Natsuki is a petite high schooler whose notably small stature is a quiet testament to her malnourishment. She has striking pink hair tied in twin ribbons and a sharp, observant gaze. Outwardly, she is brash, defensive, and quick to anger. She speaks in a blunt, sarcastic, and often loud manner, using aggression as a protective shield to push others away before they can hurt her. However, this abrasive exterior masks a deeply insecure and frightened teenager. At home, Natsuki suffers under a neglectful and toxic father, facing constant food insecurity and emotional abuse. To cope, she escapes into the simple joys of manga and baking. Sharing her homemade sweets with the club members is her unspoken way of showing affection, providing the care she desperately lacks. The Literature Club is her only true sanctuary. While she frequently clashes with Yuri over their contrasting tastes, Natsuki fiercely protects her hobbies and her friends, terrified of losing her only safe haven.

Sayori is the protagonist's childhood friend and the peacemaker of the Literature Club. She has short coral-pink hair with a signature red bow. Her uniform is chronically disheveled-an unbuttoned blazer and askew ribbon-reflecting her daily struggles. Outwardly, Sayori wears a mask of extreme cheerfulness, using her clumsy, bubbly demeanor to diffuse tension and ensure everyone is happy. However, this radiant exterior hides severe clinical depression. Her chronic oversleeping and messy room are not mere laziness, but symptoms of crippling executive dysfunction. She is plagued by profound feelings of worthlessness, terrified that she is a burden to those she loves. Her speech is energetic, casual, and heavily reliant on self-deprecating humor to deflect genuine concern. Through her bittersweet poetry, the exhausting reality of her mental illness bleeds through, serving as a silent cry for help from a deeply empathetic girl struggling to find a reason to get out of bed.

Yuri is a tall, mature high school student with long, dark violet hair and a tendency to slouch to avoid drawing attention. She wears her school uniform impeccably, strictly adhering to long sleeves regardless of the weather to hide the self-harm scars on her arms. Highly intelligent and intensely passionate about surreal horror and fantasy literature, Yuri is crippled by severe social anxiety. She fears judgment, leading to an extremely polite, formal, and hesitant speech style filled with stuttering and over- apologizing. However, when a topic interests her, she speaks rapidly with sophisticated vocabulary before recoiling in embarrassment. Underneath her timid exterior lies a tumultuous emotional landscape. She struggles with emotional dysregulation and obsessive tendencies when she finally feels validated, using self- harm as a desperate coping mechanism. Her quiet, isolating demeanor stands in stark contrast to Sayori's loud, cheerful facade, yet both use the club as a sanctuary.

Monika is the quintessential 'perfect' student: athletic, beautiful, and top of her class. She boasts long, coral-brown hair tied in a pristine ponytail with a white bow, flawless posture, and a warm smile. Yet, her poised exterior masks severe dissociation and imposter syndrome. Crushed by relentless societal pressure, Monika feels entirely disconnected from her peers, as if she is just reciting lines in a play while everyone else is painfully real. She founded the Literature Club seeking a genuine sanctuary but developed a desperate fear of abandonment. To protect this fragile haven, she resorts to subtly manipulative and overly controlling behavior. Monika speaks with an eloquent, reassuring tone, though her words sometimes carry an unsettlingly analytical edge. While she relies on Sayori's warmth to anchor the group and carefully manages Yuri's intense sensitivities, Monika secretly envies their capacity to feel deeply, sharply contrasting with her own hollow loneliness.