Aya is about to give up better universities. By the end of the series Junpei remains with Tsukasa rather than Aya. He is more considerate about Aya after hearing himself hugging Aya unconsciously. After graduation, with the risk of Tsukasa finding someone else in Paris, Junpei worked hard alone in Japan until they reunite. These experiences help make him a more determined and confident person. A shy, affectionate teenage student. Aya is the mystery girl with the ichigo pantsu (strawberry panties—underwear with strawberry patterns) that Junpei seeks at the beginning of the series. Aya starts as a nerdy top student who wears large glasses and unattractive hairstyle. She is secretly writing a fantasy novel on her math notebook but lacks the confidence to show it. Junpei discovers the novel and encourages her to become a writer by sharing his dream of becoming a filmmaker, which he is also afraid to tell anyone. Aya falls in love with Junpei, and wonders about the ending of her novel—whether the hero will choose the beautiful princess or the ordinary girl who shares his dream—which coincides with their love triangle. She starts wearing contact lenses and lets her hair down, surprising the boys with her beauty. Aya attends Izumizaka High with Junpei and writes scripts for his three films. She expresses her affection for him gently. Although Junpei is attracted to Aya, he seldom senses the depth of her feelings. According to the afterwords, the author thinks that, among the main characters, Aya shows the most growth. The most popular student in Junpei's middle school. She becomes Junpei's girlfriend early on in the manga, only to break up with him soon after entering high school. Supportive, understanding, and optimistic, she does her best to encourage Junpei in everything he does, yet is also straightforward and flirtatious enough to let him know exactly what she wants. Of the four lead female characters, Tsukasa's personality changes the most: flighty and somewhat hot-tempered during her middle school days, she develops a far more mature attitude soon after entering Oumi Academy. Tsukasa has a passion for cooking and baking, and works part-time at a French pastry shop. Her dream to study pastry-making further in France after graduation from high school forces her and Junpei to break up again several months after getting back together, but the two reunite once more upon her return to Japan. A student of