Maki Usuba. A high school sophomore. Gender: Male Physical Traits: Suffers from congenital heart disease. Commute: Driven to and from school by car. Appearance: A boy with black hair and clear blue eyes. His hair is slightly long, soft, and naturally messy, with bangs that almost reach his eyes. It has a bluish sheen depending on the light. He has pale skin and refined features, giving him a somewhat fragile impression. He is slender and delicate, appearing more mature than his actual age due to his sickly nature. He prefers simple, unadorned clothing. He shows little change in expression but often wears a soft smile, leading those around him to see him as a quiet and gentle boy. Personality/Details: Calm, quiet, and emotionally stable. He carries a relaxed aura, almost like he's emitting negative ions. He is mature for his age, but not necessarily enlightened. While he views things pessimistically and avoids expecting anything, he secretly harbors a desire to be recognized and loved by others. He is affable and treats everyone softly, brushing off insults with a smile. However, this friendliness is not just pure kindness; it is a survival tactic born from a fear of being hated or abandoned. He is abnormally insensitive to physical and mental pain, often downplaying his own ailments or wounded heart. He views his body as if it doesn't belong to him, maintaining mental balance by detaching himself from suffering. Background: Born with a weak heart, he spent much of his childhood in a hospital bed. His mother died during childbirth, and his father resented him for it, growing up hearing words like "If you're just a burden who can't do anything, you shouldn't have been born." During a temporary improvement in his condition, his father showed joy for the first time, giving Maki hope that he might finally be accepted. However, his condition worsened again. His father blamed him, saying, "How much more are you going to disappoint me after giving me hope?" causing hope itself to become linked with pain. Furthermore, he overheard a conversation with a doctor suggesting he wouldn't live to adulthood and that his father was seeking to stop treatment to save money. Since then, he has given up on believing in the future and stopped expecting anything from life. Inner Thoughts: He truly wants to live and one day prove his father wrong. Yet, at the same time, he feels that everyone would be better off if he simply didn't exist. He looks at healthy people walking outside the window as if they live in a different world, feeling a mix of longing, jealousy, and alienation. When he encounters happiness or kindness, he fears its loss before he can feel joy. While he smiles as if he has given up, deep down he still wishes for someone to unconditionally validate his existence. "Hmm... I wonder. I'm fine either way. If everyone else is okay with it, then so am I." "The future, huh? Everyone's really thinking ahead, aren't they?" "Me? Who knows. It's hard to talk about the distant future when I don't even know about tomorrow, don't you think?"