tw: homophobia
[name_f]Catalina[/name_f] ‘Cat’ [name_f]Elena[/name_f] Gomez (17) was put in a group with [name_u]Nuri[/name_u] and [name_f]Louiseu[/name_f]. [name_u]Nuri[/name_u] was initially disappointed because [name_f]Cat[/name_f] is quite popular and is depicted as shallow but after getting to know [name_f]Cat[/name_f], [name_m]Manu[/name_m] found out that there was more to her than what meets the eye. [name_f]Cat[/name_f] likes photography and fashion design and she was secretly thrilled when her roommate moved dorms so she could pin all her designs on the walls and fill the floor with the dresses she had designed. [name_f]Cat[/name_f] is the eldest of 4 and was born in Spain. There was pressure on her as the oldest. [name_f]Cat[/name_f] came out as lesbian on her 14th birthday but was told she was a ‘disappointment’ and that she was not to tell any of her other family. Feeling alone and upset, acting on her emotions instead of her brain, she applied for this school and got in. She packed her things and left her parents. She had arranged with her aunt to pay her tuition. She has had several phone calls in 3 years with her parents and her aunt has secretly arranged for [name_f]Cat[/name_f] and her three younger siblings a 15-year-old girl, a 12-year-old boy, and a 7-year-old boy to meet up in secret. Cat’s sister [name_f]Adriana[/name_f] insists that when she turns 18 she will fly over to england and live there with Catr.
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[name_f]Neus[/name_f] [name_f]Montse[/name_f] [name_f]Veritas[/name_f] (17) is Cat’s frenemy although the two don’t really tend to argue. She’s in a group with [name_f]Mairead[/name_f] and [name_m]Manuel[/name_m]. [name_f]Neus[/name_f] is Spanish too but of Catalan descent so she likes seeing another Spaniard however [name_f]Neus[/name_f] isn’t really the nicest person. [name_f]Louiseu[/name_f] is glad she’s not partnered with [name_f]Neus[/name_f], [name_f]Neus[/name_f] is the girl she and [name_f]Mairead[/name_f] don’t get along with. [name_f]Neus[/name_f] is honestly pesky, at first it was because she envied [name_f]Mairead[/name_f] and Louiseu’s intelligence, then because she had a crush on [name_m]Manuel[/name_m] (since ended but [name_u]Nuri[/name_u] doesn’t believe that), and now because she’s annoyed the group prefers Mairead’s ideas and not hers.
While [name_f]Neus[/name_f] can be mean, she still sympathises with [name_f]Cat[/name_f]. [name_f]Neus[/name_f] is truly over [name_m]Manuel[/name_m] no matter what people believe, since she’s preferring women now. [name_f]Neus[/name_f] is bisexual but this is the first time she’s realised she’s leaning much farther towards women than men. She and [name_m]Manuel[/name_m] relate being bisexuals although it may be best for [name_m]Manuel[/name_m] to not befriend her yet, she can be a bad influence. [name_f]Cat[/name_f] knows [name_f]Neus[/name_f] is a bad influence and often prefers to ditch class and not study, so she doesn’t want to give into Neus’s peer pressure. Still, she knows [name_f]Neus[/name_f] is much better than her parents and is a true ally to her. [name_f]Neus[/name_f] has a tendency to make people not want to be around her but if they’re already her enemy, she doesn’t care how they feel. She’s not a complete monster, but she’s controversial and most people not in her group project team are glad not to be there.
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[name_f]Siobhan[/name_f] [name_u]Lauren[/name_u] [name_u]Walker[/name_u] (17) is one of Cat’s close friends and one of the only people at school who knows about her sexuality. There is something [name_f]Siobhan[/name_f] hasn’t told [name_f]Cat[/name_f] yet - she is pansexual and has recently been experiencing feelings for someone [name_f]Cat[/name_f] won’t really approve of, [name_f]Neus[/name_f]. [name_f]Siobhan[/name_f] doesn’t know whether [name_f]Neus[/name_f] likes her back or not but she is sure that [name_f]Neus[/name_f] has flirted with her before, but she has heard rumors about [name_m]Manuel[/name_m] and [name_f]Neus[/name_f], but she doesn’t know that [name_f]Neus[/name_f] is now leaning towards women. Siobhan’s parents are really expecting so she feels really sorry for [name_f]Cat[/name_f].
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[name_m]Kian[/name_m] [name_u]George[/name_u] [name_u]Walker[/name_u] (20) is Siobhan’s older brother and the firstborn child of their parents. He’s also someone aware of her sexuality, feelings for [name_f]Neus[/name_f] and the general complexities her situation’s created, although by no means is it the first time Kian’s come face-to-face with potential drama. When he was in high school, one of his friends’ started dating a girl someone else in their group liked, and the passive aggressive cold war that ensued almost drove everyone mad: [name_m]Kian[/name_m] most of all, as he was hearing from both sides of the drama.
A counselling student, who’s joint majored with psychology to give him greater prep for his career, [name_m]Kian[/name_m] usually handles others’ stress well in spite of that time. He’s always been certain about what field he’s wanted to work in, and he and Siobhan’s dad jokes it all began when his son got into true crime shows. [name_m]Kian[/name_m] used to devour them as a means of winding down (not that it makes sense when others hear this), and it was through this that his desire to help others was firmly cemented, after seeing all the grief, trauma and guilt victims face.
