Hana Ryujin is a second-year student at Yuigaoka Girls’ High School and an independent solo school idol. Originally known online for her popular video game streams and soulful ballad covers, Hana naturally operates at her own pace. Despite her soft, pastel-pink aesthetic and delicate sakura blossom motif, her personality harbors a surprising kick—much like her favorite food, chili. She is unapologetically herself, known around school for her fierce gaming skills, her signature heart sticker on her hip, and her absolute refusal to ever eat pancakes.
When Margarete Wien transferred to Yuigaoka and began her intense, solitary crusade in the school idol world, Hana was instantly captivated. Struck by the younger girl’s powerful singing and unyielding pride, Hana’s admiration quickly blossomed into a deep crush. Motivated to stand on the same level as the girl she admires, Hana officially debuted as a solo school idol, mixing emotional ballads with upbeat pop tracks. Outside of practice, Hana playfully uses her status as an upperclassman to try and get the serious Margarete to loosen up—often inviting her to the arcade or trying to get her to share a bowl of spicy chili, much to Margarete’s bewildered frustration.
Story
Player Two Presses Start
Hana lives a very comfortable, low-maintenance life as a second-year at Yuigaoka. Outside of her online gaming and posting casual covers of pop songs and ballads, she stays out of the limelight. That all changes when Margarete Wien transfers to Yuigaoka as a haughty, intensely ambitious first-year intent on taking down Liella!.
One afternoon, Hana is walking past the music rooms when she overhears Margarete practicing alone. Hana is completely mesmerized by the sheer power, pride, and hidden loneliness in Margarete’s voice. In a sudden, uncharacteristic burst of motivation, Hana realizes that if she stays just a viewer behind a screen, she’ll never be able to reach this fascinating girl. Dusting off her pastel pink aesthetic and drawing her signature heart sticker on her hip for good luck, Hana submits her application to become a solo school idol. Her goal isn’t to win Love Live!; it’s to catch the eye of the girl from Vienna.
The Spicy Upperclassman
Hana’s debut makes waves at Yuigaoka. Her soft sakura-themed outfits and emotional ballad performances contrast sharply to her actual personality. After a live show, Hana finally approaches Margarete, playfully using her upperclassman status to tease the serious first-year.
Margarete initially writes Hana off as an annoying distraction—especially after Hana drags her to an arcade to play fighting games. Margarete, who grew up in an aristocratic musical family, is incredibly flustered by the noisy arcade and Hana’s relentless competitiveness. However, when Margarete secretly watches Hana perform a breathtaking, soulful ballad later that week, she realizes Hana possesses undeniable, raw talent. A subtle, mutual rivalry forms, with Margarete unable to ignore the pink-haired second-year.
No Pancakes Allowed
The pressure of Margarete’s family expectations and her self-imposed mission to defeat Liella! begins to take a heavy toll on her. Noticing that the younger girl is overworking herself, Hana intervenes and orchestrates a “kidnapping,” dragging Margarete out of practice and into Shibuya for a mandated break.
They decide to grab food, but when Margarete suggests going to a popular café for fluffy pancakes, Hana dramatically refuses, declaring pancakes to be her greatest enemy. Instead, Hana takes her to a local, hole-in-the-wall chili restaurant. As they share a spicy meal (which leaves Margarete flushed and reaching for water), the ice between them finally breaks. Hana softly admits that she became an idol entirely because of Margarete’s passion. Touched by Hana’s honesty and warmth, Margarete’s sharp exterior softens, and she begins to see Hana as a safe space where she doesn’t have to be perfect.
The Heart on Her Hip
Yuigaoka announces a school idol showcase. Because Margarete’s performances, while technically flawless, are feeling increasingly isolated and tense, Hana proposes something shocking: a one-time collaboration. The fusion of Margarete’s symphonic style and Hana’s emotional pop-ballad style is challenging to harmonize.
During an intense dance practice, Margarete accidentally gets a glimpse of the heart sticker on Hana’s hip. Flustered, Margarete asks about it, and Hana laughs, explaining it’s her charm point to remind herself to perform with all her heart. For the first time, Margarete confides her fears of failure and her desperate need to prove herself to her family. Hana comforts her, promising that she’ll always be her “Player Two.” When they take the stage, the performance is magical. Hana’s comforting presence allows Margarete to genuinely smile on stage, captivating the entire school.
Joining the Party
The success of their collaborative showcase leaves a lasting impact on Margarete. For the first time, she understands the warmth of singing beautifully with someone, rather than just using her voice as a weapon to defeat others. Recognizing this subtle but profound shift in the young girl from Vienna, Kanon Shibuya formally extends an invitation for Margarete to join Liella!. Tending to her remaining pride, and secretly worried about leaving Hana behind in the solo idol bracket, Margarete hesitates. She brings her dilemma to Hana’s bedroom during a gaming session. Without taking her eyes off the screen, Hana gently tells her that joining a larger “party” doesn’t mean she’s conceding defeat; it just means she’s leveling up. Hana happily assures Margarete that she prefers the solo route at her own relaxed pace, but promises to cheer her on as her friendly rival. With Hana’s unselfish push, Margarete finally lets go of her solitary crusade and joins Liella!.
