Modern day Shanghai, a bustling cosmopolitan city and the financial hub of mainland China. It is one of the great symbols of the economic booms of the East.

In the Pudong downtown area, Chen Ryu is walking home from the subway station on his return back home from school. He just completed the matriculation ceremony if his new school.

Ryu is half Japanese from his father’s side resulting in his mixed heritage name. He is the youngest of 04 children with 02 older brothers who have moved on to University and his elder sister who is now in college. Ryu lives independent from his parents who are living in Singapore. You would wonder why he lives separately, and no, it is not because of household problems.

Now Ryu is a normal high school student. Just he is not from a normal family. His family has ancestral heritages in martial arts and as former nobility from both bloodlines. His farther the head of the Ryuzaki family based out of Osaka is a former samurai family with several branch families. And his mother is the head of the Chen Xi Tian clan from Xiamen having roots as far back as the Ming dynasty. Both families have excellent talent in all forms of art and are competitive by nature.

However, Ryu is an odd ball. From his siblings, his brothers had masters several martials arts while his sister learned the Chinese zither. Ryu unlike his siblings has no interest in martials arts. He exercises but finds every possible way to run away from martial arts training.

As for cultural arts, he has no talent for painting or most instruments. He can moderately play the violin and the piano but not to the standards of either family. Also, as the youngest, neither family holds any expectations of him, which has made his attempts at avoiding things he finds ‘cumbersome’.

Ryu has yearned to be normal. He feels suffocated in his abnormal family. Not that he quarrels or is at odds with anyone. Rather he friendly with almost everyone, even extremely distant relatives. In his family, he has the best people and networking skills. Yet, he finds living with his family suffocating. So after completing middle school, he got his parents to approve him moving to Shanghai. The guise was to learn to be independent and build himself. He got what he wanted, but his parents were, less than happy.

[Since you want to live away from us, you will have to handle everything on your own. We will send you the minimal allowance and will manage your lease and tuition. Everything else is for you to manage. If you cause any problems, I will drag you back]

These were words of his father the day Ryu left for Shanghai. Ryu was more than happy for the arrangements.

Reminiscing the memories, Ryu hums his way home.

{ Tink .Tink . Tink } Ryu’s phone rings.

He finds that it is a call from his sister.

[Hi little Ryu!]

[Hello Sis]

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[Huhu.. Are you surprised that I called?]

[Well I was expecting someone would call me today]

[Is that so? How was school? Have you settled down properly?]

[Nothing much since it was just the welcome ceremony today. I am on my way back. Everything is setup for now]

[Hmm. Good to hear. It hasn’t been long but do take care of yourself. I know Dad was harsh but he is a worrywart. Mum is worried too. If not Dad, at least give mum a call later, okay?]

[Sure]

[Also, I will be dropping by the first weekend just to see you]

[… Why?]

[What do you mean ‘why’? I have to see for myself that little bro is alright and happy]

[Do you trust me so little?]

[No it’s not that. Can’t I visit you?]

[That’s not it.  . . fumu. .   Fine, I will see you this weekend]

[Great]

{Poooong}

Ryu on the phone hears something behind him.

But before he could turn, he feels like he got slammed from behind.

Not realizing what happened, Ryu get throttled several meters away and slams face first on to the road.

<… What happened?>

Monologues Ryu.

[Hey Kid! Are you alright?]

[This is bad. Hey!! someone call an ambulance!]

. . . . .