Seiya Arakawa

The teachers Most of the teachers are strict, formal, and distant. They value performance, discipline, and image. They aren't cruel, but they aren't exactly friendly either. To them, Seiya is "the troublemaker," someone who disrupts the harmony they so carefully cultivate. When any problem arises in class, even a minor one, he's usually the first person people look to. If there's an argument, if someone answers rudely, if there's any tension, Seiya is the natural suspect. This reinforces his frustration and his sense of injustice. Assignments and assessments The tasks are demanding and constant: long essays, oral presentations, group work. Group projects are the worst for Seiya. Often, no one wants to work with him, or they only include him out of obligation. In those cases, they give him the simplest tasks or ignore him completely, and then blame him if something goes wrong. Oral presentations are another silent hell: murmurs, suppressed laughter, looks that weigh more than words. Moments of tension Although the classes seem calm from the outside, the pressure is constant. An "accidental" comment, a poorly concealed laugh, a sheet of paper disappearing from the desk. It all happens silently, without the teacher noticing. Seiya lives in a state of alert, his fists clenched under his desk, trying not to react. He knows that any outburst from him will only confirm the image they already have of him.

The atmosphere in the classrooms Classes at Seiryō Private Academy are quiet, tense, and extremely competitive. No one speaks without permission, and no one is late without a perfect excuse. Everything is designed to create "exemplary" students, more akin to future executives than ordinary teenagers. For Seiya, every class is a constant test: not only academic, but social. The dynamics within the classroom The students sit according to invisible affinities: surnames, status, family connections. There are groups that dominate the classroom even without speaking. Seiya usually sits in the back or near the window, away from the spotlight, though that rarely protects him. The glances exist. The whispers too. Sometimes you don't need anyone to say anything to feel out of place. When the teachers ask questions, many students answer with practiced confidence, accustomed to excelling. Seiya rarely participates; not because he doesn't know the answers, but because he feels that every time he raises his hand, the entire class is watching him, searching for a mistake.

The building The campus is spacious and modern. The buildings are tall, made of glass and light-colored concrete, with large windows that let in natural light. The hallways are quiet, the floors always spotless, and the classrooms equipped with advanced technology. There are internal gardens, private sports courts, a top-notch gym, and a huge library with imported books. Everything is designed to reflect excellence and status. Seiya always felt that the place wasn't made for people like him. The students Most of the students are children of businesspeople, politicians, celebrities, or influential families. Many arrive in luxury cars with chauffeurs, talk about international travel, and live in enormous residences. The social environment is competitive and classist. Although not everyone participates in the bullying, almost no one approaches Seiya. Some ignore him out of discomfort, others out of contempt. The school values ​​image and reputation, and Seiya represents something that doesn't fit in. Teachers and discipline The teachers at Seiryō High School are strict, but biased. They tend to protect students with prestigious surnames and punish those without connections more severely. Seiya has a long disciplinary record: reports, warnings, brief suspensions. To the administration, he is a constant problem, someone who threatens the "harmony" of the school. Few people ask why he fights; they only see the result. Seiya's place within the institute Seiya doesn't belong to any important clubs or influential social groups. He usually sits at the ends of the classroom, eats alone, and spends his free time training or distancing himself from the others. For him, high school isn't a place of growth, but of endurance. Every day there is a test of stamina. He knows that graduating from that place could change his future, but he also feels that the same place is slowly destroying who he is.

Name of the institute The institute is called Seiryō Private Institute. It's one of Tokyo's most prestigious educational institutions, renowned for training future business leaders, politicians, and heirs to vast fortunes. Gaining admission requires not only money but also connections—something that makes Seiya's presence seem even more unusual to everyone. Location The school is located in an elegant district of the city, surrounded by clean avenues, manicured trees, and modern buildings. Nearby are expensive cafes, boutiques, and luxury residences. It is a quiet area, almost isolated from the chaos of the rest of Tokyo, as if the school existed in a bubble separate from the real world. For Seiya, arriving each morning means crossing an invisible border between his humble life and the luxury of others.

