A/N: Hey all! So sorry this isn't an official chapter but there're some things I want you guys to know, a total of two major things. Don't worry it's not a discontinue notice or anything like that. I love Reiya and CJ too much for me to just up and quit but I definitely—and I'm afraid—have to put this fic on hold for a while.
That's because my new workload's been really cutting into my leisure time and so Chapter 15, The Inevitability of a Polyrhythmic Fusion, will be heavily delayed till next year :'((( I know I told some of you that I'd try to deliver at least one more chap before the year's out and I really wanted it out this December…but lately I'm just too exhausted to compose a proper sentence, and I don't wanna go into Chapter 15 with a brain that's half-braining when it's going to be such a pivotal chapter for so many reasons.
Now that's one, and the next major thing's something that I hope might provide a balance to that awful mini hiatus announcement, but behold! An official Character Index for the Supporting Cast! *celebratory toots and shower of confettis!* ･ﾟ✧
I actually posted it first on CJ's Wattpad and Quotev counterparts last month and I wanted to wait until Chapter 15's upload to tell ya'll, but since I can't update on time this year I'm just gonna put it up on here too. I'll most likely replace it with the official Chapter 15 but for now, this is my commemoration for all of my CJ OCs finally making their official appearance. There's going to be bits of minor spoilers down there but nothing too obvious unless you squint ;)))
Unfortunately I haven't had the time to draw them properly so I employed Picrew to help with the visuals and I really liked how they turned out. So much so that I might just never draw them at all…(feel free to check them out on AO3, Quotev, or Wattpad! ^^)
𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓵𝔂
1) Yunagi Kaname
Etymology: From the Kanji Kaname (要), which means "pivot, essential, cornerstone or keystone". His name also means "playing of music". Yunagi (夕凪) means "evening calm".
Age (2005): 41
Birthdate: December 14, 1963
Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius
Seiyuu: Satoshi Hino (the voice of Ren Koumei from Magi)
Hair color: Orange
Eye color: Ash Lavender
Height: 5'10
Occupation: Musician
Likes: Music, hot springs, spicy food, traveling, night skies, teaching his daughter about everything he knows about the violin, and international cuisine.
Dislikes: Rain, ghosts and anything to do with horror, and the visa system.
Specialty: He can play four types of instruments (violin, piano, guitar, and drums) and can speak four different languages (Japanese, English, French, and German).
About: A wanderer at heart, Kaname didn't even expect to get married in his 20s until he met Sorako. In no time he became the golden retriever to her black cat, the half-full to her half-empty glass. But being of an unbroken soul, Kaname finds it difficult to stay in one place. He loves music, tremendously. And he has a voracious appetite for learning what he can and can't do when it comes to style and technique. To him, the world is his stage and he's really more of a freelancer than a musician with a fixed company. Unfortunately, Kaname's wanderlust ways would come to bite him in the form of his only daughter, Reiya, when she got sick and almost died because he wasn't around. That had been the catalyst of his and Sorako's relationship woes, which ultimately resulted in their eventual separation. But at the same time, Kaname couldn't say he didn't see it coming when he noticed how much Sorako was "changing". In the end, he died by undisclosed means away from the two people he would always go back for.
2) Natsukage Sorako
Etymology: Sora (空) meaning "sky" but also "emptiness", and Ko (子) meaning "child". Natsukage (夏影 ), means "summer shadow".
Age (2005): 40
Birthdate: November 10, 1965
Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
Seiyuu: Endō Aya (the voice of Ieiri Shoko from Jujutsu Kaisen)
Hair color: Black
Eye color: Malachite Green
Height: 5'6
Occupation: Paramedic
Likes: Karaoke, massages, autobiographies, fish cakes (especially satsuma-age), and gardening.
Dislikes: Delinquents (and rule breakers in general), bland food, hoarders, fungi, and crustaceans.
Specialty: She has Beginner's Luck in any kind of game.
