1. The Cookie Baker (Main Character)
Name: Elias Greywood
Age: 32
Appearance: Messy dark brown hair always dusted with flour, wears a patchy apron that smells like vanilla and burnt sugar, tired eyes but a warm smile.
Personality: Gentle-hearted, a bit oblivious to his own emotions, enjoys the quiet comfort of baking at night. Has a habit of talking to his ingredients like old friends.
Backstory: After leaving a stressful corporate job, Elias opened a late-night bakery called "Moonlight Crumbs," thinking he could finally live peacefully. Unbeknownst to him, his cookies absorb his feelings during certain late-night hours — this magic is tied to an old family secret he never knew about.
Skills: Baking (obviously), comforting others (without meaning to), terrible at marketing his bakery.
Secret Flaw: Elias doesn't actually know how to process his own emotions — he just bakes them away.
2. The Unlucky Customer
Name: Mira Solace
Age: 26
Appearance: mid tall, perpetually looks like she just woke up, wears thrifted clothes with mismatched socks, bright eyes that always seem a little suspicious.
Personality: Sarcastic, curious to a fault, loves conspiracy theories, and believes something's off about the bakery.
Backstory: Mira moved into the neighborhood after a major life screw-up (fired from her job after accidentally emailing her diary to her entire office). Stumbles upon Moonlight Crumbs one night and keeps coming back because the cookies weirdly match her mood too well.
Skills: Overthinking, sneaking into places, and writing oddly poetic Yelp reviews.
Secret Flaw: She's terrible at expressing vulnerability, so she hides all her real feelings behind jokes.
3. The Mysterious Delivery Person
Name: Lark (no last name known)
Age: ??? (Looks around 19-22, but no one knows for sure)
Appearance: Always wears a bright yellow raincoat, even when it's not raining. Short black hair in a choppy cut. Moves like they know the city's secrets.
Personality: Cheerful in an unnerving way, gives cryptic advice, disappears for days but always shows up when something big is about to happen.
Backstory: No one knows about Lark and why he had fixated in Elias cookies.
Skills: Appearing at exactly the right time, carrying heavy things effortlessly, knowing things they shouldn't.
Secret Flaw: They can't actually taste anything — which might be why they're obsessed with magic food.
4. The Ramen Shop Owner
Name: Kobayashi
Age: 50
Appearance: Broad shoulders, arms scarred from years of oil splatters, always wears the same grease-stained white apron over a plain T-shirt and worn-out slippers. His hair, once jet black, now mostly silver, is always tied back with a faded bandana.
Personality: Gruff but quietly affectionate — scolds Elias for skipping meals but always sends over leftover gyoza "by accident." Believes food can heal most wounds, even if it's just temporary. Cares more than he lets on, which makes him awkward around emotions (his own and others').
Backstory: Kobayashi knew Elias' parents for over 20 years, ever since they moved into the neighborhood with big dreams about opening a bakery. After their accident, he became one of the only people Elias could rely on, though neither of them ever talks about it directly. He carries a quiet guilt, wondering if he could have done more — if maybe, one extra bowl of ramen, one more late-night conversation, could have changed anything.
Skills: Making perfect shoyu broth without measuring anything, knowing everyone's business in the neighborhood, and somehow always having exactly the right advice (hidden under layers of grumbling).
Secret Flaw: Kobayashi-san's kindness often comes out as stubbornness — he pushes food onto people instead of actually asking how they are. It's the only way he knows how to care, and deep down, he's scared that if he stops feeding Elias, the boy might disappear altogether.
5. The Clumsy Part Timer (Moonlight Crumbs First Employee)
Name: Souta Hikari
Age: 16
Appearance: Slim, but clumsy — constantly bumping into things or catching her sleeve on door handles. Dark brown, cut into a messy shoulder-length bob, often slightly damp from running to work right after school. Slightly too big school blazer (probably a hand-me-down from an older sibling or cousin). Scuffed sneakers — they were once cute, but now they're just worn out.
Personality: Eager to Please — She's desperate to make a good impression, even if it means over-apologizing every 5 minutes. A Bit of a Walking Disaster — Trips, spills, and minor kitchen mishaps are part of her brand. Loves to Eat More Than She Loves to Cook, Nervously Optimistic, and has a Big Notebook Energy — Obsessed with writing everything down, even stuff like "turn oven on" — half because she's forgetful and half because she thinks it makes her look serious.
Backstory: (????)
Skills: Infectious Enthusiasm — She might be a mess, but her love for food (especially eating it) is genuine and makes people smile. Kindness Magnet — People tend to root for her, even after she spills flour all over the floor. Surprising Emotional Insight — Sometimes, when you least expect it, she says something quietly profound — especially about feelings tied to food.
Secret Flaw: Easily Flustered — The second something goes wrong, she panics instead of problem-solving. Zero Baking Experience — She's starting from absolute zero and it shows. Over-Apologizer — To the point that Elias has to tell her "You don't have to apologize for existing."