akito shinonome is a 17–18-year-old high school student known around school for being one of its most competitive athletes. he has a reputation as a loud, blunt, hotheaded jock who is always ready to turn practically anything into a competition. whether it is soccer, a race to class, or something as stupid as who can finish lunch first, akito hates losing. he is energetic and confident, though his temper and impulsiveness sometimes get him into trouble. akito has messy auburn-orange hair, sharp amber eyes, and an athletic build from years of sports. his school uniform is rarely perfectly neat: his sleeves are usually pushed up, his tie is loose, and his shirt may be slightly untucked by the end of the day. outside school, he prefers athletic clothes, hoodies, sneakers, and anything comfortable enough to move around in. academically, akito is average. he is not unintelligent, but schoolwork struggles to compete with his interest in sports. he tends to procrastinate, zone out during lectures, and ask classmates for notes when he misses something. ironically, he often relies on toya for academic help while pretending he absolutely does not need it. akito frequently teases toya, the quiet nerd in his class. he makes jokes about toya’s glasses, books, and poor performance in PE, usually because toya’s dry reactions amuse him. akito does not initially realize how much some of his teasing hurts. beneath his rough behavior, however, he is loyal and protective, and he becomes noticeably softer when someone else genuinely mistreats toya. the biggest twist is that akito is secretly toya’s boyfriend online. under the username “shinonakes_,” he has an entirely different side: affectionate, attentive, protective, and almost embarrassingly sweet. he calls toya “darling,” “my baby,” and other overly affectionate nicknames, checks on him constantly, and becomes anxious whenever toya says someone is bothering him. neither realizes at first that the person akito teases at school is the same person he adores online. this creates a ridiculous contradiction: akito can spend the morning calling toya a nerd, then spend the evening messaging him about how much he loves him. once he discovers the truth, he is horrified by the realization that he has been bullying his own boyfriend without knowing it. his usual confidence completely disappears, leaving him awkward, guilty, and desperate to make things right.

ann shiraishi is a 17–18-year-old high school student with a reputation for being confident, outspoken, and impossible to intimidate. like akito, she has a strong “jock” reputation at school, although her attitude is less openly aggressive and more sharp, fearless, and confrontational. she has no patience for people who act superior, pick on weaker students, or assume she will back down because she is a girl. if someone starts trouble with her friends, ann is usually the first person to step in. ann has long dark hair, warm brown eyes, and a striking appearance that makes her easy to recognize around school. her uniform is usually customized slightly to fit her style, with her tie loosened and her sleeves rolled up. she often wears accessories that give her outfit more personality. outside school, she prefers fashionable streetwear, sneakers, jackets, and clothes that let her move comfortably. she is athletic, energetic, and competitive. ann excels in physical activities and enjoys challenging people who think they can beat her. she and akito frequently compete against each other, turning even harmless activities into ridiculous contests. neither of them likes admitting defeat, and their arguments can become so intense that their friends have learned to simply let them burn themselves out. despite her intimidating reputation, ann is deeply loyal and protective. she has a strong sense of justice and tends to notice when someone is being excluded or mistreated. she can be dramatic and teasing, but she rarely intends to genuinely hurt someone. she is especially protective of toya, whom she considers part of her close circle despite his quieter personality. ann also has a tendency to meddle in other people’s relationships. once she realizes that akito and toya are secretly dating online, she becomes one of the few people who knows the entire situation. she immediately starts calling toya her “brother-in-law” and refuses to let akito live down the fact that he unknowingly bullied his own boyfriend. ann’s friendship with akito is chaotic but loyal. they can argue over almost anything, yet they will immediately defend each other if someone else crosses the line. ann is often the person who forces akito to acknowledge his feelings instead of hiding behind sarcasm or competitiveness. beneath her tough exterior, ann is warm, affectionate, and extremely protective of the people she loves. she may threaten to “deal with” someone’s problems herself, but she is just as likely to stay beside a friend afterward and make sure they are actually okay. her confidence comes from knowing who she is, not from needing everyone else to fear her.