When dealing with Baek Haruka, people are faced with a reserved and slightly intimidating girl that seems to be capable of doing anything. She speaks with elegance and warmth; ignoring her marginally intimidating demeanor, she can make people feel at ease and as if she can become anyone's friend. She keeps up a professional composure with people she has just met or does not know very well, but she loosens up when with friends. Her formalities relax and she becomes more playful, less like an adult and more like a child. In Haruka, people see a gentle young woman that knows how to have fun, as well as carry the weight of many responsibilities upon her shoulders. However, there is more to her than many see. 

There is no truth truer than that of Baek Haruka being no stranger to taking care of herself. To those that have known her since she was a child, her independent attitude is her most prominent characteristic. Having grown up this way, she prefers that people don't interfere with her decisions and let her run her life in the way she thinks best; in this sense,  she is rather stubborn. Yes, she can be obstinate at times, but she is fair and will listen if there are words to be offered; in the eyes of many, Haruka is mature young woman with a flexible mind. This trait of hers is usually put into a positive light, but that is not always applicable. Although she is open to listening to the inputs of others, that doesn't necessarily mean she'll change her mind. Her life is her life, not anyone else's. She is so self-reliant that she will push away the help of others, no matter how much their help would benefit her. To her, it doesn't make sense to ask someone for help if she can do it on her own. Her obduracy is quite childish, obnoxious in extreme cases, but her image as a collected and receptive woman overpowers that. Everyone sees Haruka as a young woman that is in full control of her life, but after getting to know her a little better, she is revealed to be a girl that has changed very little since her high school days.

Haruka is not someone who stands out and not someone who fades into the background; she is a balance of both. She is considered to be the "quiet type," but she is in no way an outcast; she's surprisingly social. With her calm and cool demeanor, she seems to get along with almost anyone and comes off as someone that is easy to approach and befriend. The first impression that she makes is generally along the lines of looking amiable and composed. This impression of her usually does ring true and Haruka certainly does try to be friendly with most people, but such a thing is easier said than done. She has absolutely no tolerance for disrespectfulness, vulgarity, and narcissism and she finds it incredibly difficult to associate herself with people that are affiliated with such traits. Although she has a reputation for being patient and understanding, she can't help but avoid peope like this as she hates confronting those that she doesn't like; it is in her blood to be respectful, polite, and humble, and she simply cannot understand, and in extreme cases, tolerate, people that are the opposite.

While she simply can't come to terms with people she does not like, it's quite the contrary with those that she does like. As stated before, Haruka tries to be affable with everyone, but that doesn't mean she is friends with everyone. As someone that reflects the environment around her, she tries to surround herself with people that are honest and positive, as well as those who share the same interests with her. With a basic understanding of the concept "treat others the way you want to be treated," Haruka does her best to be a good friend. She is reliable and very considerate of the feelings of others, but she considers honesty as the best policy; she believes that lying or sugarcoating the truth will always hurt more in the end. She absolutely loves to spend time with her friends, whether they are just hanging out and watching the grass grow or going out to celebrate just for the sake of celebrating. She thrives on the happiness she gets from being with those that she cares about and claims that it is "the most perfect feeling in the world." Affectionate and with a big heart, Haruka is most definitely a very appreciative friend and certainly someone that her friends are grateful to have.

Attentive, supportive, responsible, and honest, Haruka is just too perfect to be real. Some people think she's so perfect that she's mechanical, like a robot. Actually, that's not a far off comparison. Beneath that flawless metallic surface lies a tightly wired ball of nerves. She's the type of person to overthink things and stress herself out. If anyone is going to take the time to get to know Baek Haruka, they will soon learn that she very easily makes her life harder for herself. She surrounds herself with positive people because she lets her stresses consume her, turning her into a mess. Her anxieties pile on top of each other until she can barely function properly. Due to her stubborn personality, she allows things to get to an extreme. She will lose sleep, her appetite, focus, and more until it becomes unbearable. Because Haruka gets so stressed out, her health and emotions can get very messy. As a person in the midst of much turmoil, it is no wonder that she's an artist; it is absolutely necessary for her to have that outlet.

While it is easy to compare Haruka to a robot, it is just as easy to compare her to a porcelain doll. She is pretty and pleasing to others on the outside, but one must be careful when handling her as she is very fragile. She is also much like a child that wants to be an adult, but no matter how hard she tries, she still has a lot of maturing to do.

Haruka's conception is somewhat of a difficult topic, but to put it bluntly, she's the outcome of a one night stand that didn't go as planned. Her mother, a photographer and writer named Uotani Nobuko, had just turned 21 and although she was shocked to learn of her pregnancy at first, she soon became quite ecstatic, despite the fact that she had no idea who the baby's father was. She left her small flat in Kyoto and moved back in with her family in Seika. Haruka was born on May 18, 1992, and was raised by both her mother and her grandparents. Her mother took up a job as an editor of the local newspaper and became quite busy, but when she wasn't working, she was with her daughter. Haruka was her mother's main muse and was the subject of many of her photos. Haruka was surrounded by the love of her mother and grandparents, and as a young child, that was all she needed and wanted; it did not matter to her if she did not know her father as she had enough people that loved her.

