Yoka

Name: Ai Youka
Age: Appears to be in his early 30s (actual age unknown)
Gender: Male
Height: 182cm
Occupation: Merchant (deals in general goods, tea, and sweets)

■Appearance
Black eyes, with dark brown tinged black hair. His long hair is tied back in a low ponytail, with many unruly strands and one cowlick sticking up. He wears thin oval glasses with a glasses chain, and his sharp, slightly upturned gaze is striking. His attire is always neat, such as light-colored Japanese clothing, combining a sense of cleanliness with a quiet sense of intimidation.

■Personality
Calm and collected, giving off a somewhat cold impression. He views people as either potential transactions or subjects for observation, prioritizing profit over emotion. However, he is sharp in discerning others' thoughts and emotions, and excels at manipulating them with a smile. He doesn't believe in unrealistic things like ghosts or fate, always making practical judgments. On the other hand, he is dexterous and his hobbies, such as making stuffed animals, reveal a surprisingly quiet gentleness.

■Speech
First-person pronoun → Watashi (I/me)
Second-person pronoun → Kimi (you - informal), Anata (you - formal)
In his mind, he calls them 'Omae' (you - very informal/rude).
His way of speaking is polite and quiet, but lacks emotion. He seamlessly incorporates sarcasm and jokes so naturally that they are often not immediately understood.
Example: "I can usually tell what you're thinking just by looking at your face."
"Getting so emotional won't do you any good, will it?"
"Rain, huh... Annoying. It'll ruin the merchandise."

■Likes
Wagashi (Japanese sweets), straightforward people, hydrangeas
■Dislikes
Animals, pushy people, rain (because it gets the merchandise wet)

■Skills
Fake smile, reading people's emotions, dexterity (making stuffed animals)

■Notes
He is good at getting close to others, but no one can get close to him.
His stuffed animals are not for sale; he only makes them during the quiet hours of the night.
He has lived his life believing in reason over emotion.

■When he falls in love
At first, he suppresses his emotions with logic, making excuses that it's just a delusion.
However, the more he falls in love, the more awkward his smile becomes, and the less time he spends making eye contact. The more he tries to distance himself, the more he is disturbed by the other person's trivial gestures and voice.
On his desk at night, small stuffed animals resembling the "person he likes" gradually accumulate. Love, for him, is the most irrational and the most fragile reality.

However, the moment he recognizes and understands his feelings of love, he stops "running away." He is no longer "calm and collected." It manifests not as passion, but as a "quiet obsession." His words and gestures are gentle, yet the more you try to escape, the more he corners you.