#hyperfixation post

saiki kusuo

– degree: business + literature (with a random history minor he picked up without trying) – job: remote researcher / ghostwriter (under multiple aliases) – yearly income: £45k–£80k (depends how much effort he can be bothered to put in that year)

he absolutely leaves japan the SECOND he graduates. not in a dramatic way, no announcement, no goodbye speech—he just… disappears and suddenly he’s living in some quiet, culturally rich place where people mind their business and the coffee isn’t terrible

he picks something practical like business purely so he can survive without drawing attention to himself, but literature/history ends up being the thing he’s actually good at (obviously). he doesn’t care about the degree, he just wants something low effort that lets him exist peacefully

ends up working remotely because there is no universe where saiki willingly goes into an office. ghostwrites articles, essays, probably full books under fake names. low interaction, flexible schedule, zero emotional attachment. ideal.

he travels constantly but in the most lowkey way possible—no influencer vibes, no photos, no posting. just quietly existing in different countries, learning languages instantly, blending in, and leaving before anyone gets too attached or annoying

still sends money home because despite EVERYTHING he is unfortunately a good person. visits occasionally but keeps it short because his family and friends are… a lot

overall: he wins. this is the closest he gets to peace.

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kaidou shun

– degree: starts in something intense like law / business / economics… does not finish – job: entry-level office worker (after a LOT of trial and error) – yearly income: £22k–£28k (slowly climbs but very slowly)

he tries so hard. like genuinely tries.

crams like his life depends on it, pushes himself into a “respectable” uni and course because that’s what’s expected of him, what his mum wants, what he thinks will finally make him feel like he’s something

and for a while it looks like it’s working—he’s getting decent grades, lands internships, starts building this image of himself as someone important, someone impressive

but it’s all built on pressure and pretending

and eventually it just… cracks

burnout hits HARD. he can’t keep up, can’t maintain the persona, can’t handle the workload or the expectations. he starts falling behind, misses things, spirals, and ends up dropping out / failing out entirely

after that it’s rough

he bounces between part-time jobs, nothing stable, nothing fulfilling. constantly feels like he’s failed at the one thing he was supposed to do right. compares himself to everyone else way too much

BUT—

he never fully lets go of the “jet-black wings” part of himself

he starts writing. fantasy novels, comics, over-the-top lore-heavy stories with dramatic names and self-insert protagonists that are way cooler than he feels in real life

they don’t take off. barely get any attention. but he keeps going anyway

dating-wise he tries, goes on a few dates, but he overcompensates or gets awkward or tries too hard to be impressive and it never really sticks

eventually—eventually—he lands a boring, stable, entry-level office job. nothing fancy. nothing like what he imagined

but it pays the bills. it gives him structure. it’s… okay

overall: he doesn’t become what he dreamed of, but he survives—and honestly, that counts for more than he thinks

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kuboyasu aren

– degree: primary education – job: primary school teacher – yearly income: £28k–£38k

he actually does the work. like properly.

goes into teacher training with the full intention of fixing his life, keeping his head down, doing something normal for once—and for a while he tries teaching older students

hates it.

they’re loud, disrespectful, push every button he has, and he is this close to relapsing into his old habits on a daily basis

so he switches to teaching younger kids and everything just… clicks

little kids love him. they think he’s cool, he’s patient (or at least trying very hard to be), and he weirdly ends up being really good at handling chaos without escalating it

he becomes one of those teachers that students remember years later

like “yeah he looked kind of scary but he was actually the nicest one”

he keeps the tattoos. probably gets a few more. still rides his bike. still looks intimidating as hell standing at the front of a classroom full of six-year-olds reading picture books

and then somewhere in his mid-20s—

he starts talking more with one of the mums when she’s picking her kid up

single mum, kid’s a bit chaotic but sweet. they bond slowly, casually, no big dramatic moment. just conversations that get longer over time

he’s awkward at first, doesn’t really know what to do with himself, but he’s genuine—and that’s what works

they start dating. it’s soft. steady. real

eventually he marries her and becomes a stepdad and he takes it SO seriously

like he is determined to be the kind of adult he never really had

and he’s good at it. really good

overall: he builds a quiet, stable, genuinely happy life—and that’s more than enough for him

