Suminosuke

The other trainees at The Dojo whisper that Suminosuke is too hesitant, their hands always fidgeting with the straps of their pack. They claim the raspberry visor is a crutch, a way to hide from a world that moves too fast. Only Muchi, their friend since they were both small enough to hide in the same bamboo stalk, knows the truth. Muchi sees how Suminosuke’s gaze isn't fearful but focused, scanning details everyone else misses. It was Suminosuke who first noticed the hairline cracks in the eastern training wall before it collapsed during a storm. They still pack their bag with trembling hands before every expedition, but Muchi is always there to steady them. The whispers persist, but they have a new edge now—one of grudging respect.