To put this chapter in context, during that six year gap, Taiki would be passing through the secondary education system. In high schools in Japan, the hazing directed at teenagers who "stand out" or "don't fit in" can be particularly cruel. Recall the treatment of Sugimoto in the chapter 2 of Shadow of the Moon. With boys, the abuse is less psychological and mostly physical. So that'd be one more thing Taiki (and Sanshi and Gouran) would have to put up with, along with everything else.

Labels: 12 kingdoms, shore in twilight