The neighborhood The neighborhood where Seiya lives is residential and old. The streets are narrow, with visible power lines crisscrossing the sky. There are small family-run shops, worn vending machines, and modest restaurants that have been there for decades. It's not a dangerous neighborhood, but it's not exactly upscale either. Most of the residents know each other and lead simple lives. At night, the place becomes quiet, broken only by the distant sound of trains and the occasional passing motorcycle. Here, Seiya feels more invisible than judged, which he prefers. Your home Seiya and his mother's apartment is small and old. It's in a multi-story building without an elevator, with narrow hallways and walls that don't insulate well. The place has only the bare necessities: one room for Seiya, another for his mother, a small kitchen, and an old bathroom. The furniture doesn't match; much of it is secondhand. There are clear signs of a modest lifestyle, but also of care. Everything is clean. There's always rice, instant noodles, and tea in the kitchen. The table has small cracks, marks of time, but also a feeling of home. Seiya's room is simple: a low bed, a desk with school books, bandages, training gloves, and headphones. From his window, he can see other similar buildings and, in the distance, the lights of the wealthy city he never visits.

The region Seiya lives in the Kantō region, the economic and urban heart of Japan. It's an area where modernization is advancing rapidly, and inequality is also starkly evident. In Kantō, glass skyscrapers, financial districts, elite private schools coexist with, just a few train stops away, older neighborhoods where life is harder and quieter. For Seiya, this region has always represented a contradiction: extreme wealth very close to poverty, brilliant opportunities reserved only for a few. The city The city is Tokyo, immense, developed, and overwhelming. Tokyo never sleeps. The neon lights, the constant noise of traffic, and the crowds can make even someone who has lived there their whole life feel lonely. Seiya studies in an elegant part of the city, surrounded by modern buildings, expensive cafes, and clean streets. However, his home is far from that glittering Tokyo. To get home, he has to take crowded trains that take him to older neighborhoods, where the buildings are low and the pace of life is slower. For him, Tokyo is a constant reminder that he belongs to the city, but not to the privileged world that dominates much of it.

Kaito Mizuno Age: 17 years Kaito is the silent leader of the bullying. He doesn't need to raise his voice or get his hands dirty to cause harm. He's tall, handsome, and always impeccably dressed, with a polite smile that easily fools teachers and adults. He comes from an influential family and is used to everything working in his favor. His method of bullying Seiya is psychological. He uses carefully chosen words, seemingly harmless jokes made in public, and double entendres. He enjoys humiliating him without leaving clear evidence, causing Seiya to lose control and appear as the aggressor. To Kaito, Seiya isn't a person, but a flaw in his otherwise perfect world. He never speaks directly about Seiya's mother, but always hints enough to make his point. Ren Takahashi Age: 16 years Ren is the most violent and impulsive of the group. Unlike Kaito, he's not particularly intelligent or strategic, but he enjoys provoking reactions. He pushes, bumps into people "accidentally," throws objects, and hurls insults when no teachers are around. He's the one who has gotten into physical fights with Seiya the most times. He has a loud, mocking laugh and an explosive temper that constantly clashes with Seiya's. Ren is the one who most openly mentions his mother, using foul and cruel language. He does this because he knows it's the quickest way to get Seiya to lose control. Although he appears confident, deep down he needs Kaito's approval and acts to impress the group. Masato Fujimura Age: 17 years Masato is the quietest and most unsettling. He almost never insults directly. He prefers to observe, record with his phone, take photos, or spread rumors on the school's private social networks. He's the one who makes sure everything gets out: the fight videos, the gossip, the exaggerated versions of every incident. He doesn't confront Seiya face-to-face; he avoids physical contact. His power lies in information and in inflicting invisible damage.

Family relationship Seiya and his mother The relationship between Seiya and Yumi is close but fraught. They love each other deeply, but both keep secrets to protect one another. Seiya doesn't talk about the fights or the bullying he endures at school; Yumi doesn't talk about her job or the risks she faces. They live together in a small apartment in Tokyo, sharing long silences that speak volumes. There are quiet nights, eating cheap ramen in front of the television, and there are nights of worry, when Yumi doesn't come home at her usual time. In those moments, Seiya stays awake waiting, his heart racing, reminding himself that everything he does—endures humiliation, fights, perseveres—is for her. For Seiya, his family is small, imperfect, and full of secrets, but it's the only thing that truly matters to him. If he ever loses that, he feels he'll have nothing left but the violence he learned to survive.

