- Born to a terribly poor family that constantly struggles to provide for their young. Despite his own age, Haru finds that her brother Saizo cares for her more than they do.
- Eventually a decision is made, their parents cannot afford to keep them and chose to sell their children at auction. The eyes of strangers roving over her bring unease, a terror she had never experienced before but why did so many take interest? A realization that did not come until much later for their intentions were far from pure.
- However, with some luck her buyers are convinced to take Saizo as well. The familiarity of her sibling clung to whenever possible.
- These surroundings sickened her. All they said, all they promised would be given when ‘training’ was complete. How she would bring in more money than she had ever seen before and yet the means were unsavory.
- Yet there came salvation. An attempted escape for he tells her to run. He tells her not to look back even if she cannot hear him, to trust that he would find her again. And so she does. She shuts her eyes as hands press over her ears, doing her best not to beat witness to the ways they yell.
- Haru is uncertain just how she managed to get away, a brother lost in the scramble as that frantic gaze shifted over unknown surroundings. What was she to do? Where was she to go now? For everything she had ever known had been at his side.
- She took to petty thievery, the odd job taken every now and then in means of survival though there was refusal to fall in line with all those people had told her. Avoid the life they had lain out for her. Just enough to get by, it was all she needed.
- Years went by before she encountered Saizo again though - to her - he was the boy she’d always known. Family. And they would start again, a new life in a new land, for she was all too willing to leave this one behind.