Born to Japanese immigrants Rich Yu was raised in America after her father sold his tech start up and moved his family to the US to be closer to the business. His mom found work as a biology Professor and also taught a class in Japanese as a Second Language. Though his parents took time to adjust to American culture he and his younger sister, Ashen enjoyed life in the US.
Rick was very smart and when not helping his parents was doting on his little sister, helping her to learn to read and write in both languages and generally being the best big brother he could be. One day, his father had the day off and took them all camping. While the family was engaged in a cook out a bear approached their site. Everyone got up and ran to another location, but Rick noticed Ashen was frozen with fear. He told his parents to run on and he went back to grab Ashen, shouting at the bear and spraying it with bear mace. He grabbed Ashen and ran away.
HIs sister Ashen was considered strange, having dreams and visions that would seem to come true. She also would claim to know where missing people were. This was seen as a ploy for attention, Rick thought so too as he also had similar dreams and feelings, but in his mind it was just coincidence. One day their father was scheduled to go on a business trip back to Japan. He was playing with Ashen and took her hand to bring her downstairs. He felt a surge of energy go through him, but ignored it. When they got downstairs Ashen grabbed her dad’s hand. He immediately saw a vision of his father’s flight falling from the sky. Ashen suddenly begged their dad not to go on the flight. She stated the plane would fall and gave all the details of what would happen. She was rebuffed by both parents believing she just wanted him to stay as she did constantly want attention. RIck didn’t know what to do, but was also afraid for his dad, but he said nothing. Mr. Yu boarded the plane and it did fall. Many passengers died including Mr. Yu.
After Mr. Yu’s death Mrs. Yu fell into heavy grief. Believing Ashen to be a witch or demon, she wanted nothing to do with her. She wanted to move back to Japan, but Rick convinced her to stay. For the most part Rick became Ashen’s default parent, but eventually he went off to college. Being handsome and having access to his part of his father’s fortune, he began to gain the attention of women at his school. Against both his mom and sister’s wishes he began to date American women. He met a girl named Jennifer and dated on and off, but Rick was focused on his studies so he could get his degree and join his father’s company officially. Eventually he moved out taking Ashen with him at her request. Their mother moved back to Japan and retired.
Ashen didn’t go to college, but she claimed to be working as a consultant. This was strange as, to his knowledge, she had never shown interest in tech. He did get work at his father’s company and got back together with Jennifer. When Ashen moved out he moved Jennifer in and a few year later they were married.
Major Story Arcs
In both the Epitaph Bread and Salt movie and Beginning of the End story, it’s implied he and Jennifer are having money problems, but it’s not explained how or why.
Powers
Though unaware of it, Rick is remote viewer and reader. Sometimes he gets impressions from people by touching them or sees snippets of their life, but since he doesn’t focus on this he hasn’t cultivated it. Rick has had out of body experiences and sometimes feels he knows what’s going to happen before it does.
Oddities
Rick also got the same vision Ashen did and to this never revealed it. It’s one of the reasons he took care of Ashen.