Wakai Taketoshi

**Taketoshi Wakai** (若井 武敏, Wakai Taketoshi) is a third-year student at Itan Private High School, more precisely from class 4, being a companion of most of Komi Shouko's friends.

His introductory phrase is "Wakai is afraid of women" since his particularity is to suffer from Gynophobia, that is, a phobia of relating to women.

## Appearance

Taketoshi is in many ways similar to Tadano Hitohito, since both have a similar physical build, a similar expression, and even similar details in their hair (especially the bangs).

Most of the time he is seen in Itan Private High School's male uniform, but being the captain of the high school soccer club, he also appears in sportswear, mostly soccer t-shirts and shorts.

In Chapter 397, Manbagi Rumiko cuts his hair at his request.

## Personality

Taketoshi is a simple, competitive boy and a companion, he does not flaunt his soccer skills and is always willing to work as a team, be it with his clubmates or classmates. He highly values ​​people's attitudes, especially when he met Hitohito, describing him as a "good person".

On the other hand, it is practically impossible for him to even look at a woman, whatever her age, but especially girls his age, due to his phobia, perhaps attributable to the early death of his mother. Unlike Shouko, who wants to have relationships with people, Taketoshi can't even think of an interaction with a girl. His closest woman is Rumiko, because she is a neighbor of the bank and part of the group of friends of the course, along with Katai Makoto, Naruse Shisuto and Kometani Chushaku, especially, he believed that Rumiko and Makoto were a couple, which gave him a little more calm when trying to interact with her, however when he found out the truth, he returned to having a phobia of her, getting closer again little by little.

Despite this, Taketoshi appreciates all of Rumiko's efforts to try to get closer to him, generating a timid attraction towards her.

## Story

Taketoshi was introduced as Manbagi Rumiko's bank partner, who greeted him daily, but due to his phobia of women, he could not respond properly. After the Welcome Battle Royal organized by the director Ichou Setoka, his popularity increased on top of what he already had for being the captain and the ace of Itan High School’s Soccer Club.

But due to his phobia, and how proactive his classmates were, Taketoshi fainted on his feet one day, which was noticed by Rumiko, Katai Makoto, and Kometani Chushaku. In the infirmary, he explained his condition to the boys, gaining their understanding, especially from Makoto, who relatable, and fainting again upon Rumiko's return.

From that day on, Taketoshi began to somewhat tolerate interactions with her, partly also because he believed she was Makoto's girlfriend. He also began to be curious about Tadano Hitohito when Makoto introduced him at the time that his friends determined who was the most important person to him.

In a championship match that Itan was playing, Taketoshi was supported by his teammates, resisting the fact that Rumiko, Ase Shibuki and Isagi Kiyoko had come to cheer him on. After the rivals have made fun of him, Rumiko expressed her anger at Taketoshi and encouraged him to win by motivating him and making Itan win.

But after losing the prefectural final, Taketoshi felt satisfied but incomplete, and it was Rumiko who made him feel the frustration of losing. That's why Taketoshi revealed that he played soccer because he wanted to see his mother happy, who passed away during his childhood, and consequently, he wanted to see Rumiko happy, but he wasn't able to tell her. However, he managed to register for the summer tournament thanks to Ichou, telling his friends and especially thanking Makoto for the support of his girlfriend (Rumiko), but Makoto denied having a girlfriend, which caused Taketoshi to feel terrified of Rumiko again.

After he attended his vocational interview, Rumiko went to greet Taketoshi, but because of his fear, he could not return her. This is noticed by Doraimon Kaze, his clubmate, who reveals to have been Rumiko's classmate and urges him to invite her to the Summer Festival. Coincidentally just after training, Taketoshi meets Rumiko, who tells him why she was at school, Taketoshi tries to invite her but the words don't come out, so Rumiko suggests cutting his hair. Taketoshi agrees and finally musters the courage to invite her. Rumiko informs him that she is going to work those days at Agari Matsuri's stall, but that she will accompany him during the break.

During the festival they both have fun together, so Taketoshi accidentally calls Rumiko "mom", and she goes along with him. Then, both of them cross paths with Tadano Hitohito, Komi Shouko and Kawai Rami. And in the end, they decide to go to a comfortable place to watch the fireworks, where Taketoshi, after consulting about Tadano, tries to comfort Rumiko after being rejected, but accidentally tells her that he "likes" Rumiko.

Days later, they both return to class, but Taketoshi is very afraid to talk to Rumiko and runs away every time they meet, which affects his performance in soccer, which his coach notices and asks him to clarify. After the training Rumiko corners Taketoshi to clarify the situation, Taketoshi replies that he only did it so she doesn't look down on herself, but finally admits that he really feels something special for her. Rumiko asks for time to clarify her feelings (because she still feels love for Tadano) and Taketoshi accepts.

## Trivia

* Taketoshi's new appearance makes him resemble the character Wakana Gojo from the manga series My Dress-up Darling made by Shin'ichi Fukuda.
	+ Curiously, both characters have a timid personality to women and also have a timid/platonic attraction towards a gyaru, with Wakai to Rumiko Manbagi and Gojo to Marin Kitagawa.