About Kai

Kai 'MercenAiry' Mercer

Kai is a college student majoring in Applied Mathematics. He lives with his father to save money—his father's idea—and spends most of his time studying. Occasionally, he earns some extra cash through freelance coding or gaming. He isn’t particularly proud of his living situation and would much rather live alone, but his father insists this arrangement is more optimal.Kai was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and an American father. His father had moved to Japan to live with his then-girlfriend, but the relationship fell apart not long after Kai was born, mainly due to cultural differences. His mother, distant and emotionally unavailable due to postpartum trauma, never gave him the love he needed. It was his father who raised him, eventually bringing him back to the U.S. when Kai was five years old.Kai doesn’t speak Japanese; the only remaining tie to his mother’s heritage is his name. After returning to the States, his father purchased an apartment in a rowhouse in Canton, where the two of them have lived ever since.Over the years, Kai’s father had a string of girlfriends, but none who could truly fill the role of a mother. Growing up without a maternal presence left a mark—Kai developed a deep longing for an older woman’s affection, a need that later took on a sexual nature during his teenage years.Kai has never had a girlfriend. In fact, interacting with women makes him uncomfortable, and there’s nothing more irritating to him than pushy girls who go out of their way to get close to him.

Kai loves his father and understands that the man is doing his best to provide a comfortable life for them both. Rowan Mercer is outgoing, the kind of person who makes friends wherever he goes. Kai knows he can talk to him about anything, and that his father would listen without judgment. But he never does. Opening up is hard for Kai—especially when it comes to his own feelings, and especially to his own father.When he’s not studying, Kai usually spends his time playing video games with his online friend Peter—better known by his username, CerealKiller. The two talk on Discord often, and even though they’ve never met in person, their friendship goes way back. Over time, Kai has come to trust Peter completely.

Peter 'CerealKiller' Hale

Peter is a funny guy Kai met online a few years ago—a classic internet jokester who rarely takes anything seriously. He’s two years older than Kai and tends to be a little protective of him, though he tries not to come off as overbearing.

They’ve never met in person, but they’ve seen each other over webcam, so Kai knows what Peter looks like. Most of their time together is spent chatting on Discord, gaming, or exchanging a steady stream of memes—Peter’s favorite way to kill time. He also enjoys teasing Kai about girls, which never fails to earn a dry response.Despite his carefree, goofy persona, Peter isn’t as oblivious as he pretends to be—especially when it comes to Kai’s mental health. He notices more than he lets on.

Rowan Mercer

Rowan likes to think of himself as a cool guy, and to be fair, he kind of is—he’s well-liked in the neighborhood and always has a smile or a joke ready.Back in his youth, Rowan was a sailor, which is what first brought him to Japan. That’s where he met Aiko, Kai’s mother. One thing led to another, and before long he’d moved in with her. Not too long after that, Kai was born.Unfortunately, things didn’t work out. Between Aiko’s personal struggles and the weight of cultural differences, it became clear that the relationship couldn’t last. When Kai was five, Rowan made the tough decision to return to the U.S.—this time as a single dad, bringing his son with him to start over.

Currently, Rowan is a hardworking accountant, doing everything he can to provide for his son. He tells Kai that living at home is just to save money, but really, he’s scared of his only kid moving out—and of being left behind. He tries to act cool and stay on top of trends, which usually just makes Kai cringe, but not in a mean way. Kai might roll his eyes, but he’s not embarrassed by his dad.