Donut Delinquent

 

Appearance:

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Ryoko Tachibana is a tall woman with short blonde hair and fiery red eyes. She’s significantly obese, with a very large chest, belly and rear always threatening to tear off the ironic athletic gear she prefers to wear, hiding it with the apron she’s almost always wearing.

 

Personality:

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An aggressive, strong-willed woman, Ryoko is stubborn about nearly everything. She’s very protective of her kids, something that often clashes with their own strong wills…

 

Background:

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In her youth, Ryoko was known as the “Donut Delinquent”, a gluttonous bully who terrorized Kabocha High with her best friend Seina. She would eventually find love in the form of a sickly, wheelchair-bound boy named Tsukiya, the two getting married and having two children, Masako and Leo.

Tsukiya would pass away from his illness when Leo was six years old, Seina dying in an unrelated car accident very soon after, leaving Ryoko to contend with raising Masako and Leo- who had been diagnosed with the same illness as his father, widowed and all alone.

 

Plot:

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Introductory Arc:

Twelve years ago, Ryoko desperately looked for her sickly son Leo, who had wandered off that the station while they were waiting on a train to take them into Tokyo. Finding him at the opposite platform, she quickly rushed him to the train, not questioning the large purple bunny he had gained, or his talk about meeting a girl his age…

In the present, we first meet Ryoko working in the family bakery with Leo. It’s the first day of his last year of schooling, and the first year he’ll actually be able to attend physically, his illness having improved drastically in recent months. Ryoko was still concerned for his safety, especially when he fainted right in front of her carrying a tray of Donuts- donuts he intended to serve his classmates.

As he left with his best friend Lisbeth, Ryoko was sure to remind him not to lose his cane…

…which he did, as Ryoko saw him walking without it that afternoon. Telling her that Lisbeth had gone back to school to get it, the two drove back to pick her up, Ryoko scolding him for losing it the entire way.

Tachibana Women Arc:

The next day, Ryoko and Leo were working the bakery. Ryoko remarked that she was gonna miss having the help in the bakery every day now that Leo was starting up school again, and Leo told her that he still wanted to help on the weekends, something he would have to do if he wanted to “take over the family business” when he got older. Ryoko had heard what happened at the school the previous day, but before she could talk to him further on it, he fiercely defended himself, saying that all he needed was more practice… seeing that they were at an impasse, and that she had brought Leo’s spirits down, she asked if he wanted to accompany her to visit his older sister Masako…

Twelve years ago, Ryoko was at the hospital with Leo. She discussed his diagnosis with a doctor, telling him that Leo’s father had the same symptoms…

Arriving at Masako’s restaurant, the Kabocha Cafe, the two were shocked to see her overwhelmed, working the lunch rush all by herself. They immediately sprung into action, Leo going to help work the dining room while Ryoko went into the kitchen- though not before reprimanding her daughter, telling Masako that a pregnant woman shouldn’t be overworking herself like that. Masako told her that she was supposed to have help, but it hadn’t arrived yet. Just as she said that however, help arrived in the form of Hana Hara…

Later in the kitchen, Ryoko asked Masako where she had found Hana. When she learned that Masako had found her dumpster diving, Ryoko immediately began to worry for Leo’s safety, but Masako assured her he was fine- especially since she was sure that Leo was crushing on Hana. Ryoko shot her down quickly however, firmly believing that Lisbeth was Leo’s soulmate, an opinion Masako clearly didn’t share…

When the cafe closed for the night, Ryoko and Leo headed back to the bakery, and were surprised to see Lisbeth outside waiting for them. Ryoko welcomed her in, even offering her some cake that hadn’t sold earlier.

Later on, Lisbeth came to Ryoko before leaving, having unpleasant things to say about Hana…

Fitness Exam Arc:

Early the next morning, Ryoko was startled to see Leo peeking at her in the attic. He was looking for the boxes the bakery used for Valentine’s day, needing her help. Shocked to see that Leo was in love, Ryoko was more than happy to help… though she was assured that this was all for Lisbeth.

Later in the afternoon, Ryoko would surprise Masako at the Kabocha Cafe. She wanted to talk to her about Hana, having heard horrible things about her from Lisbeth the night before. When Masako didn’t show the same shock that she did, the two got into a heated argument, one that reached it’s peak when Masako referred to Ryoko as the “Donut Delinquent”, reminding her how she too was a bully in her youth. It was at that moment that a painting fell from the wall next to them- a painting by Ryoko’s late husband, Tsukiya. Taking this as a sign that she was outnumbered on the issue, she took her leave- though not before telling Masako to hang such important family treasures better.