Starting the Next Level
Time passes, and a new school year blossoms at Yuigaoka. Margarete is now a second-year and fully integrated into Liella!, while Hana has leveled up to a third-year. During Liella!‘s first major live show of the year, Hana is right in the front row, vigorously waving a pastel pink penlight to support her favorite girl. After the concert, Margarete pulls Hana away from the crowds and under the blooming sakura trees on the school grounds. No longer the isolated, haughty girl she was when she first arrived in Japan, Margarete confidently—though with a very flushed, tsundere face—declares that while her voice belongs to Liella!, her heart belongs to her “Player Two.”
Interactions
Liella!
As an independent solo idol in the same generation as Kinako and Mei, Hana is a beloved, albeit chaotic, regular around the Liella! clubroom. Whether she’s there to support her upperclassmen or tease her tsundere junior girlfriend, the group affectionately views her as an honorary member.
Natsumi
Seeing her classmate’s success as a streamer, Natsumi is constantly pitching “Oninut x Hana” streams. Hana happily agrees, usually offering up Margarete to play horror games because Margarete’s aristocratic rage-quitting brings in massive superchats for Natsumi.
Shiki & Mei
Hana and Shiki bond seamlessly over tech and gaming, often ignoring the noisy room to trade RPG strats. Meanwhile, Hana loves teasing her classmate Mei. Knowing Mei is a massive idol fangirl, Hana frequently points out how closely Mei watches Margarete. Getting teased by her peer while Margarete also gets flustered creates a “double tsundere” meltdown that Hana finds endlessly entertaining.
Kinako
Kinako initially assumed her pastel-pink classmate was just as soft, gentle, and sweet as her sakura idol motif implied. They frequently ate lunch together, with Kinako admiring Hana’s relaxed aura. That illusion was hilariously shattered the day Kinako watched in utter horror as Hana bought a limited-edition “Death Reaper Chili” ramen, drowned it in extra hot sauce, and ate it without breaking a sweat. Kinako now views her friend with a mix of absolute awe and slight, affectionate terror, always making sure to warn her “~ssu!” when the cafeteria food is too mild.
Kanon & Chisato
Hana deeply respects Kanon and Chisato as her seniors. Kanon, who originally struggled to break through Margarete’s incredibly thick walls when she first arrived from Vienna, is immensely grateful to Hana for finding a way to soften the stubborn junior’s heart. Chisato, ever the perceptive upperclassman, acts as Hana’s inside-woman—secretly texting her junior the practice schedules or giving her a heads-up if Margarete is having a frustrating day, ensuring Hana flawlessly drops by with spicy meat buns to calm Margarete down.
Sumire
As a senior who understands the harsh reality of the entertainment world, Sumire has genuine respect for her gutsy junior’s solo idol hustle. She frequently offers Hana unprompted (but surprisingly useful) “Galaxy” level stage direction, which Hana playfully incorporates into her gaming vocabulary.
Keke
Keke has never given up trying to recruit the talented junior into Liella!. Her go-to tactic is trying to bribe Hana with an after-practice trip for jumbo fluffy pancakes. Whenever Keke suggests this, Hana’s pastel-sweet demeanor drops, and she dramatically declares war on the concept of pastries. Margarete will step in, proudly grabbing her older girlfriend’s hand to lead her away to the chili restaurant instead, while Keke pouts.
Ren
Ren is an elegant, proper upperclassman, and Margarete assumes they are kindred, aristocratic spirits. However, Margarete is entirely unaware of her senior’s secret, intense fascination with video games. When Ren catches Hana playing a handheld console, she politely corners her junior for advice. Hana happily becomes Ren’s covert “gaming mentor.” Margarete is often deeply confused to find the dignified former Student Council President intensely leaning over Hana’s shoulder, asking very serious questions about leveling up and boss mechanics.
Tomari
As Margarete’s fellow first-year and Liella’s fiercely logical data analyst, Tomari cannot mathematically comprehend her upperclassman. On paper, the laid-back, spicy-food-eating gamer should not be compatible with her highly disciplined, aristocratic classmate. However, Tomari’s data doesn’t lie: Margarete’s vocal efficiency and stamina spike by over 200% on days when Hana is sitting in the auditorium. Tomari has essentially categorized Hana as an “essential performance-enhancing variable.” She occasionally approaches Hana with spreadsheets detailing exactly how many minutes of hand-holding is statistically optimal for Margarete’s pre-live routine, which leaves Hana in hysterics and Margarete blushing furiously.
