Slow Damage / Shinkoumi Lorebook

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1. #1Shinkoumi

   Keys: Shinkoumi · Secondary: Special Administrative District, the city, Shinkoumi, city

   Shinkoumi is the sole Special Administrative District in Japan legally permitted to operate a casino industry, built on former Tokyo Waterfront/Odaiba land. It is governed and effectively owned by the Takasato Group, located near the Mainland.

   History: A government-proposed casino bill initially failed. Ryuujirou Takasato purchased the project and, with money raised behind the scenes, pressured a debt-ridden Mainland government into authorizing Takasato Group control. The district boomed — tourist numbers rose 60%, earning Shinkoumi the reputation of Japan's premier casino resort and a "golden miracle" during recession. The government retroactively designated it a Special Administrative District to save face, but real rule always belonged to Takasato.

   Current State (20XX): Over a decade later, the city has decayed. The casino industry persists but has cooled. Crime is rife, security is poor, and the population is largely composed of "hapless children" — the recession-generation youth — surviving on the margins.

   Body Modification Culture: Body modification is mainstream. Tattoos, light-emitting implants, and IC chips storing personal data are common, treated as extensions of fashion.

   Layout — Five Special Zones (A–E), connected by Hagoita Street avenue:

   • Zone A (grey) — Kanmachō: Old Entertainment District. Contains district ruins and a deathmatch area.
   • Zone B (yellow) — Sakuchō: Shinkoumi Strip. Hotels, seaside park.
   • Zone C (purplish-blue) — Kirikuchō: Office District. Hospital, church, Takasato offices, law firm.
   • Zone D (pink) — Abarochō: Downtown/red-light area. Contains Roost, police station, shrine, backstreets.
   • Zone E (green) — Enchō: Residential District. Contains Murase Clinic, cafes, parks, and character residences (Towa, Rei, Ikuina, Taku).

   Zone E connects to the others via Kokinoki Bridge, the southernmost point of the Hagoita Street route.

2. #2Takuma Murase

   Keys: Takuma Murase, Murase Clinic, タク, Murase Takuma, Taku

   Basic Info: Male, 46, born September 22 (Virgo). 177cm, O blood type, right-handed. Owner and head doctor of Murase Clinic, Special Zone E. Lives in an apartment ~20 min walk from the clinic.

   Appearance: Short reddish-brown hair, trimmed bangs, hazel eyes, slight stubble, lightly tanned. Almost always in a greenish-blue doctor's gown under a white coat with a stethoscope. Considered conventionally attractive.

   Personality: Friendly, well-regarded by patients of all ages. Outwardly warm and dependable. Can become unhinged under extreme circumstances (aura shifts from orange to dark reddish-purple).

   Background: Had a comfortable childhood until his parents divorced in high school — his father abandoned him and his mother, plunging them into poverty. Worked part-time while studying. His mother fell into drug addiction coping with poverty and poor health, which drove Taku to pursue medicine. He was intercepted by Masami Toono, who paid his tuition and his mother's hospitalization in exchange for Taku switching to pharmaceutical science. Taku complied, earned bachelor's and master's degrees, then negotiated Toono's approval to pursue medicine anyway.

   Before he could begin, his mother disappeared from the hospital and was found dead on the street. Taku fell into depression, neglected studies, was held back a year, and turned to drinking and smoking. Toono reappeared, revealed his Takasato Group ties, and coerced Taku into working for them by threatening to call in all debts. Taku has worked for the Takasato Group since, and was eventually assigned as Towa's personal physician.

   Key Relationships:

   • Towa: Known since Towa's childhood. Lets him live rent-free at the clinic in exchange for reduced pay. Does his laundry, cleans his room, and monitors him closely. Deeply protective.
   • Masami Toono: High school acquaintance turned coercive patron. Toono manipulated Taku's academic path for criminal convenience and holds the debt over him.
   • Maya: Towa's mother. Taku admired her superficially as a seemingly devoted mother, but she manipulated that perception. He grew suspicious of Towa's unusual injuries but couldn't confront her — instead committed to staying by Towa's side. Never had romantic feelings for her despite others' accusations.
   • Kazuki Asakura: University senior. Mutual dislike — Taku is aware of predatory rumors around Asakura; Asakura disdains Taku for his poor conduct as a student.

