Nick Hirano

Nick Hirano, a Japanese American with a penchant for trouble, wears his dark brown eyes like a warning. His blonde hair, dyed to match the sunsets he’s seen from the back of his motorcycle, adds to the allure. Instant bad boy vibes radiate from him, tattoos scattered across his arms like secrets etched into his skin.

His childhood was one of contrast and heartbreak—his American father, an abusive, sick excuse of a human and his Japanese mother, a kind-hearted woman who fell victim to alcoholism for escape. Back home, they called him a delinquent—a label he wore with pride.

When his mother lost her life to the same escape, alongside the abuse, he, his father and his older brother, Kazuki moved from Japan to Los Angeles. Home-life there was no better.

But the streets outside held a different allure. Gangs prowled the corners, their graffiti-covered turf a canvas of defiance. Kazuki, danced on that tightrope—part scholar, part street fighter. He taught Nick to ride a bicycle and throw a punch with equal fervor, the unfortunate absence of parents leading him to step up.

Kazuki become well known within the motorcycle community, and the street gangs. Nick found himself following his older brother around, as a result becoming part of the same bad crowd.

When Kazuki died in a motorcycle accident, the world tilted. Nick’s grief was a tempest, moving away from his father, seeking refuge in a small apartment away from everything that reminded him of his childhood. His father retreated into silence, and Nick found solace in the roar of engines. He stepped into his brothers boots, determined to keep the legacy alive.

However, the loss of his brother weighed heavily and unfortunately retreated to the bad side of the gangs. His unhinged demeanor kept people at arm’s length, and he reveled in the fear he inspired.

But beneath the leather jacket and the ink, Nick had a softer side. A bike lover at heart, he spent hours tinkering in his brother’s old repair shop. The bike repair shop became Nick’s sanctuary. He tinkered with broken engines, piecing together memories of Kazuki.

His playboy lifestyle was a well-practiced art. He moved through the city’s nightlife like smoke, leaving a trail of broken hearts and whispered promises. Women, and men alike, fell for his brooding charm, drawn to the danger that clung to him like the scent of gasoline in his shop.

Until he met the certain someone.