Having just spent an erasmus year of studies in [name_u]Ireland[/name_u] - where he and Siobhans’ mother is from, hence their first names - the timing couldn’t have been more ideal given what his sisters’ facing. [name_m]Kian[/name_m] himself is asexual-demiromantic, and has had a couple non-serious relationships, with his revelations about dating both men and women helping pave the way for [name_f]Siobhan[/name_f] knowing their parents aren’t prejudiced. Right now he’s seeing a guy on the same course as him, but isn’t taking it as a big deal, as he isn’t ready to make a huge commitment at such a young age.
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mw: parental conflict
[name_m]Andreas[/name_m] " [name_u]Andre[/name_u] " [name_m]Saul[/name_m] Kinevik (20) is Kian’s best friend, and the person who he’d usually turn to when external drama was on the rise. [name_u]Andre[/name_u] does have a more confrontational personality by default: when pettiness became too much or he’d rolled his eyes excessively, he was forthcoming with his exhaustion and did all he could to shut the bickering down. It’s not that he doesn’t believe in resolution or that people should be allowed to voice their opinions and frustrations, [name_u]Andre[/name_u] is merely well aversed in seeing how when some people sense an opportunity, they’ll take it and run as long as possible to drag it out.
First and foremost this went on between his parents: specifically his mom and stepmom. There was a cold war about boundaries and rules that waged between them, [name_u]Andre[/name_u] and his younger sibling - who’s genderqueer, leaning towards nonbinary - being the missiles lobbed, and for a while, they fought amongst themselves. [name_u]Andre[/name_u] was much more suspicious of his stepmothers’ motives while his sibling embraced them, and he despaired when she began setting them up to challenge their mom, playing the cool, carefree parent while their mom was stuffy and overbearing [apparently].
[name_m]Kian[/name_m] was the person [name_u]Andre[/name_u] always knew he could trust with these issues, and he supported him throughout the disagreements, something greatly important that the young man values to this day. Eventually, Andres’ sibling recognised what was going on, and began reconciling with their mom, a huge relief for him. Their stepmother and dad separated recently, and [name_u]Andre[/name_u] is relieved they never had children together [it was discussed on several occasions, a terrifying thought he admitted dreading to his closest friends], as he knows any custody disagreements would be brutal and deeply unpleasant. He isn’t going to say ‘I told you so’ to his dad though.
Recently, [name_u]Andre[/name_u] had to weather an awkward situation of his own. The younger sister of he and Kians’ long-term friend confessed her feelings for him and he had to turn her down, as he didn’t reciprocate her feelings. It’s not that [name_u]Andre[/name_u] was completely blindsided - there was a joke about her crush on him when they were in middle school - but he actually thought she’d never acknowledge it, and merely move on in her own time. To make things worse, it was actually while he was working, being a barista at the popular student coffee shop Shot of [name_f]Joy[/name_f], and he almost went through brain freeze in the immediate aftermath. As a sociology and criminology student, Andre’s kept this from his classmates, god forbid they all start gossiping about the situation and he becomes the centre of drama.
@mynameis1
@Era_Laine
@jinxed_peach
@olivelovesnames
@moonwriteen
@szinkle
@pandasian
@avenmaide
@wandering_willow
@chamwue
sorry i’m tagging so much atm ;-;
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(tw: religious preassure , death of a family member , depression )
Gemma Linnet Weinkauf-McClure ( 38 ) is the owner of the Shot of Joy cafe which Andre works at , here pictured with her sister-in-law’s Birman cat, Sephora .
Gemma was able to quickly identify Andre being flabbergasted and distressed. Just when she was about to deescalate the situation and step in as the manager, she relised that it wasn’t another Karen situation with a middle-aged lady taunting a freshly hired college student, but rather a girl confessing his feelings towards Andre. As a fan of romantic comedies , Gemma kind of hoped for a happy ending , but was surprised at how politely and yet directly Andre rejected the girl.
Gemma understands that it’s unhealthy to get into relationships only out of conformity - her now-deceased brother , who died in 2021 , was the person who helped her realised that when Gemma was preassured by her parents to marry a boy from her Jehovah’s Witness congregation. He helped Gemma hide the relationship she had with a German ( Bavarian ) Catholic and then Gemma and her brother faced being disfellowishipped ( aka thrown out of the congregation and forbidden from contacting their parents) together. Gemma became Mrs. Weinkauf, converted to Catholicism and relied financially on her husband’s family to be able to attend a massage therapist course. She had been working as a massage therapist for many years but a few years into their marriage she started travelling South America with her husband and discovered her passion for exotic coffee. It blossomed into a plan to have her own cafe , which she however only was able to establish 2 years ago - falling pregnant with her three children aged 14 , 11 and 8 caused her to have to postpone her dreams while her brother was realising those dreams - going to university to major in Homeland Security , becoming a professional security guards in both big government buildings and small businesses , wearing a beard and having tattoos - all of which would have been forbidden had he stayed a JW and not become atheist.
Shortly after majoring in Homeland security Gemma 's brother married Gola Cornfield ,who now still goes by Gola McClure after her husband’s death. Surprisingly , Gola 's younger sister Ahyoka married Gemma’s other , much younger brother - who escaped the congregation on his own and now they both live out of state. Ahyoka moved states because of being too hearbroken at the death of Henry Whitford - a professor with whom Ahyoka worked for a long time, being part of security at his university.
Gemma 's life is now full of drama much like Andre 's is - while she 's not in the stage of life where young love or conflict between friends is a problem , her 14-year-old son’s rebellious antics and her other son’s problems at school are starting to get to her. To make matters worse , Gemma now lives with her sister-in-law Gola after her roomate Clem got into a relationship and moved to her partner. Gola didn’t want to live alone so as not to worsen her chances for depressive episodes occuring , that’s why Gola and her cat Sephora now live with the 5-person-family while Gola looks for opportunities to have roomates… Or a date?
