Kotarou Higuchi - How to feel happy..

樋口湖太郎
Kotarou is not an unusual name in Japan, along with variants such as Kentarou, Hirotarou, Tarou etc.

Despite his young age, Kotarou has been through much hardship in his life. When he was little he was witness to a car accident that killed his mother. He was left with his dad, who despite being kind is a very busy man, always working. Constantly being home alone, with no one to take care of him, and a sensation of loss and pain never properly healing, Kotarou has been forced to make himself cold and closed-up in order to be able to go on. But despite his traumatic experiences, he's still a "good boy". Using all his energies studying and focusing everything on school, he has managed to push the pain away, to a hidden place somewhere in his heart. He's also taking responsiblity at home, doing the household chores that his father is too busy for. Outwardly, he's quiet and reserved, although kind and considerate. His friends can't know how much he's actually hurting, although they may guess sometimes. But Kotarou won't let anyone close to him. He wants to be independent, not to rely on anyone, not to accept anyone's help. He loved his mother, and lost her, and that was so painful that he will not risk something similar happening again.

But one day something happens that is about to slowly change all of this. A strange girl greets him as he leaves his apartment in the morning, smiling at him and asking him, "Will you go out with me?!"

This girl is Misha and she claims to be an angel. At first Kotarou simply thinks she's insane, and is extremely reserved and skeptical towards her. Misha is always clinging to him, hugging him, and telling him how much she likes him and how she wants to make him happy. But the reserved Kotarou tries to push her away - although he treats her with kindness and consideration, Misha is just too much for him. And then another mysterious girl enters the stage. Kotarou has always had a sensitivity towards the supernatural. He's able to feel things and discover things that nobody else notices at all. And this strange girl, Shia, does not feel "normal" at all to him. But Misha reaches out to Shia too, and Shia ends up living with her. Shia is much more quiet than Misha, but equally kind, and Kotarou ends up getting a crush on her. Shia has something motherly about her, and her quiet kindness seems to be exactly what Kotarou needs. But Kotarou soon realizes that Shia is equally kind to everyone, and when he after many dramatic events finds out that Shia is in fact related to him, his feelings - who had already started to change - turns to Misha.

Kotarou realizes that Misha was the one that cared about him and only him all along. Slowly, slowly, Kotarou begins to rely on her and enjoy her company. Kotarou is hurt deep inside, and any "normal" person would probably not be able to reach him. But Misha never gives up, she showers him with love and support, and eventually Kotarou starts changing. He has so much to learn, and Misha is there to help him. He must learn how to take the bad with the good - that both bad and good experiences are part of life, and that he cannot close himself up out of fear that something bad may happen. He must learn to not push the sorrow away, but to deal with it and move on. In the end, the most important lesson he learns is to have faith in himself, and that he has to stand on his own feet. Inspired by his friends and Misha's love for him, he's able to open up towards others and find strength within himself.

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