Kazuya Kinoshita/Relationships

## Nagomi Kinoshita

Kazuya has a rather rough, "tough-love" relationship with his grandmother. He struggles to meet her expectations and strives to fulfill one of her main wishes: to have his own girlfriend. Afraid of a hostile reaction, Kazuya has been lying to Nagomi about dating Chizuru, and often brings her along when visiting in order to appease his grandmother.

Though seemingly always at odds, Kazuya admits that his grandmother has treated him well his entire life.

## Chizuru Ichinose

Kazuya first rented Chizuru out of depression from losing his first real girlfriend, Mami. He initially saw Chizuru as the ideal girlfriend; one free of any flaws and exceptionally beautiful. After reading the reviews of her other customers, he was enraged by how everything she does is all just an act for her own benefit, in which, he exuded a tantrum in public during their next meeting.

Although holding animosity towards each other and wanting to put an end to the "relationship" as soon as possible, they decided to continue their "sham relationship" for the sake of their own grandmothers' health, as both of them were admitted, and caught on to their relationship.

On the trip to beach, when Chizuru fell from the ferry, Kazuya jumped into the water without thinking twice to save her. Afterwards, she saved him on the shore when he became unconscious while drowning. Coming back from the trip, whenever Kazuya wanted to think about Mami, it was Chizuru that came into his mind all the time, causing him to realize that he has *fallen* for her.

The two continue to "date", slowly becoming less agitated by each other and more willing to cooperate. Kazuya's persistence to know more and grow closer to Chizuru leads to many scenarios where he ends up helping Chizuru at her lowest points; causing a rift within her psyche. Be it through simple kind words or through actual actions, Kazuya slowly helps Chizuru begin to realize her own self worth, and offers his full support for her acting career.

Chizuru slowly begins to unwind around Kazuya, comfortably hanging out with him outside of their rental dates and even entering his apartment several times. The two make a habit of discussing issues and topics with each other from across their patios.

When Chizuru finds out that her grandmother is dying, she expresses that she had wished to perform in a movie to show to her grandmother. Kazuya offers his full support and helps kickstart a small, movie project with Chizuru. The two grow closer throughout the production of the film, with Chizuru even admitting that she has never regretted meeting Kazuya once.

Though it is clear that the two like each other, Kazuya's low self-esteem and Chizuru's emotional stubbornness has prevented them from taking any steps towards an actual relationship. This is even seen further during the trip in Hawaii. By far, Kazuya had made his move to protect Chizuru's life by making up a half lie about finally dating for real after Mami started to make her strike to ruin Kazuya and Chizuru in front of his friends and family by reveal the fact that Chizuru was a rental girlfriend by dropping her phone which shows Chizuru's Rental Girlfriend Profile. Chizuru ultimately kisses Kazuya in front of everyone present in order prove that they're really dating for real even doing so twice to make it clear when Mami make everyone doubt that she was pretending to kiss Kazuya.

## Mami Nanami

Kazuya initially had high hopes when starting a relationship with Mami, promising to always make her happy and even discussing the possibility of marriage and starting a family in the future, something Mami wholeheartedly agreed with. However, Mami suddenly dumped Kazuya, claiming that she "likes someone else". The abrupt end of the relationship caused Kazuya to spiral into a depression, crying in his apartment and unmotivated to do anything. Out of desperation, he ended up paying for rental-girlfriend services, causing him to meet Chizuru.

Though "dating" Chizuru, Kazuya's feelings towards Mami lingered, making things rather uncertain in regards to how he should act around her. While on a beach trip with friends, Mami makes several attempts to flirt with Kazuya. Whether these attempts were genuine or simply a way to spite him is debatable. Unbeknownst to Kazuya, Mami has secretly declared her intention to ruin his relationship with Chizuru despite its lack of legitimacy, as they are simply pretending for their family's sake. After the beach trip, Kazuya realizes that he has fallen in love with Chizuru, and accepts the fact the Mami probably no longer has any feelings for him.

Unbeknownst to Kazuya, his deed triggered Mami to make a move to ruin's Kazuya's fake love life because Mami couldn't accept someone she had dumped able to show off to her that he got someone who was better than her.

