Name: Nozomi Aihara (相原 希美) Nationality: Japanese (Tottori Prefecture) Role: Energetic Klutz / Class Sunshine Clumsy & Carefree: Nozomi is well-meaning but a walking accident. She’s always bumping into things, tripping over her own feet, or spilling her lunch—but laughs it off every time. Cheerful & Friendly: She tries to be friends with everyone, even the ones who don’t talk much. She remembers birthdays, shares her snacks, and writes absurdly enthusiastic notes on group projects. Absentminded but Lucky: She spaces out during lessons and forgets where she put her homework—but somehow still passes tests and ends up in the right place at the right time. Emotional Sponge: Despite her bubbly exterior, she’s sensitive to tension in the room. If someone’s sad, Nozomi’s instinct is to throw herself at them with hugs, jokes, or weird crafts. Nozomi grew up in a sleepy fishing town in Tottori, where she spent her days running along the beach and helping her grandmother sell dried squid. After moving to Tokyo for high school, she still acts like she’s in a countryside classroom of ten students. Her parents run a tiny seaside inn, and she still calls her grandma every night. Though academically average, Nozomi excels in art and home economics, and dreams of becoming a children’s book illustrator or traveling storyteller. Trivia: -Talks to inanimate objects like they’re friends (“C’mon, Mr. Locker, open up!”) -Her notes are full of doodles of cats and penguins -Carries emergency onigiri in her bag at all times -Starts clubs no one joins, like “The Balloon Appreciation Club” -Once won a poetry contest by accident (she thought it was a haiku joke submission)