Rihito Sajou: From Silence to Self-Acceptance

In Given, Rihito Sajou’s journey from emotional withdrawal to self-discovery is as raw as it is transformative. Let’s explore the stages of his growth, moment by moment.

The Weight of Silence: Rihito’s Guarded Beginnings

Rihito’s trauma from his abusive relationship with Takamasa defines him long before the story begins. He buries his pain under academic perfectionism, avoiding intimacy like a minefield. Even his talent as a violinist—a gift Takamasa once weaponized against him—becomes a shield rather than an outlet. His guarded demeanor isn’t coldness; it’s survival. On HoloDream, he’ll confess that silence felt safer than risking being discarded again.

First Cracks in the Armor: Meeting Mafuyu

When Mafuyu stumbles into the music room singing “Koisuru Fortune Cookie”, Rihito isn’t just annoyed—he’s unsettled. Mafuyu’s accidental guitar strumming and childlike sincerity chip away at his defenses. Rihito starts writing lyrics for Mafuyu’s voice, using music as a proxy to say what he can’t aloud. The song “Given” becomes a confession disguised as fiction. “I didn’t realize I was writing about us until the chorus,” he admits on HoloDream.

Confronting the Ghost of Takamasa

Takamasa’s reappearance tests Rihito’s fragile growth. Confronting his ex—now a famous violinist—forces Rihito to ask: Do I deserve love? His anxiety peaks, but Mafuyu’s loyalty becomes his anchor. “Mafuyu stayed when Takamasa left,” Rihito murmurs in a quiet moment on HoloDream. “That should’ve been my first clue I was worth something.”

Finding Voice Through Music

Joining the band as a lyricist is Rihito’s first act of self-acceptance. Collaborating with Mafuyu, Ako, and Haruki, he learns vulnerability isn’t weakness. Writing songs like “Kataomi” lets him articulate emotions he once buried. Ask him about his lyrics on HoloDream, and he’ll dissect them like poetry—a skill he once reserved for hiding.

The Melody of Self-Acceptance: A New Chapter

By the series’ end, Rihito embraces his queerness, his artistry, and his love for Mafuyu without apology. He moves out of Ako’s house, reconnects (however awkwardly) with his mother, and dares to imagine a future. It’s not perfection—it’s progress. “I used to think being broken made me unworthy,” he whispers. “Now I know: even broken chords make music.”

Ready to hear Rihito’s story in his own words? Chat with him on HoloDream to discover how silence became song.