About: Sorako is the kind of adult who gets shit done. In part that's because of her profession, but she's always been tough and dependable even as a child, the result of growing up as the eldest in a household of intellectuals. Straightforward and always confident, almost everything Sorako does is elegant. She never stutters and no one's ever seen her slouch. She's naturally bossy and isn't very expressive with her affections, but behind her intimidating front is a very warm and compassionate woman, who has the natural inclination to act now and think later whenever someone is in dire need of help. In spite of her no-nonsense attitude, Sorako actually has a pretty dark and quirky sense of humor, and she tends to speak in idioms. She makes time for her interests and loved ones, knowing well and firsthand that the secret to being healthy is to live a balanced lifestyle. She is truly what you'd call an ideal working mom, who is strong and composed and boldly proficient in both her home and in her career. But when she gets mad, it's not ideal at all. Sorako has a lot of pride and will never deign to apologize once she's convinced that she's in the right. She's tolerant to a degree but once her patience has run out...you're gonna wish you hadn't pissed her off at all. Because Sorako has a "condition", and rage is what severs the leash.
3) Natsukage Ittetsu/Tetsu
Etymology: His name is actually a homage to Takeda Ittetsu, a great mentor character from Haikyu!. To be specific though, Ittetsu (徹) comes from the idiom "ganko ittetsu" which means "very tenacious".
Age (2005): 45
Birthdate: September 13, 1960
Zodiac Sign: Virgo
Seiyuu: Uchida Yūya (the voice of Galgali the Violence Fiend from Chainsaw Man)
Hair color: Silver
Eye color: Honey Brown
Height: 6'3
Occupation: Neurosurgeon
Likes: Fashion, basketball, cuddles with little Taito, Sorako's touch, Reiya's elusive dimply smiles, pre-surgery treats, cooking, organic fruit juice, and collecting CDs.
Dislikes: Reptiles and rodents, crowded places, complex arteriovenous malformations, and artificial flavoring.
Specialty: Photographic Memory
About: A true person of style, Tetsu's fashion sense is immaculate. He takes his time to choose the fabric and he don't mess when it comes to clothes. He likes to look good in every occasion; to be suave while doing his very best in almost everything he does. He's reliable and responsible, and with his housemaking skills he's practically malewife material—the God-tier kind. Tetsu is always more or less seen with a smile on his face and he likes to speak with his hands, often making wild signs and gestures to accentuate his point. Because of that, he's often regarded as an eccentric but he doesn't mind. Tetsu doesn't really care about what other people think, so long as they're not who he truly cares about. He's all about resolutions and isn't the kind to get hung up on the past, not even after everything he's been through in his teens. Tetsu may seem carefree but he's actually very sharp and observant, his peak sensitivity granting him a bird's eye-view of certain situations. He believes in taking things easy and as they come, which is a pretty strange outlook to have for a doctor of his caliber. But what spurns him to embrace life in a positive light is exactly because of his job. And while he does love what he does, Tetsu is first and foremost a family man through and through.
4) Panpan (A/N: Because of course I had to include the dog)
Age (2005): 4 (in human years)
Birthdate: April 17, 2001
Zodiac: Aries
Breed: Shiba Inu and half-Akita mix
Coloring: Black and Tan
Eye color: Brown
Likes: His family, sunbathing, insects, anything that floats and flies, and the beach.
Dislikes: Fireworks and needles.
Specialty: He can accurately tell whether a type of dish is cooked.
About: Panpan is a very special dog. He has a larger build compared to most of his kin due to his breeding, but contrary to both temperaments he's actually an extrovert. He's very expressive and smart, and has a particular fondness for foraging and flying kites. Why, he must've been an explorer in his past life.
𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓾𝓹𝓹𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓬𝓪𝓼𝓽
1) Kuroshima Yuuma
Etymology: Yuu or Yū (優) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" combined with Ma (真) meaning "real, genuine". Kuroshima (黒島) means "black island".
