#shall try to get the first blip up asap

[ghikij]

The Lily White

               This is a story of three sisters, who are not related by blood, and their humble little bakery. Their tale began as orphans, who never knew any of their blood relatives. They were also never adopted out, as is the case for many orphans. Upon reaching the age of eighteen, Nozomi, the eldest of the three, endeavored to be create a life centered on her two beloved younger sisters, Umi and Rin. She took whatever classes she could afford and taught herself the wonders of baking in order to make it her livelihood. She found out that she had a knack for the craft and soon, she was on apprenticing under a reputable baker in the city.

                 When it was time for Umi to leave the orphanage, Nozomi had saved enough money and was capable of getting a loan to send the younger woman to school. It was fortunate that Umi was a bright and diligent student. She managed to finish her education is currently looking for suitable employment. But for now, she spends whatever time she could afford in helping Nozomi earn enough income in order to send their youngest sister, Rin, to even higher places.

                 So, this story focuses primarily on the Lily White, the sisters’ bakery where all three have made a living. There were ups and downs of course, but with love, hardwork, and a little patience, they were able to make something out of this small shop.

Characters:

 The Staff

 Toujou Nozomi

·       -  The matriarch and eldest sister of the Lily White trio. She’s a bit wishy-washy and has an unpredictable sense of humor, but she beloved by all who work at the shop. She is also the head baker at the small establishment.

·      -   Certain people—namely a certain chef—calls her lazy because of her typical demeanor, but Nozomi is very diligent person, especially when it comes to her sisters. Having been unable to get proper education, her wish to give Umi and Rin that gift so they can blaze their own paths.

·        - She spends her spare time telling the (unfortunate) fortunes of her employees.

·        - She is also deeply worried about her sisters’ lack of chests.

Sonoda Umi

·       -  The second sister and the main POV of the story (probably, who knows).

·      -   She is a fresh graduate and finished her education barely a month ago. While she is certainly in a hurry to contribute to the family, she also have lingering sentiments about having less and less time with her sisters. The thought of having to move to a different city for work somewhat intimidates and saddens her.

·       -  She tends of be strict and thus has taken on the mantle of being the Lily White’s manager. She takes care of the shop’s logistics and inventory. Sometimes she bakes but Nozomi often shoos her away saying that they must be something else, something more interesting, for her to do.

·         She reads a lot behind the counter, especially when there are not a lot of patrons present.

·      -   Her best friends, Honoka and Kotori, are also involved in the food industry. The pair run their own shop, which focuses more on wagashi and cakes.

HoshizoraRin

·      -   The youngest sister and the light of the house. Cheerful and vibrant, Rin is the person who brings happiness not only to her sisters but also their bakery. She is also a college student.

·       -  When not preoccupied at school or sport, Rin works as a serving girl at the Lily White. She is a town sweetheart and many folks enjoy her company. She’s the one who gave Nozomi the idea of serving customers more than just bread, that they can somehow incorporate meals into their menu.

·      -   Her friend, Hanayo, works with Honoka and Kotori. She often visits.

·      -   Her other friend, Maki, is a frequent patron of the bakery. Although, most of the time, she’s there to force the orange-haired cat to study with her much to Rin’s chagrin and Umi’s approval.

Yazawa Nico

·       -  The +1 of the Lily White. A chef by trade, she wound up with the sisters because she lost her previous job. Apparently, the customer didn’t think the steak was spicy enough.

·       -  Nico has a quick temper but her practical nature makes her a good addition to the team. She keeps Nozomi in check, especially when the latter is being overbearing. Although, in doing so, she becomes a frequent target for Nozomi’s less decent punishments.

·       -  She is the one who prepares the full course meals for Lily White’s patrons, specializing in wholesome, home-cooked style of food.

·       -  She has three siblings, all students. Her brother wants to marry Nozomi one day (she’ll never allow it).

·      -   Nico also has a weird friendship/rivalry with a certain blonde chef. She would experiment during her days off and feed whatever she comes up with to Nozomi. She refuses to blame herself for Nozomi’s rather voluptuous figure.

 Other Characters:

Ayase Eli

·       -  A renowned chef taking the city by surprise. Having studied in different countries, Eli is taking all she had learned in Japan. It is said that an influential acquaintance convinced her to leave Paris and practice her skills here.

·       -  She is one of the Lily White’s more distinguished patrons. She orders custom breads from Nozomi to be used in her restaurant downtown. The two have since developed a playful friendship.

·       -  She is also rather close with Nico, or as close as culinary rivals could get. There was one point in which Eli invited Nico to work for her at her restaurant. Nico refused this offer and swore that her cooking would be better than hers.

Matsuura Kanan

·       -  A warehouse manager. She is Nozomi’s primary contact when it comes to flour, sugar and other bakery supplies.

·       -  She has very powerful and affluent friends both in Japan and abroad, yet she has made it her life mantra to only enjoy the bounties of her own hard work.

·       -  These so-called friends have also tried to get her set-up in terms of romance, but these attempts have failed spectacularly.

Kurosawa Dia

·       -  The town magnate. She recently took over the Kurosawa Enterprises from her parents and had since made their influential and powerful family even more renowned. She is the owner of the building in which the Lily White is situated in. She is basically the Lily White’s landlady.

·      -   Apparently, Dia allowed Nozomi to start a shop there without a deposit or an advance. Though considered poor business handling, it was said that Dia (despite her popular image of being as tough and unforgiving as her namesake) did this out of charity. Nozomi still paid her back anyway, in installments.

·      -   It is said that Dia often schedules her weekly brunches with her sister Ruby at the Lily White due to its unassuming location and size.

Kurosawa Ruby

·      -   Dia’s sister and heiress to the Kurosawa Enterprises. Despite her intimidating family background, Ruby is down to earth and kind. She convinced her family to attend a normal university of her choosing instead of following in Dia’s footsteps. Since then, she had grown into a young lady that everyone adored.

·      -   She is especially close to Rin, who is a senpai at their university, and Hanamaru, her childhood friend.

·      -   Unbeknownst to her sister, she is in a casual online relationship with a person named Yohane.

Kunikida Hanamaru

·       -  Ruby’s best friend and a frequent patron of the Lily White.

·      -   She adores bread, or any yummy food in general, and greatly appreciates the retro atmosphere of the shop.

·      -   She is a favorite customer of Nozomi’s.

·       -  She would sometimes work in the shop part-time for extra money and treats.

·       -  Maru has a small crush on Rin, who had been an inspiration to her at school, almost as much as Ruby.

·       -  She and Ruby would often sit by the window table all day to study. There are times when they even get to join Nishikino-senpai in these group studies when she shows up to force Rin to get caught up.