WATANABE, Kaoru

Appearance
Kaoru is a short young man, standing at around 160 cm, with a thin and rather unathletic figure. He is, perhaps, one of the least intimidating men one could imagine, if not for his intense gaze. He has striking reddish-brown eyes and long bleached hair that reaches his middle back. Often he will tie his hair up into a ponytail or bun, but some almost always ends up falling into his eyes. His attire usually consists of practical clothes in dark colors and he has a fondness for jackets. He doesn't tend to wear many accessories or jewelry aside from simple earrings.

Personality
Likes: All kinds of music, Sweets, Cats, Taller guys, Sticking it to “The Man”
Dislikes: Spicy foods, Authority, Corruption, “The Man”
Hobbies: Bass guitar, Poetry
Goals: Move out, Play stadiums

Kaoru isn't the friendliest of people, some may even call him rude or blunt (he prefers "honest"). A hard childhood has given him a thick skin and a sharp tongue. Kaoru isn't easily intimidated, years of being a punching bag for bullies has taught him not to push his luck, but his pride keeps him from backing down in most situations. While not necessarily the smartest of his peers, he developed a quick wit to help get out of tough situations. He can be considered awkward in social situations, though he doesn't care much for socializing anyways. Despite coming across as aloof and putting up emotional walls, Kaoru does have a tendency to get flustered when he doesn't know how to react to a situation. He has little respect for authority figures, which gets him into trouble more often than not.

History

Aiko Watanabe met her "true love" in college, though he wasn't sitting at a desk. Usually when a student falls for her professor he's at least close in age, and not 11 years her senior, but judging eyes wasn't enough to deter her from pursuing a relationship with her sensei. Unfortunately, their romance was cut short when Aiko got pregnant; Daisuke didn't want kids, and it doesn't get much simpler than that.

It's pretty common knowledge that being a young single mother isn't easy, but Aiko tried her best. Kaoru knows this, but things weren't easy for him growing up. They were barely scraping by for a long time, as Aiko only just made enough at her job to support the two of them. This affected Kaoru's development quite a bit. No cram school and little parental supervision growing up meant he had trouble in school, both academically and behaviorally. He was labelled a delinquent in High School, but wasn't athletically gifted enough to stand up to bullies.

The one thing he was good at was art. Music, painting, crafts, you name it and Kaoru could do it. He found music to be an especially good venue for expressing himself, and it helped him get through school without being expelled. He started writing and recording short songs and posting them online, using voice synthesizer software since he wasn't confident in his own singing. The feedback and encouragement he received from online communities was incredible and inspired him to pursue music. After saving up for a bass guitar, he even started a band and named it after his mother's reaction to him telling her his goals for the future ("What a waste!").

Despite his longing for greater things, Kaoru is well acquainted with the work force. He's been working part time jobs since he was 15 to help support him and his mother. He's had his job at the bookstore since before he graduated and enjoys the quiet atmosphere.

Equipment

- Kaoru doesn't have much interest in weapons, but is granted throwing knives after awakening his persona. (piercing)

Notes

- Kaoru doesn't spend a lot of time at home, much to the chagrin of his worrying mother.
- While he doesn't have any pets, Kaoru has made "friends" with several stray cats in the residential district.