Haruka Baragen

Haruka Baragen「春花薔薇原」is the Land of Lightning's 40th Prime Minister. He has maintained this position for over six years, following the resignation of his predecessor. He is the youngest PM to have ever been elected by the Land of Lightning's parliament, being a prominent political figure even before his time in office. Since the start of his political career, he has long advocated for social reforms. Some of these including his war on poverty, the banning of all opioid drugs within the Land of Lightning, and the creation of several joint five-year plans with neighboring countries.
== Background ==
The most famous description of Haruka's life is that of his oft-publicized "rags-to-riches" origins. He came from a family of meager standing, with a loving father and mother, and a myriad of siblings. Despite the size of his family, they lived in some of the poorest, most dangerous slums within the northern regions of the Land of Lightning. Their family had lived in places like these for generations, having once been a prestigious shinobi clan that had since disbanded and fallen below the poverty line.
Growing up, wishing to help his family, Haruka took many paths in an attempt to pull his family out of the squalor they were forced to live in. When he attempted to enlist in Kumogakure's army, he was forced to abandon the idea by his parent's wishes. He tried to educate himself and his siblings, despite the lack of schools within his city, but found that there were not enough resources to achieve a higher education necessary for most paying jobs. Consigning himself to his fate, he chose the only option he felt he had left: To steal.
The very first attempt at this was a bold one, a need born out of necessity. His family was nearly starved, having little to eat over the past week. To fix this, Haruka elected himself to steal directly from the manorial district. A place in abundance of wealth and food. In his eyes, a place where the fat and rich went to die supping upon the fine foods that were "too great an honor" for the likes of his kin. He was caught outright before even reaching the house by a passing shinobi from the city's garrison. He thrashed violently, he endlessly pleaded for mercy, and even stubbornly resisted all attempts to calm down. All within a matter of minutes as he suspected being caught like this would mark him for life, and shame his family's household.
Instead of simply doing his job, this strange woman who had caught young Haruka decided to teach him a lesson instead. Throughout his entire tantrum, Haruka had revealed his reasoning behind the actions. Almost condemning himself to the actions of a crime he had not committed. Without a word, this woman escorted Haruka back home. He sat firmly in the back of a carriage, where he couldn't see much except through the carriage door's slotted grates that served as a poor view of the outside world. On the way, multiple stops were made. Each time, a wave of guilt poured over Haruka's heart. Disappointing his parents, the very two people that built up his moral fiber, just for them to learn that he betrayed it all. Even if it was meant to help the family, his actions would never be justified in the eyes of his mother or father. Eventually, he resigned himself to his fate and retreated into the darkness of his thoughts.
The final stop came long after this mental withdrawal, Haruka opening his eyes once more as the light of day shone upon him once more. Without hesitation, the kunoichi gave out a command, "Get out. Help me grab some of these groceries." Instantly, Haruka felt a sense of elation. One that was shortlived as guilt still hung heavily on his conscience. Reluctantly agreeing, he stepped out from the back of the carriage and fell behind the officer as they walked through the open door leading into the apartments where his family lived. The two were greeted by Haruka's father with a look of suspicion.