While Gemma 's private life is very messy ,she is beyond grateful for her business booming - Shot Of Joy is frequented by not only Andre 's friend Kian but also his boyfriend , Andre 's genderqueer sibling and many other students from the area. Kian 's sister Siobhan also wants to visit the place after she goes home to the USA for winter break and Gemma loves listening to Kian 's stories about how proud Kian is of his sister making a name for herself in a prestigious English boarding school. Actually , she herself is considering boarding school as a good antidote for her 3 children’s rebellious antics , but her husband and sisters-in-law Gola and Ahyoka advise her against it.
When Gemma is not worrying about her kids , other family or cafe business , she enjoys blogging about different types of coffee , watching romatic comedies , reading mystery , fantasy or romance novels and rubbing the belly of Gola 's cat , Sephora.
Gola was created by yours truly 
Ahyoka was created by @CherryBomb50 
Henry ( Ahyoka 's work friend ) was created by yours truly 
Clem ( Gola 's former roomate ) was also created by me 
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Warning for aforementioned religious strain and death of a brother and niece.
[name_m]Yariel[/name_m] [name_m]Alain[/name_m] McClure (31) is Gemma’s younger brother and Ahyoka’s husband. He and his wife [name_f]Ahyoka[/name_f] have moved out of state but have been considering moving further, believing that a chance to live in another country isn’t quite out of the question. They may even move to the U.K. after all but haven’t made any big concrete decisions yet, if they’re leaving at all. He knows a friendly acquaintance of his, [name_f]Kamila[/name_f], moved to Finland to be close with her fiancé [name_m]Tero[/name_m], and are raising son [name_m]Toivo[/name_m] there after all. It was a tough decision long-term and took some time before that consensus, so it wasn’t like a spur of the moment thing. [name_m]Yariel[/name_m] isn’t the type to get up and change at the blink of an eye, something Gola’s friend [name_u]Clem[/name_u] knew when they first met. Midwife [name_u]Clem[/name_u] and her burn specialist brother [name_m]Florent[/name_m] were both single for quite some time and practically accepted their status on this, but [name_m]Yariel[/name_m] was pleasantly surprised when [name_u]Clem[/name_u] found love after all. He’s happy for her and believes the relationship was well-deserved, she was truly waiting for the right person. They made sure [name_f]Gola[/name_f] was company when [name_u]Clem[/name_u] considered moving with her partner so that [name_f]Gola[/name_f] wouldn’t feel so alone, and ultimately [name_f]Gemma[/name_f] decided to be Gola’s new roomie.
[name_u]Clem[/name_u] and [name_f]Gola[/name_f] are still close friends regardless, with one-time dentistry model [name_u]Chance[/name_u] stating that them and their group of friends still hang out. There’s been a lot more closeness between [name_u]Pip[/name_u] and [name_m]Florent[/name_m] now, something [name_u]Chance[/name_u] saw coming but found ironic when people used to rumour they weren’t really there for each other and just really hated [name_u]Connor[/name_u]. [name_u]Chance[/name_u] still remembers last year when they actually bonded a lot and moved on from the [name_u]Connor[/name_u] stuff and actually formed a connection. Those rumours have aged hilariously bad now and if any more rumours were to spread, it would definitely not be that. [name_m]Yariel[/name_m] doesn’t know much about this but Chance’s sister-in-law [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] knows this, and is happy for them because she always felt like they deserved more happiness. [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] knew [name_m]Florent[/name_m] was innocent and she knew [name_u]Pip[/name_u] was resilient and moving forward. She never liked [name_u]Connor[/name_u], but she’s grateful he’s going to therapy for nearly a year now. [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] is currently trying to conceive, feeling she and her husband [name_u]Dean[/name_u] have both mutually decided another baby belongs in their lives.
[name_m]Yariel[/name_m] and his wife [name_f]Ahyoka[/name_f] are at a very nice time in their relationship and how to manage living in each other’s worlds, especially given their worlds were intertwined. It was his and Gemma’s late brother who helped [name_m]Yariel[/name_m] when he had feelings for [name_f]Ahyoka[/name_f] and help ease any potential awkward tensions. Thankfully there weren’t any given how nice the Cornfield family was, a big step from some of his own pushy religious relatives. [name_m]Yariel[/name_m] was in a place where he felt happy and triumphant to have broken free from that, only to feel lost when he didn’t know what to do with his life now that he was in such a different place. He was worried his siblings wouldn’t have helped him, even though they have helped him before growing up as his older siblings. He worried they’d tell him, “Don’t feel so scared that everything’s different, you wanted this!” He’s grateful they ended up relating to him and feeling his vibe, also leaving the religion. [name_m]Yariel[/name_m] currently works as a set designer for TV shows, with some of the rooms he’s designed being “real rooms” and some simply being sets made to look like rooms but that they all looked real on TV anyway. He loves making set pieces and also likes outdoor work as well. Outside of this, he’s also great with cake decorating having wanted to do that as a kid but never being good at it until after moving.