When Haruka was four, her mother met a Japanese-Korean botanist (Baek Sunho) that was visiting his relatives for a month. One month turned into two and they fell madly in love. Although it was very sudden and her grandparents did not entirely approve, Haruka's mother and the foreign man married. After one more month, Haruka and her mother followed her step-father back to his home in Anyang, South Korea. His family had been informed of his marriage beforehand, but were surprised anyway. Nonetheless, the two were welcomed into the family with open arms; they moved into the traditional Korean estate that had belonged to the Baek family for generations. Haruka's half sister, Nana, was born three years later.

Haruka caught onto the Korean language rather quickly, but her skills were still a work in progress when the time came for her to start school. Although the language barrier between her and her classmates was not great, she still had a difficult time making friends. Gradually, things improved and by the end of her elementary years, she was well liked by a majority of her classmates. In middle school, not much changed except for the fact that the amount of time she spent with her friends decreased while the amount of time she spent studying increased. This trend continued throughout middle school and high school. Haruka was a student that worked hard and got good marks, but she had no plans for becoming the number one in her class. Although she was generally a good student, she was the type to spend a lot of time doodling in her notebook or daydreaming, but somehow she was never caught. Haruka essentially did what she pleased: she paid attention when she wanted to, she studied hard when she felt that she needed to, and a lot of her notes were done halfheartedly and were covered in drawings. If she weren't so naturally smart, she might have done a lot worse in school.

Haruka was well liked by her peers, but that didn't mean she was ridiculously popular. Whether she was at home or in school, she kept to herself quite a bit. Her grandfather was a potter and painter, and when she was young, he taught her how to paint. From then on, she formed a love for making things: she would paint, draw, sculpt, knit, sew, anything. Voted "most creative" by her classmates, Haruka was best known for her skills when it came to almost anything art-related. Even though she loved to go out and play with her friends, she wouldn't mind a day cooped up inside as she painted or made a doll for her little sister. Haruka once said there were few things as satisfying as being able to create something with her own two hands.

As someone who did as she pleased, Haruka was kind of all over the place throughout high school. She never had a dream for the future, although she was very anxious for what would come after high school. She did well in school and was incredibly talented, but she was without any objectives or goals. She applied to various schools and took the exam for XO Academy just to see if she could get in, and upon seeing that she passed and even managed to obtain a small scholarship, she enrolled as a visual arts major as it was the most natural thing for her to do and she had the opportunity to receive an art scholarship. At the end of her first year, she switched from being a visual arts major to being a hospitality major and a visual arts minor. This change was sparked by the realization that this could give her more job opportunities as well as allow her to open up a café/art gallery, a thought she'd had as a child that resurfaced after entering XO Academy.

♦ — likes sweet food/beverages || fruits (bananas, mangoes, strawberries, apples) || action movies || summer || fall || long car rides || having a lot of pillows and blankets || parties (big or small)
♦ — dislikes cold weather || snow || mushrooms || mayonnaise || the dark || scary stories/movies || snakes || mang legged insects
♦ — hobby painting || drawing || online shopping || watching movies or dramas instead of sleeping || keeping a journal || painting her nails
♦ — habit she holds her cheeks (face) when she's embarrassed or extremely happy || rests her head/chin on her left hand || she drinks water before eating || speaks formally (most of the time) || bows more deeply than she needs to
♦ — trivia blood type a || she often works with watercolors, acrylics, ink, pastels, and even spray paint || her favorite "colors" are pink and black || her favorite flower is the hydrangea || she wants to open a café/art gallery in Seoul || she gets sick easily || she eats a lot of yogurt, fruits, and granola || she likes her coffee with a lot of milk and sugar || at home, she has a Samoyed named Bo || she takes inspiration from artists such as Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Hajin Bae, Takashi Murakami, Hush, He Jiaying, and more || her allergies get so bad that she has to walk around with a face mask on or in extreme cases, call in sick || she listens to classical music (mostly Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Mozart, and Brahms), The Killers, Vampire Weekend, K-R&B/hip hop, and some electronic music (she really likes the Japanese group Perfume) || she suffers from acute insomnia when she's stressed out

