Sumi Saimori was born into the prestigious Usuba family as the daughter of Yoshirou Usuba and his wife. Although she was physically frail from a young age, she possessed the rare Gift of telepathy, a highly prized ability within the clan. Her powers sparked great excitement among the Usubas, as it was believed she would one day give birth to a child with the extraordinary ability known as Dream-Sight. However, this expectation placed immense pressure on Sumi throughout her childhood. While attending school in the imperial capital, she used the alias Sumi Tsuruki.

During her youth, Sumi formed a close bond with her cousin, Naoshi Usui, a troubled and feared boy whose violent nature even unsettled the adults around him. Sumi was the only person he trusted, and under her influence, he became calmer and more gentle. Many within the clan believed they would eventually marry and lead the Usuba family together.

However, during Sumi’s teenage years, the Tsuruki Trading Company closely tied to the Usubas began to falter due to manipulations orchestrated by the Emperor. As the clan faced financial ruin and starvation, the Emperor revealed the existence of Dream-Sight to the Saimori family and granted them a large sum of money. He instructed them to secure Sumi through marriage, furthering his hidden agenda.

The Saimori family then approached the Usubas, proposing a political marriage in exchange for financial aid. Although Yoshirou was initially opposed unwilling to send his daughter to a declining household Sumi insisted on accepting the match for the sake of her family. Despite Usui’s plea for her to elope with him, she stood by her decision. At the time, Shinichi Saimori, the Saimori heir, was already romantically involved with Kanoko, and he protested the marriage, but he was ultimately compelled to end the relationship and marry Sumi.

To commemorate the marriage, a cherry tree was planted in the inner courtyard of the Saimori estate. Fearing she might flee, the Saimori head took considerable precautions to prevent her escape. Not long afterward, Sumi gave birth to Miyo, who inherited the Gift of Dream-Sight. Aware that the Saimori family would exploit Miyo’s abilities, Sumi chose to seal her daughter’s powers within the cherry tree and pretended that Miyo was born without a Gift.

She pleaded with Shinichi to accept and love their daughter, but he coldly dismissed them, stating that Miyo might have been cherished as a commoner’s child, but to the Saimori house, she was nothing more than a disappointment. After he turned his back on them, Sumi tearfully apologized to her daughter, calling herself a failure as a mother.

Sumi died of illness when Miyo was only two years old. She was buried in the Saimori family grave. The cherry tree that held Miyo’s sealed power withered a year after Sumi’s death, weakening the barrier. Although Miyo inherited Sumi’s kimonos and accessories, they were discarded or stolen by her stepmother Kanoko and half-sister Kaya shortly thereafter.

Sumi Saimori was a graceful and delicate woman with long, glossy black hair. Her favorite garment was a pale pink kimono, which she often wore. In a dream, her daughter Miyo recalled seeing her in that kimono and thought she resembled a cherry blossom spirit, as the color perfectly matched the surrounding cherry trees in bloom. Miyo is noted to bear a strong physical resemblance to her mother.

Sumi Saimori was a compassionate and strong-willed woman. Despite understanding that her marriage would be loveless and restrict her personal freedom, she chose to defy her father’s wishes and marry into the Saimori family in an effort to protect the Usuba family from decline. Her actions reflected a strong sense of duty and self-sacrifice, prioritizing her family’s well-being over her own happiness.

Gift
Telepathy
As a member of the Usuba family, Sumi possessed the rare and powerful Gift of telepathy, a signature ability within the clan. This power allowed her to influence and communicate with the minds of others directly. Through telepathy, Sumi could project her thoughts and emotions into another person’s consciousness, bypassing the need for spoken words or physical gestures. It was considered a highly valued and mysterious ability, contributing to the Usubas’ esteemed status in the world of supernatural Gifts.

• Sealing:  Sumi possessed the ability to apply a spiritual seal on an individual, allowing her to suppress or completely block the use of their Gift. She employed this technique to seal her daughter Miyo’s Dream-Sight, concealing it from detection and preventing it from being exploited by the Saimori family. By doing so, Sumi hoped to protect Miyo’s future, allowing her the chance to live freely and eventually find justice.