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nendou riki

– degree: none – job: line cook → eventually senior cook / kitchen staple – yearly income: £20k–£30k

he does not do higher education. like not even a little bit.

he leaves school and just… starts working. whatever he can get. odd jobs, manual work, short-term stuff—he’s not picky, he just wants to help his mum and keep things going

it’s messy at first. inconsistent hours, low pay, figuring things out as he goes

but then he ends up working in a restaurant kitchen

and weirdly??

he’s really good at it

he doesn’t overthink, he works hard, he can handle pressure, and he actually enjoys the routine of it. the noise, the movement, the clear tasks—he thrives in that kind of environment

he becomes the kind of coworker everyone likes

not because he’s polished or professional, but because he’s reliable, funny, and never makes things harder than they need to be

as he gets older he chills out a bit. still loud, still himself, still a bit clueless—but more grounded, more responsible, more aware of the people around him

he helps support his mum consistently. makes sure she’s okay. that’s always been his priority

and yeah—he 100% has a dog

big, slightly dopey, absolutely adored. he takes it to the park all the time

that’s where he meets her

she’s not “conventionally attractive” either, and she’s dealt with that her whole life. there’s no weird tension between them, no pretending—just easy conversation, shared jokes, mutual understanding

they connect in a way that feels… comfortable. safe

they date. it’s simple, but it’s real

and honestly? they’re happy. like genuinely happy

marriage is a “maybe in the future” thing, not rushed, not pressured—just something that feels natural if it happens

overall: he builds a steady, warm, grounded life—and he’s surrounded by people (and a dog) who love him

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yumehara chiyo

– degree: starts in fashion design → switches to baking / patisserie – job: full-time baker at a café (eventually a core part of the place) – yearly income: £22k–£32k

she goes into fashion first because it feels right—pretty, creative, aesthetic, everything she thinks she’s supposed to be

but after a year she realises she doesn’t actually like it as much as she thought

it’s stressful, competitive, and way too tied to appearance in a way that starts messing with her head

so she switches

baking is different. softer. warmer. more real

she studies patisserie, learns properly, and ends up working in a café where she just… fits

like she becomes part of the place. the kind of worker regulars recognise, the one who remembers orders, who makes things look pretty without it feeling forced

it’s not glamorous, but it makes her happy

and at some point—whether it’s a doctor, a recommendation, or just things building up—she ends up seeing a therapist

and that changes a lot

she starts unpacking all the insecurity, the pressure, the way she’s been viewing herself for years

she stops trying to shrink herself to fit an idea

she lets herself exist properly

she gains a bit of weight, yeah—but she’s happier. more comfortable. more herself than she’s ever been

dating-wise she goes through a few relationships, nothing awful, just not quite right

until one day she meets someone in a café (not even hers, just a random one)

it’s easy. natural. no overthinking

they date, take their time, build something stable

eventually they get married, have a kid, and move out of the city for something quieter

she still commutes to the same café though—she never leaves it

overall: she grows into herself, builds a life that feels safe and warm, and finally stops trying to be someone she’s not

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mera chisato

– degree: business (later in life) – job: retail worker → store manager – yearly income: £18k starting → £32k–£40k over time

she doesn’t get the luxury of “figuring herself out” after school

she goes straight into working—whatever she can find, whatever pays, whatever keeps things going

the debt her father left might be gone, but the damage isn’t. they’re still struggling, still one bad week away from things falling apart

and then her mum gets worse

and eventually… she passes

and mera doesn’t even get time to properly grieve before she’s thrown into survival mode

she fights for custody of her siblings and she wins—because there’s no other option. no one else is going to step up

so she does

it’s hard. like genuinely exhausting

long hours, barely enough money, constantly stretched thin trying to keep everyone fed, housed, okay

they’re not thriving—they’re surviving

but she never lets it show fully. she keeps going, keeps pushing, keeps holding everything together even when it feels like it’s about to collapse

and slowly… things shift

her siblings get older. they go to school, start working part-time, start contributing

and more than that—they notice

they see everything she did for them

so they start pushing her, gently at first, then more seriously

telling her to go back to school. to do something for herself for once

and eventually, she listens

she studies business—something practical, something that can actually improve their situation

it’s not easy balancing that with everything else, but she does it anyway

and it pays off

she lands a job in retail, works her way up steadily, proves herself over and over again until she becomes a manager

it’s stable. reliable. enough

they’re not rich—but they’re comfortable. they can breathe

dating-wise… she doesn’t really bother

not because she can’t, but because it’s never been her priority. her life has always been about survival, then responsibility, then family

and honestly? she’s okay with that

she finds her fulfilment in knowing her siblings are safe, fed, growing into their own lives

overall: she sacrifices everything early on—but in the end, she builds a life where all of them finally get to live, not just survive

