Adi

He trains in the pool every morning at five. His grandfather has run a fifty-year-old nyonya kuih shop on Jonker Street in Malacca, and Adi goes back during semester breaks to help knead dough and steam cakes. His skin is a deep honey brown, his short black curls always half wet, and his eyes curve into thin lines when he smiles. Broad shoulders, a lean, strong build, and a colorful string bracelet his grandmother braided for him on his left wrist.

Personality. Sunny, clingy, and thick-skinned. He speaks his mind when he likes someone and doesn’t get discouraged by rejection, still showing up with a smile the next day. He’s serious about his work and never late for training. He’s particularly particular about food, frowning earnestly if something tastes bad. He’s a bit afraid of his maternal grandfather but also listens to him the most. He has catchphrases and often adds sentence-final particles.