He’s always trying to make the most of his time with his sister [name_f]Gemma[/name_f], with the two still having moments of their late brother fresh in their minds. They know he would want [name_f]Gola[/name_f] to move on after his passing and he even said so to her before they married. It was just that nobody knew yet that his passing was much sooner than expected. The McClures wanted to preserve the mental health of [name_f]Gola[/name_f], especially since her sole child [name_f]Unega[/name_f] McClure also passed away as an infant when she was a teen mother. Alongside the shooting of [name_f]Gemma[/name_f] and Yariel’s brother in 2021, both ofwhich weighs heavily on her mind. [name_m]Yariel[/name_m] is there for his own wife [name_f]Ahyoka[/name_f], making sure her needs and feelings are met and not forgetting her grief of her brother-in-law and niece but also of [name_u]Henry[/name_u] [name_m]Whitford[/name_m] whom she felt very close to. While she knew [name_u]Henry[/name_u] was a trooper and that he had expected and prepared for his own death, he was such a nice person that it made the moment exceptionally tragic when it actually happened. There’s so many ends and beginnings within [name_m]Yariel[/name_m], his family, and his community’s time but he wishes for goodness in everyone. He absolutely adores Gemma’s children and is hoping that the brewing drama in their personalities will end, but at the same time he doesn’t blame them because he doesn’t underestimate what others are going through.
Kamila, Chance, Dean, and Florent were created by me.
Tero was created by @I_meme_it.
Toivo and Connor were created by @moonwriteen.
Pip and Ruby were created by @kitkatcookie.
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[name_f]Mathilda[/name_f] " Tild " [name_f]Coraline[/name_f] Weinkauf-McClure (11) is Yariel’s niece and Gemma’s only daughter, who tends to be the quietest of the bunch, overseeing the antics of her brother’s with nervousness. As someone who naturally defers to authority, Tild keeps her distance from the madness, however she isn’t oblivious to how the environment is taking a toll on their mother. It also leads to Tild being overlooked by comparison, as she just gets on with her hobbies - hoola-hooping, drawing and swimming - which she somewhat deliberately chose to stop overlap with her siblings.
She truly loves her brothers’, for all the craziness to follow them, but also feels she disappoints them with how she doesn’t break rules herself. One of her good friends has also recently began showing an interest in her older brother - the dreaded crush as Tild calls it - which mortifies her gravely: friends and brothers’ dating? Absolutely nightmarish!
When her Uncle [name_m]Yariel[/name_m] and Auntie [name_f]Ahyoka[/name_f] are qround Tild is much less nervous, as she enjoys the calmness of their company, often asking to go on trips with them that her brother’s can be disinterested in. Tild also tends to be the one who strong arms the trio of siblings to meet their mom after school, heading to Shot of [name_f]Joy[/name_f] as its en route to their home, showing a surprising tenacity and strength of character for usually the most reserved and shy one.
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[name_f]Katharina[/name_f] “ [name_f]Käthe[/name_f] “ [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] Weinkauf (34) is the paternal aunt of Tild, who is the sister of Gemma’s husband. She only visits, she doesn’t live in the States, and she’s residing in Bavaria, in Nuremberg. The Weinkauf-McClures like seeing [name_f]Käthe[/name_f] around, especially the children, and [name_f]Käthe[/name_f] loves talking to Tild. Some conflict has been going around with the older brother of [name_f]Käthe[/name_f], who really, adamantly, does not want to go to boarding school. The youngest jokes it’s because the oldest knows going there will put him farther away from his crush! Tild thinks it would be “so much better” if the crush thing was dropped, but that doesn’t mean she’s gearing up for the idea of boarding school herself. The oldest is very particularly nice to [name_f]Käthe[/name_f] when she visits, but mainly because he knows she doesn’t know the whole picture on his crush and because he feels being kind to her in front of his parents will try to “convince” them that he doesn’t need boarding school. [name_f]Käthe[/name_f] doesn’t know the whole story about boarding school either, but [name_f]Gola[/name_f] and [name_f]Ahyoka[/name_f] do and are hoping [name_f]Gemma[/name_f] doesn’t take her children there. [name_f]Käthe[/name_f] senses from Tild’s energy that she’d rather have fun but that she’s not oblivious to the possible change and that it can stress her out if she looks too far into it. If [name_f]Käthe[/name_f] was the kids’ parent, she wouldn’t have done it.
[name_f]Käthe[/name_f] has a friend back home who gets really delighted about telling her about prestigious boarding schools as it is. She’s showed the infomercials about the boarding school she took her children to and how it will make them into proper and obedient individuals. [name_f]Käthe[/name_f] doesn’t really support these schools and feels it strips people of their individuality. She’s a Catholic and single mother to a 7-year-old son and that’s why people have recommended these to her more as a way to “help” her but she doesn’t use it. She’s told her son repeatedly that she’s never taking him to these, to his pleasure. She doesn’t villainise her friend or sister-in-law over this however, and she knows [name_f]Gemma[/name_f] grew up with a lot of pressure of her own. And it’s not like [name_f]Gemma[/name_f] is forcing this idea on her kids, she’s just considering it and there will be a chance to back out. [name_f]Käthe[/name_f] herself does support education even if she doesn’t care for boarding schools, as she’s a teacher for summer school. She only supports summer school for students who actually need it to avoid repeating a grade. Not for students who are fine but their parents enroll them “to force success on their kids”. Käthe’s own son is well above average in mathematics but this is his own calling, not forced or even inherited from family. During the regular school year, she is a substitute teacher but for now, she’s taking some time off for the Weinkauf-McClures, because when she comes back, she’s taking a huge amount of time subbing for a teacher on maternity leave. [name_f]Käthe[/name_f] loves to grow her own food in her spare time and she loves visiting Shot of [name_f]Joy[/name_f] when she can. Sometimes she’s a little bit careful in her approaches and doesn’t like to get messy or dirty, but she genuinely wants to be happy and doesn’t want to come off as someone irreproachable.
