konzen may seem like the softer between him and sanzo but i actually think he and sanzo are a lot closer than they seem. and i'll make this case based on how they treat goku. both of them find them annoying, with konzen softening a lot on goku and clearly acting like a father figure who can't help but spoil him. and we see a lot of his inner monologue of how goku had changed him, how he regrets who he was, not noticing how beautiful and warm the sun is.
and i think sanzo is exactly the same. the big difference really is the circumstances that make us think they're different. konzen was powerless and had to see himself through the raw lenses of reality of how he was about to lose what he'd only started to love dearly. sanzo is a lot less privileged than konzen, yet when it came to goku, he was able to spend time with him for years and slowly get attached, without the fear of having to lose him.
and we see with his battle with ukoku how sanzo didn't realize how important goku was in his life. much like kozen, despite having a lot more time with goku, he took it for granted. sanzo had to confront that about himself, about how his stubbornness is actually working against him and might just be what he would regret one day.
sanzo always has their tough exterior and keeping his distance, but the alternative - getting closer, talking things out genuinely, just isn't something he's familiar with. so the way he is is simply him doing his best with what he knows.
and pre-journey, we do see sanzo be a lil more honest with goku, who was more vulnerable at that time. sanzo did respond to that knowing he needed to be gentle and understanding. and then once goku got to know him better, sanzo just stopped doing that lmao.
and i don't think it's a sanzo thing. i think in general, it's true to life. with people we love, we are more comfortable in hurting them. in small and big ways, in often unintentional and careless ways.
but well, i also really think the harshness of the journey has just really made sanzo in a constant bad mood lmao. i bet he's a lot nicer if he were back comfortable in a temple and just chilling with goku and listening to him talk about stupid things. which, duh.