Margarete
At School: The Teasing Upperclassman and the Flustered Star
Around the halls of Yuigaoka, their dynamic is a source of amusement for the rest of the students—especially the members of Liella!. Because Hana is completely unfazed by Margarete’s lingering “haughty prodigy” reputation, she treats her with a breezy, affectionate familiarity that constantly catches the younger girl off guard.
Hana has a habit of dropping by Liella!‘s practice room to drop off spicy meat buns or sports drinks. She’ll casually lean against the doorframe, flash the heart sticker on her hip, and call out a teasing compliment like, “Looking good out there, my favorite center!” This inevitably causes Margarete’s ears to turn bright pink. Margarete usually responds with classic tsundere deflection—crossing her arms and telling Hana not to interrupt practice—but Kanon and the others always notice the small, proud smile Margarete tries to hide once Hana leaves. In return, Margarete is Hana’s strictest (and most devoted) fan, frequently dragging Hana into empty music rooms to help her perfect her vocal control for her solo ballad releases, refusing to let her “Player Two” slack off.
Just the Two of Them: Player One and Player Two
When they are alone, usually in Hana’s pastel-pink bedroom, the loud world of school idols fades away. Their private time is delightfully domestic and a harsh contrast to Margarete’s strict, aristocratic upbringing.
Margarete has mostly given up on trying to take Hana on fancy, traditional cafe dates. She knows better than to suggest pancakes (a word that is practically outlawed in Hana’s presence). Instead, their dates consist of hole-in-the-wall spicy food restaurants. To her own surprise, Margarete has actually built up a decent spice tolerance, though she still quietly keeps a glass of milk nearby just in case. After eating, they usually camp out in front of Hana’s console. Despite her incredible talents in music, Margarete is terrible at video games. She gets intensely competitive and easily frustrated, which makes Hana laugh fondly as she effortlessly carries them through co-op campaigns, reminding Margarete to “just breathe.”
The Romance: Tiptoes, Tsunderes, and Reaching for Love
Their romance is built on a hilarious and endearing physical dynamic, largely fueled by the fact that despite being the older student, Hana is about 6cm shorter than Margarete. Hana is incredibly secure and casual with her affection, while Margarete’s aristocratic upbringing makes her immensely easily flustered by public displays of romance.
This usually results in a very specific, repeated scenario around Yuigaoka or the streets of Shibuya. Whenever Hana feels playful, she’ll step into Margarete’s personal space, look up with a sweet smile, and push up onto her tiptoes to initiate a kiss. Panic immediately flashes in Margarete’s eyes. Desperate to maintain her cool, “untouchable” image in public, Margarete will stiffen up, stand at her absolute maximum height, and literally tilt her head back just out of Hana’s reach, blushing furiously as she stammers, “A-Absolutely not! We are in public, Ryujin!”
Hana usually just laughs, completely unbothered, and settles for grabbing Margarete’s hand instead. Margarete might grumble about it, but her grip on Hana’s hand is always incredibly tightly woven.
But the second they are alone in Hana’s pastel-pink bedroom, the dynamic completely flips. Stripped of the public eye, Margarete drops the haughty prodigy act and reveals just how much she secretly craved that affection all day.
Behind closed doors, Margarete initiates everything. The pent-up need for closeness takes over, and she uses her height advantage not to run away, but to completely monopolize the shorter upperclassman. If Hana tries to sit down and boot up a video game, Margarete won’t hesitate to pluck the controller right out of her hands, pull Hana into her lap, and finally lean down to capture her lips with intense, sudden affection. Margarete cashes in on every single kiss she dodged in the school hallways, clinging to Hana with a soft, needy desperation that she would die before showing anyone else.
Hana absolutely loves this secret side of her. She’ll happily pause her game and wrap her arms around Margarete’s neck, gently stroking her hair to soothe the younger girl’s leftover school anxieties. It’s a perfect balance: Hana confidently pushes Margarete’s boundaries in the light, and Margarete unapologetically claims Hana’s heart in the quiet.
Love for them is a mix of playful teasing over who is taller, sharing spicy food, and knowing exactly when the other needs to be held.
Hotaru
Hotaru is Hana’s classmate — a fellow second-year who arrived at the solo idol path with the same quiet intent Hana recognises from her own life, aimed just as precisely at one specific person. Hana spotted it about two weeks before the showcase, sitting down next to Hotaru at a Liella! practice and glancing at the sketchbook she’d been filling, then saying — without particular ceremony — that Kinako was going to be completely blindsided. Hotaru had said yeah, probably and kept drawing. The conversation ended there, and they’ve been friends ever since.
What Hana appreciates about Hotaru is that she doesn’t need anything explained. The underlying logic — find someone, watch until you know exactly what to say, say it — is something they share without having to compare notes. Hana’s version involved significantly more chaos and several accidental arcade visits; Hotaru’s was quieter and considerably better-documented. The difference in method doesn’t matter. On slow evenings, Hotaru sits in Hana’s room and draws while Hana games, and the silence between them is the kind that only happens when the other person already understands your whole strategy.