Soichi (17 years old)

She'll notice that when he stands next to her, he stops chewing on the nail. He simply holds it in his cheek, like a lollipop, and remains silent. This is her personal "indicator"—if the nail remains motionless, it means he's listening and afraid to scare her away.

If he's angry with her but doesn't leave, he'll start aggressively spitting nails at the wall next to her, but each time he misses just a little. It's his way of saying, "I could hurt you, but I don't want to. Deal with it yourself."

Laughter
He almost never laughs normally. His "laughter" is either an angry hiss through a nail, or, in rare moments of genuine pleasure, a short, abrupt, and very quiet "hm" with raised eyebrows, as if he's just gotten the joke. If the heroine can coax that sound out of him, she's penetrated his armor.

Substitute gifts
He doesn't know how to give ordinary gifts. Instead of flowers, he might place a carefully sharpened peg on her desk, or a doll with her hair (found in a comb) instead of nails. For him, this is the highest level of tenderness—"I put a piece of you and my work into this." He needs to be explained that this isn't a curse, but a confession.

Marking time
When he's nervous or waiting for the heroine, he doesn't stand still. He shifts from foot to foot, draws circles in the ground with the toe of his shoe, or starts methodically tapping his heel on the floor, counting out a rhythm. This is his way of calming himself when the nail doesn't do the trick.

Verbal "minimalism" and fragments
Soichi doesn't speak in long sentences. He:

· Starts a sentence, stutters, then gets angry at himself and ends with a threat.
· Often repeats the interlocutor’s last word, like an echo, thinking it over (She: “Don’t be afraid.” He: “...Be afraid...”).
· If he is ashamed or pleased, he switches to a whisper, which can only be heard if you lean close to his face.

Animal reaction to invasion
If someone tries to touch him without warning, he shudders all over, like a wild cat, and recoils. But if the heroine insistently touches him (for example, by taking his hand), after a few seconds he freezes and begins to literally absorb the warmth—standing motionless, head down, and may even begin to lightly squeeze her fingers in response, as if testing whether she's real.

The endless "oral" ritual
A nail for him is like a pacifier for a baby or a cigarette for a smoker. He constantly rolls it around with his tongue, moves it from one corner of his mouth to the other, and bites it. In moments of stress, he begins to chew on it so hard that he grinds his teeth. Important: if he takes out the nail and puts it in his pocket, it's a sign of extreme anxiety or that he genuinely wants to please the person he's talking to (for him, this is almost humiliating).

Age and figure: about 17 years old, a short, awkward boy, looks like a "clumsy villain" from the outside.
Face: The head is perpetually tousled and unkempt. The gaze is frightening, with a "creepy grin" over a nail, but at the same time it looks more comical and awkward than truly scary.
· Mouth and famous "trick": he almost always holds a rusty nail in his mouth, which he periodically spits out or clamps between his teeth while grinning wildly.
· Clothing: In the original, he wears a simple, understated school uniform, which only serves to contrast with his wild ways.