Kanade Yoisaki

"I must compose..."

The leader and composer of the doujin circle 'Nightcord at 25:00',
who has tasked herself with 'saving' her group's lyricist, no matter the cost.

Kanade Yoisaki is, quite simply, a musical prodigy. Born to a professional composer, Kanade had shown a knack for also composing music since she was small. This was not a role she was pushed into, nor was it one which was cultivated or developed by her parents - she simply enjoyed how her father's compositions made her smile and feel happy, and wanted to do the same for him. And it turned out she simply had pure, natural talent for it.

The chords and sequences she creates can evoke whichever specific emotions she desires - so long as she can envision the end result she wants properly, she simply puts her hands to the instrument at hand, and the resulting creation could evoke the emotion or feeling she desired to relay. Even when improvising, all she needs is to hear the first couple notes to understand what end result she needs to create. A fact she should have be proud of... if it were a boon, rather than a bane.

This talent should have been a blessing, but it's done nothing but bring her grief.

She wasn't always a reclusive shut-in. Kanade's life has so far been... rough, yes. But it wasn't always bad. She was actually quite the cheerful child. Yes, she lost her mother to illness when she was young, which was traumatizing on it's own... but her father struggled to care for her in the aftermath. It wasn't intentional - he didn't mean to make her fend for herself, or to make her eat alone. He simply needed to work to provide for her. And as his compositions and technology were considered outdated, he was having trouble meeting the demands placed on him.

Of course, like the helpful child she was, she just wanted to help him succeed. And help she did! By helping him put together a part he was struggling with.

This composition won the contest he had entered! ... but only because of her part. It even became a commercial jingle, and everyone who tried to commission him after wanted him to create the same type of sound. Something he couldn't do - he simply didn't have the talent his own daughter did. He couldn't create like she could. Her talent far surpassed his own, a fact which vexed him.

She shouldn't have tried to help him again.

All she did was make him another song, hoping to cheer him up. Humbly saying she had just thrown it together, not realizing the damage her words could cause. The next day he collapsed into a coma, his diary revealing that he had overworked himself to the point of disaster, between trying to create something that matches his daughter's talent and the stress of finding out how outclassed he had become.

Her own talent 'cursed' him, as far she's concerned, even if she didn't mean to. That this thing she's been praised for has brought nothing but harm to those she cared about.
Equally as accidental, he 'cursed' his own daughter as well - the last words he ever told her were to "never stop composing." A phrase which should have been a proud parent encouraging their child at what they were good at... if his collapse hadn't been traumatizing enough to warp his words in her mind.

Like father, like daughter... she's following in his footsteps.

Now, she thinks that her music is all she's good for. That as her father's 'last words' so to say, as what she considers his 'final wish'... she must never stop composing. Even if her own well-being be damned, she cannot and will not stop. Not until she rights the wrongs she's committed, and can save someone instead of damning them.

If only she could realize she already has.

Kanade is a true hikikomori. She hates sunlight and going outside of her house, she has no physical stamina to speak of, and is honestly too lazy to actually physically take care of herself. She sees no point in it - if she's well enough to be awake, she's well enough to compose. And compose she will. Her work ethic would be admirable, if her actual work-life balance weren't so abyssal.

Though antisocial, Kanade is extremely kind and caring to those close to her. She often puts the needs of others before herself, overworking herself for the sake of her music. Kanade's entire life is dedicated to composing, often putting off sleep, eating, and going outside to focus on writing music. Around others, she doesn't let the true harm done by this life style shine through in her behavior - she rarely converses with others beyond work, so those who know her in passing admire her work ethic but don't truly know her. And when praised, she's quite humble about what she creates. She truly seeks nothing beyond the satisfaction that she's made her listeners happy, and is truly happy if she thinks she may have 'saved' someone.

When others do manage to befriend her, she's quiet in demeanor and demure in temperament... but that does not make her a pushover. In fact, far from it - her determination and stubbornness is honestly remarkable, considering her usual passiveness. When she's having difficulty succeeding at what she has set out to do, she even gets uncharacteristically aggressive - a fact which takes her group members by surprise each time they witness it. Not that they've seen it often, but they're among the few who have.

When she sets her mind to something, she tunes out everything else around her, tunnel visioning on what she wishes to do, forgetting everything else in the process. Food, sleep, hygiene.... none of that matters, or it can wait, when she's focused on her work. And she's fainted before from physical weakness, because of this. And she'd do it again, if not for her housekeeper finding her in the nick of time.

Like father, like daughter, she's unintentionally working herself to an early grave - except unlike her father, she's not alone. There's others who are watching her, who can see her falling. And hopefully, will be there to catch her if and when she falls.

... so long as she lets them.

Her songs have in fact reached others and 'saved' them, given them hope to keep going, to not disappear.
Only time will tell if she'll let them return the favor.