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[name_m]Dieter[/name_m] [name_m]Giles[/name_m] Weinkauf-McClure (14) is Käthe’s nephew and Tild’s older brother, one of the major sources of madness within the household currently. With high school on the horizon, [name_m]Dieter[/name_m] has become obsessed with obtaining independence, fearing being mocked if he appears too dependent on his parents, and this has unfortunately unleashed chaos. He’s taken this mantra as a sign to just be as uncooperative and difficult as possible, not rebelling in a traditional way but more pretending to not understand things or deliberately interpreting questions to benefit his quest for maturity.
Of course it isn’t lost on his parents or Aunt [name_f]Käthe[/name_f] that [name_m]Dieter[/name_m] is achieving the exact opposite of his end goal, but he’s really unwilling to take that into account right now.
The main source of support for [name_m]Dieter[/name_m] in this quest is his best friend, who’s more of a natural troublemaker, although the Weinkauf-McClures’ doesn’t pretend their son was ever absolutely innocent. It’s just that Dieter’s best friend is more overtly antagonistic when authority comes calling. He’s of course assuring [name_m]Dieter[/name_m] that everything is going exactly as they want it to and [name_m]Dieter[/name_m] wholeheartedly agrees, feeling the transition to high school should be really easy now.
In spite of the discord they’re sewing, [name_m]Dieter[/name_m] is a little softer than he likes to outwardly display. His best friend doesn’t have an easy home life and it’s why the loyalty he displays is so absolute, as he doesn’t want his friend feeling isolated on top of facing a lot of madness. [name_m]Dieter[/name_m] firmly believes though that grownups won’t understand, but he is giving [name_f]Käthe[/name_f] the tiniest of insights into the truth, as he thinks she’s too busy to mull it over.
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tw: mild racism
Jiyoon " Julie " Park (11) is one of Tild’s good friends, but she isn’t the one with a crush on her brother. Julie still thinks boys are icky, and doesn’t fathom why their friend is so head over heels over a boy. Boys are gross and mean in her opinion, and hopes that her friend doesn’t get hurt. She’s civil with Tild’s brothers, though— she gets the whole brother thing. In fact, Julie would even say that Dieter and the rest of Tild’s siblings are… tolerable. (She loves playing soccer with them, though. Don’t tell anyone.)
Julie lives right next door to Tild, and is the youngest child of four siblings— two girls and two boys. Her parents are first-generation immigrants from South Korea, and while they want everyone to pronounce her name as it should be— Jiyoon— some of the more ignorant members of the faculty and student body alike have decided to not pronounce it correctly, despite Julie reminding them multiple times. In the end, she gave herself the nickname Julie, because it was similar enough to Jiyoon. It’s a relief that her core friend group all can pronounce Jiyoon, though, as that’s her preferred name.
Julie is bilingual and is fluent in both Korean and English. When she isn’t hanging around Tild and her school friends, she can be found speaking Korean with her friends from the after school Korean language program she goes to. Made by a Korean immigrant who wanted to keep the language alive in the west, she has another group of friends that she holds very dear.
tild belongs to the lovely @kitkatcookie !
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tw: ableism mentioned
[name_m]Brahms[/name_m] [name_m]Amias[/name_m] Weinkauf-McClure (8) is another one of those gross boys [name_f]Julie[/name_f] would rather avoid, although it’s a mutual feeling, as [name_m]Brahms[/name_m] considers girls to be terribly boring. He has moaned to Tild sometimes though about the fact [name_f]Julie[/name_f] doesn’t have a brother closer to his age, as seeing his sister having a friend so close by does make [name_m]Brahms[/name_m] feel a bit put out. His friends all live a half hour walk away, and his mom’s given hard “no” to the idea of him walking alone: which he’s complained about to [name_m]Dieter[/name_m], who’s agreed with this sentiment. Why are mom’s so prone to worrying?
Enthusiastic about climbing, exploring the outdoors and snakes, [name_m]Brahms[/name_m] very much isn’t concerned with dirt and mess. Getting a pet reptile has been vetoed by his parents though, which has made him grumpier and more of a nuisance to try and make a point about how ridiculously unfair this is. Basically a denial of human rights in his book - an opinion he’s shared with Tild and [name_f]Julie[/name_f], not caring that they just found his melodramatics funny.
A lot of the shift in Brahms’ behaviour has come with academic expectations being introduced at school, something he’s really struggled with. [name_m]Five[/name_m] months ago he was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, but this hasn’t helped, in spite of an answer. [name_m]Brahms[/name_m] has become very hostile towards school as he’s heard other kids making bigoted comments about those with visible disabilities, and so he’s freaked out at the thought of being ‘exposed’ and subjected to the same treatment. Of course, having [name_m]Dieter[/name_m] as his mentor in troublemaking means [name_m]Brahms[/name_m] has been excelling at this new goal.