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hairo kineshi

– degree: sports science + physical education – job: community sports coach / rec centre instructor – yearly income: £26k–£36k

he THRIVES in education but specifically the kind where he can move, lead, and motivate people

goes into sports science and teaching with zero hesitation—this is the most “i know exactly what i’m doing with my life” out of all of them

ends up working at a community centre running sports programs, coaching teams, organising events, mentoring kids, hyping everyone up constantly

like he is that guy

the one who remembers your name, cheers the loudest, convinces you that you can do one more lap even when you absolutely cannot

and outside of work??

he is everywhere

charity runs, sponsored swims, obstacle courses, volunteering at events, helping out at schools, organising fundraisers—if there’s a cause, he’s already signed up and dragging five other people with him

he becomes really well-known in the community, but not in a flashy way—just in a “everyone trusts him” kind of way

financially he’s comfortable. not rich, not struggling. just steady

dating-wise he explores a lot, especially when he’s younger—figuring himself out, dating different people, not really putting pressure on it

he’s open, confident, and surprisingly emotionally intelligent about it all

later in life i can see him settling down, maybe getting married, maybe not—but definitely finding someone who matches his energy and supports the way he lives

and he 100% travels when he can—hiking trips, international charity events, sports exchanges, anything that keeps him moving

overall: he builds a life full of purpose, people, and constant motion—and he wouldn’t have it any other way

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toritsuka reita

– degree: none – job: unemployed → part-time jobs → sketchy sales / pyramid scheme victim – yearly income: £0–£18k (unstable and inconsistent)

he does NOT go into higher education. not even considered

he just stays at the temple because it’s easy, it’s familiar, and it means he doesn’t have to actually figure anything out

and for a while, that works

he complains about it constantly, hates the responsibility, hates the restrictions—but he’s still being fed, housed, and kept afloat

the problem is… he doesn’t change

he keeps being inappropriate with visitors, keeps crossing lines, keeps thinking he can get away with it because he always has

until he doesn’t

he gets reported. things escalate. and eventually it lands him in actual legal trouble

it’s not brushed off. it sticks

he ends up getting arrested for a period of time, and when he gets out, the temple is done with him

they don’t take him back

and suddenly he has nothing

no stability, no support system, no structure

he bounces between part-time jobs, can’t hold anything down for long, struggles with money constantly

lives alone in a tiny, barely affordable place, just scraping by

and then—because of course—

he gets pulled into some sketchy “easy money” opportunity

pyramid scheme, predatory sales, whatever version of it—he falls for it hard because he’s desperate and it sounds like a way out

it just makes everything worse

he ends up stuck in that cycle for years, chasing quick money that never actually comes, digging himself deeper every time

overall: he had chances to stabilise his life, but his own behaviour keeps sabotaging him—and he ends up trapped in a loop he can’t really escape from

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aiura mikoto

– degree: beauty therapy (hair, nails, makeup, etc.) – job: freelance beauty tech / salon chair renter + “spiritual consultant” on the side – yearly income: £18k–£35k (very up and down depending on clients)

she leaves school and just keeps running her sketchy clairvoyance thing

tarot, readings, vibes, telling people what they want to hear—she’s good at it, charismatic enough to keep people coming back, but it’s inconsistent money and a little unstable

she’s getting by, just about

until something shifts—bad luck, less clients, competition, whatever it is—and suddenly it’s not enough anymore

so she pivots

goes back into education and picks something practical but still very her—beauty

hair, nails, makeup, all of it. she learns fast, realises she actually likes it, and more importantly—it pays

