Name: Junko UchidaAge: 17
Gender: Female
Birthday: November 4
Ethnicity: Japanese
District: Shinjuku
Appearance: Junko's hair is mainly black with faint, brown highlights. Like her highlights, her eyes are also brown but much lighter. In terms of height, she is shorter than average but compensates with what she calls a "skinny-fat" body. While she looks slender, she has a squeezable midsection.
Personality:
"Sometimes it's easier to pretend that things bother you. Then, they don't."
Junko closes herself off to advice or emotional support from others. She often states that she "takes things in stride" and isn't bothered by petty things, but that's only a reassuring lie. She hides her issues behind smiles and compliance to others, knowing that defiance only results in pointless confrontation. No matter how much she argues, it's futile. There's no changing the minds of her parents or hell, anyone else. It's easier to be swept down the river than swim up stream, even if you end up in a less prosperous area.
"I'm not her. I'm too stupid to do math."
In reality, her psyche is fairly fragile in that it is easily influenced by the words of others. They become disproportionately conflated with what she thinks is wrong with her. If she "isn't up to par", she is a terrible student. If she "isn't the fastest kid in class", she is a turtle. Verbalization of this is near-nonexistent, but she'll think it whenever she is participating in something with an element of competition. To that extent, comparison strikes a special nerve. Saying someone is better pretty much sets them up to be a source of resentment, intentionally or otherwise. Even if she tries to see it as a person to try and strive for there is a nagging bitterness.
"It's okay. I'll keep it a secret."
Strangely, her fragility is what also gives her empathy. Those feelings other people feel, she can feel. People come to her for advice and a good ear since she rarely says anything of judgement. One does not spill their secrets in order to be judged after all. Being trustworthy is a big part of her M.O. and she expects the same of others. In the rare times that she tells people things, she does so in confidence. Part of being a listener means that you don't get involved, at least outside of giving advice. Empathy can also be an issue as she can lean toward one point of view without sufficient information.
"What do you want me to do..."
When she is given enough information without a controlling hand, she is left indecisive. Since her life was spent with parents who often set goals for her, she isn't sure how to approach life on her own, even if what her parents want are not what she wants. She still wants to please them to some extent, but does not know how to reach the golden mean of self and familial fulfillment.
Likes: Surfing the BBC, Reading, Spicy foods, Saxophone, American things
Dislikes: Showing anger/fear, Failure, The Future, Regret
History:
Junko's life began, not with her birth, but nearly a year before, when her parents began to plan for her. The two of them knew what they wanted of her and who wanted to funnel her towards the path of a doctor, perhaps a surgeon (like her uncle). However, unlike her brother she did not show a definite knack for science, nor for math. Sure, she was fascinated enough with the subject, but she did not actively pursue it beyond watching documentaries on television.
She spent most of her days on the computer, playing games and attempting to find an isolated escape from her fast-paced world. Unlike many of those her age, she finds relief in anonymity and does what she can to blend in as opposed to make herself known, often lurking rather than posting. At school, she is similar in this way, only finding friends through osmosis or forced interaction in her class. The handful of friends that she calls her own are the only people that she is herself around, usually putting on some sort of front around everyone else, including her parents.
As far as her parents know, she is an easily malleable child with no direction. For better or for worse, they feel as though they ought to take the reins with her development in order to foster her potential. This often leads to tension filled silences in the household due to the refusal of either parties to come up with a solution. Generally, the outcome is that Junko bends to their will, either because of guilt or passive-aggression.
Since her last year of schooling is approaching, she is rapidly realizing that she can no longer put off deciding her future as well as her parents' wishes. Nothing is quite certain anymore, but what she does know as that she'll have to make a decision very soon.
Reason for a pet: Junko is fairly jealous of how few the duties of an animal are. They aren't expected to please others. Instead, they follow their conditioned instincts without any regard to morality, expectations, or pressures. Because she is being pulled in so many different directions, she is left indecisive of her future. Perhaps her pet would be the catalyst for her decision.
