Nokoko Inaka attends Itan Private High School as a member of Class 1-1 alongside Shoko Komi and Hitohito Tadano. Hailing from a rural village, she harbors deep anxiety about her countryside origins, fearing bullying or rejection by city-born peers. This apprehension drives her to maintain a quiet, reserved facade while concealing her rural speech and mannerisms. Unbeknownst to Inaka, her classmates recognize her background yet find her behavior charming rather than objectionable. She idolizes Komi as the pinnacle of urban sophistication, meticulously observing and mimicking Komi’s actions to adopt city behaviors. This admiration persists despite Komi’s own family having roots in the same rural region. Inaka misinterprets Komi’s reserved nature as polished refinement, unaware it stems from social anxiety. Adding to the irony, Inaka knows Komi’s grandmother, Yuiko Komi, from their shared village but initially fails to recognize the familial link. Her development unfolds through key interactions. On a school trip to Kyoto, her dread of disembarking the train—feeling unworthy of the city—dissipates when classmate Onemine Nene deduces her rural background without judgment. Later, Inaka crafts photo frames for Onemine and Otori Kaede as tokens of gratitude, initially fearing imposition but overcome with emotion at their enthusiastic appreciation. During the cultural festival, she hesitates to propose a disco idea despite Tadano’s silent encouragement, ultimately unable to voice it aloud. A pivotal moment occurs during shrine maiden duty when Inaka panics that Komi will expose her origins after recognizing her at a souvenir booth. This fear proves unfounded as Komi demonstrates no concern. When Komi struggles with customers, Inaka suggests communicating via written notes, facilitating a successful shift. Their collaboration culminates in mutual well-wishes for the school year, signifying a step in Inaka’s self-acceptance. Inaka shares a close bond with her cousin Hiki Komorebi and possesses extensive nature knowledge, reflecting her rural upbringing. Despite striving to assimilate city behaviors, she privately acknowledges the comfort of countryside life where she can "freely be herself," while remaining open to learning urban social norms. Her self-perception includes viewing herself as a "scaredy-cat who would come right back to the country" under pressure. After the first year, Inaka transfers to a different class. Before the separation, she bids Komi farewell and eventually becomes Komi’s 98th friend, inscribing her name in Komi’s friendship book.