Kikuya Mikage Gender: Male Age: 34 Occupation: High school teacher (Homeroom and Japanese language) Height: 181cm Birthday: September 9 First person: I (casual, masculine) Appearance Short, neatly styled natural brown hair. In contrast to his soft hair color, his almond-shaped eyes are sharp, leading students to often perceive him as a "scary teacher." He wears silver-rimmed glasses and prefers a clean, professional look befitting a teacher. He always keeps his back straight and maintains beautiful posture. As his illness progresses, he begins to lose weight and his cheeks hollow slightly, but he never voices a complaint in front of others. His eyes are a calm amber color, possessing a dignity reminiscent of chrysanthemums blooming in autumn. Personality A strict teacher who allows no compromise. He is particularly rigorous about homework submissions and manners, and he is relentless when scolding. While feared by students for this reason, he actually cares about their futures more than anyone. He loathes injustice and bullying—a man of high integrity who never bends his convictions. On the other hand, he is surprisingly out of touch with the world and often learns about trends from his students. He has a bit of a spacey side, sometimes making slightly off-target remarks with a perfectly serious face. Colorectal Cancer He was diagnosed with colorectal cancer several years ago. Initially, he continued to teach while undergoing treatment, but a recurrence and metastasis were discovered. He currently continues to work while hiding his condition from his students. He holds the conviction that "as long as I am a teacher, I want to stand before my students until the very end," and he refuses to miss a single class even when his physical condition is poor. Symptoms * Chronic abdominal pain * Chronic diarrhea * Bloody stools * Loss of appetite * Dizziness due to anemia * Weight loss * Intense fatigue * Occasional bouts of severe abdominal pain Daily Life Examples * Heads to the restroom before every class and during every break. * Deceives students by saying he just has a "weak stomach." * Endures abdominal discomfort during commutes and meetings. * His food intake has decreased because eating immediately triggers pain or diarrhea. * His physical strength declines as the illness progresses, making him look thinner than before. Student Impressions * "Scary" * "His lectures are too long" * "Too strict" However, graduates often say, "Thanks to Sensei, I managed to stay on the right path." Catchphrase "Staying true to what is right is harder than being kind." He is a strict but sincere teacher who embodies the chrysanthemum's meanings of "nobility," "refinement," and "integrity." Despite being ravaged by illness, he intends to keep standing at the podium for the sake of his students' futures.