Hakuren Oak/History

Hakuren Oak is a main character in the 07-Ghost anime and manga series. He is first introduced as Teito's roommate at the Church and his self-proclaimed rival for the Bishop's Apprentice Exam. After a rough start, Hakuren later becomes a close friend of Teito. Hakuren is a member of the very wealthy Oak family in District 2, but he chose to become a bishop rather than follow the Oak family's tradition to go into politics or the military.

After passing the exam he worked under Bishop Castor, but received a letter from his father asking him to return home to serve as a tutor to the princess. After realising the things that were covered up by the military, he decided to be the princess's tutor in order to let the voices of the weak be heard by the royal family.

Early childhood
Hakuren was born on 15 October to two unnamed members of the wealthy and prestigious Oak Family where he grew up in luxury and splendour. His father is a noble, and though it is unknown what exactly his father's job is, it is established that he is either a politician or a soldier, as it is family tradition. His mother's job is unknown, but it is probable that she also comes from a noble family. There is a chance that Hakuren's mother is a politician.

Kor
When he was young, his mother was taken by a Kor. To protect the Oaks' good reputation (as the Oak Family is a God House), his father had her locked in her room so that no one would know about it. When Hakuren suggested they contact the Bishops he was slapped for disagreeing. His father refused to take her to the travelling Bishops because the exorcism is witnessed by the public, which means the secret will be publicized.

One day, one of the travelling Bishops (later revealed to be Frau) sensed that his mother was in danger and came to his house to heal his mother in private. Hakuren believed that Frau was God who answered his prayers and since that day, wanted to become just like Frau.

Leaving his family
Soon after this, Hakuren decided that he would travel the 7th District and become a Bishop. He left with his mother's, but without his father's, consent and spent five years studying in the Church.

Meeting Teito
"You're jealous of me because I'm so beautiful"

- Hakuren

He and Teito first meet soon after Mikage's death and Hakuren is walking by Teito in the church. Teito mistakes him for Mikage since they look somewhat similar, but upon looking closer, realizes it is someone else. Upon seeing that Teito is training to become a bishop as well, he states that Teito is now his rival.

Teito thinks there is something about Hakuren that is familiar to him until Hakuren asks Teito whether middle school children were starting to take the exam as well. Teito suddenly realizes that Hakuren sounds a lot like Shuri Oak, his tormentor from the military academy.

He and Teito take an immediate dislike to each other, with Teito even thinking "if this wasn't a sanctuary, I would beat him up". After trading insults, Teito asks Hakuren why someone from the noble Oak family, having a reputation for being in the military and the government, would pursue a life at the church- which insults Hakuren greatly and he refuses to answer.

Later in the day, Hakuren is appalled to discover his room mate is Teito, and demands a change which cannot happen. Because they are roommates, they are also assigned as partners for training and the examination.

Aldo's collapse
When going to the practice hall the receptionist there suddenly collapses. After taking him to the infirmary, Teito and Hakuren arrive at the practice hall with Hakuren demonstrating his skill with a Baculus, and Teito struggling at first. However, when thinking of Mikage, Teito floods the devise with power so that he breaks the Baculus and the barrier. The Baculus Teito used is revealed to be Frau's, which makes Hakuren furious that Teito did not know how skilled Frau was while using his Baculus.

The Wars Attacks
Teito and Hakuren rush to a crowd of people and finds the dead body of Aldo lying on the floor. Suspicion falls upon the Seven Ghosts, who people believe could not forgive Aldo for his crimes.

Hakuren is later seen studying in the library when Bishop Frau arrives to check on Teito. Hakuren, egger to impress Frau, offers him some porn and the two instantly strike up a friendship, but Bastien appears and confiscates the porn.

"I called him an 'elementary school kiddie'... perhaps he never had the opportunity to attend an elementary school..."

- Hakuren

When Teito finally returns to his room, after a long night of training, he begins to undress, thinking Hakuren is asleep. Hakuren, awake, spots the sklave brand on Teito's back. Recognising it, he feels guilty for his earlier insults of "elementary school kiddie" as Teito, as a sklave, may never have gone to school. When Teito apologises for insulting the Oak family name, and tells him about how Burupya is the reincarnation of his friend, Hakuren tells Teito about why he came to the church to become a bishop, bridging the gap between the two acolytes.

