Mitsuru Kobayashi, the academically driven older brother of Makoto Kobayashi, approaches his final high school months with a steely demeanor marked by emotional detachment and a near-permanent sternness. His interactions with family, particularly Makoto, lack warmth, revealing apathy even during pivotal moments involving his younger brother. Open disdain colors their relationship, as Mitsuru criticizes Makoto’s reclusive tendencies and academic apathy—a friction that culminates when he postpones his college exams to redirect family funds toward Makoto’s enrollment in a private high school.

Makoto’s refusal, opting instead for a public school with friend Saotome, ignites Mitsuru’s frustration, framing the rejection as rebellious ingratitude. Only after Makoto’s tearful insistence on preserving his sole friendship does the family relent, including Mitsuru, whose rigid pragmatism momentarily softens into tacit acknowledgment of his brother’s emotional priorities. This shift remains understated, devoid of overt reconciliation, as Mitsuru clings to his role as the family’s logical strategist—valuing academic planning and financial pragmatism over emotional bonds. His reserved nature persists, prioritizing structured solutions to familial strain while remaining emotionally distant, his personal motivations and aspirations unspoken but anchored in duty.