|| birth name
Suzume Tanjiminero

|| name meaning
Suzume, meaning sparrow, was given to them by their father for the cute, chirpy noises they made as a baby.
Tanjiminero, nothing but the family name that they inherited.

|| nicknames
Zume, Little Ushi (Ushi meaning cow, given to them for obvious reasons)

|| history of name changes
None. Even though their name is quite feminine, they don't feel the need to change it. 

|| preferred name
Zume, Suzume

|| sex

female

|| gender identity
Somewhere in the nonbinary spectrum

|| pronouns
they/them

|| DOB
idk lol

|| zodiac sign/main six
for once I don't feel like doing this so no thanks

|| physical age
18; 3rd year at Karasuno

|| mental age
probably in their early 30s having a midlife crisis

|| romantic orientation
uhhhhhhhh unlabeled? they don't experience that much attraction, but they don't care about gender, so demi and pan? and I guess polyamorous, since they don't mind the thought of having multiple partners

|| sexual orientation
asexual, but they wouldn't be opposed if it was the right person and they were comfortable enough

|| character card/stereotype
the exhausted caffeinated queer

|| faceclaim/other substitute
https://www.artbreeder.com/i?k=15f0fce66dbdced550677d6acdcb
-5'10-11" (1.7-1.8m)
-slightly chubby body shape
-vitiligo, cellulite
-awkwardly small feet and their balance is off because of it
-some acne on their shoulders and inner thighs

|| marks, piercings, tattoos, etc
-plenty of ear piercings (double lobes, double helixes, industrial in the left, orbital conch in the right, next on the list is a daith, but they don't know which side)
-septum horseshoe, which gives them even more of a cow look
-they've definitely thought about getting a lip piercing
-whitish patches (vitiligo) all over their body
-two eyebrow slits in the arch of their left eyebrow
-lots of scars, new and old, on their hands, elbows, knees, and shins from crashing their bike and falling asleep randomly (see mental illness)

|| biological family
unknown

|| relationships with former
Zume doesn't care. Their family threw them away, so what's the point in reconnecting? Deeper down, they harbor resentment toward their birth family. Maybe they could've had a great, happy life. That's not to say they don't have a happy life now. But maybe it could've been better.

|| non-biological family
Hinatoka Tanjiminero, adopted father
Botan Tanjiminero, brother
Koshi Sugawara, best friend
Daichi Sawamura, best friend

|| relationships with former
Hinatoka!
Zume loves him dearly, and they get along great. They like to joke around with each other with that classic dad humor, and they would do anything for him. It hurts to see him struggle. He can't work full-time ever since a bad accident where he broke his spine, and supporting Zume and Botan was hard. Zume always was kind and helpful to him, even as a cranky, mischievous toddler. 

Botan!
Like any siblings, they fight and bicker a good 75% of the time. However, Bo trusts them, and they trust him too. They're very close, and Zume would do anything for him. They love him deeply, possibly even more than Hitoka. But they would never say that, I mean are you kidding? Properly expressing emotion is overrated, so these two knuckleheads just fight to show affection.

Suga!
Zume, Suga, and Daichi are thick as thieves. Zume's been friends with Suga since they were in middle school. It's hard for them to put how they feel about Suga into words. Like Botan, they would do absolutely anything for him. They love him just as strongly-- whether or not this is strictly platonic, they have no idea. But they do know that Suga is their person. They tell each other everything, they know almost every part of each other, they share sweatshirts and food and books and notes and secrets; they have boundaries of course (mostly on Suga's side), but they're pushed a little farther back than your classic friendship.

