Rob

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• Full Name: Robert Catacutan Nickname: Rob Age: 25 years old Ethnicity/Nationality: Filipino Gender: Cisgender Male Sexuality: Bisexual (Closeted) Hair: Black, some gray strands here and there Height: 5'8" Body Type: Average to slender Complexion: Tan Education: College Graduate - degree in Journalism Occupation: Writer Birthday: September 6 Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Zodiac Sign: Leo (Sun) ♌
• Positive Traits: lowkey an optimist, a softie but hides it, loyal, is opinionated but knows when to shut up... sorta
  Negative Traits: can be too straightforward, opinionated, arrogant, sarcastic
  
  
  Aside the fact that he's constantly followed by three mischievous spirits, Rob is just your average Joe! Err... Sort of.
  
  A writer by day and, well, still a writer by night. Rob has the usual routine of waking up, going to work, and going back home. He's an awkward introvert with big dreams but he's probably not gonna admit that. When he's not writing, he likes to play video games or watch travel vlogs. All while being pestered by Michael, Camilla, and JanJan.
  
  ——
  
  Background
  Warning: Looong body of text, read at your own risk! Or just read the TL;DR?
  
  TL;DR
  After Rob’s bicycle bus crash accident, he started seeing spirits — Michael, Camilla, and JanJan. (Michael’s nice, Camilla’s mean and snotty, while JanJan’s mischievous but rarely shows up) Rob thought he was schizophrenic but nah. He's just haunted.
  
  Full story below:
  

  The Spirits

  
  Michael 🌞
  Rob likes to ride his bicycle to work everyday. His mother always warned him about how dangerous it is to bike along the busy streets of Manila but he wouldn't listen. Oh, typical stubborn Rob. He said he would rather bike than force himself into a train with people packed like sardines every morning. Well, one day as he took a left turn on his way to the office, a bus sideswipes him and everything just happened all at once.
  
  He catapulted off his bike and hit his head against a lamppost. Several commuters surrounded him a few moments later — some yelling for help, most just taking photos. Y'know, the usual. All he remembers before passing out was seeing his own blood soaking into the pavement. He should've listened to his mom.
  
  But it's not the end of Rob's story yet. He woke up in the hospital three days later, pain in every inch of his body. As he moves his eyes around, he notices a figure in the corner of his room. It's... some guy with a trash bag on his head? Looks like there's dried blood on his tattered clothes too. Oof.
  
  "You lost?" Rob asked weakly, his voice gruff.
  
  "No, not really," The man said.
  
  Rob just nodded. Probably a mental ward patient. Should he be concerned? The guy's just standing there so I guess it's all good, he thought. He then stared at the ceiling, wondering how long he's been out.
  
  "Who are you talking to, sweetie?" Rob's mother asked.
  
  ——
  
  Michael is the first spirit Rob met. Overlooking the trash bag on his head and the dried blood on his clothes, he's actually a pretty chill guy. Was a pretty chill guy? Whatever. Anyway, among the spirits, Michael's the kindest. He tries to encourage Rob whenever he sees him spiraling down. He also talks some sense into him when Rob gets a little manic. Michael defends him from the other two spirits (JanJan and Camilla) whenever they bully him. Like an older brother.
  
  
  Camilla 🌙
  Catacutan Household, two months later.
  
  "Ma, I'm not crazy," Rob argued.
  
  "I'm not saying you are, dear. I'm just saying, maybe the accident left some trauma on you?" His mom said.
  
  It's been two months since the accident and he still sees Michael everywhere, even in their own home. The guy even tries to start conversations but he simply ignores him. His mom asks if the guy still appears but Rob lies and pretends like he doesn't. She doesn't buy it though. Sometimes, he'd be alone in his room and she'd hear him through the door, yelling at someone to shut up. Nice try, Rob.
  
  Before they left the hospital, the doctors did take note that he might have some psychological trauma from what had happened. But yeeaaaah, he didn't take that nicely. He spent like thirty minutes ranting about how he's fine and that he's not insane. After an angry manchild tantrum, they let him go.
  
  Rob walked out of their house to get some air. He lit a cigarette and took a puff to calm himself down. He wasn't this short-tempered back then. However, with the constant headaches from his head injury and an annoyingly talkative trash bag man, who could blame him?
  
  "Ugh, a grown man with a pair of steel earrings on? Really? Not cute," A female voice said, walking by.
  
  Rob turned his head to look at her. A teenage girl with long black hair, wearing a local high school uniform. Probably one of the snobby rich girls in town. Normally, he would shrug it off but damn he actually likes his earrings on him.
  
  "Hey, I heard that!" He yelled.
  
  The teen gasped and froze on her tracks. She turned around and in shock, could not say a word.
  
  "... You did?"
  
  ——
  
  Camilla's more of a bully than she is mischievous. She likes to point out Rob's flaws, or actually, anyone's. She's a snotty 16 year old who feeds off of other people's insecurities to mask her own. Rob used to hate every fiber of her no-longer-existent being but he learned that he could always insult her back. It usually shuts her up. Michael doesn't like it though, he just wants everyone to get along. Camilla is the pessimist among the group.
  
  
  JanJan ⚡
  3:00PM, Rob's bedroom, Catacutan Household.
  
  "You shouldn't be doing this to yourself," Michael voiced out in concern.
  
  "Don't blame us if you die," Camilla said, admiring herself with her pink compact mirror.
  
  "Both of you. Shut the fuck up," Rob cussed.
  
  He figured he'd follow his mother this time. He swallowed his pride, went to a psychiatrist, and got checked. The doctor said he had schizophrenia and then proceeded to prescribe medication for him. Well, it's no use. A bottle of Clozapine later and Rob can still see both Michael and Camilla as clear as day. All the added anxiety and lightheadedness from the drug for absolutely nothing. Not to mention the cost it came with. Damn, he could've bought new video games with that money.
  
  Upset, he got dressed and decided to take a walk to cool off. As usual. He's a little hangry too, so he walked a block away just to buy snacks from the nearest street vendor. Never mind his headache. He's all good just as long as he gets to eat.
  
  Rob bought his favorite. Hard-boiled quail eggs coated in batter and fried, or kwek kwek, as the locals call it. He sat on a nearby bench underneath the shade of a tall Talisay tree. Just as he was about to take his first bite, a raggedy kid approached him. His clothes were stained with grease, his hair a shaggy mess.
  
  "Got any spare change?" The kid asked.
  
  "Sorry, bud. I just brought enough to buy me a snack. Want some of my food instead?" Rob offered.
  
  "Sure, leave some for me," He said.
  
  The street vendor looked at Rob confused. She then chuckled and muttered to herself, "He is crazy." It took some time for Rob to piece things together. At first, he thought he was called crazy for sharing his delightful afternoon snack to a homeless kid but no. Surely, that wasn't the case.
  
  The kid simply laughed while pointing his finger at him.
  
  ——
  
  JanJan is the most mischievous among the three spirits. He enjoys pranking not only Rob but even Michael and Camilla. He doesn't appear in Rob's life as often but when he does, he's there to stir shit up. Although, to be honest, it's made Rob a little more patient with things life. To let the small things go.