MOTHER Baek (Uotani), Nobuko - 42 - journalist - adventurous, dynamic, honest, contumacious, impatient
Nobuko adores Haruka and is immensely proud of her, but it's come to the point that it seems as if Nobuko is biased when it comes to her eldest daughter. Haruka is aware of this (although it's never been said) and while she does love her mother just as much, she abosutely hates her mother's subtle favoritism: she believes that a mother's love should be equal and unbiased. Since Haruka entered high school, her relationship with Nobuko has become a little rocky and awkard: she's recognized that Nobuko has been somewhat negligent as a mother (lack of guidance, cared more about work and Haruka's art, lacking motherly instincts in general, etc.).  As Haruka grew up, Nobuko came to be more of a friend than a mother; as a result, Haruka no longer feels as close with her mother, but Nobuko has not noticed the distance forming between them.
STEP-FATHER Baek, Sunho - 42 - botanist/professor at Dongguk University - composed, genuine, perceptive, modest, jovial 
Since meeting her, Sunho has considered Haruka as his own child. He' s done his best to make time for her and when she was younger he would take her to work and introduce her to different types of flowers; through this, their relationship as a father and daughter grew the most. Because she's so independent and she prefers to do things on her own, Sunho worries about her quite a lot. He often calls or emails her from work to check on how she's doing. Haruka now feels closer to her step-father more than her mother and she considers him to be a sort of role model. They have always gotten along very well and there have never been any sort of disagreements between them; they have a very cheerful relationship.
HALF-SISTER Baek, Nana - 14 - middle school student - cheeky, punctual, talkative, affectionate, proud
The two sisters no doubt love each other, but they occasionally heads. Their conflicts are usually instigated by Nana, causing Haruka to officially label her sister as annoying. As they don't see each other often they've taken to texting as an alternative, even during school. In a way, they're opposites (Haruka is more artsy while Nana is at the top of her class, and so on) and that seems to strenthen their relationship. She hasn't said it, but Haruka can tell that her little sister misses her. Every now and then Haruka will take a day off from school to meet with Nana and take her out for lunch for some "sisterly bonding."

BEST FRIEND/ROOM MATE Ahn, Sohee - 21 - XOA student - shy, uncoventional, perceptive, persevering, meticulous
Haruka and Sohee were friends in middle school,  but they lost contact with each other during high school. They were reunited during their freshman year at XOA as not only classmates, but roommates as well. This is their third year as roommates and they are as close as ever. If Haruka ever needs to talk with someone, she's going to go to Sohee, and the same can be said the other way around. The two overall have a lot of fun together, whether they're baking, going out to eat, or just bumming around. They have a very positive relationship and they understand each other in a way that makes it seem as if they were the same person; in short, they are very compatible with each other. They share a connection so strong that some people joke that they communicate telepathically. As a dancer, Sohee often acts as a model for Haruka's paintings; she is actually one of Haruka's favorite models. 
FRIEND Park, Sunyoung - 20 - XOA student - chatty, bubbly, eager, warmhearted, naive
Haruka had just started her second year at XOA when she became Sunyoung's Japanese tutor. The duo would meet up one to two times a week for tutoring sessions and they soon grew close enough to meet up outside of these sessions. Sunyoung is the one who put the most effort into molding their good relationship; she once admitted that she really admires Haruka and looks up to her as a role model. Although there is only an age difference of one year, Haruka adores Sunyoung as if she were her sister. Sunyoung's upbeat personality always puts Haruka in a good mood and also slightly reminds her of her own little sister, Nana. They have a good sunbae-hoobae relationship and they take care of each other very well. Haruka is still Sunyoung's Japanese tutor.
FRIEND/CLASSMATE Byun, Baekhyun - 21 - XOA student - bold, spirited, amiable, calculating, sensitive
Haruka and Baekhyun met during their first year in a Classical Studies class. As he also dormed on the same floor as her, the two got to know each other better as they studied and did homework together. As part of his forward personality, Baekhyun sometimes likes to heads with Haruka and , usually for her polite habits. Haruka can never bring herself to really retaliate against Baekhyun's childish teasing, although she does have a witty thing or two to say hidden up her sleeve. They're not incredibly close, but they do enjoy each other's company and spend a lot of time joking around during their classes. They took a graphic design class together during their second year and this third year, Baekhyun and Haruka are classmates in an interior design class.
FRIEND Zhang, Yixing - 21 - XOA student - modest, jocular, restless, genteel, enigmatic
Haruka met Yixing, a dancer, through Sohee during their first year at XOA. After getting to know each other a little better, Haruka added Yixing to her list of models. Haruka actually has a bit of a soft spot for Yixing, but it is nothing more than just a soft spot. The two understand each other's artistic exploits and thoughts, so they share a special bond. Some used to mistake them for a couple, but that is far from the truth; they have actually both decided that they're more compatible as friends than lovers. Yixing has a habit of appearing when Haruka is alone, thus leading him to joke that he just can't stay away from her. They're relationship is shrouded in a faint cloud of mystery as they seem to always have each other's backs although they don't get to see each other often.
EX-BOYFRIEND Lee, Taemin - 20 - XOA student - insouciant, cheerful, self-centered, quixotic, ardent
Haruka and Taemin met at the start of her second year (his first year) at XOA and actually began to date soon afterwards. Most people thought they were an odd couple, but they got along very well and were rarely seen apart. As a dance major, Taemin spent much time in the practice rooms and Haruka would follow. He was one of her muses and she used him as a model for many of her projects. She adored Taemin and was very happy with him, but he broke up with her just before their first anniversary because although they were always together, he still felt as if he hadn't learned a single thing about her. They haven't spoken since their break up (which Haruka took very badly) even though they see each other more than once a week. Even now, Haruka still has some sort of attachment to him, although she seems blind to the fact that she's not the only reason their relationship crumbled.