Daichi!
They're very close with Daichi as well, but not quite as close as Suga. Zuma and Daichi are similar, so they butt heads sometimes, but it's nothing they don't work out. They don't confide in each other as much as Zume and Suga do, but they have a quiet, mutual reliance on one another. Both are stable forces for others, but before meeting Daichi, Zume didn't depend on anyone else, and vice versa as well. Well, he depended on Suga. But they understand each other. They have that rare kind of friendship where they don't need to talk to communicate all the time. They've picked up on each other's tells and habits. 

|| positive, neutral, & negative traits
+laid-back, easygoing. ride-or-die. confident. bold. hard-working. reliable. loyal asf. friendly, with exceptions. fun-loving. charismatic in a quiet way. eager. helpful. modest. good communicator. generally easy to get along with.
/deadpan humor. independent. studious. curious. reserved. proud. witty. affectionate, but they don't know how to express that. grounded. apologetic. direct. ambitious. picky. detail-oriented. sarcastic asf at times.
-impatient. impulsive. indecisive. inconsistent. cynical. bit of a people-pleaser. control freak but also very not? avoidant. petty. gets annoyed way too easily. tired (it's become a trait at this point). clumsy, and I don't mean the "uwu I'm clumsy" bullshit.
|| in-depth personality
at first I debated doing this, but I'm gonna go for more indirect characterization albeit the traits above. I made sure to leave you enough to do relationships with though, I hope.

|| backstory
Suzume was dumped in the foster system at three weeks old with nothing but swaddling and a basket. They had no name, birth certificate, no form of identification or anything. They stayed in a temporary home until around 3 years old, then they were adopted by Hinatoka. He lived in a small, two-bedroom house with his son, Botan. After a few years, they'd outgrown their home, so Hinatoka got up the money to move closer to the city. It was expensive, really expensive, and Hinatoka had to work extra hard to afford the new dwelling.
     One fateful day, as Hinatoka was wrapping up his shift with Ukai at Sakanoshita, he heard Ukai mention a small commercial space up for rent just around the corner. He'd always wanted to own a cafe or a restaurant of some sort, and recently there had been a problem with stray cats. So, after working even harder, he rented the space and got it running. He also adopted all the strays, got them vaccinated, neutered, and spayed. After all these expenses, Hinatoka's funds were dangerously low.
     As soon as they could, Zume helped with the bills. They put a small amount aside each day for top and bottom surgery since especially at that time, they struggled heavily with dysphoria. Zume started working at the cafe when they were 14, just after it opened up. It got a fair amount of business, but Tanji Cafe was barely breaking even.
     The bills skyrocketed more after the accident. Hinatoka was driving home from the cafe with Zume and Botan (the latter worked there, but as he started high school, his work took too much time) when he lost control and crashed into another car before rolling into a ditch. He broke his spine and attained other minor injuries, while Zume, who was sitting in the front, got a minor concussion, some smaller cuts, and bruised their ribs. Botan was mostly unharmed, except for some bruises and cuts. Thankfully, Hinatoka wasn't paralyzed, but he spent the better half of two months in the hospital recovering, then physical therapy on and off since then. He has trouble getting around and is practically house-bound since he can't walk or drive for too long. With their narcolepsy, Zume can't drive either, and Botan is too young.
     Ukai was kind enough to help out a bit, sometimes dropping off groceries for them or paying Hinatoka a little extra, despite his lacking work. To Zume and Botan, he was like a somewhat distant uncle. Different families in the neighborhood pitched in as well, with homecooked meals and grocery deliveries. This hospitality faded after a few weeks. Zume spent more and more time at the cafe with Botan, eating there as well, as groceries at home were sparse.
     It was around this time that Zume grew closer with Suga and Daichi. Sometimes, they would even have sleepovers at the cafe, as long as Hinatoka was there with them. Despite their financial struggles, Zume was pretty happy. They'd gotten a few binders and a change in style, and as they grew, they found themself growing more and more comfortable with who they were.

|| history in school
Zume was always a very smart kid. They got good marks-- not the best, but not quite average. As time passed and they were forced to focus on their home life, their grades dropped, and they had to work harder in class.
     They've always had it rough socially. Even though Zume was sweet and friendly, they were constantly bullied for their skin. Kids constantly mooed as they walked past and called them a cow. This only got worse after they got their septum pierced. This on top of gender dysphoria only made it harder for Zume to love who they were. It was a long journey to self-love and acceptance, but it was worth it.

