When Ryuko Kiwatamura moves back to Tokyo from New Jersey, he has trouble finding his place in a high school where kids follow social norms he is not used to. The only person in his class who seems genuinely interested in getting to know him is the bookish Mai, and her best friend: the reserved, but surprisingly outspoken boy, Kai Kumisaki.

While Ryuko is outgoing and social, Kai is reluctant to open up to people after a painful break up and gossiping classmates. Even though the two boys seem to be polar opposites at first, they find themselves gravitating towards each other and slowly realize that they have more in common than either of them have expected.

The Way Things Are follows the friendship and eventual slow-burn romance of a gay boy and a demisexual boy throughout their high school years.

Meet The Characters

Ryuko Kiwatamura - 18 / M / gay

black hair, dark brown/almost black eyes

birthday: July, Leo

likes: cute boys, parties, meeting new people, cooking, late night talks, people who remember the small things, straightforwardness, feeling seen, spontaneous trips, sightseeing, concerts, kpop, karaoke, flirting, coffee shops, good vibes, cooking

dislikes: being alone, bullies, Sato (seriously, fck that guy)

As a true extrovert you will rarely find Ryu without company. While he loves being in the center of attention he craves real connections based on trust and communication. Ryu spent his formative years in the US with his uncle. He currently lives in the boys’ dormitory.

Kaito Kumisaki - 17 / M / ~~straight~~ demisexual

brown, messy hair, dark blue eyes

birthday: October, Libra

likes: romcoms (the cheesier the better), quiet walks in nature, thoughtful gestures, stargazing, openness, vulnerability, baking, journaling, earnest people, honesty, quality time with loved ones, listening to music

dislikes: crowds, Sato, mixed signals, drama

Kai might come off a bit standoffish at first but the truth is he just prefers honest and straightforward communication. Secrectly a romantic at heart, he loves reading romance novels and enthuse about them with his best friend. He is from the countryside near Gifu/Takayama, during the school year he lives in the boys’ dormitory and visits his family once a month.

Mai Shizuka - 17 / F / straight (ace??)

Mai is a quiet, shy girl who prefers chatting about books with her best friend, Kai or writing. While she can keep her social anxities in check when it comes to her class, suddenly being appointed the president of her book club might be too much for her to handle. Born and raised in Tokyo, Mai lives with her parents. She has an older brother who goes to university and rarely visits home.

Ashley Aikawa - 18 / F /

Ashley is currently enjoying her school exchange program at the United Kingdom. Could things get any better? Although she has no worries in life she sometimes wonders if she has anything waiting for her once she returns to graduate high school in Japan.

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