May Mental Health Month questions

Q1. How do you spend quality time with your loved ones?

Right now, Ryusei doesn’t really have many loved ones left. He’s single, and the only parent he has left, is his worst enemy. His sister hardly has time on her busy schedule, which is even busier than his. He does visit his grandfather and his aunt, as often as possible. With them, he usually just meets them at their place for dinner/lunch, or takes them out to eat, somewhere, and catches up. He’s also been conditioned to think that bringing gifts is a must. After many years of watching someone’s reaction to receiving a gift or money, he thinks that this proves someone’s love for another. Therefore, he takes note to whatever that person’s interests and hobbies are, and always brings a gift when seeing someone he cares about, unconditionally. 
If he had someone he was able to spend quality time with quite often, he would prefer to do activities with them, rather than just ‘hang-out’. If staying in, he’d prefer to play a game or watch a good movie. If going out, he’s up for pretty much anything. He’d especially enjoy taking his loved ones on a trip to somewhere they’ve never been before. Although he travels a lot, he never makes time for touring, which is always more satisfying when sharing that experience with someone else.


Q2. What are your favorite self-care activities? Why?

Depending on his emotions and how much he needs a release, Ryusei’s ‘self-care’ activities vary. Usually, building up his adrenaline and heart-rate is a good way for him to release pent-up stress. Before he had a car, he would usually do this by running, working out, fighting or boxing. Now that he’s involved in underground street racing, this is his most preferred way, at the moment. However, he also does other activities to relieve stress; such as masterbating, taking a boiling-hot shower, playing a game, or eating something delicious and tasty. 
When things become too much for him, and he feels like none of these activities will help him, that’s when he retreats to his private land in Mexico, where he owns a large plot of land in between the gulf and the Laguna Flamingos, roughly 45 miles from Cancún, in northern Tizimín. He originally planned on building cabanas there to rent out to vacationers for a large profit, but since the land is so far from any town or village, he grew to enjoy the silence— aside from the sound of the ocean and wildlife. There, he brings a few necessities, but enjoys fishing and living of the natural land, far away from his ‘normal’ life and duties.


Q3. What‘s your favorite ambient noise/setting?

Mainly complete darkness and silence, but other sounds are soothing to him, as well. Such as natural wildlife, like the chirping of crickets, or the sound of running water or the ocean. Of course, the sound of a cracking fire is soothing to him, even in destructive settings. 
As for setting, Ryu often visits the bathhouse (in which he designed, based on memory, after the one that was in his uncle’s garden), right before bed, usually just as the sun is coming up. 


Q4. What do you love about your life?

Ryusei truly loves the freedom that he feels is a part of his everyday life. Despite him being in a place where he cannot choose to turn back, or follow a new path, there is something blissful about being above the law. Never following the rules that are set in place for normal society, but instead following a whole different set, and eventually being the one to set his own rules. He loves the fact that he can still make money and do what he loves, which is usually racing. He loves the fact that he has a solid following of trustworthy men, who are eager to follow orders and do what needs to be done in order for their clan to thrive. He especially loves being able to get out and even leave the country quite often. He isn’t one for staying in one spot for too long. Traveling, seeing different cultures and witnessing new ways of life has always been refreshing for him.


Q5. What does self-love mean to you?

For Ryusei, self-love was something that seemed impossible throughout most of his life. After being made to feel worthless for so long, it was difficult to recognize his redeeming qualities, even when he was reminded of them. He even began to embrace the negative things that were said to and about him. He felt worthless, therefore had no motivation to change the dark path he was heading down. Especially after his uncle died; the only man who ever praised him for who he was. There was a hole left within him, that he tried to fill by joining Katsunaga, who only praised him for his abilities. 
It’s taken Ryusei years to finally learn what self-love actually means. It’s accepting who you are, the good and the bad, and vowing to work on yourself, everyday. It’s confidence, and challenging yourself to make things better. If Ryusei hadn’t learned self-love, he would still be doing Katsunaga’s bidding, instead of building his own clan. Self-love is also taking responsibility for one’s own mistakes, and learning from them, rather than pointing a finger at whoever possible. It’s being indifferent to the opinion of strangers, never dwelling on the negative, and never comparing yourself to anyone else.