|| likes & hobbies
cats of course. playing volleyball, but they aren't on a team. embroidery. cacti & succulents. plants in general. bigger, calmer dogs. citrus and cologne scents, but not overwhelming. essential oils & diffusing them (don't hate, they're not like a Karen or anything). the vibes in the cafe. reading. quiet, but not silence. the smell of coffee & old books. rain & thunderstorms. playing out in the rain. hot weather. baggier clothing. being stylish/looking good. doing really cool, elaborate grunge/e-girl makeup, especially eyeliner. music & singing, they're really good but shy. playing guitar.

|| dislikes & fears
running. most dogs. water, but rain and showers are tolerable. cripplingly emetophobic (same bestie-). overly sweet smells, foods & drinks. spicy food. most forms of meat, but not all. close crowds. unwarranted physical contact. the texture of cotton (it makes them sick, literally). their narcolepsy. bullies/being bullied. mushrooms. salt and vinegar chips (they're too strong). crispy french fries (haha they share soggy french fry likes with yams ew). impolite customers. coworkers with mean attitudes (they can understand being a little grumpy, but c'mon, get it together).

|| pet peeves
-close talkers. like, get tf away from me
-eating around others, it makes them really anxious and self-conscious (unless they're comfy with those people)
-mumblers/people who don't speak clear enough for them to hear
-people who talk way too loud
-being nagged about singing for others

|| habits
-obsessively picks & bites at their nails (they wear a lot of nail polish to help stop, and they try not to bite them at work; stems from OCD)
-scratching their nose, oddly enough
-curling parts of their hair around their fingers & fiddling with the hair at the back of their neck
-running their teeth over their bottom lip
-a motion like they're pushing up their glasses (they normally wear contacts since they hate wearing glasses, but the habit remains)

|| addictions
-probably a caffeine one, but it's lowkey
-borderline nicotine

|| (mental) illnesses
-minor narcolepsy, and it's really fuckin annoying. they'll fall asleep at the counter and in class sometimes, and it's adorable but also bothersome
-light anxiety, but it's not prevalent enough to be diagnosed. they do have some tics from it though
-OCD, they have dermatillomania because of it. this causes them to pick at their skin, nails, and lips a lot, and it's embarrassing

|| stims & tics
-a lip pop
-a sharp whistle that can get really annoying
-pouting
-pulling lightly on a small piece of their hair
-snapping their fingers or just tapping them together
-neck twitch, but it's kinda rare
-they also have this tic where their shoulders jerk inward and it's kinda weird

|| hogwarts house
who knows aljndskjvksn they're all over the place, you tell me ig
|| mbti
ESFJ
|| pets
all the cats in the cafe; Hinatoka did adopt them all, didn't he?
|| living situation
Zume lives with their father and brother in a small pad about 10 minutes (on bike) away from Sakanoshita and Tanji Cafe.

|| barista or regular?
barista!
|| commute & shift
They bike to work, just like they bike to school. It's not all that long, about 10 minutes to the cafe. Often they work the late shift after school, picking up graveyard when they need the money (they do school work on breaks and sometimes even invite Suga and Daichi over to study over a cup), then on weekends, they work morning.

|| attitude at work

Very casual, a little sarcastic, but overall a very laid-back hipster vibe. The kind of person you'd expect to work at a cafe. They chat with customers while making drinks and food right behind the counter, socializing comfortably without being overzealous or too talkative. They also pick up busywork like cleaning up the eat-in area, brushing the cats, and picking up after them. They're known to slack off a bit and hang out with their friends, but it's alright, they make up for it.

|| relationship with the cats
Amazing! They know every cat's name and their little quirks, as well as their preferences with people. Thor loves kids, Yunosuke prefers quieter adults, Sakura gets along with everyone and her favorite toy is that little yellow finch with a bundle of fake feathers attached to it.

|| favorite drink & snack/usual order
They really like hot drinks, tea or coffee, and they like bitterness. Zume used to like their coffee lukewarm and sweet, but the more experienced they got with handling caffeine, the darker they liked it. If they don't get coffee, they have a boba tea or just an ordinary tea. For food, they usually opt for a simple bowl of rice (onigiri if it's on-the-go) or traditional ramen.