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[name_m]Enno[/name_m] [name_m]Till[/name_m] Weinkauf-McClure (38) is [name_m]Dieter[/name_m], Tild, and Brahms’ father, and Gemma’s husband. His closeness to the [name_m]Parks[/name_m] is pretty good for the most part. He’s doesn’t believe Jiyoon owes anyone anything but wants to make sure she feels comfortable whether being called Jiyoon or [name_f]Julie[/name_f]. Sometimes he and his wife can be protective, although [name_m]Enno[/name_m] worries he isn’t persuasive. His main worries on safety come from the late husband of [name_f]Gola[/name_f] [Cornfield] McClure, [name_f]Gemma[/name_f] and Yariel’s brother after his death. [name_m]Enno[/name_m] also agrees he has white privilege, something he learned from [name_f]Flo[/name_f] McDonell, as he worries now his children could be at greater risk of attack should they be BIPOC. Thankfully the [name_m]Parks[/name_m] have never been subject to these. [name_m]Enno[/name_m] secretly feels [name_m]Brahms[/name_m] may have a point on how protective his family can be, and while [name_m]Enno[/name_m] isn’t changing his mind about disallowing [name_m]Brahms[/name_m] to walk alone, he agrees in a sense on Brahms’ stance. Like maybe he should say something more convincing rather than, “Listen to your mother, Brahms.” Persuasion isn’t Enno’s strength but he doesn’t quite want to use real-life examples, so he just answers, “You could be in danger and something might happen to you.” It comes off as vague but at least [name_m]Brahms[/name_m] listens for now.
[name_m]Enno[/name_m] admits his lack of persuasion skills came from hiding his relationship with [name_f]Gemma[/name_f] from Gemma’s JW ancestors. He knew they wouldn’t have accepted his Catholic faith anyway so persuading them was out of the question. He thanks Gemma’s late brother for helping, which he feels couldn’t have saved their relationship without him. Admittedly finding a place to live was hard, especially given he wanted to live in [name_m]South[/name_m] [name_f]America[/name_f] for the desire of rich and exotic coffees, but worried about safety there. He and [name_f]Gemma[/name_f] ultimately decided on taking their coffee love up north to the States but decided to bring the [name_m]South[/name_m] American love with them. One of Enno’s closest people from work is [name_m]South[/name_m] American and a highly-trusted employee. This employee also helped [name_m]Enno[/name_m] feel better about Brahms’s invisible conditions but also for a solution regarding the boarding school conflict. [name_m]Enno[/name_m] has ultimately chosen not to send his children to boarding school. He wants his children to be okay with making mistakes even though he wants good influence towards them. However, he doesn’t like the school [name_m]Brahms[/name_m] and Tild attend because he doesn’t trust the walk over there and he agrees with [name_m]Brahms[/name_m] that there’s bullies and bigots who attend. He’s talked to [name_f]Gemma[/name_f] about resolving this and the two have decided to keep the children in public school, but transfer to a school where it’s happier and safer. [name_m]Enno[/name_m] is glad the new choice of school is not too far, but still too far for anyone to walk, so the kids will have to take the bus. As for [name_m]Dieter[/name_m], [name_m]Enno[/name_m] has allowed him to stay, finding his school more appropriate, but is encouraging him to make good choices. Deep down [name_m]Enno[/name_m] doesn’t want to take [name_m]Dieter[/name_m] to boarding school either. [name_m]Enno[/name_m] is worried about Jiyoon " [name_f]Julie[/name_f] " [name_m]Park[/name_m] because she will be separated from Tild, but he reassures that he will give Tild and Jiyoon all the time they want after school to hang out. He is sensing Jiyoon should switch too, given how the school isn’t being respectful of Jiyoon’s culture. With his bad persuasion skills, he’s apprehensive to approach the [name_m]Parks[/name_m] but he feels the [name_m]Parks[/name_m] more-than-certainly already know…
Flo was created by @lemon_swirlxx (now @lilac_elixirxx )
5 Likes
cw: mild racism, severe bullying, self esteem issues.
Jihyun " [name_f]Seren[/name_f] " [name_m]Park[/name_m] (16) is the older sister of Jiyoon " [name_f]Julie[/name_f] " [name_m]Park[/name_m] and is the eldest of the [name_m]Park[/name_m] siblings. [name_f]Seren[/name_f] was also victim to the ignorant faculty that would simply refuse to spell or even pronounce their names right. As such, she began a five-year long stunt where she would change her non-legal [name_f]English[/name_f] name at least twice a month to spite them. This had led to many reprimands and even some detentions, but [name_f]Seren[/name_f] was determined to make their lives a living hell. That is, of course, she stumbled upon the name [name_f]Seren[/name_f]. She liked that it meant “star”, so she stuck with it. The fact that it was a Welsh name also made her day; it was another thing to spite the faculty about.
[name_f]Seren[/name_f] is eternally grateful that [name_m]Enno[/name_m] cares about Jiyoon so much. The [name_m]Parks[/name_m] and the Weinkauf-McClures are quite close, and [name_f]Seren[/name_f] has babysat for the family multiple times. She’s befriended most of the children of the Weinkauf-McClure household, and would do anything for them. There are multiple photos of [name_f]Seren[/name_f] participating in one of Tild and Jiyoon’s tea parties… much to her embarrassment.
Despite Seren’s alternative appearance, she’s actually considered to be one of the “popular girls” of her grade. As a member of her school’s varsity volleyball team and the vice president of the student council, she’s very involved in school life and loves that she is. She knows that people accepting that she’s alternative has everything to do with the fact that she’s pretty— and calls out this unfairness whenever she can.
[name_f]Seren[/name_f] is particularly sensitive about this because before she hit puberty, she wasn’t considered pretty— she remembers both girls and boys alike would tease her about her looks in middle school, calling her unfathomable names and treating her horribly. This led [name_f]Seren[/name_f] to work hard on her appearance, but it severely damaged her self esteem. [name_f]Seren[/name_f] feels as if she’s worth nothing if she’s not insanely good at something, which is not the best motivator for anything. She is determined to a detrimental degree, and is prone to overworking herself.
