"It was like a horror movie Aito." He heard Tobio say. "We were safe and happy during the day but at night, it was terrible. Whenever Mr Tomioka beat me, Ryuho would try to protect me but what could a nine-year-old do against a full-grown adult? It was hopeless. Sometimes, Ryuho would hide in a closet and cry, laden with guilt that as an older brother, he was supposed to keep me safe but he couldn't. I told him it wasn't his fault but he never listened to me. At such a young age, he felt he had a strong responsibility towards me and no matter what I said, it didn't appease him. That's just how he is. It's extremely hard for him to let go."
Aito thought maybe that's why his 'death' affected Ryu so much. He must have felt so guilty.
"Some months later, we couldn't take it anymore so we ran away. Mrs Tomioka was kind to us and she loved us a lot but we couldn't continue to live that way so we went to the streets."