|| why are they in this job? or, why do they come here often?
Hinatoka heard from Ukai that there was a space for rent nearby, and so he rented it out. Zume helps him with the books and "manages" the store in person. They're not old enough to actually run it, so a friend of Hinatoka's is the real manager instead. He doesn't come around all that often though, since there are enough workers, and Zume usually reports to him.

|| love interest & backup
possibly Sugawara, possibly Kuro, who knows, not I
|| how they act when crushing
Zume doesn't get flustered-- they get soft. They develop more visible compassion and warmth toward their crush, loving to spend time with them. They prefer this time to be alone, or in certain situations with others, since they get hurt if their crush's attention isn't on them (yeah that's a little shitty, what about it). Zume doesn't initiate physical contact, but they certainly welcome it a lot more than with other people. 

|| possible dynamic with l.i & backup
it really depends on the l.i's personality, plus it's not like you guys need to know all this stuff


|| character inspiration
none (consciously)
|| quotes
"I'm a bit of a shitty person if you didn't already figure that out yourself."
"Nonono, that's not where that goes!"
"Hello, welcome to Tanji Cafe, how may I assist you?"
"Get out of my way, asshole, I'm trying to work here."
"BOTAN! Quit harassing my customers, or I'm kicking you out again!"
"Okay so maybe I did spend all night reading with the cats, what about it?"
"Stop pestering me about drinking water, I'm fine." *winces from hypertension headache*
"As a former woman, I am allowed to have a say in this."

|| theme song(s)
Marceline The Vampire - Steppes
Taunt - Lovejoy
Smoke Breaks - Daddy and the Long Legs
wish you were gay - Ferraro
is your bedroom ceiling bored? - Sody, Cavetown (<- for suga :D)
Chaotic Gender Neutral - Murder Person For Hire

|| aesthetic
chaotic grunge academia, occasionally some mid-divorce vacation dad vibes, sometimes goblincore, it's here and there between the three

|| clothing style
tries to dress as fashionably (and queerly) as they can. normally wears cute graphic or plain tees and those flowy pants with the thick ties at the top. sometimes they'll go a little bolder (heavy eyeliner, more grunge vibes like long sleeves under aesthetic graphic tees, and fishnets under ripped jeans) or more comfy (simple sweatshirt and jeans). on special occasions, they dress up in a more dark/light academia, which one depends on their mood

|| favorite music genre
it depends. often they play classical or lofi in the cafe, but they also like some of that offbeat stuff like 100 gecs and takayan, then Lovejoy and Daddy Long Legs vibes

|| voice actor
I couldn't think of a Japanese va that represented the correct tone for them akjxnsdclnsj oh well
my beloved Jacob Tobia, a nonbinary actor who voiced Double Trouble (Zume doesn't talk like DT does tho, not with that theatrical accent)

|| how they react to Karens
heavy eye-rolls and forced pleasantries. if it's an off day and the Karen pushes too far, they could definitely snap and go off (where is your manager? I AM THE MANAGER-)

|| extra
-on occasion, they go to practices
-Zume's pretty good at volleyball. nothing extraordinary like the starting lineup, but they got pretty good skills
-ok-ish friends with the rest of the Karasuno team, but it's mostly just surface-level friendship
-on slightly closer terms with Asahi since he's a third-year as well
-Tsukki makes them hella nervous and he knows it (he's just so tall and rude and his sarcasm is so much better than theirs-)
-they get flashes of their temporary foster family sometimes. they don't remember anything specific, it's mostly just feelings
-the only one they'll let call them Little Ushi is Hinatoka
-they are absolutely clueless as to if someone likes them or not
-only a handful of times have they been legitimately flirted with. mostly they just get catcalls and derogatory comments about their vitiligo
-does kinda give off baby cow vibes /pos
-has decorated the cafe with plenty of crystals and plants (the crystals, especially bigger ones, have neat little signs next to them that say do not touch)
-also diffuses different essential oils around the place and it smells heavenly mixed with the coffee and food smells

might write a snippet of the prologue as a teaser, so watch for that !

thank you for your business and for reading !