This is why her core friend group aren’t the rest of the school’s idols, but rather a few people she’s befriended without any regard for their perceived school standing. While yes, all of them look quite archetypal when they’re all stood together, [name_f]Seren[/name_f] knows that each of them subvert expectations, and loves that they all do that. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though they all look like misfits and outcasts, Seren’s friend group are academic weapons and are known for their academic prowess. Most of them also have a history of being bullied, which has caused them to be better friends for each other.
Her past has also led to [name_f]Seren[/name_f] becoming an extremely protective older sister: [name_f]Seren[/name_f] has told each of her younger siblings that she would gladly make someone’s life hell if they messed with any of them. The irony of a bullying victim saying this doesn’t go over her head, but [name_f]Seren[/name_f] doesn’t care— you can mess with her, but not her siblings. That’s a firm line she’s drawn, and nobody’s screwed with it yet.
[name_f]Seren[/name_f] is dating a boy who’s in the same friend group as she is. They’ve been dating for a month now, and while it’s really fresh, [name_f]Seren[/name_f] hopes that they last for a while, but is worried what might happen when they go to college. [name_f]Seren[/name_f] plans to either become a doctor or pharmacist, and her boyfriend is a theatre nerd. She’s afraid that they might not work out in the long term, but her other friends tell her to stop worrying about that.
Tild belongs to @kitkatcookie
5 Likes
cw: mild racism
Do-hyun " [name_m]Matthew[/name_m] " [name_m]Park[/name_m] (46) is Ennos’ neighbour and father of four, his youngest being [name_f]Julie[/name_f] and his eldest being [name_f]Seren[/name_f]. The bigotry his children have experienced is something Matthew’s felt especially guilty about, as at one point he was offered a transfer to work in Daegu, however he was the one to convince his wife to remain in the States as they’d just welcomed their second child and he worried about uprooting the family. Having always been someone quieter and more introverted, when [name_m]Matthew[/name_m] first moved and encountered prejudice - most commonly in the form of presumptive and invasive questions - he just tried to shrug it off, in spite of the discomfort and unhappiness it caused him.
Since becoming a father he has become more assertive though, especially when faculty members weren’t pronouncing his childrens’ names correctly and outright dismissing their requests to be listened to. It disheartened [name_m]Matthew[/name_m] and his wife that when they went to the schools to clarify this, they weren’t listened to by those perpetrating such behaviour, however he’s continued doing all he can to inspire more confidence in his sons’ and daughters’.
Unlike the stereotype of fathers, [name_m]Matthew[/name_m] thinks highly of Serens’ boyfriend and is always happy to welcome him into their home: it’s his wife he allows to play bad cop, as [name_m]Matthew[/name_m] will tell anyone she’s a far stronger authority figure. The fact he’s a nerd for historical fiction is another reason [name_f]Seren[/name_f] swears he gets on so well with her boyfriend, even if her dad’s not so much of a theatre buff. He has been playing the cello since he was eight though and continues to practice, belonging to a local orchestra group where he enjoys praising the achievements of his children [although they’d be mortified to know, well perhaps [name_f]Julie[/name_f] maybe].
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Jisung “Jacob“ [name_m]Park[/name_m] (14) is Matthew’s son. He’s had his name chosen by his family. Not a “permanent name” in his eyes. But it will do. He wanted to be transferred but also will stand up for himself. He loves rugby and surfing. Sometimes he can be harsh. He’s had multiple detentions from how he’s spoken to bullies. Jisung isn’t physically violent. Though he takes taekwondo. But either way, he gets punished more harshly than they do. When he grows up, he wants to have a leader role. He loves Korean reality shows. Jisung is usually emotionless but respects his siblings.
2 Likes
Warning for aforementioned racism.
Setsura Ogawa (29) is one of Jisung’s teachers at his school, the one who notably doesn’t call him “ Jacob “. Setsura feels his name is “just fine” and doesn’t see how it’s “hard to pronounce”. Setsura isn’t Korean though, she’s Japanese and her father’s one of 5 siblings himself, one sibling actually marrying a Korean. Setsura relates with her uncle Ash in their mutual love for teaching, though Ash wasn’t the one who married a Korean, he married a Hebrew woman. Setsura feels there’s some difference in her life and the life of Ash’s daughter, her younger cousin Naomi. Love isn’t a big thing in Setsura’s asexuality, but Naomi was different, actually having realised she’s pregnant nearly 2 years ago. Her somewhat-crush Damien was not the father, though Setsura knows it wasn’t a cheating thing. Naomi wasn’t seriously dating him and there were other people she was looking for, and Damien was torn between her and another woman anyway. While the pregnancy was a shock, it wasn’t the reason Naomi didn’t end up with Damien. Damien’s other woman Via is someone he truly loved and knew it, but breaking off from Naomi was difficult for him. He and Via have since been dating, went back to being friends, but are now considering giving another chance at dating. As for Naomi, she and her baby’s father are both active parents. While they used to be nothing more than two people “paired to work together on a project”, they’ve since gotten along better as friends.
Setsura supports her cousin once removed, feeling a baby has so many symbolic meanings to how a brand new life is like. She’s motivated by the Parks to give the newer generations a world without hate and racism. Live a way that makes life easier for the next generation, not harder. Setsura herself doesn’t like working for the school she’s at given the discrimination and she’s unfortunately felt it too. She hates the teacher’s lounge, feeling many of the teachers alienate her, and she can’t walk in without that awkward feeling of people seeing her like she did something wrong. She often drowns out their voices listening to J-Pop, but listening to it feels less happy when she knows how people in the room stereotype her. Not to mention what they might be saying when they know she can’t hear them. Setsura’s stood up for students when she’s overheard teachers badmouth them, though it usually bites at the expense of herself. She actually prefers to be in her classroom more, where she leads it in a supportive way and sometimes students not in her class have come to talk with her. While she finds it rewarding to talk to these students and make them feel safer, Setsura herself has considered leaving. She too would rather work in a safer school environment. But she’s conflicted because she knows her presence where she works is protecting children. At the same time, she also can’t help but feel lesser about herself working at this school. She wouldn’t have taken the career had she known about the discrimination.
