Louisa is a seventeen-year-old runaway with a history of bouncing between unsafe foster homes. She possesses a raw talent for graffiti, using it as an emotional outlet. A postcard of the famous painting *The One of the Sea* serves as her primary comfort. She is fiercely independent and highly distrustful of adults.

Kimkim is the famous artist behind *The One of the Sea*, signing his early work as "C. Jat." As a teenager, he is highly sensitive, dislikes physical contact, and faces constant bullying. Drawing provides his only shelter from a harsh reality. He relies heavily on the fierce protection of his chosen group of friends.

Ted is a former history teacher who serves as a caretaker and lifelong friend to Kimkim. As a fourteen-year-old, he offers his home as a safe gathering place for his friends. He carries heavy burdens from his childhood, including his father's illness and his brother's physical abuse. He acts as the memory keeper for his childhood group.

Joar is the fiercely protective core of Kimkim's friend group. He grows up in a violent household, enduring severe physical abuse from his father. To ensure his friends survive their harsh town, he frequently uses his fists to defend them. He carries a knife and constantly monitors threats against the people he loves.

Joar's father is an intimidating dock worker with a severe substance use disorder. He rules his household with terror, routinely dealing out severe physical beatings to his wife and son. His violence sets the baseline of fear for the entire friend group.

Fish is Louisa's best friend from the foster care system. She acts as a guide for Louisa, teaching her survival skills like breaking into a movie theater to learn English. She struggles heavily with sadness and seeks comfort in older acquaintances.

Ali is a teenage girl who moves to town with her father and instantly bonds with Joar, Kimkim, and Ted. Her home life lacks basic necessities due to her father's financial irresponsibility. She brings a sense of wild adventure to the group, often participating in reckless pranks.

Christian is a former art student who takes a job as a janitor after struggling with substance use. He provides Kimkim with a judgment-free space to create. He actively defies the school's strict rules to encourage true artistic expression.

She is an art history teacher who deeply loves her son and supports his creative talents. She tries continuously to help him through his struggles by securing his job at the school. She extends her maternal care to her son's artistic friends.

She is a resilient woman trapped in a highly dangerous domestic situation. Despite her injuries, she works tirelessly to care for her son and maintains a gentle, heroic presence in his life. She attempts to rescue injured animals alongside Joar.

Ted's older brother works on the docks and frequently returns home drunk. He channels his frustration and fear regarding his father's illness into physical aggression against Ted. He surrounds himself with aggressive friends but harbors hidden insecurities.

Ted's mother struggles to manage her husband's terminal illness alongside raising two boys. She frequently leaves the house or turns a blind eye to the violence occurring between her sons. She makes dismissive comments about Ted's identity that leave a lasting negative impact.

Ted's father is an immigrant who deeply loved his wife before falling terminally ill. His sickness casts a long shadow over the household, draining the family's resources and emotional stability.

He is an emotionally distant man who fails to understand his highly sensitive son. Rather than offering comfort, he completely withdraws, leaving Kimkim isolated within his own home.

She is a cold, detached parent who refuses to show physical affection to her son. She views Kimkim's artistic temperament as a flaw to be ashamed of rather than a gift to nurture.

He is a neglectful single father struggling with substance use. He completely fails to provide basic necessities like food or electricity for his household, leaving his daughter entirely dependent on others.

She is an absent figure whose early departure fractures Louisa's sense of security. Louisa uses her memory to forge a fake connection, signing a stolen postcard as if it came from her.

He is an absent parent who died in a bar fight before Louisa could know him. His absence leaves Louisa entirely dependent on the foster care system from a young age.

Ox is a violently aggressive teenager who associates with Ted's older brother. He uses his physical size to intimidate others and readily participates in brutal physical beatings.

Bulldog is a relentless school bully who specifically targets the vulnerable members of Kimkim's friend group. His cruel actions frequently draw violent retaliation from Joar.

She is an older, opera-loving driver with a forty-year marriage and seven children. She provides Ted and Louisa a critical escape route when they are chased by attackers near the train station.