Shumei Sasaki is a tall high school student, standing between 183 and 186 centimeters, with striking red hair and multiple ear piercings: three helix piercings on his left ear and two lobe piercings on each ear. A snaggletooth appears when he smiles widely. His typical attire includes a school uniform with several shirt buttons undone, often layered over a reddish t-shirt, paired with navy blue pants. He occasionally adds a light brown sweater or a cream-colored plaid scarf, and wears a high-necked black jacket in colder weather, contributing to a perceived "delinquent" or "bad boy" image. Born on June 17, Sasaki helps at his family's bakery. He has an older sister, Satoko, described as loudmouthed and cheerful; they frequently bicker but share underlying mutual care. A past incident during a fireworks outing involved Sasaki accidentally pushing Satoko down while trying to leave with friends, an act he immediately regretted. This led to a confrontation at home where he committed to improving his behavior. Sasaki's personality shows duality. Generally, or with family, he appears gloomy, quiet, and apathetic, often expressing annoyance. He acts impulsively without considering consequences and maintains emotional distance, even with friends. However, around his boyfriend, Miyano Yoshikazu, he becomes noticeably cheerful, caring, and protective. He speaks intentionally gently and shows physical affection, though he sometimes struggles with patience when yearning for greater closeness. His protectiveness emerges if Miyano is threatened, sometimes intimidating those causing disturbance. Key relationships shape his development. He first met Miyano after intervening to help Miyano's friend, Kuresawa Tasuku, during bullying. Sasaki then actively sought Miyano's company, initially by requesting manga recommendations. Miyano lent him a BL (Boys' Love) manga, sparking Sasaki's genuine interest in the genre. Though initially shocked, Sasaki appreciated the character dynamics and used this shared interest to deepen their connection. His romantic feelings for Miyano grew, leading to a confession. He respected Miyano's request for time to process emotions, demonstrating restraint despite internal struggles. Beyond Miyano, Sasaki interacts with classmates like Hirano Taiga, who assists him academically though they rarely socialize outside school. Ogasawara Jirou, a longtime friend since middle school, shares musical interests but initially disparaged BL, prompting Sasaki to defend the genre. Sasaki maintains respectful but distant relationships with juniors like Kuresawa, who admires him for the earlier intervention, and Kagiura Akira, Hirano's roommate, though their dynamic remains largely undefined. Sasaki's development includes evolving self-awareness about his feelings and actions. His engagement with BL manga transitioned from a means to connect with Miyano to an independent appreciation, evidenced by purchasing titles, watching adaptations, and attending exhibitions. This paralleled his gradual acceptance of his romantic feelings and efforts to balance impulsiveness with patience in navigating his relationship with Miyano.