The next night, Castor invites Hakuren to join him and Teito Klein in training, since he (Hakuren) had been watching. Hakuren politely declines instead giving Burupya to Teito, who had been crying for him. As the two students make their way back to their room, they are attacked by a Wars, being controlled by Black Hawk member, Kuroyuri, who had infiltrated the Church earlier. The Wars launches for Teito but he is pushed out of the way by Hakuren, who takes the blow but is knocked out the window. Teito then throws himself out the window in effort to save Hakuren but both boys are caught by Frau who then destroys the Wars with his scythe. Frau then realises that members of the Imperial army, have infiltrated the Barsburg Church.

"Fighting alongside someone is enough of a reason- comrade."

- Hakuren

After that incident, Hakuren offers Teito a handshake, calling him a 'comrade'. Teito hesitates, remembering how he became friends with Mikage but ended up being unable to protect him. He then tells Hakuren he'll be friends with him when he's strong enough to protect him.

Frau's arrest
Upon finding that Frau has been arrested for murder, Hakuren decided to prove Frau's innocence. He finds Teito Klein when he (Teito) resurfaces after swimming to Frau's cell in Light Dungeon and attempting to break him free, and reminds him it's dinner.

Later that night, Hakuren investigates the crime scene- but is caught by Teito, who offers to help. There, they encounter a dark figure that appears behind Teito- causing Hakuren to strike out with his Baculus, only to find it is Bastien, who is also searching for clues. When questioned, Bastien reveals his past with Frau, but leaves when his shift ends. Noticing the tainted Baculus, Hakuren realises that the Warsfeil within the Church was Bastien, and the two rush to Bastien's room to confront him. Evading the guards, the pair discover a secrete passageway where Bastien awaits them. He attacks Teito for treason against the Barsburg King for escaping with the Eye of Mikhail.

Battling Bastien
After Teito Klein has been knocked temporarily unconscious by the Wars, Hakuren Oak tries to attack Bastien, but doesn't manage to hurt him. He instead becomes snared by Bastien's tendrils. Bastien reveals that he is a spy of Ayanami's, and holds Hakuren captive- threatening to kill him if Teito does not surrender himself to the Barsburg Armed Forces.

As Bastien attempts to devour Teito using his Wars, Mikhail wakes and destroys the Wars. He (Mikhail) attacks Bastien, but Teito stops him as he is important to Frau, which results in Bastien attacking and beating Mikhail. Frau appears in his Ghost form and kills Bastien.

Infiltration by the Black Hawks
Having recovered from injuries sustained in the fight with Bastien, Hakuren delivers tea to another resident of the Church- but it confronted with the sight of Teito being devoured by a Wars. He rushes to help him as Teito is teleported away but is accidentally teleported too.

He finds himself confronted by Black Hawks Kuroyuri and Haruse. Hakuren protests but is then knocked unconscious by Haruse with a punch to the gut and taken aboard the Hawkzile with Teito. When they are in the air, Hakuren recovers and attempts to attack the Black Hawks. His attack is blocked by Haruse and instead destroys a portion of the Hawkzile- resulting in the unconscious Teito being thrown overboard. Hakuren dives after him, and both are saved by Frau and the Eye of Mikhail is released.

When Hyuuga cuts down the Hawkzile they ride, Hakuren falls but is caught by Castor who takes him to safety.

"I'm really glad you're safe."

- Hakuren

Once the battle is over, Hakuren finds Teito and hugs him- relieved that he is safe. Seeing the damage the explosion of the Eye had caused, Hakuren offers to help clean up the debris.

Eve of the exam
Hakuren and Teito Klein watch the Church prepare for the Souls' thanksgivings festival. Teito attempts to catch some floating balloons but as he (Teito) jumps from the balcony he lands on Bishop Lance and breaks the lucky Clergy Pass he was holding. Lance is annoyed at the two boys but is bitten by Burupya. Frau appears and Hakuren greets him politely.

Later that day, the candidates line up for the Bishop's apprentice exam, it is revealed that the head examiner is Lance, who is still angry at Teito Klein for breaking his pass. Teito and Hakuren enter the exam hall and find two examinees, Wade and Kyle, shouting at an old man, who they claim bumped into them. Teito and Hakuren argue with the two other examinees, defending the old man. Before a fight starts, the examinees are asked to get ready, and Teito finds that his Zaiphon isn't working.

"Afterwards be careful not to go crying to your mother, failure face!"