Age (2005): 15
Birthdate: January 7, 1990
Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
Seiyuu: Ono Kensho (the voice of Ren Hakuryuu from Magi)
Hair color: Peach
Eye color: Light Green
Height: 5'8
Occupation: Professional Violinist
Likes: Sunsets, Filipino soul food, animals (especially snakes), chess, and the snow.
Dislikes: Hiking, violence, and ginger.
Specialty: Perfect Pitch
About: As you can see, Yuuma isn't the athletic type (which is a shame because he actually has talent in track and field). He is, however, an ambitious virtuoso who dreams of representing Japan on an international level as a professional violinist. He's friendly and polite with the looks and qualities of a heartthrob, but beneath that pleasing façade is a boy struggling with a lot of pressure. His parents, especially his father, expect great things from him. And while Yuuma had always felt it his sacred duty to produce unfailing results as the 'blood son', that desire only intensified after his adoptive older brother became a delinquent who no longer looked at him. Fixed on the goals that weren't even his to begin with while being deprived of the affection he always craved, Yuuma would inevitably turn into a perfectionist with a controlling streak. A pity, truly, when he's such a kind person. He would volunteer at animal shelters and would occasionally play chess or shogi with the elderly folks in his neighborhood whenever he's not stuck practicing at home. He also has a pet ball python named Mima, who is equally enamored with him as he is with her.
2) Aohara Toshiro
Etymology: Toshiro (俊朗) meaning "sagacious" and "bright". And Aohara (青原), meaning "blue origin".
Age (2005): 42
Birthdate: February 9, 1963
Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
Seiyuu: Kobayashi Chikahiro (the voice of Yamada Asaemon Shion from Hell's Paradise)
Hair color: Black
Eye color: Dark Blue
Height: 5'8
Occupation: Violin Instructor
Likes: Bird watching, long walks with his wife, merlot wine, candied cashews, photography, festivals, and old films.
Dislikes: Rollercoasters and sticky foods.
Specialty: He only needs one scoop to catch all of the fish at goldfish scooping.
About: A simple man of fine tastes, Toshiro prefers to live life in 'slow mode', especially after becoming a grandfather to two twin boys at just 40 years old. He's the total opposite of his good friend Kaname, who's clearly doing all of the adventuring on his behalf. They met as teens at a regional concours, rapidly becoming friendly rivals and each other's hype man throughout the years. Although Toshiro has the talent and the pedigree to go pro at an international level, he opted to set down roots as a violin instructor with his own music studio instead, which he co-owns with his cousin. Imparting knowledge is his passion and he has great respect for people in active pursuit of their dreams. Which is why according to Kaname, Toshiro is his greatest friend because he was the only one who didn't give him flak for leaving home too often. That said, Toshiro married young and had two daughters with his wife. The eldest decided to follow their example and life hasn't been slow for Toshiro ever since. His grandsons are growing up way too fast and it doesn't help that they gang up on him way too often; the cheekiest 2-year-old twins to ever exist! The rest of his family, however, find collective amusement in Toshiro's dilemma. "You've always been such a grandpa even as a teenager, dear," his wife would jokingly say. "You might as well have the actual privilege of being one."
3) Niseyama Umeno
Etymology: Ume (梅) meaning "plum blossom" and No (野) meaning "rustic field". Meanwhile, Niseyama is a combination of the Kanji Ni (仁) as in "compassion" or "a heart for the people", Se (世) meaning "world", and Yama (山), which is "mountain".
Age (2005): 25
Birthdate: June 3, 1980
Zodiac Sign: Gemini
Seiyuu: Hayami Saori (the voice of Kochou Shinobu from Kimetsu no Yaiba)
Hair color: Light Brown
Eye color: Velvet Brown
Height: 5'3
Occupation: Music Teacher, Pianist.
Likes: Cup ramen, puzzles, boho chic fashion, collecting antique trinkets, and day trips.