   Qualifications: Internal medicine, surgery, dermatology, gastroenterology. Owns the clinic's car. Former smoker. Dislikes sweets but makes an exception for the honey toast at Yanagawa Cafe.

3. #3Rei Izumi

   Keys: Rei Izumi, Rei, Izumi Rei, Roost bartender

   Basic Info: Male. Half-English, half-Japanese. Bartender at Roost, part-timer at Murase Clinic, and an active Deathmatch competitor with a strong reputation. His Deathmatch team consists of Arata, Junko, and Honami.

   Appearance: Long pale pink hair with a slight blonde undercut, tied back in a ponytail with fringe falling to the right. Reddish eyes. Multiple ear piercings, stretched lobes, pink taper on the left ear. Well-defined facial features attributed to his mixed ancestry. Usually wears a yellowish long-sleeved shirt and torn black pants, with necklaces and a ring on his right pinky. Rarely shows visible signs of fighting despite his Deathmatch involvement. Prefers to be referred to as a "beautiful person" (美人) rather than simply good-looking.

   Personality: Easygoing mood-maker, caring, and highly tolerant. Tends to nag Towa in a motherly way without genuine irritation — his aura rarely shifts during it. One reliable exception: Towa smoking while Rei is eating visibly upsets him. Brings homemade food to both Towa and Taku regularly.

   Background: Born in Shinkoumi shortly after his parents relocated there. Bullied throughout childhood due to his appearance from his mixed heritage, though his mother doted on him for it. His mother left after his father developed a severe gambling addiction. Continued to be bullied after her departure, eventually joined a boxing gym to fight back. Landing his first punch on his main tormentor gave him a lasting sense of thrill — the beginning of his relationship with fighting.

   Body Modification: Rei's primary hobby outside work. Self-taught and serious about it — performs tattoos, implants, and various other procedures. Hosted a body art consultation event at Roost that became highly popular, drawing in new bar customers on its own. The Roost manager made it a recurring event, which Rei welcomed.

   Other Notes: Holds both motorbike and car licenses; commutes by motorbike unless the weather is bad. Took mostly after his mother in appearance but shares his father's drooping eye shape.

4. #4Kei Madarame

   Keys: Madarame Kei, Kei Madarame, Madarame

   Basic Info: Male, 39, born December 4 (Sagittarius). 186cm, O blood type, left-handed. Former Takasato Group member. Officially presumed dead. Currently resides in the Deathmatch Area, Special Zone A.

   Appearance: Neck-length black hair with forehead-covering bangs. Golden eyes that reflect no emotion. Slightly tanned complexion. Extensive tattoos covering chest and arms. Carries an expression of constant, unchanged confidence.

   Personality: Operates entirely in the present — dismisses the past and future as irrelevant. Beneath the composed surface, described as carrying a profound "darkness" that those close to him find instinctively threatening. Even Towa was wary of it.

   Background: Born into a family of elite mercenaries working for a private military organization. His grandfather subjected him to brutal training involving torture, broken bones, and blood loss. At 15, Madarame killed his entire family and any housekeepers present, then successfully evaded the organization's pursuit. He later joined the Takasato Group after being promised unrestricted freedom to be violent — he doesn't recall who extended the invitation. He was officially declared dead following the Takasato Group's internal conflict, though no body was ever found.

   Reputation (Rumored):

   • Defeated 100 people alone in a single fight, surviving multiple gunshots and killing the shooter.
   • Singlehandedly destroyed the Yamano Group (山野組), which had been targeting Shinkoumi.

   These feats have made him a legend even in death. After returning to Shinkoumi following Ryuujirou Takasato's death, his presence in the Deathmatch Area sparked rumors of a "ghost" haunting the ruins.

   Relationships:

   • Towa: Knew of Towa since childhood via the Takasato Group. Developed a personal relationship — including a sexual one — when Towa was around 15–16.
   • Toru Igarashi: Views Madarame as cool but slightly intimidating, with a free-spirited quality that feels untethered from obligation.
5. #5Ryo Fujieda

   Keys: Minato Yuzuki, Fujieda, Ryo Fujieda, Fujieda Law Office, Fujieda Ryo

   Basic Info: Male, 28, born June 25 (Cancer). 182cm, A blood type, left-handed. Head lawyer and owner of Fujieda Law Office, Special Zone C (Kirikuchō). Also serves as legal advisor to the Takasato Group. Former public prosecutor and former host.

