Hanabishi, Kaoru

花菱薫

The series' main male protagonist. He is a relatively ordinary individual who does not conform to the archetype of the stereotypical male hero found in most harem anime. He is generally depicted as a decent student and is not prone to emotional outbursts, unlike other leading men in the genre. He is generally well-liked and is a member of the photography club at Meiritsu University. He harbors a deep dislike for the Hanabishi clan because of their inhumane treatment of himself and his mother, which stemmed from the clan's disapproval of his parents' relationship and resulted in Kaoru leaving the clan. Kaoru's parents never married, making him an illegitimate child. His back is scarred from being tortured with a bamboo cane for attempting to stop his grandfather from burning mementos of his deceased mother.
Kaoru belongs to the Hanabishi Zaibatsu family; they had committed to a marriage arrangement with a girl from the Sakuraba family (owners of the Sakuraba Department Store chain), as both families are equally prestigious. Kaoru was disowned by the Hanabishi family, causing the planned marriage to be cancelled.
He now lives and studies in Tokyo and is 20 years old.
His given name, 'Kaoru', translates as fragrant, reflecting his gentle and kind personality. He is known for his courteous behavior toward female characters; however, he can also be abrupt and point out when something is wrong.
Due to his childhood experiences, he became a semi-recluse while studying in Tokyo; Aoi brings light into his life when he is at his lowest and extremely lonely.
- First paragraph [wikipedia]
- Leading on research/information presented by MAL user (Kaoru-Sama).