Masaya Hayami is a violent, fight-loving member of the Kakihara Group who is obsessed with battling people stronger than himself and has a long-standing, one-sided rivalry with Tōru Kirishima from their middle school days.
He joins the Kakihara Group specifically to find Kirishima again, only to be shocked by how much his old “demon” has mellowed out.
Masaya Hayami is hot-headed, extremely short-tempered, and almost disturbingly fond of fighting.
He is the type who feels most alive when he is up against someone stronger, actively seeking out tough opponents rather than avoiding them.
In middle school, he was a genuine battle maniac who would pick fights with Tōru Kirishima every time he saw him.
This constant pattern of provoking Kirishima shaped his identity, and he still clings to that era as his ideal.
Despite his violent tendencies, he is oddly earnest about his personal code of strength and rivalry.
He cannot stand being misunderstood or casually lumped into relationships he does not accept, which easily triggers his anger.
Masaya has a distinctive and memorable scar running from his forehead down to the bridge of his nose.
This large scar was caused when Tōru Kirishima struck him with a stone during one of their middle school fights.
The scar is a physical reminder of his past and of Kirishima, and Masaya takes it very seriously.
However, this significance is painfully one-sided, as Kirishima had completely forgotten about him until they met again and Rei Hojo pointed it out.
In middle school, Masaya repeatedly challenged Tōru Kirishima to fights whenever he saw him.
Kirishima at that time was notoriously violent and ruthless, a version of him that Masaya both feared and idolized.
One of their clashes left Masaya with the deep scar on his face after being struck by a stone.
For Masaya, this moment was branding—proof of his connection and rivalry with Kirishima.
Years later, Masaya joined the Kakihara Group solely to track down Kirishima.
He wanted to face the same terrifying Kirishima from their youth and finally have the decisive battle he had been dreaming of.
To his shock, when they finally reunite, Kirishima does not remember him at all—not even the scar he gave him.
Kirishima only realizes who Masaya is after Rei Hojo points it out, which deeply wounds Masaya’s pride.
Masaya views Tōru Kirishima as his ultimate rival and the symbol of the strength he chases.
He dreams of fighting the Kirishima of their middle school days, the ruthless and violent version he once faced.
However, by the time they reunite, Kirishima has softened significantly through his role as Yaeka Sakuragi’s babysitter.
He has become calmer and more rounded, which for Masaya feels like a betrayal of the fearsome image he cherished.
Masaya is heavily shocked to see Kirishima so domesticated and gentle compared to the “monster” he remembers.
Even so, he cannot fully give up on his dream and still clings to the hope of battling the old Kirishima that only exists in his memory.
On top of this, Kirishima’s initial failure to remember him and the scar intensifies Masaya’s frustration.
The idea that his greatest rival does not even recall their history enrages him and makes him feel insignificant.
Rei Hojo is an acquaintance from Masaya’s middle school days.
Rei knows both Masaya and Kirishima and sees them in a much friendlier light than Masaya is comfortable with.
Rei mistakenly believes that Masaya and Kirishima are close friends, or even mutual best friends.
This assumption infuriates Masaya, who absolutely denies any such bond and reacts with strong anger.
For Masaya, Kirishima is not a “friend” but a rival etched into his past and his scar.
Being put into a wholesome “friendship” category feels like his intense feelings and struggles are being trivialized.
Masaya is a full member of the Kakihara Group, a yakuza organization.
He joined not out of loyalty to the group’s ideals but driven by his obsession with finding Tōru Kirishima.
Within the group, his combativeness and love of fighting fit naturally into the rough environment.
His presence highlights the more dangerous side of the organization, contrasting with the domestic calm brought by Yaeka Sakuragi’s influence on Kirishima.
His frustration with Kirishima’s newfound gentleness is also tied to the Kakihara Group’s current state.
Where Kirishima is adapting to softer roles like babysitting, Masaya still clings to the old world of raw violence and direct confrontation.
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