   Appearance: Short dark blue hair, neatly slicked back. Dark blue eyes, pale complexion, glasses. Always immaculately suited with a heavy leather bag. Wears a coat outdoors. Notably does not read as a thug or gangster despite his affiliations.

   Personality: Cold and unfeeling in impression. Aura is red normally, shifting to white when he is being dishonest. Deeply, obsessively attached to Towa.

   Background: Born Minato Yuzuki. Suffered severe abuse from both parents alongside his younger sister, Mei. After their parents divorced, their father left and their mother's abuse escalated. Fujieda consistently shielded Mei, which only intensified their mother's cruelty toward him. After finishing middle school, he skipped high school entirely and worked multiple part-time jobs to save enough for him and Mei to live independently. Before he could act on this, he discovered his mother had sold Mei into foster care. He immediately left home and spent all his savings searching for her — without success.

   Family:

   • Mei Yuzuki — younger sister, deceased.
   • Parents unnamed; father absent post-divorce, mother abusive.

   Office Details:

   • Address: Shinkomi Special Zone C, 2-10-1 Kirikuchō, Shinkomi Fudosan Kirikuchō Building 2, 4F
   • Phone: 0330-1584-9514
   • Email: fujieda_law_office@jmail.com
6. #6Maya

   Keys: Euphoria, Maya, Cielo, Towa's mother

   Basic Info: Female. Deceased (died December 26). Founder and proprietor of Euphoria. Former hostess at Cielo. Ryuujirou Takasato's favorite mistress and biological mother of Towa.

   Appearance: Soft features, sharp down-turned eyes, long wavy hair typically worn in a bun. Usually dressed in a red kimono embroidered with a black rose. As a hostess, wore a red cocktail dress with her hair down. Widely considered beautiful — Towa is noted to have inherited her looks.

   Personality — Public: Quiet, seemingly gentle, a lone wolf who kept to herself. Projected an image of a good, composed woman.

   Personality — True: Cruel, calculating, and emotionally hollow. Capable of killing without hesitation or visible reaction. Maintained a perpetually deceptive smile to lure people into traps. Completely intolerant of refusal — those who showed any resistance faced severe punishment or death. Read people's desires instinctively and gave them exactly what they wanted as a manipulation tool. Viewed everyone — including her own son — as pawns. Her final diary revealed she was aware of her own brokenness and loneliness, and her inability to genuinely love or connect with anyone despite her efforts.

   History: Grew up struggling financially, working at the Cielo nightclub and at one point relying on the owner of Tajima's for support. Caught Ryuujirou Takasato's attention — he reportedly fell in love with her immediately. She became his mistress and used the position to push the Takasato Group toward greater ruthlessness and tyranny. She later quit hostess work and opened Euphoria, publicly known as a high-end luxury nightclub and one of the most successful Takasato Group businesses during Special Zone A's peak.

   Euphoria's True Nature: Covertly operated as a child prostitution ring. Maya allowed clients — primarily privileged individuals including government officials, politicians, and foreign nationals — to abuse children and minors under the framing of "fulfilling desires" and being "granted true happiness."

   Associations: Hideyasu Sakaki. Taku was her son's physician and was charmed by her false persona before growing suspicious of Towa's repeated injuries.

   Details: Favored red roses, reflected in her kimono embroidery and her pocket watch symbol. Aura color: red.

7. #7Ryuujirou Takasato

   Keys: Takasato Group leader, Takasato Ryuujirou, Ryuujirou Takasato

   Basic Info: Male. Deceased. Former leader of the Takasato Group. Died of heart failure at age 81. Death announced publicly on Saturday, November 9th, 20XX.

   Role: The man responsible for purchasing the failed government casino project and building Shinkoumi into what it became. Under his leadership, the Takasato Group effectively became the ruling power of the entire Special Administrative District.

   Death & Aftermath: His passing created a significant power vacuum within the Takasato Group. Both Hideyasu Sakaki and Masami Toono intend to succeed him as leader, and his death intensified the rivalry between them.

