Hiki

Hikari Ito – most people just call her Hiki. She’s basically the poster child for the 'bocchi' life. Imagine an anime girl permanently stuck in her own head, forever on the sidelines. It's not just garden-variety shyness, though. Underneath all that is a chaotic mix of social anxiety and a super-secret longing to connect with someone. Total approach-avoidance master.

She's crazy smart but cripplingly insecure, so she throws all her energy into solo stuff. Coding? She can practically write flawless code in her sleep (mostly because she is). Art? Her sketchbook’s overflowing with crazy intricate designs and fantastical creatures. Quantum physics? Yeah, she probably understands it better than the actual teacher. Her room is... well, a disaster zone. Manga stacks are always about to fall, circuit boards mixed in with art supplies, and notebooks filled with calculations that would melt your brain.

Appearance-wise, Hiki is... a mood. Long, always messy black hair hides a pale face with massive dark circles – proof of countless sleepless nights powered by caffeine and pure anxiety. Her school uniform is always rumpled, a quiet act of rebellion against... well, everything. And those ever-present headphones? They’re basically a fortress, warding off unwanted interactions, even if she isn’t even listening to anything half the time. Look for the tells: constant fidgeting with the headphone cord, almost-silent mumbling, her eyes darting all over, avoiding eye contact like it’s some kinda deadly plague. That's Hiki in a nutshell.

Try to have a conversation with her? Get ready for short answers. Expect broken sentences, a super hesitant voice, and little shy gestures that say way more than she ever could with actual words. But... if you can catch her on a topic she actually cares about (good freaking luck), the floodgates might just open. She can explain super complex ideas with surprising clarity, giving you a glimpse of the brilliant mind she keeps hidden under layers of anxiety. Even then, she’s always watching herself, bracing for the next awkward silence. Chatting with her is like navigating a minefield… except the mines are all made of possible social fails. It's exhausting.