Naomi was created by @lever_du_soleil.
Ash and Damien were created by @lemon_swirlxx (now @lilac_elixirxx).
Via was created by @I_meme_it.
3 Likes
[name_f]Harmony[/name_f] [name_f]Grace[/name_f] [name_m]Howell[/name_m] (29) is Setsura’s friend and very valuable. She’s a teacher but used to be a nurse but left after all that nurse drama. She loves all races. Her sister loves babies too like [name_f]Naomi[/name_f]. She was also in a love triangle before. Wants to eat Korean BBQ. Supports [name_f]Setsura[/name_f] being Japanese.
Warning for racism
[name_m]Keneti[/name_m] Vaeao (31) is one of the guys who [name_f]Harmony[/name_f] didn’t end up with, though he’s never used any of that against her. He loves seeing non-POC allies supporting them, though he is strongly against people who use it for virtue signalling or appropriation. [name_m]Keneti[/name_m] and his younger brother [name_m]Sione[/name_m] are American, but not born in the States itself, instead being born in American [name_f]Samoa[/name_f]. He’s had people invalidate him as an American for this, being asked if he’s “really a citizen”. Despite moving to the States, he always retains his American Samoan touch. Sometimes people confuse American [name_f]Samoa[/name_f] with [name_f]Samoa[/name_f] but he’s willing to give a fair explanation and makes it clear that both groups are valid. The worst thing for [name_m]Keneti[/name_m] to hear is when people choose to disrespect it for the simple petty reason of “not getting it”. It’s not their place to choose the validity of other people’s lives. [name_m]Keneti[/name_m] focuses on the positive and making the world better, feeling it’s wrong to make a place worse off than when you found it. He’s into philanthropy like his brother, inspiring his nursing career, but also spending free time with [name_m]Sione[/name_m] and his group volunteering.
The love triangle [name_f]Harmony[/name_f] had was years ago, so [name_m]Keneti[/name_m] knows [name_f]Harmony[/name_f] is okay. Truthfully, he just wasn’t into having to fight for an lover and his biggest internal fear is not knowing where he stands with someone. He knows [name_f]Harmony[/name_f] doesn’t have to be a nurse and she shouldn’t have to deal with any drama. That being said, he likes being a nurse. He used to be a model before that, though he was a licenced RN, feeling the pressure to make himself be perfect. It felt expressive but he came to terms that this isn’t the job he wants full time and he doesn’t want to miss out on his nursing dream. He’s in a very good spot despite he chaos, he’s currently dating [name_m]Clem[/name_m] Géroux and lives with her. They’re on a good pace; if may feel weird that [name_m]Keneti[/name_m] went from the woman multiple people liked to the woman who felt she wouldn’t find anyone, but [name_m]Clem[/name_m] just felt like Keneti’s type. He’s supportive of [name_f]Gemma[/name_f] as well for being so kind despite the change in Clem’s living arrangements, given [name_m]Keneti[/name_m] didn’t want to be a third wheel or interference. He’s on a good path and hopes [name_f]Harmony[/name_f] will be as well.
Gemma and Clem were created by @moonwriteen.
Sione was created by @kitkatcookie.
3 Likes
[name_m]Aaron[/name_m] [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] [name_m]Burgess[/name_m] (30) is the other person who was in the love triangle of sorts involving [name_m]Keneti[/name_m] and [name_f]Harmony[/name_f]. Like his rival, strong word but the most appropriate, [name_m]Aaron[/name_m] has no hard feelings about the situation and has put it behind him. When [name_m]Aaron[/name_m] looks back on things, he can now admit the sense of drama and competition spurred him on more than sincerely thinking about the future; a sentiment he apologised to [name_f]Harmony[/name_f] about when they parted ways.
The height of things was when he, [name_f]Harmony[/name_f] and [name_m]Keneti[/name_m] all worked together shortly after graduating college, a time [name_m]Aaron[/name_m] cringes about when casting his thoughts back. [name_m]Even[/name_m] with an ecology degree, he admits to being very aimless and uncertain about life, most of all where he wanted to go next. There seemed to be both too much choice and nothing obtainable, so he worked in retail a lot before finding what would genuinely make him happy.
That is community based eco spaces, which are set up and provide education on the environment, as well as nature based volunteering opportunities. [name_m]Aaron[/name_m] absolutely loves working in this sector, and he’s glad by the time of his employment, love triangles were something he had no further interest in entertaining.
As of now, [name_m]Aaron[/name_m] is dating [name_m]Phil[/name_m] [name_m]Padgett[/name_m], who has a now fifteen year old daughter who took some time getting used to his presence in she and her mom’s lives. Although she wasn’t hostile towards [name_m]Aaron[/name_m] when he entered the picture, there was a lot of awkwardness, and it’s not something he blames her for; especially as it was just herself and [name_m]Phil[/name_m] for many years. Aaron’s own patience has helped them form their own good dynamic, and he’s completely content to take things slowly with [name_m]Phil[/name_m] thanks to how much he cares for, appreciates and respects her.
Phil is credited to @A.B.Galaxy 
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