🏯 Setagaya
Name: Hoshino Shino
Kanji: 星野 しの
After finishing his graduate studies, he moved to Setagaya with the goal to open a clinic named "Altair". His parents live in another city and he visits them from time to time. He has little luck with women because most of his life is dedicated to his job, and he tends to choose his job over dating. He is a very open person about his worries and thoughts. The stress from vet school led him to start smoking during college but since moving to the new city he has been trying to quit.
Backstory: He met Kiyoshi when he was closing his clinic for the day, the crying boy holding a bloody calico cat in his arms and begged him to save it. He didn't hesitate to operate the cat in the dead of the night, successfully stopping the bleeding and saving her life. He allowed her companions, Kiyoshi and the tuxedo cat that followed him, to stay overnight and look after her. As days passed, Shino took a liking to the boy who kept visiting the clinic until the cat was nursed back to health. While he didn't want the boy to pay for the operation, the blonde pressed on, making Shino receive his help in the understaffed clinic instead of money and still feel guilty about it. The boy also visited with questions and favors for the cats. Shino taught him about animals, and the boy looked so happy and eager to learn. To his surprise, Kiyoshi was the son of a beautiful woman he once saw. While disappointed she wasn't available, he was happy to get a chance to meet her again. Finally, as he learned more about Kiyoshi's family situation through the boy himself, became the closest thing to an admirable adult figure for Kiyoshi and a trusted confidant. After a couple of years, when the amount of dedication care the boy gave the cats was apparent, he gave the boy an identification card of each cat, offering him to adopt them if he wished.
But as Kiyoshi moved to middle school, cheerful and tragic moments came. Shino decided to establish a program with his protege in the center: the boy was in charge of bringing the pets of the elderly who couldn't make the trip to the clinic. This happened because of two events: the abundance of the elderly in the neighborhood and Kiyoshi's growing emotional turmoil, consequence of the fallout with his best friend. Taking care of animals was a way Shino knew helped the boy, and the more work and responsibility in his hands, less the chances he had to sink in self-hatred and succumb to his negative emotions which Shino new had damaging consequences. Furthermore, during the boy's first year in middle school, Shino offered him to take some sort of internship in the clinic to distract him from the loneliness and sadness in his life. Shino worries about Kiyoshi constantly and wants to be a protective, respectable figure for him.
Likes: Animals, women, smoking.
Dislikes: Manly men with a conventionally desirable body.
Name: Ryuugamine Sayuri
Kanji: 竜駕 さゆり
Kiyoshi's mother. Head chef in a five-star restaurant in the city. A woman who will always put herself and children first.
Additional Info: Picture source (Flowers - le volume sur primptemps)
Kirishima Saki:
Keima's mother. Suffers from depression after her son's death. A good friend of Sayuri, their shared hobby is gardening. She offers advice about Sayuri's nurturing methods and listens to her worries with an understanding smile. They like to share drinks together.
Name: Kirishima Kinshou
Keima's former brother. Described as a timid boy. He died in an accident at school while he was bullied by his classmates.
Name: Hachi-dan
The Kirishima family's male dog. A friendly golden retriever who isn't shy to approach anyone, human or animal. The first time he met Mina and Tarou, he was so excited and launched himself to them. Mina, being cautious, snapped at him and scratched his eye. Since then, both Hachi and Keima fear the cats.
Additional Info: Image Source (unsplash.com/
Name: Mina
A reserved calico, rarely seen by other people and worst touched. Close to Tarou, they have made an abandoned park their main base. The trees at the back provide food, shelter, and cover. The human closest to her is Kiyoshi, who rescued her when she was run over one night. Since then, she softened to him, cuddling when he's in pain. However, she ignores Kiyoshi when she smells Hachi-dan, Keima's dog, on him. In EAL, she is currently unnamed by Kiyoshi. Her name comes from Kiyoshi's hometown, Minami.
Name: Tarou
A friendly cat that loves food as much as he loves people. He meows at passing pedestrians and they usually give him food. He likes to play and be pet--unlike many strays his age--in particular Mina, his foil. Rather simple-minded, he sees Kiyoshi as a playmate and believes that is the best way for him to forget about his pain. In EAL, he is currently unnamed by Kiyoshi. His name is a common boy's name.
Pharmacy owner:
A middle-aged man who runs one of the local drug store. He has known Kiyoshi for years as a regular customer, realizing the reason he came so often because he was bullied.
Pharmacy owner's grandson:
A part-time worker in his grandfather's pharmacy. Is quite suspicious of Kiyoshi when he used to frequent the store.
Maru's owner:
An old man living near Kiyoshi's house. He has taken quite a liking to the boy as he is young and polite. His children and grandchildren live in another city, visiting every so often and during festivities. Maru is his only companion. Due to his poor health, he depends on Kiyoshi to take Maru to Altair. He was one of the first to be in the program that assures monthly check-ups to the feline pet's in Kiyoshi's neighborhood and an inspiration for it.
Others
Mutou: Leader of a petty thief group settled in Setagaya. He used to have a higher rank but he chose to take the blame for one of his subordinates so he was demoted to playing babysitter for Satou and Sakamoto. Despite being a criminal, he is quite the pacifist and cares deeply about the people he is in charge of.
Additional Info: Created during The Fall, a roleplay with SoarLikeTheWind.
Satou: A member of Mutou's group. The one who roped in his pal Sakamoto. He has an affinity for swiss knives and is his main weapon when on the job. He likes to taunt his victim and see them squirm and yell.
Additional Info: Created during The Fall, a roleplay with SoarLikeTheWind.