There might be some sense to your knocking if we had a door between us

Keito could certainly feel the tension in the air, a weight that seemed to press down on him from all sides as he stood before his father. The warmth he had felt just moments ago was now tainted with the cold edge of disappointment and frustration - emotions that he knew were not directed at him, but at the situation that they had found themselves in. He hoped. Still, it was hard not to feel a pang of hurt inside of him as he sensed the storm brewing in Hattori's demeanor.

When his father finally spoke, the question was direct, cutting through the moment of silence like a katana. Keito hesitated, gathering his thoughts, wanting to give his father the answers he sought, but knowing that the truth would offer little comfort. His search had been exhaustive, but ultimately fruitless.

"I searched everywhere in Auster and Southern Boreas," Keito began, his voice quiet, almost tentative as if he were afraid of disappointing his father further. Did he search too much? Too little? "The forests.. the mountains.. even the coast, but there was no trace of her. It was as if she just... vanished." While on his journey, he often wondered if she was still even alive.

He paused, lowering his gaze to the ground, feeling the weight of his failure more than ever. But.. them.. in a small act of defiance against the despair that threatened to consume him, he lifted his head with pride, meeting his father's intense gaze with an equally intense gaze of his own.

"But, I am back now," he continued, his voice steadying. "And.. I want to help, to be here with you.. if you'll have me." His heart raced with his fear of rejection, but he kept himself composed.

Jiro's words echoed in his ears, a small but vital comfort amidst the heaviness of the moment. Keito glanced at his brother, offering a small, grateful smile, appreciating his attempt to lighten the mood. He could sense Jiro's own struggle to stay positive, and that made Keito even more determined to find his place here once more.

"Speech"