   Relationships:

   • Maya: One of his mistresses and his personal favorite.
   • Towa: His biological son via Maya. Towa has almost no memories of him and felt nothing beyond bare acknowledgement upon learning of his death — unable to clearly picture his face even when trying.
8. #8Takasato Group

   Keys: Takasato Group, Takasato-gumi, Takasato Organization

   Overview: The governing force of Shinkoumi. Publicly operates as a construction and finance business. In reality, a crime syndicate that expanded its grip over Shinkoumi through political maneuvering during the district's development. Will use any means necessary to generate profit.

   Leadership:

   • Current Head: Hideyasu Sakaki
   • General Manager: Masami Toono
   • Former Leader: Ryuujirou Takasato (deceased, heart failure, age 81)

   Ryuujirou's death left a power vacuum, with Sakaki and Toono's rivalry intensifying as both vie for full succession.

   Headquarters: Hagoita Street, Special Zone C.

   Primary Income: Casino and gambling industry, Hagoita Street, Special Zone B. Also controls most businesses on Pink Street.

   Medical Access: Most Shinkoumi medical facilities officially refuse to treat group members but covertly accept them. Murase Clinic sees Takasato Group members so frequently it practically functions as their in-house clinic.

   Members:

   Current: Hideyasu Sakaki, Masami Toono, Toru Igarashi, Kotarou, Mayu, Eiji Kobayakawa

   Former: Ryuujirou Takasato (deceased), Towa (seceded), Kei Madarame (defected), Kaga (deceased), Kurahashi (seceded)

   Associates: Ryo Fujieda (legal advisor), Takuma Murase, Maya (deceased)

9. #9Murase Clinic

   Keys: Murase Clinic

   Overview: A small private clinic opened seven years ago by Takuma Murase, located in the Residential District of Enchō, Special Zone E. Despite its size, it has a strong reputation and draws both local residents and workers from the downtown areas. Low-rise standalone clinic buildings are rare in Shinkoumi, where most medical facilities are either large hospitals or rooms within larger buildings.

   Location: South of Yanagawa Cafe and Doraku Street Shopping District. North of the Residential District.

   Hours: 10:00 AM – 1:00 AM. Lunch break: 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM. Late hours make it especially valued by night workers.

   Services: Internal medicine, dermatology, surgery, gastroenterology.

   Layout (3 floors, elevator accessible):

   • 1F: Reception and waiting area, staff room (separated from reception by a curtain), first treatment room, examination room.
   • 2F: Second treatment room with patient beds.
   • 3F: Towa's Studio — Towa's private residential space, rented from Taku at a reduced rate.

   Staff:

   Main: Takuma Murase, Towa, Tsukasa Arimura, Junko

   Part-time: Rei Izumi, Honami, Arata

10. #10Towa's Studio

    Keys: Towa's Atelier, Towa's Studio

    Overview: Towa's primary residence, located on the third floor of Murase Clinic in the Residential District of Enchō, Special Zone E. Rented from Taku at a reduced rate.

    Description: Perpetually cluttered and messy, likened to a storage room. Constantly permeated by the smell of oil paint due to Towa's oil painting work.

    Layout: Single studio space with living quarters, toilet, mirror area, shower room, and a small kitchen area.

    Notable Details:

    • Easel — Sits in the center of the room. Towa's primary painting space. A stopped pocket watch hangs from it — origin unknown to Towa. Rei found it lying around and hung it there; it has remained for at least a few years with no intention of winding it. Functions purely as an ornament.
    • Bed (left side) — Present but unused by Towa. Taku uses it to nap when staying over at the clinic.
    • Couch (right side) — Where Towa actually sleeps.
    • Television — Faces the couch. Towa keeps it on at nearly all times when alone, as silence makes him unable to relax. Its ambient noise is a constant presence in the room.
    • Wall clock — Somewhere in the room.
11. #11Roost

    Keys: bar, , Roost bar, Roost

    Overview: A bar located in the backstreets of the Downtown District of Abarochō, Special Zone D. Opens at 5 PM. No signboard outside — just a plain, unmarked building. Towa's favorite bar. Runs an art blog called The Fourth Face.

    Interior: Dim lighting, low-tempo ambient music. Decorated with unusual art objects including shields and tapestries with spellbinding motifs, cracked bisque dolls, and accessories featuring eyeballs and crosses.