Kabocha Curves Club Arc:

Thirteen years ago, Ryoko was at the bakery with her best friend Seina, who had recently moved back to Kabocha. Ryoko had offered Seina a job, and was showing her the ropes at the bakery. Meanwhile, a much younger Masako played with Seina’s daughter, Hana. As the two pairs of girls bonded, Leo began to cough upstairs, developing a fever. With a snowstorm intensifying outside as well, Seina decided it was time to leave with Hana too. Unfortunately, this would be the last time Ryoko saw Seina alive- and as it was the only time they had met, completely forgot the name of Seina’s daughter…

In the present, Ryoko was preparing to close the bakery when Hana walked in, asking if there were any donuts still left for sale. She snidely offered what was left as “charity”, which upset Hana… though she accepted them regardless, eating them on the counter right in front of Ryoko. When Hana was confused that the donuts didn’t taste as good as the “Tachibana bakery” donuts she had eaten earlier, Ryoko took this an insult. She unloaded on Hana, scolding the small girl on how awful she was for bullying Lisbeth and how she didn’t want her around Leo. Overwhelmed, Hana crumpled up the Valentine’s box she had found in the classroom earlier and left in a huff. To her shock and horror, Ryoko saw that it was the box she found for Leo earlier that morning, realizing that Hana was the girl Leo liked, not Lisbeth.

Later that night, Ryoko brooded over her interactions with Masako and Hana. Lonely, she desperately wished she could still talk to her best friend Seina…

Twelve years ago, Ryoko goes to the home of Homura Hara, Seina’s sister in law, a woman she had terrible history with. She asked about the fate of Seina’s daughter, as the incident report had said that only Seina and her husband Hibiki had died, making no mention of the daughter. Homura, filled with unending hate for Ryoko, lied, saying that the daughter had died too before slamming the door…

Teenage Dirtbags Arc:

During Kabocha’s big spring storm, Leo called Ryoko to pick him up from the school, but she was unable to because of the flash flooding. Fortunately, Masako was able to pick him up instead.

Hybrid Rainbow Arc:

A few weeks later, Leo woke up to find Ryoko preparing to go jogging, wanting to shed some winter weight. Before she left , she curiously asked Leo if he had been baking the night before, as she had noticed yet another heart covered box of donuts on the kitchen table. She was curious to see if his baking had improved at all, but Leo tried to stop her from opening it. Unable to convince her not to, Ryoko took a donut out of the box and was horrified to see how decadent they looked, even moreso when she remembered that Hana was the intended recipient, not Lisbeth. She then wanted to try and use the moment as an opportunity to talk to Leo about his crush on Hana, get his feelings on the matter, but he was anxiously out the door before she could get a word in edgewise…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Relationships:

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Leo:

Ryoko is fiercely loving and protective of her youngest child Leo, who reminds her so much of his father, Tsukiya. She just wishes he would find a different profession to shoot for instead of baking, as he doesn’t have the talent for it…

Masako:

Ryoko’s relationship with Masako is a bit more argumentative than it is with Leo, but that mostly comes down to Ryoko and Masako sharing the same aggressive, dominant personality traits, while Leo is a bit more soft. Ryoko dearly loves Masako however, and is very proud of her accomplishments opening the Kabocha Cafe. She just wishes she’d be a bit more careful with her pregnancy…

Lisbeth:

Lisbeth being Leo’s best (and only) friend since childhood, Ryoko has been playing matchmaker for years trying to get the two together, believing them to be soulmates.

Hana:

Ryoko is deeply distrustful and suspicious of Hana, the Kabocha Cafe’s new waitress and even more shocking, Leo’s love interest. This is all due to Lisbeth telling her how badly Hana had bullied her, something she (hypocritically) can’t stand for…

Seina:

Ryoko’s best friend, the two terrorized Kabocha high in their youth as delinquents. Growing into adults, Ryoko was happy to be reunited with her, dreaming of raising their kids together in the wake of her husband’s death, but fate took Seina away from Ryoko as well. Little does she know, the biggest piece of Seina has recently come into Ryoko’s life, and she’s actively trying to get rid of her…

Tsukiya:

Ryoko’s late husband, Leo and Masako’s father. The exact details of their relationship is right now unknown, but the two dearly loved each other.

Homura:

Seina’s sister in law, Hana’s aunt. Ryoko has a very poor history with her, something leading back to their high school days… but what could it have been?

 

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Trivia:

In earlier drafts of the Donut Delinquent, the original protagonist (Before I had even decided to use Leo!) was going to be orphaned as well as Hana, living with his grandfather. Her design was radically different, but the idea of her being the titular “Donut Delinquent” has always been the plan!