## Ruka Sarashina

Initially, Ruka was pushy towards Kazuya, after he unintentionally peeped at her underwear. He was shocked to meet again and find her dating Shun Kuribayashi. After he found out that she suspected Chizuru to be a rental-girlfriend, he attempted to lie to her to remove any possible fear of her gossiping about their fake relationship. Ruka had misconceptions that Kazuya was a superficial person; one who only wanted to experience the feeling of having a soulmate. After Kazuya saved her from a fall and gave out words of genuine passion, she starts to open up towards him. She even made a promise to keep his and Chizuru's relationship secret, but only if he went out with her. He was speechless at her confession and watched her argue with Chizuru.

Her condition made it so that her heart doesn't beat as fast as a normal person. It was only after Kazuya saved her, that she felt as if staying with him would be the possible solution. Later on, she comes to accept the fact that it's actually unrequited love she felt towards him and tries to find ways to separate both him and Chizuru in order for her to have him all for herself. Ruka had even gone far to quit her job as a rental girlfriend and followed Kazuya to work in the same family karaoke with him. This pushy attitude always makes Kazuya's feeling towards Chizuru to be crumbled because of her charm. Although Kazuya always managed to pull himself back to keep his feelings towards Chizuru.

At another point, she decided to take a chance kissed Kazuya twice, while he was surprised and stopped her.

## Sumi Sakurasawa

As per request by Chizuru, Kazuya decided to go on a practice date with Sumi. At first, he had trouble adapting to her when they first met, because of how enclosed and timid she was. He tried getting her to try out activities to help her, but to no avail; always ending with both of them being embarrassed from how close they get to be. Communicating with sign language, facial expressions and minimal talking, Kazuya realized that she's trying her very best to change herself and assist her in achieving her goal; one step at a time.

After he has managed to help her, Sumi developed romantic feelings towards him but decides to not declare her love. She is willing to help Kazuya when he is in need, specifically when he needs advice for his and Chizuru's relationship.

## Yoshiaki Kibe

A close childhood friend of Kazuya. They knew each other way back in kindergarten. Kazuya is often under the attack of Kibe's vicious but friendly comments about the girls he is after.

He, Kazuya and Shun often hang out together at school or after it. Due to the fact that he knows his grandmother, Kazuya and Chizuru had to keep up the fake relationship, so that their grandmothers' do not find out the truth.

During the beach vacation, Kibe noticed that Kazuya is having problem dealing with Mami's breakup and not considering Chizuru's feeling. As a result, Kibe was outraged by Kazuya's behavior and called him out for being indecisive. Despite not knowing the true nature of Kazuya and Chizuru's relationship, he stuck up for him as a friend and showed he cared about him by talking to Chizuru about resettling the relationship with Kazuya.

Since he is ignorant of Kazuya and Chizuru's true relationship, Kibe is blissfully unaware of how his actions may affect them, such as when he told Mami where Kazuya worked without any thought of the consequences.

## Shun Kuribayashi

Kazuya's friend from college. He, Kazuya, and Kibe often hang out together at school or after it. Just like Kibe, he also likes to comment on Kazuya's adventures with girlfriends.

His friendship with Shun almost being torn apart when Kazuya was trapped with Ruka and got busted to have her as his rental girlfriend. But Kazuya able to amend this by making Shun to rent Chizuru as an apology, having no choice but to comfort him that even she is his rental girlfriend, not the true one. Shun is touched by this and promised to keep Kazuya and Chizuru's relationship to be a secret. It is implied Shun is aware of the mutual feelings of Kazuya and Chizuru.

## Mini Yaemori

Yaemori is the other next door neighbor of Kazuya. She ever revealed herself until she could no longer tolerate Kazuya and Chizuru's disruptive chatting in the back balcony of their apartments. She unintentionally found out that Chizuru is a Rental girlfriend and Ruka being an ex-rental girlfriend when they were debating in front of Kazuya outside of the apartment.

Yaemori initially deemed Kazuya as a playboy, but she changed her view after Kazuya told her his history. Feeling touched, Yaemori self-claimed Kazuya to be her master and goes to great lengths to bring him and Chizuru together.