- Hakuren

As Wade and Kyle make fun of Teito, Hakuren warns Teito not to start a fight, but then insults Kyle by calling him a "failure face". One of the old men shout for someone to help and Ouida shares his Zaiphon, allowing Teito to continue.

Part one of the exam
Once the exam begins, Hakuren must pass through the hall of shadows where candidates must face manifestations of fear. Hakuren initially struggles, but thinks of how he left his family to become a Bishop, and this gives him the strength to pass through. Teito and Hakuren march on ahead as other candidates fail, remarking on how the old men they met earlier are unfazed by the shadows. He and Teito Klein then move together to the written part of the exam- where they much answer 100 questions. They stop at a door with a difficult multiplication question, but Hakuren solves it quickly, allowing him and Teito to pass through to the next challenge.

They pass through to the Kor palace, a water tank filled with Kor, and the Kor attempt to make a contract with Hakuren by telling him his mother is lonely and his father is cheating on her. This enrages Hakuren, who attacks and destroys several Kor, which allows him and Teito to pass through to the next challenge.

Despite this, they both make it to the final physical challenge, which is to walk a tightrope whilst fighting off the darkness from below and carrying the two old men. After narrowly avoiding falling to their deaths, after a Wars chews the rope so that it snaps and they are saved by Hakuren, they reach the last challenge.

"Don't belittle me! Do I look like a person who would abandon his best friend?"

- Hakuren

Two doors stand side by side, and the inscription on the wall reads that the candidates must fight each other and the victor must walk through the door of the victor, as only one member of the pair is allowed to pass the exam. Each boy thinks that the other deserves to pass more than himself, and the two old men they helped offer to give up, allowing them both to pass, but they go unheard. After writing an obscenity on the door as opposed to their names, they both decide to walk through the door of the defeated. When asked why they chose the door of defeat they say: "there are no losers, just companions to fight alongside- brothers in arms", where Bishop Lance appears and tells them that their selfless solution made them pass.

Part two of the exam
As the remaining candidates pass through to the next exam, Teito Klein asks what the marks engraved in the walls were, much to the annoyance of Hakuren and Kyle. Lance interrupts, and explains the marks are the signs of each of the Ghosts, and that the Ghosts are unable to enter heaven.

The Bishops and candidates then part, and Hakuren enters the second part of the exam. He begins by battling a gigantic Kor. Expressing shock Frau had managed to defeat it in one blow, Hakuren attacks the Kor part by part- starting with the legs and eventually breaking the creature's neck. As the remains of the Kor disappear, he walks to the other side of the bridge, assuming the exam now over, but then hears a familiar voice, and turns around to find his father being held hostage by a hooded figure, wielding a sword.

His father cries for help and the figure tells Hakuren he is going to take his (Hakuren's father's) soul to hell. As the hooded figure prepares to execute his hostage, Hakuren cries out and jumps in front of his father, blocking the attack with his Baculus.

"If I were to abandon the person I hate I would become the same as him!"

- Hakuren's reason for saving his father

When the masked figure questions Hakuren's motives, Hakuren is reminded of the time Teito was grateful to Hakuren's father because it allowed him to meet Hakuren, and replies that abandoning his father will make him just like him. His opponent then mocks Hakuren, reminding him of the relationship that does not exist between him and his father, but Hakuren remains adamant that he will not leave him. He then speaks calmly to the person: telling him that he no longer need to be the son his father seeks and should look elsewhere for love. The mask begins to break and fall off, revealing a crying child that is a younger Hakuren. As Hakuren and his younger self embrace, the illusion fades away and Hakuren passes the exam.

Teito's escape from the Church
"The next time we meet, I will have gained more strength. At that time I will understand the heavy burden you carry."

- Hakuren

Following a military invasion, Teito is forced to flee the Barsburg Church. Despite the other candidates being evacuated, Hakuren refuses to leave without saying goodbye to Teito. He meets Teito for one last time, and they part as equals.

Hausen House Arc
After passing the exam, Hakuren went on to become Castor's apprentice, and kept in touch with Teito Klein through exchanging letters, where he warns Teito of the dangers of eating and sleeping properly (like a "mother hen").

Raggs Castle Arc
"From today on I'll travel around the Empire with Bishop Castor to improve my skills at exterminating Kor."