    Atmosphere & Clientele: Usually full despite no signboard. Intimate rather than busy — the Roost Manager's personality makes everyone feel welcome. Priced above what the general public can comfortably afford, but a natural fit for a certain crowd. Patrons frequently sport body modifications — tattoos, implants, horns, elaborate nails — as fashion. Rei has hosted body art consultation events here that became recurring fixtures.

    Events:

    • Christmas Party (December 25): Free pre-made cocktails provided; additional drinks available at the counter for pay. Guests dress elaborately — some in costume akin to Halloween. Different music plays than usual.
    • New Year's Countdown Party: Held but only referenced in conversation, not shown directly.

    Drinks:

    • Absinthe (French import, 60% ABV) — Served traditionally: green liquid in glass, perforated spoon on top, sugar cube dissolved via dripped water, stirred and served. Turns cloudy white as the sugar dissolves. Described by Towa as bitterly medicinal with a green aroma and sugary undertone. Strong — many prefer the sugar cube; Towa does not.
    • Whiskey, Vodka, Cassis Orange, Kahlua, Screwdriver, Sea Breeze.

    Staff: Roost Manager, Rei Izumi, Arata, Honami, Junko.

12. #12Yanagawa Cafe

    Keys: Cafe, Yanagawa Coffee, Yanagawa Cafe

    Overview: A café in the Residential District of Enchō, Special Zone E, run by an elderly man known as the Yanagawa Owner. One of the most popular lunch spots in the area. About 5 minutes walk from Murase Clinic, making it a frequent stop for Towa and his acquaintances.

    Location: West of Doraku Street Shopping District. Southeast leads to Murase Clinic and Towa's Studio.

    Atmosphere: Retro in appearance, with an aging exterior and interior that gives it a distinct character. Cozy and relaxed. Relaxing background music. Has been in business for approximately 20 years and maintains a long, loyal customer base despite slightly above-average pricing. Regulars make up most of the clientele — familiar faces sipping coffee with newspapers or eating honey toast.

    Menu:

    • Hand-ground coffee
    • Honey Toast — the café's signature item and its primary claim to fame. Notable for being one of the few foods Towa — who has an almost nonexistent appetite — can bring himself to eat. Taku, who dislikes sweets, makes an exception for it, citing that the natural honey sweetness and the way the bread is cooked reminds him of pancakes from his childhood.
13. #13Rose

    Keys: Rosé, Rosé Flower Shop · Secondary: flower, flowers

    Overview: A flower shop in the Residential District of Enchō, Special Zone E. Current workplace of Ikuina.

    Description: A wooden-fronted shop with glass through which the interior plants are visible from outside. The shop front is lined with flowers, with a faint floral scent in the surrounding air.

14. #14Ikuina Takashi

    Keys: Takashi Ikuina, Ikuina Takashi, Ikuina · Secondary:

    Basic Info: Male, 23. 173cm, A blood type, right-handed. Florist at Rosé, Special Zone E. Originally from Mainland Japan. Aura color: bright magenta.

    Status: Alive

    Appearance: Fair-skinned with light brown hair and eyes. Usually seen in a white turtleneck and brownish blazer.

    Personality: Outwardly projects an honest, unpretentious "rustic simplicity" that Rei considers rare and refreshing. Beneath this, he harbors violent urges — specifically a compulsion to hurt others and himself, and a desire to see people's insides. He manages these urges by crushing flowers in his palm or cutting them until he bleeds, reasoning that flowers cannot fight back the way humans do. Without an outlet, he would have eventually acted on these urges and killed someone.

    Relationships:

    • Rei Izumi: Rei finds him genuinely impressive and honest, giving him a good impression. When Towa pressed Rei on whether Ikuina is his type, Rei didn't deny it outright but said he's "a little different" from his type. Taku warned Rei not to pursue him.
    • Towa: They know eachother.

    Other: Fluent in the language of flowers. A deep admirer of Towa's artwork — described his first encounter with Towa's work as love at first sight that "pierced right through" him.

15. #15Abarochō Backstreets

    Keys: Abaro backstreets, back alley, Abarochō Backstreets

    Overview: A back alley network in the Downtown District of Abarochō, Special Zone D. Located southeast of Kouou Street.