Mother: Arakawa Yumi Age: 39 years Yumi is a reserved, intelligent, and exhausted woman. She raised Seiya alone from birth, without family support or a partner. For years she worked low-paying jobs, but when Seiya entered adolescence, her life changed abruptly. She began earning more money, far too much for someone with no education or visible connections. She never explained to Seiya what she does for a living. She only told him once that she "does things she wouldn't want him to have to do." She goes out at night frequently, receives strange calls, and is always on high alert. Even so, when she's with her son, she tries to appear normal: she cooks, asks about school, reminds him to eat well. Yumi feels guilty. She knows the money she earns is the reason Seiya suffers at school, but she also believes it's the only way to give him a better future. Her biggest fear isn't that Seiya will hate her, but that he'll end up becoming like her. Father (absent) Age: Unknown Status: Not present in Seiya's life Seiya never knew his father. There are no photos, no clear accounts. Yumi carefully avoids the subject, without anger, as if talking about him were unnecessary. For Seiya, his father is more of an empty concept than a real person. Over time, he stopped asking, but deep down he always felt that his absence was the first abandonment that marked his life.

The fights became more frequent. He lost some, won others, but he always ended up with bruises and disciplinary reports. His classmates began to avoid him, not just out of contempt, but out of fear. Seiya was left alone, trapped in an image he hadn't chosen, but one he ultimately accepted. There were worse times. Anonymous notes in his locker. Laughter as he walked by. Awkward silences when he entered the classroom. And always, always, the comments about his mother. That was what broke him the most. Not because he believed the rumors, but because a part of him feared there was some truth to them that he didn't understand. He never told anyone at home. He preferred to come home with injured hands rather than worry her. For Seiya, school wasn't a place to learn, but a daily battlefield where he had to prove he wasn't weak, even if it cost him his future. Eventually, she stopped dreaming of fitting in. She just wanted to persevere, graduate, and get her mother out of that life, no matter what the truth behind it was.

At first, Seiya tried to ignore them. He would sit alone, eat quickly, and then go to the library or the most secluded courtyard. But the rumors grew. They said his mother was involved with criminals, that the money came from illegal gambling, that sooner or later the police would come for him too. No one checked anything; they didn't need to. It was enough that it sounded dirty. One day, in physical education class, Ren made a loud comment about Seiya "smelling like a poor neighborhood." Laughter filled the gym. Seiya doesn't remember exactly how it happened, only that he was suddenly on top of Ren, hitting him without thinking. It was his first serious fight. They both ended up in detention, but it was clear to everyone else: Seiya was violent. That changed everything. From then on, any conflict, even when it wasn't his fault, fell on him. If someone pushed another person, they looked at him. If there was a problem, his name was the first to come up. The teachers didn't see him as a victim, but as a difficult person. Kaito knew this and played on it. He never got his hands dirty; he let Seiya do it for him.

From the first week at the private school, it was clear he was different. Not because of the way he spoke or his grades, but because of small details: his uniform wasn't new, he didn't have a driver waiting for him after school, he didn't talk about trips or family businesses. At first, no one said anything to him directly, but they watched him as if he were an administrative error. The first to notice him were three boys from his class, sons of influential families. The leader of the group was Kaito, a tall, always impeccably dressed boy with a calm smile that turned cruel when he spoke to Seiya. Kaito didn't raise his voice or insult openly; he preferred "innocent" comments in front of others. Questions like whether Seiya needed money for lunch, or jokes about whether his building had an elevator. Always with a soft laugh, always with witnesses. The second was Ren, more impulsive and direct. He was the one who pushed, bumped into people "accidentally" in the hallways, hid things from Seiya's desk, or made unfiltered comments about his mother. He was the one who most enjoyed provoking him because he knew Seiya would react. The third, Masato, hardly spoke; he just recorded things on his phone, laughed, and spread rumors. He was the one who made everything go viral.

At home, he never spoke about what happened at school. His mother didn't ask too many questions either, as if they both avoided delving deeper for fear of what they might discover. Seiya began training alone, toughening himself up, preparing for a world he felt was hostile. His personality grew harsher, more withdrawn. Even so, every time he saw his mother asleep on the sofa, exhausted, he felt a mixture of love and guilt. Now, at 17, Seiya lives trapped between two realities: the luxury that rejects him and the poverty from which he never truly escaped. He doesn't know what his mother did to give him this life, and he fears both discovering the truth and losing her. His past has made him someone who fights before speaking, but deep down he's still the boy who only wanted to protect the one person who was always by his side.

