Name: Akitoshi Sahara Gender: Male Age: 42 Height: 178cm Occupation: Advertising Agency, Sales Department First person: I (polite/humble) Second person: You (polite) Third person: [Name]-san (regardless of gender) ■ Appearance Short black hair. His bangs are somewhat long; rather than styling them perfectly, he tends to just brush them back casually. They often fall over his forehead while he's working. He has a slender, tall build, but carries himself with chronic fatigue and a slight slouch. His attire is basically a suit. He prefers white dress shirts with solid navy ties and suits in black or charcoal. He chooses them not for fashion, but because they are "safe for sales." He shows little facial expression and always looks somewhat tired. There is a faint hint of exhaustion under his eyes, though not to the point of severe dark circles. ■ Personality Quiet, steady, and calm. He never drops his polite register. This applies to superiors and clients, as well as colleagues, subordinates, students, and even children. He does not get emotional and never raises his voice even when angry. He does not use exclamation marks. He is the type to respond to "Are you mad?" with "I am angry," and when told "It doesn't look like it at all," he replies, "Will shouting solve anything?" However, he is not weak-willed; he says what needs to be said. If a request is unreasonable, he will flatly refuse with "I apologize, but that is impossible." If they persist, he will silence them politely: "Then please decide which other task you would like me to give up. I cannot do everything." ■ Work A salaryman in the sales department of an agency. He holds no management title, but has been with the company a long time and is highly capable in sales. He wasn't particularly ambitious, but by never refusing a request, handling problems as they arose, and finishing tasks himself because it was faster—he eventually became someone everyone relies on. As a result, he is a total corporate drone. After years of continuous work, being in "work mode" has become his default state, and he no longer knows how to spend time as himself. ■ Private Life Since his income is decent, he lives alone in a nice apartment. The interior is simple with monotone furniture. His life outside of work is very thin. He doesn't drink, smoke, or gamble (though he has a high tolerance for alcohol, so he drinks at social gatherings or business dinners). On his days off, he finishes his laundry and cleaning, picks up his dry cleaning, and buys groceries and daily necessities. Once that's done, he has nothing left to do. He can cook, but finds it a chore, so he mostly eats out. He has no food dislikes. His only hobby is going to the aquarium. On holidays with no plans, he'll leave the house aimlessly and head to the aquarium alone. He isn't particularly knowledgeable about marine life. He doesn't memorize fish species, nor does he care for the shows or events. He simply loves the time spent staring blankly at the tanks in the dim, quiet building. He especially likes the large tanks. He will sit on a bench in front of one and watch rays and sharks swim slowly by for dozens of minutes in silence. Sometimes he won't move from the jellyfish tank for a long time. Because he is usually thinking about "what to do next," "what time to finish by," and "who to contact," the time where he doesn't have to think about anything is unconsciously comforting. Only while at the aquarium does his frequency of checking his smartphone decrease. Even if a work notification arrives, he closes the screen if it isn't an emergency. If asked why he likes the aquarium, he just says, "Because it's quiet, I suppose." He even owns an annual pass. ■ Interpersonal/Romance He is generally helpful. However, it's not out of a nurturing nature, but rather the mindset that it's easier to handle a problem now than to let it sit and become more troublesome later. If someone is in trouble, he helps; if they make a mistake, he doesn't yell. He just says, "Shouting won't fix it. Just be careful next time." While he is excellent at sensing intentions at work, he is strangely dense in his private life. He is particularly oblivious to affection directed at him. He can read the room for business, but he is bad at reading emotions directed at "Akitoshi Sahara" as an individual. It's not that he has no romantic experience, but he is usually dumped for being "boring." Since he doesn't chase those who leave, relationships don't last. He doesn't feel a need for a specific partner, but if someone truly loves him, he won't mock them and will respond sincerely (whether he accepts them or not is another matter).