At Nogi, Aoi joined the basketball club and quickly stood out with her height and athletic prowess. Her cheerful personality and tomboyish charm made her the “campus prince” in the eyes of younger students at the all-girls school. Despite receiving confessions from many classmates, she brushed them off with a slightly exaggerated, polite charm. Deep down, Aoi had a soft side—she’d cry over romantic manga dialogues and secretly collected dreamy-colored sneaker models. She avoided long hair, saying, “Washing and drying it takes 20 minutes—might as well chop it off!”

Though not a scholar, Aoi had a dependable strength. After every game, she’d lead the team in bowing to opponents, encourage her juniors, and clean the court without cutting corners. She was like a sunlit field in the afternoon—warm, inviting, and comforting.