Ichiyou Tsukishima

Ichiyou is responsible, perceptive and strongly maternal toward her younger sisters. She handles cooking, household routines and much of the practical work that keeps the Tsukishima family functioning.

She also has a sharper side, particularly when someone behaves badly around the family's businesses. As she grows older, that temper becomes less prominent and her calm, observant nature comes to the foreground.

Ichiyou is particularly good at recognizing feelings that the younger characters struggle to articulate. She understands Kou and Aoba well enough to notice emotional tensions that they themselves prefer to avoid discussing.

Ichiyou is a capable cook and prepares much of the food served at Clover Café. Her Napolitan is particularly popular, and she manages café work alongside her college studies and household responsibilities.

Her strengths are domestic and interpersonal rather than athletic. She is not established as a competitive baseball player, although living beside the batting center and around baseball players makes the sport part of her everyday environment.

Ichiyou anchors the Tsukishima household while the younger characters move through school, baseball and changing relationships. She provides stability at home and frequently becomes someone Kou or her sisters can speak to without the pressures present among their peers.

Her own storyline develops through Junpei Azuma, whose straightforward interest in her gradually becomes a serious relationship. She eventually tells him that she will marry him if Seishuu reaches Koshien, while privately admitting that she intends to marry him regardless of the team's result.

The two ultimately marry, joining the Tsukishima and Azuma families.

Seiji Tsukishima is Ichiyou's father, with whom she helps maintain the household and family businesses.

Youko Tsukishima is Ichiyou's mother. Her loss leaves Ichiyou carrying many maternal responsibilities for her younger sisters while she is still young herself.

Wakaba Tsukishima, Aoba Tsukishima and Momiji Tsukishima are Ichiyou's younger sisters, and she frequently acts as the practical caregiver of the household.

Kou Kitamura is treated by Ichiyou like another younger brother. She knows Kou Kitamura well enough to recognize when his casual behavior conceals stronger feelings.

Junpei Azuma becomes Ichiyou's serious romantic partner. Although she sometimes struggles to state her feelings as openly as Junpei Azuma does, their relationship ultimately leads to marriage.

Yuuhei Azuma is the younger brother of Junpei Azuma and becomes connected to Ichiyou through both baseball and her relationship with his brother.