Dislikes: Beatboxing, thunderstorms, contact lenses, and nightclubs.
Specialty: Can solve a rubix cube in ten seconds with her eyes closed.
About: Lively and upbeat yet also a source of unexpected wisdom, Umeno has the soul of a samurai and a cottagecore witch. To her, life is all about the balance of moderation while living one's indulgencies. What is life, if you don't enjoy living it? And what is life, if you lose yourself to its wiles? Anyway, she's believed to be a prodigy and can be pretty intense despite her soft looks. However, she is beloved by almost everyone she meets (even animals), because of her nurturing nature and unconventional charm. But when Umeno's not preoccupied with being a passionate teacher/individual, she likes to take a step back from all of the bustle and go on soul-searching trips on her day-offs. She also has a pair of pet parakeets, a couple named Jasmine and Belarus the III. Umeno has a colorful life and is almost never bored, but that isn't to say that she doesn't have her fair share of troubles. Her current concern is about the young gym owner next door named Imaushi. They say he used to be a dangerous gangster but he always looks so bored, and Umeno can't help but wonder what it'd be like to get him all energized. And so with that thought in mind, she makes a mental note to get him something on her next trip. For Umeno, loving thy neighbor is never a daunting feat.
4) Katagiri Kousuke
Etymology: Kou (光) as in "light or radiance", and Suke (祐) which means "help, assist, and protect." Katagiri (片桐) means "a single foxglove tree".
Age (2005): 5
Birthdate: September 26, 2000
Zodiac Sign: Libra
Seiyuu: Matsuoka Misato (the voice of Shinazugawa Shuya from Kimetsu no Yaiba) at 5 years old, and Irino Miyu (the voice of Sugawara Koushi from Haikyuu!) at 17 years old.
Hair color: Brown
Eye color: Dark Mauve
Height: 3'1
Occupation: He's still in school too.
Likes: Sweets, candies (particularly konpeitō), the internet, programming, blogging, sleeping in, and J-dramas.
Dislikes: Working for free, power cuts, nuts, online scammers, and when people tell him to hurry up.
Specialty: Haggling and hacking.
About: Loyal but cunning, Kousuke has the mindset of a feudal capitalist. He doesn't believe in free labor and would absolutely refuse to work without some form of compensation. Even at just the tender age of five, Kousuke recognizes the value of trade. This kid would wage arm wrestles with tasty prices at stake (in which Taito is a recurring winner/participant), and would barter his snacks for even better, tastier ones. He's a natural-born sweet-talker too so you can bet he has a way of making things go his way for most of the time. As he grew older, Kousuke developed a knack for writing and computers. He presently keeps a semi-famous blog where he shares coding tutorials, snack reviews, and internet safety 101s (and that's probably the only area in his life where he's willing to give things away for fre—nah, just kidding. He gets revenue from ads). On the other hand, Kousuke has a dark side to his online hobbies; he hacks and he runs an illegal information exchange ring with other like-minded individuals. Although he reserves his hacking and stalking skills mainly towards doxxing online scammers and exposing cybercrimes (for a fee, of course), Kousuke isn't above messing with a few authority figures (nor extending his services to them). Only his family and a few of his closest friends know about his secret skill. But when Kousuke's not stuck to his keyboard, he likes to go on candy runs and watch his favorite series. He's laid-back and a free spirit, an OC right after his maker's own heart.
A/N: I hope ya'll had even just a bit of fun getting to know the supporting cast ^^ these are my children and I'm very proud of them, even if some of them are gonna cause me and Reiya some major problems in the future =D
Now I don't know when I can update next year and I'm sorryyyy 😭😭 but I assure you mes chers lecteurs, just because I ain't got more time for writing doesn't mean I don't write! Ya'll know I usually can't help myself when the inspiration hits and so I'll be back with a new chappie sooner than you think ;)
Much love for your continued support of my bitchless activities 💖 wishing you all a safe and happy holiday season ahead!
- Rinri