Hajime Aono

= "There's never been anything I desperately strive for apart from the violin..." = ~Hajime to Nao in Chater 30

Hajime Aono (青野一, Aono Hajime) is a middle schooler (in the beginning of the series) who dropped violin due to personal reasons. Upon meeting Ritsuko Akine in this last year of middle school, he picks his violin back up again. He not is currently attending Umimaku High School as a first violinist veteran.

Appearance
Hajime is a 16-year old boy of average height. He has dark blue hair with bangs which covers his right eye and rather small, dark blue eyes. He has a slim body and a rather weak physical stamina (he is not good at athletics). He often wears his school uniform with the 1st year tie and blazer.

Personality
Hajime was a reserved, rather gloomy loner during middle school. He wasn't a real fan of getting sweaty in gym and never really interacted much with other boys his age (possibly due to the fact that he is sort of an introvert). However upon meeting Ritsuko Akine   others, he starts to show his kind, caring side and begins to open up more. He is generally a person who analyses things from a down-to-earth perspective but has a sensitive soul as well. He appears to be a passionate, hard-working musician, always trying to find ways to improve his music and playing. He doesn't always prefer to be around people which shows his independent side and will often find a quiet, empty place to practise on his own. When playing the violin, he can get aggressively wild and he easily draws attention to his unique sound.

He loves his violin and will continue to play even until he can no longer feel the strings (his fingers feel numb)-he even takes practise up till midnight.

History
Aono has been playing the violin ever since he was a little boy, mostly due to the influence of his father, Ryuji Aono, a famous violinist in Japan. He won many music competitions, which was extraordinary for a player of his age. However, after his dad cheated on Aono's mom with another woman and decided to leave them, Aono decided to drop violin lessons, packed his violin away, and made the decision to never touch that instrument ever again. One school day during middle school, he incidentally heard the sound of a violin being played (rather unprofessionally) in the school hall somewhere. He wondered about this but didn't want to get involved with it, so he ignored the music. However, the sound of the violin being played so badly irked him and he began to grow irritated and annoyed that some kid his age was out there playing "his" violin. After getting a nosebleed during gym, he was taking a rest in the school infirmary, when he woke up suddenly to the sound of the same awful violin playing. That's when he met Akine and from then on, he was eventually encouraged to take up the violin again. At first he refused-he just couldn't bring himself to play his father's instrument. But through the help of his teacher and Akine, he finally began to play again. He now has entered high school and is a 1st violin veteran in the Umimaku Orchestra Club.

Relationships
Ritsuko Akine        -                       Aono and Akine met (incidentally) due to Akine's awful violin playing. The two didn't like each other at first and often would squabble with each other, however it was Akine's sound that saved Aono (stated by Aono himself) and it was because of her that he was able to move forward and pick up his violin once more. The two have a very special bond together-Akine being the more outgoing and energetic of the two, but Aono being the more experienced and skilled violinist. Akine will often go over to Aono's house to practise and get tutoring from him and she sits right behind him in class. Akine deeply cares for Aono and will look out for him when he needs help. Aono encourages Akine and admires her desire to learn the violin. The two are both in the Orchestra Club as 1st years and it is heavily implied that they have begun growing romantic feelings towards each other.

Nao Saeki                    -                            Both Aono and Saeki are the only 1st year violin veterans who are male in the Umimaku Orchestra Club. They have a friendly rivalry and both strive to become better than the other-they compete for 1st chair. Aono was astounded by Saeki's skill when he first met him. The two played a duet together and found it was fun and exciting to play with each other. Aono gets annoyed often with Saeki during practises for zoning out and often will scold him. The two have grown a friendship along with a motivational competitive relationship and they appear to actually get along with each other. They both love their music and will practise together on a regular basis. It is revealed, however, that Saeki was actually Aono's half-brother all along, but was hesitant to tell him. This causes Aono to go in shock and he breaks down, telling Saeki that he wished he had never come to Japan. Saeki feels responsible for all the trouble Aono has gone through with his father and reveals to Aono the guilt that he feels. Aono, though, demands that Saeki tell him what he really wants and Saeki gets emotional and replies that he wants to play with Aono. The two make up and Aono tells Saeki he is sorry. After the two now realise their blood connection with each other, they begin to become closer friends and they maintain a good relationship.



Haru Kozakura           -           Aono doesn't remember Haru from when they were kids at the music competition together, but the two still have become friends and both are 1st violin veterans in the orchestra. Haru will sometimes sit next to Aono as his partner during practise and Aono comes to know that he finds it easier to sync with her playing more than Saeki's. Aono knows that Haru is a shy girl who gets nervous easily but is completely oblivious to her romantic feelings toward him. He protects her like a big brother and will often go out of his way to talk to her.

Harada Sou          -                       Aono first saw Harada during the opening day and immediately noticed his playing as a the concertmaster who stood out form the other violinists. He greatly respects Harada as his upperclassman and wants to become just like him. Harada is amazed with Aono's skill in the violin and will often encourage him.

Quotes

 * “Merely four strings. The sound that can be related from them... grabs me and doesn’t let me go. Now and then, I looks back... on the time when I... used to love that sound...”
 * (Describing Ritsuko) “-For a moment... I was dazzled. It may have been the setting sun... but that girl looked so radiant...”

Trivia

 * Hajime is not the best at sports (in fact he hates P.E.)
 * Other then the violin, he like the piano very much.
 * He likes using instrument emojis.
 * Rainy season is not his favourite time of the year.
 * He gets bad grades in school.

Gallery




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