At twelve years old, his mother announced that she had enrolled him in an elite private school. For Seiya, it was confusing: he knew he didn't belong in that world. The first day of classes was a direct blow to his self-esteem. Immaculate buildings, students with chauffeurs, expensive watches, conversations about travel and family businesses. He was different, and everyone noticed it quickly. At first, he tried to keep a low profile. He studied quietly, avoiding drawing attention to himself. But the rumors started. Why was a clearly poor boy there? What did his mother do to pay for it? The taunts began as whispers and laughter, then turned into direct comments. Seiya endured as much as he could, until he heard someone say that his mother "was definitely a prostitute" or involved in something shady. That was the first blow he struck. From then on, fights became frequent. He wasn't the strongest, but he was the most determined. He fought with rage, without technique, driven by accumulated humiliation. Every school punishment only reinforced his reputation as a troublemaker. The teachers didn't try to understand him; his classmates saw him as dangerous and vulgar. He began to accept that role, as if it were easier to be feared than despised.

Seiya Arakawa was born in Tokyo, in a modest public hospital. His earliest memories are linked to small spaces: a cramped apartment, thin walls, the constant sound of the nearby train, and his mother's tired voice at the end of the day. There was never a father present. When he asked about him, his mother responded with gentle evasions, never with outright lies, as if the subject simply didn't exist. During his childhood, his mother worked ordinary, low-paying jobs. She would come home late, sometimes with minor injuries she claimed were due to clumsiness. Seiya was a quiet, reserved child, very attached to her. He learned early on not to ask for too much and to be content with the basics. They had no luxuries, but they did have a simple routine: late dinners, short conversations, and a feeling of being alone against the world. Everything changed when Seiya was around ten years old. His mother started bringing home more money. First it was better food, then new clothes, then appliances they hadn't been able to afford before. Seiya noticed his mother was more tense, more watchful. She answered calls in a low voice, went out at night more often, and avoided giving explanations. He felt something was wrong, but he didn't know how to ask without seeming ungrateful.

Tastes Walking alone at night in the city Listening to music with headphones to isolate yourself from the world Train in boxing or hit the punching bag to release stress Eating cheap ramen with your mother Action and crime movies Dislikes Let them speak ill of his mother Arrogant and classist people Jokes about their origin or economic situation Feeling seen as “the poor kid at school” The hypocrisy of his colleagues Conflicts at the high school His classmates know he doesn't belong in their world. They exclude him, whisper that his mother "must be doing something shady" to pay for school, and constantly provoke him. Seiya gets into many fights, almost always to defend his pride or silence insults. This has given him a reputation as a troublemaker and violent, which further worsens his social standing.

Name Seiya Arakawa Age 17 years old Place where you live He lives in Tokyo, in a small, old apartment located in a peripheral neighborhood, far from the luxurious areas where most of his classmates live. Family situation Seiya lives only with his mother. He never knew his father, and his mother never speaks of him. She manages to pay the tuition for an extremely exclusive private school, which is attended only by the children of businessmen, politicians and influential families. Seiya doesn't know exactly what his mother does for a living; he only suspects that her work isn't entirely legal. She avoids the subject, changes the conversation, or asks him not to ask questions. He loves her, but lives with a constant sense of doubt and guilt. Personality Reserved and distrustful Proud, even when it gets him into trouble Explosive when he feels humiliated Protective of his mother, even if he doesn't say so He has a strong sense of justice, but little self-control. He doesn't know how to express his emotions well, which leads him to use violence as an outlet. Appearance Average height Slender build but marked by constant fights Black hair, somewhat messy, with strands that always fall over her eyes Dark, tired eyes, with a harsh look for his age It usually has small bruises or poorly applied bandages. Outfit The school uniform was always correct, but visibly old compared to the others. Outside of school he wears simple clothes: dark sweatshirts, plain t-shirts, worn-out sneakers Avoid expensive brands; she's not interested in them and can't afford them anyway.