Makino, Tsukushi
Summary
Tsukushi Makino serves as the central female protagonist in the series, standing out as one of the rare students at the elite Eitoku University who hails from a low-income background. Her family struggles so severely with finances that they can barely manage her tuition fees, yet her parents insist she continue her education. They harbor the specific dream that she will eventually marry a wealthy man, thereby lifting their entire family out of poverty. When the story begins, Tsukushi is depicted as an unattractive, pig-tailed girl with virtually no social circle, preferring to keep to herself. Her isolation is broken when one of her few friends collides with Domyoji, the leader of the F4. As Domyoji prepares to harm her friend for the accident, Tsukushi bravely intervenes to defend her, resulting in severe retaliation. The following day, she discovers a red tag in her locker, signaling her designation as a target for harassment by the F4 and their subordinates. However, unlike previous victims, she refuses to back down, demonstrating the resilience of a "weed" by standing up for herself. Through her unwavering stubbornness and hard work, Tsukushi gradually earns the respect of the group, eventually transforming her enemies into her closest nakama. Initially, she harbors strong animosity toward all members of the F4, with the sole exception of Hanazawa Rui, whom she likes romantically. As Rui departs to pursue Shizuka, Tsukushi spends more time with the remaining members. This proximity allows her to understand them better, leading her to slowly develop romantic feelings for the hot-tempered leader, Domyoji.
