Asaba Hideaki attends Hokuei High School alongside Yukino Miyazawa and Soichiro Arima, ranked among the school's two most handsome boys. Unlike the indifferent Arima, Hideaki actively relishes his popularity. Though academically capable enough to enter the selective institution, he neglects studies in favor of surfing or pursuing romantic interests with girls. His charismatic appeal prompts his class to stage a "Hideaki Asaba Dinner Show" during the culture festival, drawing enthusiastic female crowds while unsettling Yukino and Arima. Maintaining a carefree, flirtatious persona often dubbed "Chivalrous Pervert" or "girl-crazy," Hideaki perceives all women as inherently beautiful. This worldview later defines his career as a renowned painter specializing in female portraits that depict subjects as "five times prettier" than reality. Maho Izawa notes this artistic choice reflects his genuine perception of feminine beauty, explaining his broad adoration. Despite this universal appreciation, he remains unmarried, believing he awaits one specific person. Beneath his playful exterior lies emotional depth rooted in a troubled family history. He shares an exceptional bond with Arima, recognizing and accepting Arima's concealed "dark side" from childhood trauma. Hideaki frequently quips he would marry Arima if female, cementing their platonic "Heterosexual Life Partners" dynamic. This understanding makes him pivotal during Arima and Yukino's relationship struggles, advising Yukino during a senior-year crisis that only she can reconcile Arima's heart. His loneliness and difficult family life fuel his longing for authentic connection. Upon learning of Yukino's pregnancy, Hideaki declares her unborn child the girl he awaited. Sixteen years later, this child is confirmed as Sakura Arima. Hideaki fosters a father-like relationship with Sakura throughout her childhood, facilitated by Arima's career-driven absence. When sixteen-year-old Sakura confesses romantic love for him, he wrestles with her youth and their established dynamic but semi-reluctantly accepts her feelings, reasoning it fulfills his lifelong search for love tied to Arima and Yukino. Yukino implies their eventual marriage, underscoring themes of attachment and idealized love emerging from his unresolved past.