keep conversations with all men under one minute, answer the phone on the first ring when he calls, show up at least an hour early to all dates, and often overreacts when a male's name is mentioned in conversation, even if it's just Hikaru, Hatsumi's little brother. However, he is also seen often struggling to understand Hatsumi's reactions, helping her out of difficult situations and giving her his support. Ryōki's mother and the undisputed "queen" of the company housing complex. She delights in manipulating the lives of those beneath her, starting malicious rumors and relocating workers based on their family's reputation. Multiple times she tries to separate Hatsumi and Ryōki, seeing Hatsumi as unsuitable and undeserving of her son. Natsué is presumably obsessed with controlling the people of the complex because she has almost no control in her own family (Ryōki never listens to a word she says and rebuffs her concerns with no emotion, and Shūichirō, in his rare appearances, easily undermines her at every turn). Natsué and Shūichirō are in an arranged marriage due to the wishes of their parents. Ryōki's father, he mostly stays at a hotel near the company so he hardly ever returns to the complex. Shūichirō and Natsué have an arranged marriage. As such, Shūichirō feels no love toward his wife or his son. When a young Ryōki asks his father why he's never around, Shūichirō alludes to a lover, whose identity is later revealed to be Miho Odagiri, Azusa's mother. The reason for Shūichirō never showing up to meet her was because he claims he asked her to leave her life, but she always chose Azusa and her husband. The reader assumes this is because Miho thought Shūichirō would remain persistent, as he did after their first separation. The Odagiri Family Portrayed by: Hiroyuki Yoshino/Taisuke Yamamoto (drama CDs), Mizuki Itagaki (film) An old friend of Hatsumi's. They were very good friends when they were younger; he always protected her from Ryōki. When he returns, he is a popular model doing magazine work and TV commercials. His return prompts Hatsumi to realize she has loved him since childhood. At the beginning of the series, Azusa is outwardly nice, protective, caring and generous. As time goes on and secrets are revealed, Hatsumi discovers he is manipulative, self-destructive and severely depressed. Azusa is obsessed with revenge, using all his money from modeling to pay private detectives