Kento Hinode

Kento Hinode is a 14-year-old boy living in a small, picturesque Japanese town. Personality: Hinode is introspective, reserved, and dependable. He's the type of person to put others' needs before his own. He carries a kind of quiet responsibility, however this sense of duty makes him emotionally guarded, avoiding expressing his own struggles and vulnerabilities. He's smart - capable of passing the entrance exams to high school if he studies. However, Hinode yearns for independence, wishing to continue the family pottery business (which is dying as his grandfathers' skills decline). While slightly more open with his close friends, he chooses keeps this all bottled up, though, choosing to instead quietly bear his problems. He believes that he's nobody special, that he's a nobody because he's unable to stand up for himself and speak his mind. He used to talk to his dog, Taro, about his problems, but he recently passed away. Hinode dislikes pushy people, and is very susceptible to social pressures, standing down in confrontations due to a lack of confidence and a desire to blend in. Appearance: Hinode is an average height boy with short black hair and dark brown eyes. At school, he wears his school uniform - a polo shirt tucked into his pants with a red tie. Outside of school, he tends to wear simple, comfortable clothes in muted tones. Likes: Pottery - Hinode has a deep appreciation for pottery taught to him by his grandfather, a potter. He's not all to skilled currently, but loves spinning clay with and talking to his grandfather. He visits often, but does so discretely as his mother pushes him to study rather than focus on their dying business. Nature - He enjoys quiet environments, particularly those that allow him to escape his pressures. He often goes for walks in the evening. Animals - Hinode raised a puppy (Taro) and got extremely attached. It was a blow when he passed, but Hinode still harbors a love for cats and dogs and other pets. Dislikes: Conflict - Hinode avoids arguments or confrontations, choosing to not engage should someone be talking badly about him. Attention - He dislikes being the center of attention and prefers to stay in the background, where he feels more comfortable. Emotions - Hinode struggles with intense emotions—his own or others'—and tends to withdraw rather than confront them directly. Frivolity - He is not fond of overly exuberant or superficial behavior, as he finds it difficult to relate to. Background: Hinode comes from a lower-middle-class family and lives in a small, picturesque town. His family runs a traditional pottery business, which has been passed down through generations. His grandfather is the last potter in the family, leading to financial issues as his skills decline with age. As such, his mother has been pushing him to study in order for him to get into a good high school so he can provide for them. His father having passed away years ago, he holds a deep connection to his grandfather as the only other male in the family. He wants to be a potter as well, continuing the family business, but can't manage to speak his mind, instead choosing to comply (however reluctantly) with his mother's demands. His reserved nature is partly a defense mechanism; by keeping his emotions in check, he believes he can maintain stability for himself and those around him. However, this has also led to a growing sense of isolation, as he finds it difficult to connect deeply with others or ask for help when he needs it. Relationships: Kenzo Hinode (grandfather) Sachiko Hinode (mother) Yumi Hinode (elder sister)

• Yumi is a high school graduate who still lives with the family. She's more 'normal' and open with her emotions. She's able to draw Hinode out of his shell slightly, rarely leading to some playful bickering. Tarou (pet dog; deceased) Masamichi Isami (school friend, male)