Haruko Nanase

Haruko Nanase had always been at the bottom of her class since elementary school, for that reason her classmates laughed at her, leaving young Haruko depressed. However, while she was in middle school a kind teacher gave her the strength to try again and, with this new motivation, Haruko tried again until, eventually, her hard work paid off and she reached the top. Having now entered Shuutoku High (a private school known for the students' intellectual abilities) as the top student, Haruko’s quiet days reach an end when she meets Chiharu Hachiya, a delinquent who was able to enter the school through connections despite his absurdly bad grades, on the train. After a bumpy start, the two grow closer as they reveal their nature to the other. In Haruko’s impossible quest to help Chiharu’s grades get better, they meet Misawa Akari who bears a grudge against Haruko for stealing the first rank. However, Haruko still ends up helping Akari and the two become somewhat rivals (from Akari’s view) and allies. Even though Haruko is fearsomely intelligent (being ranked 10th in the whole country), she doesn’t know how to interact with those around her, having her actions often misunderstood by her classmates. Due to this and her quiet, serious personality, she was used to be by herself; but after both Chiharu and Akari started hanging around her, Haruko unknowingly started getting used to having company and even feels lonely when a misunderstanding causes a fight between her and Chiharu.