Kumiko Yamamura, called Josee, is a paraplegic young woman whose congenital paralysis requires her to use a wheelchair. Her surname blends “mountain” and “village,” while her given name embodies longevity, beauty, and youth. Orphaned in childhood and raised by a fiercely overprotective grandmother in Osaka, she grew up isolated within their home, resulting in minimal social exposure and a sharp, guarded exterior. Her grandmother’s constraints instilled a deep dread of societal scrutiny, which Josee internalized as “tigers” representing external hostility. Presenting a tsundere demeanor—cold yet prone to emotional outbursts—she cloaks vulnerability behind sarcasm and deceit, even fabricating romantic exploits to avoid humiliation. Adopting the alias “Josee” from a rebellious protagonist in François Sagan’s *Those Without Shadows*, she yearns for liberation. Her artistic fervor fuels vivid illustrations and allegorical stories, where tigers embody fears and fish symbolize transcendent freedom. These works crystallize into *The Mermaid and the Radiant Wings*, a published picture book paralleling her inner transformation. Her relationship with Tsuneo Suzukawa, a marine biology student turned caregiver, slowly erodes her defenses. Initially assigning him trivial tasks to assert control and mask loneliness, shared excursions—beach trips, library visits—broaden her horizons. Securing a library job through friend Kana Kishimoto marks her tentative entry into independence, though social anxiety lingers. Her grandmother’s abrupt death thrusts her into confronting autonomy, intensified by threats of eviction from their home. A crisis emerges when Tsuneo injures his leg after her wheelchair mishap, prompting her to sever ties out of guilt. Their separation sparks introspection, leading her to re-engage, supporting his recovery. A library storytelling event where she shares her book becomes a catalyst for mutual healing. The story closes with Josee embracing a career as an illustrator while Tsuneo delays overseas studies to remain by her side. The original light novel by Seiko Tanabe layers nuance absent in film adaptations, such as Tsuneo’s repeated “doll-like” descriptions of Josee, suggesting objectification. Yet her emotional resilience and active choices anchor her arc across versions, tracing her path from seclusion to self-realization.