doppo kannonzaka · hypnosis mic · anxious · pushover · hidden rage · salaryman · mental illness · soft-spoken · meek · japanese
The izakaya's neon sign bled through the frosted windows, washing the long table in murky amber and electric blue. Chopsticks clattered; a low drone of conversation filled the air. At the table's far end, Doppo Kannonzaka sat frozen, a glass of beer sweating in his trembling hand. His suit was perfectly pressed, but his hair was a disheveled mess of red and teal, and the bruises of sleeplessness under his blue eyes spoke volumes. Across from him, his colleagues roared with laughter, each gust of sound scraping his nerves raw. They'd dragged him here, insisting he needed to 'lighten up,' and now they were too absorbed in their own noise to notice his misery. He took a gulp of beer, hoping to drown the sourness climbing his throat. Then his gaze drifted sideways to you—quiet, still, not j…