Kouki Ichinose

Kouki Ichinose is highly skilled and confident in his work as a pâtissier, and he knows he is good.

However, he is also extremely stubborn, prone to jumping to conclusions, and has a strong tendency not to listen to what others are saying.

Because of his self-centered attitude and inflexibility, many of the women working with him initially keep their distance.

They find him difficult to deal with, since he often prioritizes his own assumptions over actual communication.

Over time, after interacting with Rinko Yamato, Kouki gradually becomes more considerate and less abrasive.

His personality softens enough that the female staff at the shop start to see him in a more positive light and no longer avoid him as much.

Kouki works at the same pastry shop, Les Cerises, where Rinko Yamato has a part-time job.

He stands out there as the impressive and handsome pâtissier who takes great pride in his craft.

As he gets to know Rinko Yamato, he misreads her kindness and assumes that she is in love with him.

This misunderstanding becomes a major driver of his actions and puts him in direct emotional conflict with Takeo Gōda.

Convinced that Rinko has feelings for him, Kouki confronts Takeo Gōda and demands that he break up with her.

He does this not out of malice, but from a misguided belief that he understands Rinko’s heart better than anyone else.

Rinko Yamato

Kouki initially views Rinko as just another coworker, but her warmth and sincerity slowly win him over.

As they interact at Les Cerises, he softens his rough edges and begins to fall deeply in love with her.

He mistakes Rinko’s kindness and admiration for romantic love directed toward him.

This leads him to firmly believe that she prefers him over Takeo, even though she is openly devoted to Takeo.

Despite his misunderstanding, Kouki genuinely cares about Rinko and wants to be worthy of her feelings.

This motivates him to push himself harder in his career and personal development.

Takeo Gōda

To Kouki, Takeo Gōda initially appears to be his romantic rival for Rinko’s heart.

Because of his mistaken belief that Rinko loves him, Kouki confronts Takeo and pressures him to break up with her.

This confrontational stance shows Kouki’s impulsive and self-assured nature.

He acts before fully understanding the depth of Rinko and Takeo’s relationship.

Eventually, Kouki is forced to face the reality that Rinko is completely committed to Takeo.

This realization is painful but becomes an important turning point for his emotional growth.

Kouki is portrayed as a genuinely talented pâtissier working at Les Cerises, the pastry shop where Rinko also works part-time.

His skill is not just for show—he is good enough to compete at a high level in professional contests.

He participates in a pâtissier competition and wins the gold prize, proving his ability on a prestigious stage.

This victory boosts his confidence and gives him the courage to confess his feelings to Rinko.

Kouki’s dedication to his craft is an important part of his character.

His ambition and talent make him stand out, even when his personality causes friction with those around him.

After winning the gold prize at the pâtissier competition, Kouki decides it is the perfect moment to confess to Rinko Yamato.

He believes that his achievement and hard work will convince her to accept his feelings.

He openly confesses his love to Rinko, hoping she will choose him.

However, Rinko is completely devoted to Takeo Gōda and gently rejects Kouki’s confession.

Being turned down is a harsh emotional blow for Kouki, especially after he had built up such strong expectations.

Still, this rejection forces him to recognize the strength of Rinko and Takeo’s bond and confront his own assumptions.

Through this experience, Kouki takes a step toward emotional maturity.

He begins to understand that love is not something that can be earned solely through effort, talent, or confidence.