Zhou

Zhou (宙) is a character that appears in Shining Nikki. He is the manager of the Ark.

Appearance
Zhou (meaning time in classical Chinese) has a serious expression, dark blue eyes, and dark blue hair. He wears a long dark blue faint stars printed coat with a red stripe in the right on it, and a shining silver thin brooch like-cross in the left. On his right wrist, he wears a watch with the same stars pattern. In his other hand, he carries a mysterious book. Zhou also wears a long white long-sleeved shirt with its left plaid in silver lines over a black sweater with a silver zipper on the neck, and dark grey pants with a black trim up.

Personality
Zhou is a serious and intelligent young man and also an indulgent brother. He loved reading about the outside world of Miraland. He was also passionate about rock and punk music and wrote songs himself, which, according to his sister Hai, were awful.

History
Zhou is the manager of the Ark and spent most of his time arranging the archives and maintaining the order of the Sea of Memories. He kept wondering why he and his sister were chosen and born in the ark. He tried every possible way to investigate, but he never found out the answer. Lierlide told him that he would know the reason one day, but it might not be pleasant.

Once, he accidentally crossed the Gate of Heart and arrived in Miraland. However, his appearance in Miralnd caused a big tsunami. After he stopped it, he went back to the Ark and never returned.

Zhou first met Nikki when she jumped into the Ark after the destruction of Miraland in Year 680 in order to travel back to Year 0 to save it. Zhou offered to take her home in the original world with the Ark. Nikki went back to home with Momo for a short time and saw her mother and sister, but then she still decided to come back to Miraland to save it. Zhou did what she asked, and dropped her in Year 0 and also helped her to understand the Ark and the designer's shadows inside.

She returned to the Ark to ask him about Huihuicao after losing her trail of clues, and Zhou helped her to investigate. He suggested that Huihuicao's experience was somehow similar to Lierlide's, so Huihuicao's shadow might have clues regarding him.

Together, Zhou and Nikki go to her designer's shadow for the suit that she designed, Wings of Shooting Stars, but the mirror was not complete since she had not finished it. Nikki got trapped in the memory of the shadow momentarily, and he explained to her that articles of clothing can have strong memories and feelings associated with them.