the path back.”

Yuji smiled reassuringly, his warm eyes filled with quiet determination. “Don’t worry, Mom. I can handle it. I want to sell enough charcoal so we can all eat well for New Year’s. Besides, the walk is nothing—I’m used to it by now.”

As he prepared to leave, his younger siblings ran up to him, pleading to go along. Shigeru and Hanako looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes, practically bouncing with excitement. Yuji knelt down, his expression gentle.

“You know you two can’t come with me,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ll be walking a lot faster than you. Besides, someone’s gotta stay back and keep Mom company, right?”

They pouted, but eventually, they nodded. “We’ll help you next time, Yuji!” Shigeru promised with a fierce determination that mirrored his own.

“Deal,” Yuji replied, ruffling their hair.

Takeo, his younger brother, crossed his arms with a huff. “I don’t see why you get to go sell the charcoal while I have to stay here chopping firewood.”

Yuji grinned and patted him on the head, much to Takeo’s irritation. “Hey, you’re helping out too, you know. That firewood’s important. Besides, you’re getting pretty strong yourself.” Takeo shrugged off his touch, pretending to be annoyed, but Yuji caught the faint smile on his face as the rest of the family chuckled.

Yuji was the eldest, but he carried the role with a kindness and humility that only deepened after their father had passed. He never complained, never boasted; instead, he took each day with a steady resolve, committed to doing his best for his family. And though his strength was unusual for someone his age—able to haul heavy loads and move with speed that startled even grown men—he never bragged. To him, his abilities were simply tools to protect the people he loved.

As he headed toward the town, Nezuko, his younger sister, approached, carrying their youngest sibling, Rokuta, on her back. She looked at him with a quiet, almost admiring gaze. “Since Father passed, we all look up to you, Yuji. You know that, right?”

Yuji rubbed the back of his neck, a faint blush dusting his cheeks. “Aw, come on, Nezuko. You’re gonna make me sound way cooler than I actually am.”

She laughed softly. “You’re our big brother. That’s enough.” She wished him good luck, and Yuji set off down the mountain path, waving back at his family.

The town bustled with its usual activity, and Yuji wasted no time setting up his basket of charcoal for sale. The townspeople greeted him warmly, offering thanks for the various times he’d helped them in the past, whether it was carrying heavy loads or resolving disputes. Yuji’s heart swelled with pride, not because of the praise, but because he felt a genuine connection to these people.

At one point, a commotion drew his attention. A young man was being accused by a shopkeeper of breaking a ceramic plate. The man’s face was pale, his hands shaking as he stammered a defense.

“Excuse me,” Yuji stepped in, his presence calming the crowd. “Mind if I take a look?”

The shopkeeper nodded, and Yuji studied the scene thoughtfully. Though he didn’t have the enhanced senses like his late father, he had a knack for observing details. Noticing faint scratches and small paw prints nearby, he gestured to a stray cat slinking away from the scene. “Looks like the little guy over there was the real culprit,” he said, smiling gently.