Ivan Antonivich Chekov

"I grew up without brothers; that's why I envy Ivan. I never understood his rivalry with me because I always prefer him as my best friend to work with, not a rival to compete against. No matter how people consider it, he'll always be my brother, colleague, and friend to me." - Pierre Smerdyakov Son of acclaimed professor Anton Chekov, Ivan was the older twin brother of Pavel. He was the best friend and colleague of Pierre Smerdyakov. Being an accomplished writer in Harvard while majoring in English Literature and Economics, he became an acclaimed journalist for the New York Times after obtaining his M.A. in Business and Economics Journalism at Columbia University. He lived with Pavel, his father, and his wife in their penthouse in Upper Manhattan, New York City.

Personality
Being the older sibling, Ivan is the rational brother of the family that he becomes the voice of reason to Pavel's voice of passion, up to the point of starting the arguments most of the time. Even though he was a bit aloof during his early years until college, Ivan was kind and friendly enough to care for his best friend and his younger brother, and he had grown to accept other people around him. Among the two, Ivan is more determined and dedicated in his studies than Pavel. Even though Pierre and Ivan are academic rivals, Ivan lowered down his jealousy toward Pierre because of Pierre's disadvantageous life and his positive, diligent attitude. Ivan's firm and steadfast loyalty to Pierre earned his position of best man in Pierre's wedding.

Having similar interests as his father, Ivan looked up to his father and became close to him. Even though he aspired to become a writer and professor like his father, his father and brother encouraged him to be more creative by trying new things and getting new interests like journalism, instead of following a path that is taken by someone else.

Biography
As the first-born son of Professor Anton Chekov II, Ivan was an Innate Intellectual. Before meeting Pierre at Razumikhin Academy, Ivan was firstly educated at Svitigaila Technical School, where he first met his first love, Svetlana Maximova. Ivan's father was a friend to the father of Svetlana, and Ivan had an instant crush on her at first sight. When a shy Ivan was called to meet her, he hid behind his father. When Svetlana went closer to him, she wanted to shake his hand. Much to his utter embarrassment, Ivan gave her his apple, instead of his hand. When Svetlana looked at Ivan again, Ivan's face became blushing red like an apple. Much to Ivan's dismay and Svetlana's pleasure, Svetlana and Pavel coined his nickname "Pomme-Pomme" ("apple-apple" in French) because of how Ivan interacted with her at their first meeting. For the worst, Pavel teased Ivan for that event, and Ivan decided to transfer to Razumikhin Academy to forget about his "fatal day".

From his own request, Ivan was transferred to Razumikhin Academy, where his father worked as a professor in history and foreign languages. Unlike the other Boyars, who were contemptuous toward Pierre, Ivan befriended Pierre, who was a servant at that time. Despite his jealousy of Pierre's class rank in school, Ivan defended Pierre from Vlad, and he accused the latter of academic fraud of using Pierre's work as the latter's own. After his father took Pierre in as his ward, Ivan treated Pierre like a brother and a best friend. Later on, he, his brother, and Pierre studied and graduated from the national gymnasium with honors. When his father decided to move to America after a job offer as a college professor in Boston University, Ivan, Pierre, and Pavel went to New York before moving into Boston; however, Pierre's arrest at the customs separated Pierre from the Chekovs. The Chekovs looked for him in New York, but due to the short amount of time that they had in New York before the academic year began in Boston University, the Chekovs had no other choice but to leave Pierre in New York and have good faith that he will return to them.

When Pierre got accepted to Harvard University, Ivan and his family got reunited with Pierre. At Harvard University, Ivan double-majored on English Language and Literature and Sociology. Much to his dismay, Ivan met his childhood crush and tormentor Svetlana because they both share the same major. Much to Ivan's chagrin, that matter was the time when Pierre knew Ivan's embarrassing situation before he met him in Razumikhin Academy. Instead of tormenting Ivan, Svetlana became solemn and silent toward others. Even though Ivan enjoyed his three years of silence without her torment, Ivan missed her passionate and optimistic persona, and he noticed that her writing lost its passionate touch. At the same time, Ivan's infatuated yet embarrassed feelings gradually transformed to love. During their senior year, Ivan became kind and compassionate to her. Svetlana confessed that she was pressured to take a major on Political Science and Government and she was engaged to a son of a Government Official; however, she decided to take an English major and she had romantic feelings for Ivan. After Ivan heard this, Ivan blushed in the same way when they first met. Svetlana was amused at his maudlin reaction and called him "Pomme-Pomme" again. Then, Ivan realized that Svetlana named him "Pomme-Pomme" for affection and love, not for contempt and hate. Much to their amusement, they shared their first kiss. Instead of being obedient to her parents' wishes, Svetlana followed her heart through her passionate writing, and she kept calling Ivan "Pomme-Pomme". Even though Ivan was embarrassed every time, he said to Pierre that he should get used to it. After a few months since graduation, Ivan and Svetlana became a couple.

Knowing that Pavel will move to New York to study in Julliard for his graduate studies and his father will live with Pavel to take a post as a professor in New York University, Ivan and Svetlana moved to Manhattan, where the whole family will live together and pursue their dreams. While Svetlana and Ivan became acclaimed journalists in the New York Times, Ivan finished his graduate studies in Business and Economics Journalism at Columbia University. Later on, he was engaged to Svetlana, and in Pierre and Sharon's wedding, he became his best man.