would you believe us if we said that wasn't really JUSTIN H MIN? well, it isn't .ᐟ.ᐟ that's ZACHARY JIN, a proud resident of pinehaven for the last 8 YEARS. you can find them working over at BREEZY PINES B&B as a/an HEAD CHEF. they're 36, but they hardly look that old! it must be the washington weather that keeps them looking so young .ᐟ.ᐟ word around the town is that they're OVERSENSITIVE, RELUCTANT TO CHANGE, OVERTHINKER, but we think that's silly. we feel like they're much more SUPPORTIVE, FORGIVING, STEADY. if we had to pick one song to describe HE/HIM, it would be WHAT I WISH I COULD FORGET BY TOO CLOSE TO TOUCH. see ya 'round, ZACH.ᐟ.
basics:
full name: Zachary Taeyang Jin
nicknames: Zach
pronouns: he/him
sexuality: heterosexual
age: 36
date of birth: march 8th
zodiac sign: pisces
occupation: Head Chef at Breezy Pines B&B
personality type: ISFJ-T (The Defender)
face claim: Justin H. Min
backstory:
Born in Southern California as a second generation Korean-American, Zach had a pretty typical upbringing. A house in suburbia, an annoying older sister, and two hardworking parents. He wasn’t always the most outgoing kid, usually opting for quieter hobbies like playing board games with his friends, or riding his bike around the block. But he had a happy life where nothing bad ever happened. That was until middle school, when his newly licensed older sister accidentally ran over him with the family van.
Zach had breaks in both legs and arms, and had casts on all four limbs. Suddenly, the shy kid in school was popular. Everyone wanted to know what happened and wanted to be the one to push around his wheelchair between classes. Luckily, the breaks weren’t terrible and after physical therapy he was able to get back to a normal life. While it was traumatic at the time, Zach mostly remembers how cool everyone at school was and how much attention he got from the girls he thought were pretty. The thrill of it eventually wore off, and Zach went back to being the quiet kid. Now it’s just a fun fact he can share and something he can bring up when his older sister is getting on his nerves.
Zach met his first and only girlfriend in his first year of college and fell quickly for her. He thought she was the one he’d be with forever and was reasonably devastated when he learned that she’d cheated on him after 2 years of dating. She begged him not to end things, and because he loved her, Zach agreed to work through the betrayal. He’d always been the type of person to give out second chances, especially to people he loved so much. They eventually got back to what he thought was a stable and happy relationship. He forgave her on the condition that she never cheated on him again and she agreed. Understandably, Zach was devastated to learn that she did, in fact, cheat on him again. This time around, he didn’t listen when she begged him to give her another chance. He ended things for good, and cut her off completely. The worst part of ending the relationship was the dog he lost. Her parents had given her the dog for a birthday, and she refused to let Zach take him even though he cared for the dog the most. For Zach, it felt like losing a child. It hurt far worse than losing his girlfriend did.
Zach persevered. He kept his head down, finished his last year of college, and focused on rediscovering his passions. He’d put so much into his relationship that he’d lost sight of who he was and what made him happy. He started cooking and gardening more and ultimately decided to give culinary school a try. He enrolled in a program in Northern California so he could get away from all that haunted him, and found his purpose in the kitchen. For the next few years, he got experience working in kitchens, he honed his skills, and pulled himself out of the dark place he’d been living in post break up. Zach was developing his own recipes, growing all his own produce, and impressing each chef he worked alongside. Eventually, he started looking for a small kitchen that he could run himself. His lease was up in his NorCal apartment, so he started expanding his search parameters. He landed on the job application for the Breezy Pines B&B in Pinehaven and was moving to Washington a month later.
In Pinehaven, Zach is happy and has moved past the betrayal of his former relationship. His guard is still up, though, and trusting people isn’t easy. But he’s working on it because he doesn’t want to be alone forever. He’s got a lot of love to give, and wants to spend his life with someone, but his anxiety over being hurt again stops him from moving forward with anyone. There have been a few dates over the years, but none of them have led to anything more than a one night stand. But one day he will find a woman who is charmed by his extensive knowledge of vegetables, and who will mean it when she says she won’t hurt him.
