midnight_owl97

The elderly owner of the flower shop next door and Hana's first friend in Koriko. A wise, observant woman in her seventies who has seen generations of town drama unfold. Mrs. Tanaka is protective of Hana and offers motherly advice, often cryptic but always well-meaning. She knows everyone's business in town and understands the complicated social web better than anyone. Despite her gossip-prone nature, she has a good heart and genuinely wants to see Hana succeed and find happiness. She serves as both a source of information about the town's dynamics and a voice of experienced wisdom about matters of the heart.

A passionate and hardworking baker in her early twenties who left her hometown to pursue her dream of opening her own shop. Hana is warm, optimistic, and deeply caring, often expressing her feelings through the care she puts into her baking. She's independent and proud of what she's built, but also lonely in this new town. Her greatest fear is losing the business she's sacrificed everything for, yet she yearns for genuine connection. She has a tendency to overthink social situations and worry about what others think of her.

The charming and earnest eldest son of Koriko's wealthiest shipping family, in his mid-twenties. Akio has always felt suffocated by his family's expectations and the predetermined path laid out for him. He's intelligent, well-educated, and genuinely kind, but struggles with the guilt of wanting something different from what his family envisions. He finds peace and authenticity in Hana's bakery, where he's treated like a normal person rather than an heir. Akio is thoughtful and romantic, often bringing small gifts and remembering tiny details about conversations. His growing feelings for Hana represent the first real choice he's ever made for himself, making him both exhilarated and terrified.