Dad Asked Me to Try
After a difficult family dinner, Kenji struggles to balance his anger toward Drake with his desire to protect their father.
Read More
Meela
Recent Posts
HOUSE OF VANDERBUILT
KENJI BYRD
Authoritarian · Devoted · Extroverted
DESIRED LIFE
Life of Self-Determination
FAMILY
Father: Junpei Byrd
Brother: Drake Byrd
Twin Sister: Akiko Byrd
HIS STORY
Kenji Byrd has always believed that family comes with responsibility. Raised in Cahaya, he followed in his mother’s footsteps, dedicating himself to the family business and the traditions she held dear. Disciplined, protective, and sometimes uncompromising, Kenji holds himself and those around him to high standards. When his younger brother Drake left the island, Kenji was left carrying responsibilities neither of them had fully anticipated.
Though fiercely loyal to his family, Kenji isn’t quick to forgive or forget. Beneath his stern exterior is a man whose sense of duty often makes it difficult to express affection or accept change. As old relationships begin to shift, Kenji must confront whether protecting the family he loves means preserving things as they were or making room for something different.
HOUSE OF VANDERBUILT
DRAKE BYRD
Sentinel · Devoted · Fitness Enthusiast
DESIRED LIFE
Life of Familial Devotion
FAMILY
Wife: Meela Vanderbuilt
Children: Akello Vanderbuilt-Byrd, Alaia Vanderbuilt-Byrd
Father: Junpei Byrd
Brother: Kenji Byrd
Twin Sister: Akiko Byrd
HIS STORY
Born and raised in Cahaya, Drake Byrd grew up surrounded by family, tradition, and the expectations of a close-knit island community. After losing his mother as a teenager, he struggled to reconcile his loyalty to home with a growing desire to see the world. Charming, determined, and deeply romantic, Drake eventually left Cahaya to build a life on his own terms. But independence came at a cost, leaving behind relationships and unresolved tensions he was never quite prepared to confront.
Now a husband and father of two, Drake takes pride in the family he fought to create, even as he struggles with the weight of his own choices. His devotion is genuine, but so is his tendency to retreat when confronted with difficult emotions. Caught between the life he left and the one he’s built, Drake is discovering that finding his place in the world may require facing the parts of himself he once tried to escape.