Sky (Haneul Kang)

Name: Sky Kang
Nickname(s): Sky

Gender: Male
Sexuality: Bisexual leaning towards men

Age: 18
Birth Date: May 22
Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Height: 5'8 / 173 CM
Weight: 128lbs / 58KG

Occupation: College Student

Personality: Sky is, at least externally a pretty laid back guy. He tends to blend into a crowd easily and isn't especially obtrusive or outspoken. Due to his intense distaste for conflict, he does his best to keep himself under the radar, and avoid arguments that aren't in a literary form. The only exception to this rule would be when involved in an organized debate while standing behind a podium. An active member of the debate team when he was in high school, the experience gave him enough courage to battle his anxieties and speak up, but only when the conditions were right.

Because he took to things relatively naturally in school, good grades tended to come to him with ease. That wasn't to say he didn't take things serious, devoting a considerable amount of time to studying, but, his comprehension skills were stellar. Because of this, sometimes he can judge others for not knowing or understanding what he sees as “common knowledge,” and therefore comes across as arrogant.

Sky appears to be slow to panic, keeping his cool in high stress situations. This has more to do with his pride than reality as internal turmoil is par for the course. Constantly stressed from school, family expectations, home life, his emotions are a battle zone, constantly welling up with explosive anxieties and fears. Only those that are especially close to him get to see this “ugly side” of him. For everyone else, he seems a generally calm and happy sort of guy.

Sky is not quick to get close to anyone, but is easily “friends” with everyone. To clarify, he moves from social group to social group and is generally liked well enough, but he's not friends with anyone (except his brother). His loyalties to the people he considers acquaintances are lackluster at best, but if you can work your way into his circle of friends, he will prove himself loyal, honest, forthright, a little too blunt, and quick to defend.

Notes: Loses patience easily (but usually rants to himself/has been known to lock himself in a freezer to scream and let out frustrations) , can be passive aggressive, only respects people who work hard for it. He's much less shy online than he is in person, and is quick to strike up a conversation in chat, but face to face is relatively quiet unless you speak with him about something he's passionate about.

Likes:

• Skateboarding

• Music

• Video games

• Horror movies

• Doodling

• Good grades

• Winning

• River (his brother) or other people he deems “cool”

• Driving, and consequently the freedom that comes with it.

Dislikes:

• Conflict

• Loud and obnoxious people

• Anything below and A-

• Losing

• Spicy food

• Sleep

• Deadlines

History: Sky is the Youngest son of Jung-woo and Muriel Kang, Co-owners of J.M. Hospitality Management. The company oversees a small chain of locally owned, low cost extended stay motels, but has been seeing financial discord in recent years.

Originally it had been expected that River, the elder brother would be the one to carry on the family business, but as time went on, Sky was the one who showed academic prowess, while River's grades steadily dropped. By the time River had turned 14, all expectation had been shifted downward to the younger. This meant a dramatic shift in pressure and stress levels for Sky who had previously given little thought to his long-term future. With the company sinking slowly from a financial downturn, Muriel's hope was set on the next generation. Because of this, exceptional was not good enough. Sky was expected to be the best! And anything less than the best was unacceptable.

With strain from the business, came strain on the Kang's marriage. Married too young the couple was prone to excessive arguments, that often centered around but were not limited to the future of the company. As time progressed it became abundantly clear the two of them only remained married for the sake of the business and their religious beliefs, but deep down they despised each other. The late night arguments, and pressure to perform wore on sky and eventually lead to his love of skating and music. Noise canceling headphones soon became his best friend as he struggled to maintain his grades in the toxic environment. And Skating became his escape, on weekends spending time with laid back teens who just wanted to hang and let loose. It was there at the skate park that he had his first taste of success, in the form of a bottle of caffeine pills. It seemed innocent at first but soon grew to an addiction. With his parents constant bickering, the quietest hours of the early morning the only time he could focus. With a brother that had been diagnosed with ADHD, it was easy to pocket the pills River was only pretending to take and trashing. The transition to Ritalin seemed only natural. In exchange for sleep, he sacrificed his health in favor of an unhealthy addiction that finally allowed him to find the balance he needed to maintain the grades his parents required. It would be years before he'd finally overcome his addiction.

As the stress grew, so did Sky's anxiety. In a tense situation he tended to shut down entirely, and didn't respond well at all to conflict. And the person that was always there to comfort him and know him well enough to see through his faulty calm, was his brother River. The two grew very close, a deep bond forming between them before River left home at 16. Sky operated under the hope that he could one day live with his brother, but that hope faded as the years passed.

Now, he'd turned 18 and started college. While still stuck living at home, he'd found a sense of freedom in the rather unreliable used Oldsmobile he used for his commute. With an instant love for the shoddy car, he spent a considerable amount of his free time driving, if only to get away, or to go see his brother. There was a power he felt, a control he had behind the wheel he didn't find anywhere else except occasionally on his skateboard. Driving was his new addiction, and he needed more. But first, he needed a new place to live, and an equally new and reliable car. Desperately he began seeking employment to help pay his way into his own apartment.

Sky is desperately looking for any job that can pay the bills and a place cheap enough that he can get out of his poor living situation.

Extra

• Sky is half Irish. His father is 100% Korean and met Muriel on a business trip. Muriel's maiden name is O'hara.

• Sky has a pretty serious brother complex. He idolizes and worships his cool older brother, but more recently has felt a sense of abandonment from him.

• Sky currently attends Narcotics Anonymous, and has been sober 10 months, but still drinks an unhealthy amount of coffee

• He's only just beginning to explore his rebellious side, but it doesn't mean he takes school any less seriously

• If asked what he wanted to be when he grows up: He still has absolutely no clue.

• Favorite color is orange

• He "doodles" a lot, and paints his skateboards when he's bored. Doesn't really consider himself an artist, just likes to draw... its not uncommon to see his arms and hands covered in ballpoint doodle patterns.
  
  
  

Notable physical traits: His freckles are visible on his face, arms, shoulders, back, and knees, but not so much the rest of his legs. He has a scar on his stomach where his appendix was taken out. He also has a small tattoo on his hip that says “And the handprint was on the inside” (river has a similar matching tattoo that says "I never go to sleep but I keep waking up")