after qualifying she starts working in a salon, eventually renting her own chair

and that’s where she thrives

she builds up regulars, the kind of clients who come in not just for the service but for her

she chats, gossips, reads their energy, sometimes literally does tarot while doing their nails or hair

it becomes this mix of beauty + spirituality + entertainment and people eat it up

her income fluctuates, but she always lands on her feet somehow

dating-wise she is NOT settling down

she dates a lot, both men and women, very fluid, very “we’ll see what happens”

relationships are fun, not permanent

and as she gets older?? yeah she fully leans into it

confident, experienced, going for younger partners without a second thought, still going out, still partying, still living exactly how she wants

she’s never been the “white picket fence” type and she never will be

overall: her life is chaotic, inconsistent, and completely on her own terms—and she wouldn’t trade that for stability if you paid her

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saiko metori

– degree: business / finance (private education, top-tier everything) – job: CEO of family conglomerate – yearly income: £200k+ (plus generational wealth, assets, etc.)

he was always going to take over the company. that was never a question

elite schools, private tutors, everything handed to him in terms of opportunity—but not necessarily in terms of discipline

he grows up spoiled, entitled, used to things bending around him

so when he officially takes over?

it shows

the first year is rough. bad decisions, poor management, not really understanding the weight of what he’s responsible for. profits dip, people start questioning him, and for the first time he actually faces consequences he can’t just brush off

and that’s what forces the shift

he doesn’t suddenly become amazing—but he does start trying

he learns. listens (a bit). surrounds himself with people who actually know what they’re doing and, crucially, doesn’t ignore them completely

over time he becomes… competent

not brilliant, not innovative, but stable enough to keep things running and not tank the entire company

his employees don’t like him much though

he’s still out of touch, still a bit arrogant, still clearly someone who’s never had to struggle in the way they have

he’s respected more than he is liked

personally? his life is kind of empty

i can see him getting married because it makes sense, because it’s expected, because it fits the image

they have a kid

but it’s distant. formal. emotionally cold

they coexist more than they connect. conversations are surface-level, time together is limited, everything feels… transactional

and he doesn’t really fix it, because his focus is always on work, on maintaining status, on keeping everything running

overall: he grows just enough to not fail—but never enough to actually be fulfilled

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teruhashi kokomi

– degree: something vague and “appropriate” like communications / media (never really matters) – job: model / public figure (pushed into the entertainment industry) – yearly income: £100k+ (brand deals, modelling, appearances)

she doesn’t actually choose her path

there are too many expectations, too many eyes on her, too many people already deciding what she should be before she even figures out what she wants

and makoto absolutely plays a role in that

he helps her get into the entertainment industry—connections, opportunities, the kind of push that makes it feel less like a choice and more like a direction she can’t really refuse

so she becomes a model

and of course she’s successful. effortlessly. immediately. everything about her fits the image people want

but she doesn’t like it

not really

it’s exhausting, performative, constantly being watched, constantly being expected to be perfect

and the worst part is—she built that image herself

she created “the perfect pretty girl,” and now she’s trapped inside it

she can’t slip. can’t be honest. can’t say she’s tired or bored or unhappy without it ruining everything

so she pretends

smiles, performs, maintains

and somewhere under all of that, she starts wishing for something quieter. something private. something that actually belongs to her

but she doesn’t even know what that is

because she’s never really been allowed to figure it out

her life just gets bigger, louder, more demanding

more expectations, more pressure, more eyes

and eventually she gets married—because of course she does

it fits the image. it completes the picture

but it’s not a happy marriage

it’s distant, controlled, frustrating. she feels boxed in, irritated, constantly performing even in her own home

they don’t really connect. they just… exist in the same space

and she never has kids

partly because she doesn’t like them, partly because she knows it would just be another role she’d be forced to play

overall: she achieves everything she was expected to—but never gets the chance to become someone she actually wanted to be

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hope you guys enjoyed this because i’ve been rotating these thoughts in my head for DAYS 💀

feel free to argue with me, add your own takes, or send requests for other saiki k characters and i’ll do them—i’m lowkey obsessed with analysing them like this now

BUT.

before anyone even asks.

i am NOT doing touma.

i don’t like him, he annoys me, he pisses me off, and i personally choose to believe he does not exist in this universe ❤️