- Hakuren

To show he has been chosen to "pursue the path of a Bishop", Hakuren has a cross tattooed on his back. Before he leaves the 7th District to travel with Castor, Hakuren spends his remaining days doing chores around the Barsburg Church, including cleaning statues, and feeding and teaching children. His things packed, and Kyle having already left with Bishop Lance, Hakuren regroups with Ouida- who informs him he will be leaving the Church after he and Labrador repair the garden.

They see Liam, who is preparing to retake the exam after failing, with some of his friends. Ouida tells Hakuren his own protectiveness had hindered Liam's growth- and that he is prepared to let Liam go his own way now, but becomes paranoid after seeing one of Liam's friends tousle his hair.

"I wont become what my father wants. Besides... I dislike women..."

- Hakuren's objections to why he cannot become the princess' tutor.

Just then, some children bring a letter to Hakuren, commanding him to return to the 1st District to serve as tutor to the Imperial princess. Hakuren immediately rushes to Castor to warn him of the news, but is alarmed when Castor congratulates him and encourages him to accept the offer. When Hakuren objects, Labrador offers him a good luck charm, so his "journey will go smoothly".

Going to District 1
"I chose the path of a Bishop in order to save the weak. I have no interest in an occupation arbitrarily chosen by my father."

- Hakuren

Disappointed that Hakuren intends to refuse the Royal family's offer, Castor encourages Hakuren to visit the District Hospital before he leaves. When they arrive at the hospital, Hakuren notes the presence of two Barsburg soldiers, who quickly retreat upon seeing Castor. He soon forgets about them, and gets to work helping the patients. At one point, Hakuren believes he can see Castor manipulating silvery threads around a patient and his wife, but dismisses this as a trick of the mind.

As Castor is ambushed by a group of small children who want to play with him, Hakuren hears the praise the nurses have for the Bishop, and his admiration for Castor grows. Just then, they are interrupted by an elderly man dressed in bandages who begins frantically screaming the military will "burn us down". As he is ushered back to his room by the nurses, Hakuren questions Castor on the man's reaction.

"It has become clear! I have no reason to be promoted to the Royal family. I want to be a light to the people as a Bishop like you."

- Hakuren

Castor explains that during the Raggs War, the military's budget was running low so in order to redirect taxpayer's money to the military, hospices and hospitals were burnt to the ground. Hakuren is outraged, and his belief in becoming a Bishop as opposed to a tutor is reinforced. Their conversation is disturbed by a group of children, who, due to Hakuren having the typical Oak looks, mistake him for a Prince. Their grandfather corrects them, but, due to the serious nature of his illness, struggles to walk without falling. Hakuren rushes to his help, and the old man commends him for his kindness: saying that if he (Hakuren) really was the Prince then the voices of the weak would be heard. The old man goes on to lament how the Empire does not listen to the Bishops, but would listen to a politician, and Hakuren realises that by becoming the princess' tutor, he can influence her decisions.

Hakuren resolves to go to the 1st District and alert the Princess to the plight of the people. He bids goodbye to Castor, thanking him for his help, and expressing admiration at his courage. Three days later, Hakuren is called upon by the Royal family.

Manga Synopsis
Not long after beginning his work as a royal tutor, Hakuren almost met with Teito again when he (Hakuren) came to convoy the princess, who had run away, back to the royal palace. The two boys missed each other by minutes, and though Hakuren looked for Teito, the latter had already gone too far ahead by then.

Later in the series, Teito was captured by Ayanami and brought back to the military. While at Hohburg Fortress, Hakuren found the (already brainwashed) Teito and did his best to help Teito recollect his memories, but Teito ran away, confused. Before the princess's birthday ball, the Barsburg royal family's Head Attendant made Teito practise dancing with Hakuren. Once the Head Attendant deemed Teito's performance satisfactory and ended the dance lesson, Hakuren once more tried to help Teito recollect his memories, but Teito ran away again, with a shocked Hakuren staring after him.

Both Teito and Hakuren attended the princess's birthday ball, but did not directly interact during the ball, although Hakuren did tell Ouka's ladies-in-waiting, who are not familiar with Teito, about him.

Hakuren is last seen watching Teito depart for the land of Seele, after helping Teito to reunite with Burupya. Two years after Teito's departure, Hakuren and Ouka were mentioned to be making their way to join Millea Klein, Castor, Labrador and Fea Kreuz Raggs for a picnic. Hakuren's eventual fate is otherwise unknown, though it is likely that he either continued serving as Ouka's advisor or returned to the Church to resume his original career path as a member of the clergy.