Kawashima, Ume
川島 , 梅

Gender : Female
Age : 22
Birthday : 27th December 1998
Height/Weight : 164 cm / 52 kg
University: University of Tokyo
Major : Education
Year : Junior
Dorm : 103
Relationships: ♥
Pinterest : Ume
Voice Claim : Saori Hayami

Personality

POLITE • HUMBLE • SYMPATHETIC • AFFECTIONATE • RELIABLE • SOFT-SPOKEN • FRUGAL • SENSITIVE • REPRESSIVE • LENIENT • RESERVED • SELF-CRITICAL

Ume is a polite person with a gentle spirit, and she strongly believes that everyone deserves to be treated with kindness. Those are the most significant aspect of meeting her, making her approachable and liked by her friends and neighbors. Whether it's spoiling her peers with some sweets, giving hugs, or simply being there to lend her shoulder to cry on, she is seen as an affectionate and sympathetic person. People may rely on her to assist them with chores because of her trusting disposition regardless of how trivial it is, nevertheless, Ume does not complain and rather find helping others as a hobby of hers. Growing up, Ume was also taught to live simply and economically due to her humble background because money does not grow on trees. She pays no mind to the latest trends, but instead spends on thrift shopping and only necessities, and regularly counting her allowances implies that she is a frugal person.

Her soft upbringing, however, makes it easy to take advantage of her because she is lenient and quick to give in even if the other person is at fault. Even so, she wouldn't let her guard down too easily and will try her best to resolve any problem. She is quite harsh towards herself because she tends to try to please people by doing the right thing and often feel responsible for how other people feel. Her repressiveness and reserved character make it difficult to express herself and she constantly brushes off her thoughts. Whenever someone expresses their concern towards Ume, she'll always reassure them that she's fine and can handle things herself.

Background

TLDR : Ume has been living with her grandparents since she was little because of the deaths of her parents. Life is hardly dull for her, despite being a single child, she lives in a lively neighbourhood and there is always something to do every day. She grew up being a trustworthy individual, helping her grandparents making wagashi for their shop and helping her friends with schoolwork. She attempted to set up her own tutoring project in her neighbourhood at some point, but the townspeople did not take it seriously.

Ume was born to a loving couple on one wintery night in late December. Ume's father worked in an agricultural company and her mother was a full-time housewife, they all lived in a warm household with full of laughters and affection. For most of her life, Ume spent her childhood living in a village on the outskirts of Tokyo, in Yamanashi Prefecture. Despite being an only child, life was vibrant and never lonely to her as she had lots of lively neighbours and relatives whom often come and visit. Ume would occasionally join her neighbouring friends exploring the fields and tunnel, or helping her parents gathering fruits at their orchards.

Until, when she was seven years old, a truly heartbreaking news circling around that her parents perished in a train crash while they were leaving for a short honeymoon. From then on, Ume's grandparents were taken into custody to look after Ume for the rest of their lives. Although there are countless nights of grief, her grandparents will still be there to console her, and even said they are in a better place now hoping that would ease the mind of young Ume. Every morning, she offered some prayers for her parents without fail.

As years passed, Ume moved on and continued her life normally with full enthusiasm and an optimistic mind. She grew up into an amiable yet free-spirited person, always eager to lend a hand to those in need and even helped her grandparents with making sweets (wagashi) for their small business in front of their house. Her young self would sometime sneak in for a little bite on the sweets, even doing something as mischievous as sabotaging the ingredients to the point of receiving some complaints from the customers. Her grandparents are not pleased with that behaviour at all, therefore she compensates for her mistakes by helping her grandmother cook and sew, and it gradually became a hobby.

Moving onwards to her middle and high school life, Ume is seen as an above-average student with great interest for mathematics and English language. If her classmates have problems with these specific topics, Ume would be the first person for them to seek guidance. Eventually, she grew to be rather a dependable person, respected by her peers and teachers.

At one point, Ume looked after one of her neighbor's kid for a half-day while she was in her second year of high school, and helped with their homework. This was when her interest in tutoring others with their schoolwork sparked, particularly when the child of the neighbour has a slight learning disability. Feeling pity for others' misfortunes, she wanted to aid those individuals who requires special needs especially when they're still in school. Ume gave a shot to make small fliers and slip it under the entrance doors across the neighbourhood and in various districts, to those who wanted tuition classes with Ume without having to pay the fees, mainly targeting students from pre-school to middle school levels. Although receives little to no response, naturally she felt dispirited for trying too hard yet no one batted an eye. Fortunately for her, the neighbour's child brought more of their friends to visit and study together with Ume. With her pleasant demeanor and have been receiving positive feedbacks, she finds tutoring others a new passion for her.

Although initially planned to take over her grandparents Wagashi business in the future, being an educator has crossed her minds several times. Her grandparents supports her decision and advises her to venture out and spread her wings. Stepping out of her comfort zone into the hustle and bustle city of Tokyo to pursue her dreams in Education field, she chose University of Tokyo while staying at Hinode Hills. Not too familiar with the modern lives as she had been linked to traditional lifestyle, living independently in a populated city was both difficult yet thrilling for her.

MISC

Likes
✓ Cats
✓ Nature
✓ The sound of bell chimes
✓ Calico themed items
✓ Ghost stories
✓ Sweets and desserts
✓ Traditional music

Dislikes
X Sloppiness
X Raising her voice at someone
X Wasting money
X Wasting food
X Stormy weathers

TRIVIAS:

🌸 Her name means plum blossom / apricot, since it is her parents' favourite that has been planted in their orchard as well.
🌸 Has beauty mark under her right eye, above her left eyebrow and on her left shoulder.
🌸 Has an 8-year old cat named Tora that she found near her school compound when she was fourteen. She decided to took Tora in when encountered a bunch of students throwing pebbles at the stray.
🌸 Loves to cook, bake, and sew! If anyone requested help especially in these, she would be pleased.
🌸 Works at her grandparent's small wagashi shop at her hometown on weekends. May secretly gives small discount for her close peers and regular customers , but her grandparents aren't happy about it!
🌸 Childhood friends with Nana.
🌸 Due to her inexperience with the internet world, she has trouble understanding the slangs sometimes. She is always eager to learn something new.
🌸 Tries to learn shamisen instrument, and it was belonged to her late father.

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