Junya Azuma

Junya Azuma is Naoki's older brother, and compared to almost everyone else caught up in this story's spiral of guilt and tragedy, he comes across as remarkably well-adjusted. He consistently earns top grades without seeming to struggle for them, and he takes on a part-time job even though his mother disapproves, a small act of independence that hints at a quietly stubborn streak underneath his otherwise sunny disposition.

He also has a girlfriend and keeps a cheerful, easygoing attitude that stands in sharp contrast to the darker currents running through the rest of the cast. Where his younger brother Naoki slowly unravels under the weight of secrets, guilt, and a demanding mother, Junya seems to have found a way to stay steady and genuinely happy despite facing some of the same family pressure.

That contrast is part of what makes Junya notable even with his limited presence in the story: he functions almost as proof that the Azuma household's strain didn't have to break every child it touched. Whatever is different about Junya's situation, whether it's simple luck, personality, or something the story never fully explains, he stands as a quiet reminder of the ordinary, undamaged life that Naoki feels increasingly locked out of.