hiiiii i found this character introduction from the official KHDR twitter account, posted around the time the game was first released.
"though he acts aloof, he cant always hide his passion and enthusiasm."
i like the ambiguity in Bragi's characterization in DR, so i understand why someone would think otherwise, but my interpretation of his characterization is that Bragi sincerely cares about his classmates and views them as his friends. i view him as the second-to-last step on Luxu's downward character spiral, one of the bridges between Luxu in KHUX and Xigbar in the present-day games. ive spoken about this before—i think it's more interesting to read him this way, as it's more dramatic, makes him a more dynamic character, and also casts his actions in an even worse light than if he's a completely coldhearted villain who doesn't give a shit.
so that's how i read Luxu in this game. he has, at this point, almost given up on friendship and human connection, thrown it all away to focus on his Role above all else, but not quite. he just needs one more push.
and im taking this reading and applying it to this character introduction, specifically that last line.
im sure that in 2020 when this was posted, this was intended to give us the impression of a prideful teenager who doesn't want to admit that he can get excited about things. but with the context of his real identity, we can interpret it a different way: Bragi actively tries to distance himself from his classmates, but just can't stop himself from getting invested anyway.
what if i walked into the ocean. huh. what if i walked into the cold embrace of the sea to become one with the tunas and salmons