Nikkō (Keyholders’ Legacy)
Oh, goodness, this little guy is the very definition of the “strong friend” – there when Kaori and Hideo need him, at the drop of a hat, even when he’s not feeling well or when he’s hurting, himself, with a smile. He may just be a kid, but he tries to shoulder a lot between taking over Keyholder duties, loneliness from moving to a new home literally worlds away from what he’s used to, culture shock, and bullying at school. He believes he has to be strong to protect his father’s Air Key. So when he’s asked if something’s troubling him, he’ll just smile and say he’s okay – but maybe be a little clingy because he hates being alone even if he says otherwise.

Hikaru (Dreamer)
Typically one to try to make his friends smile with his bag of tricks or friendly quips, Hikaru has an uphill battle of it when he’s dealing with the stress of being on the run with a guy who can frustrate the heck out of him. He does what he can to help Haru take care of himself, but Haru doesn’t always listen to his advice. There are even times when Haru gets so scared of what could happen that he pushes Hikaru away. That’s when Hikaru hits his limit and lashes out. He actually gets insecure pretty easily because he doesn’t have anywhere to go, either, and he’s afraid of losing the one place he can come back to. So, he’ll sometimes snap and say things he doesn’t mean when he’s frustrated; but he’ll usually patch things up quickly once he cools down.

Hikari (Search for the Sky)
Expert at dodging, deflecting and running away, Hikari is a master escapist with many a hidden landmine. He’s generally the type to laugh things off with a grin, to the point where he could even be considered a bit of an air-head. But his past is a hot button he’d prefer to leave buried and run away from forever. Much to Joel’s frustration and ire, asking Hikari anything about his past will only get vague, beat-around-the-bush responses if not flat-out lies or something completely out of left field. Pushed too hard, Hikari can become verbally combative or even physically aggressive at a second’s notice. His sudden mood swings can really throw Joel and Michi for a loop, especially when he’s risking his neck for them the next second. This strong friend needs a lot of help.

Shay (Pet Projects)
Despite being trained as a fighting machine and not having much in the way of loving support growing up, Shay surprisingly has the healthiest way to deal with stress – she talks it out. She tends to internalize a lot too because of being raised in an environment that prioritized physical strength over all else; but when her pent-up feelings become too much of a weight on her, she goes to a good listener (namely Tristan) and calmly lays everything out from A to Z. Sometimes just saying it aloud is enough for her to purge her negative emotions, and other times, she needs feedback from someone she trusts.