wow

Similar with Sugiura and his mask I think of Higashi and his glasses. When Kaito was still in the family his glasses were clear, you could see his expression clearly: every frown, every wince, every furrow of his brow. He showed his emotions freely whether he was happy, angry, or scared. Kaito has always been rather transparent with his emotions and his throughts, so it only makes sense that Higashi was like that as well, and was allowed to be because of Kaito being his aniki and his role model.

Then the robbery occured, and Kaito, brave Kaito who would fight tooth and nail with his loyalty as a yakuza, decided instead that protecting Higashi was more important than any amount of money. Then Higashi couldn't even protect Kaito back because there was nothing he could do to undo him being kicked out of the clan.

He needed to do something, he wants to help, he wants to help so badly. But Hamura instead just... breaks him. Taking that gun, making him shoot, manipulating him right into the palm of his hand, he broke.

Then he stops wearing his clear glasses, and starts wearing his prescription shades. Not like Shintani's sunglasses which were foreshadowing the fact that he would be a victim of the mole, his shades are still translucent. He has to keep appearances as a yakuza to avoid others like Hamura to take advantage of him, and to keep himself safe from Hamura as well. His kindness stays, in the way he looks after others, he still wants to help and be someone that others can depend on, but unlike Sugiura who can't find himself to trust others in fear of being betrayed, Higashi's walls not only protect himself but also everyone who depends on him. With Kaito out of the picture, he stepped up as the pillar of kindness that was needed, but by hiding that kindness behind a mask of ruthlessness and intimidation, then nobody would know that they could be used as a weakness of his to exploit.