    Description: The stark contrast to Shinkoumi's tourist-facing entertainment district. No glamour here — only the city's decay made visible. The alleys smell of rotting drainage. Rats, crows, and stray cats are common.

    A regular fixture of the backstreets: young people huddled in corners, drug users catatonic with white eyes and drooling mouths, men conducting shady dealings in the open. Violent brawls — people beating each other bloody — are commonplace and draw no reaction. In winter, frozen corpses are left where they fall. Nobody intervenes. Nobody cares.

    This place is treated as simply another face of Shinkoumi.

16. #16Grand Palace Hotel

    Keys: Grand Palace Hotel · Secondary: Hotel

    Overview: A hotel located in the Shinkoumi Strip of Sakuchō, Special Zone B. Presumably owned by Masami Toono, as his name is embedded in the building's full title.

    Likely functions as a rival establishment to the Royal Seaside Hotel — itself presumed to be under Hideyasu Sakaki's ownership — reflecting the broader power struggle between Toono and Sakaki within the Takasato Group.

17. #17Royal Seaside Hotel

    Keys: Royal Seaside Hotel · Secondary: hotel

    Overview: A hotel located in the Shinkoumi Strip of Sakuchō, Special Zone B. Presumably owned by Hideyasu Sakaki, as his name is embedded in the building's full title.

    Likely functions as a rival establishment to the Grand Palace Hotel — itself presumed to be under Masami Toono's ownership — reflecting the broader power struggle between Sakaki and Toono within the Takasato Group.

18. #18Deathmatch

    Keys: combat sport, Deathmatch Area, District A fighting, Deathmatch

    Overview: An open combat sport held in Special Zone A, available to any willing civilian. Matches are held before a live audience.

    Rules: Participants fight with fists only. Bringing a weapon is considered an act of cowardice and may result in public execution.

    Notable Participants: Rei Izumi competes regularly and has built a strong reputation as a contestant. Kei Madarame has also been active in the Deathmatch Area since his return to Shinkoumi. Rei's team consists of Arata, Junko, and Honami.

19. #19Tajima Store

    Keys: Tajima confectionery, Tajima Store

    Overview: A small, old wooden confectionery shop in the Downtown District of Abarochō, Special Zone D. Run by Old Lady Tajima, a woman in her 80s.

    Significance: One of the only buildings in Shinkoumi that survived the casino development era without being evicted or demolished. It remains in its original state — a rare relic of pre-development Shinkoumi. Maya was looked after by the owner of Tajima's during her early struggling years.

    Patronage: Popular with middle-aged and elderly customers nostalgic for the old days, as well as younger people encountering traditional candy for the first time. Towa wanders in occasionally and buys something on a whim — not out of fondness for candy, but because the shop gives him an inexplicable sense of being at home.

    Interior: Dimly lit and ramshackle. A blacked-out picture hangs on the wall that unsettles Towa every time he visits — it appears to "float" in his vision, feeling out of place against the shop's otherwise nostalgic atmosphere.

20. #20Asakura

    Basic Info: Male, 40. 174cm, A blood type, right-handed. Part-time doctor at Takanokuchi Medical Office, available Monday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings only. Resides in Shinkoumi. Aura color: brown.

    Appearance: Tall and thin, black hair, brown eyes, glasses. White button-up shirt with a teal tie under a lab coat, gray pants, black dress shoes. Posture is stiff and upright. Appears perpetually tense.

    Personality: Highly strung and easily flustered in conversation. Otherwise cold and occasionally hostile. Universally described as uptight. Notably different around children — his severe demeanor softens entirely into gentleness when working with young patients.

    Relationships:

    • Towa: Initially indifferent, but grows increasingly interested over time. By the end appears to regard Towa positively, though this is unlikely to be mutual.
    • Takuma Murase: Attended the same medical university, with Asakura as Taku's senior. Mutual dislike — Asakura never expected Taku to become even a passable doctor and remains cold and hostile toward him. Taku's dislike stems from rumors circulating about Asakura's interest in children potentially being predatory in nature.
    • Hayato: Asakura's gentle side is most apparent with this boy, who is largely left to fend for himself. Asakura has become a trusted, near-paternal figure to him.

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