Junkei hated Matsunaga Hisahide.
That bastard openly flaunted his nature as a villain in the tales of many, manipulating and playing with others without a singular care for their suffering. The Tsutsui clan had endured the worst of that nature. Junkei had been forced into taking his place as the leader of the clan when he was still too young (according to the views of too many of his tutors) because of Hisahide’s attacks on them, losing the comfort of just a couple more years as ‘nominal’ head so he could be given the responsibility of their losses and deal with the aftermath. Had it not been for his beloved hero offering a hand and helping secure a place for Junkei and his people amongst the Oda, the Tsutsui might truly have faded away into the books of history.
And yet… Hisahide had managed to slip into the Oda’s ranks too, afterwards. Worse, after doing so he’d walked straight up to Akechi Mitsuhide, that hero who warmed Junkei’s dreams and in doing so made every morning bright, and greeted him a friend. Slipped an arm around his shoulders and insisted they take tea together. Mitsuhide had agreed to it, too, like it was nothing, like it was all fine!
It could be called nothing else than a villain’s evil attempt to corrupt the pure hero of their story. How else to explain it? Mitsuhide would surely not have time for someone like Hisahide if he truly understood the depths of the depravity he was smiling at. It made Junkei’s blood boil, fury snaking through his blood as he watched them leave. It couldn’t be allowed! It… it shouldn’t!
He didn’t cry with frustration that night, or yell to the moon. No, he quietly pulled out some of his most treasured tales and read them through like he didn’t already know them by heart, lingering over the most inspiring lines, finger running down the page in an almost caressing manner. Junkei had to stay calm and deal with it without betraying a thing. Without letting Hisahide know this new weakness. Without upsetting Mitsuhide.
Give it time and rationality, and he could surely pluck the spider’s victims from his web.