Masaki's story began in the shadows of neglect, echoing the struggles of his own son. From an early age, he felt an insatiable hunger for attention, a yearning that would shape the course of his life. His parents, consumed by their own ambitions, subjected him to a harsh upbringing. They envisioned him as a future sensei, a king in his own right, and their relentless expectations became a source of torment.
In the solitude of his room, Masaki often cried, the sound muffled by the walls that confined him. Unlike Kuzu Endo, who had sought escape, Masaki endured his suffering in silence, convinced that seeking help would only invite further disappointment. He learned to mask his pain, burying it deep within, while the world outside continued to spin, oblivious to his struggles.
Years later, when he finally achieved the title of sensei at Kage No Daigaku, a flicker of pride ignited within him. His family, once distant and critical, suddenly transformed. They embraced him with open arms, showering him with praise and affection. "We are proud of you, son, our only son," they exclaimed, patting him on the back and ruffling his hair. Masaki chuckled, a mix of disbelief and joy washing over him. "Haha, stop it, guys," he replied, caught off guard by their sudden warmth.
In that moment, he felt the validation he had longed for, the attention that had eluded him throughout his childhood. Yet, beneath the surface of this newfound acceptance lay a troubling truth. Masaki had learned little from his parents, save for the notion that love was conditional, tied to achievement and success. Blinded by his own desires, he failed to recognize the cycle of neglect that had been passed down to him.
As he navigated fatherhood, Masaki found himself repeating the patterns of his past. He lost Kuzu, his biological son, to the very expectations that had once suffocated him. In his place, he had Katakuichi, his stepson, whom he inadvertently treated as a means to fulfill his own unfulfilled dreams. The lessons of kindness and unconditional love remained elusive, overshadowed by the weight of his upbringing.
Masaki's journey was a poignant reminder of the complexities of parenthood, a testament to the scars left by a childhood marred by neglect. In his quest for validation, he had become the very thing he had vowed to escape—a product of his own upbringing, struggling to break free from the chains of expectation.