Fortunately for Yasuo, his brother Yone appeared just in time to rescue him from his accidental detour.
"How did you find me?" Yasuo asked, throwing a casual arm around Yone's shoulder. "I didn't even know where I was, yet somehow, you always find me. It's a little uncanny."
"It's not complicated," Yone replied, his expression impassive as he shrugged Yasuo's arm off. "If I take every wrong turn, I'll eventually end up right where you are. It's been this way for years."
"Oh, I see," Yasuo said with a grin, unfazed. "Well, let's head home together then. By the way, I have something for you, Yone!"
Without waiting for a response, Yasuo pulled out the transcription of Elder Suma's lessons—the notebook that had earned him admission to the Wind Technique School—and handed it over.
Yone hesitated, glancing down at the notebook. He looked as if he wanted it, but after a moment, he lowered his hand, a shadow passing over his face.
"Yasuo," he began softly, "I don't think I'll be going to the Wind Technique School."
"Why not?" Yasuo narrowed his eyes. "Lost confidence in yourself? Or do you think I'm joking with these notes?"
"It's neither," Yone replied, shaking his head. "Someone has to stay to look after Mother. Her back pains her, especially in the rain. If we both go, she'll struggle."
It was a truth they both knew well. Yone had always been more responsible, the one with his thoughts on the future. Yasuo, meanwhile, tended to breeze through life without much care.
"So, this is what's holding you back?" Yasuo asked, shaking his head in disbelief. "Ever thought that if the two of us weren't here, she might not have to work so hard?"
Yone looked taken aback.
"Think about it," Yasuo continued, tapping Yone's shoulder. "She could rent out the fields and work at the tea house near the village. The Wind Technique School doesn't even have tuition fees."
Yone's initial shock melted into realization. In truth, much of their mother's struggle did stem from keeping up with the needs of her two ravenous sons.
"You have to stop worrying so much," Yasuo teased, flashing a smile. "Or at least, find me a sister-in-law first. If Mother ever hears that you turned down the Wind School for her sake, she'd probably chase you from one end of the village to the other with that old feather duster of hers."
Mention of this long-held family memory made Yone's face turn as red as an autumn apple. He clenched his teeth, muttering under his breath, "You're the one who got me into that mess."
"Sure, I suggested we mess with the well," Yasuo said, looking affronted, "but I didn't say to do it with people nearby!"
Seeing the villagers' curious looks as they passed, Yone's blush deepened. He lunged to grab Yasuo, hoping to give him a good shake, but Yasuo dodged him with ease—Yone had never been able to catch his younger brother, even without the wind at his side.
If Yasuo's life had an origin story, it would likely be one of humble beginnings. No family wealth, no privilege—just an ordinary Ionian household.
Long ago, Yasuo and Yone's mother had been the village beauty, and Yone's father was a strong, kind young man. Their marriage was a fairy-tale come to life in the small village of Gentle Breeze. But life had other plans. Not long after Yone was born, his father died in an accident, leaving his mother alone.
A year later, Yasuo's father entered their lives, but as swiftly as he arrived, he left. Like a summer breeze, he was there one moment and gone the next, vanishing before the first chill of winter reached their home.
With his departure, Yasuo and Yone's mother aged quickly. She discarded her ornaments, put away her makeup, and devoted herself to raising her two sons alone: three-year-old Yone and baby Yasuo.
In the blink of an eye, twelve years passed. The once-beautiful woman was now a middle-aged figure, her once-youthful features faded, her life devoted to her sons, who had become her pride.
Yone became the village's model child, well-mannered and hardworking, while Yasuo, after nearly drowning at eight, had become known for his mischievous streak. Tonight, she prepared an early dinner for her boys, knowing they'd have a big day at the training grounds tomorrow.
The two brothers arrived, still playfully bickering.
"I'm back!" Yone's dependable voice called out.
"Finally! I'm starving!" Yasuo chimed in.
"Come eat!" Their mother welcomed them, her heart full despite her worries for the coming test.
After dinner, Yasuo flopped onto his bed, patting his stomach and sighing dramatically. "Shame… once I'm at the Wind School, I won't get to eat Mom's cooking for a while."
"You rascal," she scolded, picking up their plates. "You're not in yet. If only you were as thoughtful as Yone, I'd have fewer gray hairs."
"Mother," Yone, who usually stayed quiet during her lectures, spoke up, cheeks flushed. "Yasuo's already in. Elder Suma praised him all afternoon—he's a natural fit for the school."
"Really?" She gaped, looking at Yasuo. "That's a miracle! Just once, he proved himself useful."
That evening's gentle scolding evolved from chiding Yasuo's "unreliability" to recounting his past mischiefs. This time, Yasuo didn't dodge it; he sat, smiling, letting her words flow over him as though they were someone else's stories.
As their mother's tales wound down and Yone sat to review his notes, Yasuo sidled up with a sly smile.
"Did Elder Suma really praise me all afternoon?" he whispered, nudging Yone.