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Onodera Ritsu, a literary editor, resigns from his father's publishing company, due to his coworkers' jealousy of his success, claiming that he is simply riding his father's coattails. He applies for a position at Marukawa Publishing, but instead of his preferred department of literature he is placed in the infamous shōjo manga department, Emerald. He initially considers resigning, especially because he finds his new boss, Masamune Takano, intolerable and unnerving from the very beginning; however, Takano inadvertently convinces Onodera to stick with the job by calling him "useless," his pride forcing him to stay in order to prove his worth. Later, Onodera learns that Takano's old family name was Saga, an older schoolmate from high school that Ritsu fell in love with and confessed to.
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Ritsu Onodera (小野寺 律 Onodera Ritsu)
Ritsu is a 25-year-old jaded literary editor. He is the only son of the head of Onodera Publication and previously worked at his father's company in the literature department. Hearing his fellow co-workers accusing him of only getting ahead because of his father's influence, he decides to show that he can be successful on his own by going to work at Marukawa Publishing. After being hurt by his first love in high school when he was 15, Ritsu vowed to never fall in love again. His resolve is tested, however, when he is reunited with the boy he once loved. Now very much a man and his new boss, things get very complicated for Ritsu. And now he must figure out his feelings while also juggling his career and seduction from his former first love and new boss. At his previous job, he was an editor in charge of Akihiko Usami as well as Ryouichi Sumi, father of Misaki's friend Keiichi Sumi (all from Junjo Romantica).
Masamune Takano (高野 政宗 Takano Masamune)
Formerly known as Masamune Saga, before his parents divorced in high school and his mother remarried. He is the editor-in-chief of the Emerald department at Marukawa, and is sometimes referred to as "the capable". He and Ritsu were once in a brief relationship in high school but split up over a misunderstanding, where they both thought each other was wrong. It is revealed that he later had a breakdown from the break-up, family problems, and other personal issues, which in turn left him with unresolved feelings for Ritsu. When both he and Ritsu realize who each other are, he promises Ritsu he will make him fall in love with him again, much to Ritsu's contempt. In Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi: Takano Masamune no Baai (lit. Masamune Takano's Case), the reader sees Takano's perspective on his and Ritsu's first meeting and romantic development.
An Kohinata (小日向 杏 Kohinata An)
Ritsu's childhood friend and his fiancée, due to an agreement their parents made when the two were kids. However, Ritsu does not view her as his fiancée. Sweet, polite and sensitive, An has deep feelings towards him, despite being rejected by Ritsu (whom she calls 'Ricchan') when she confessed her love. She discovered the bond between Masamune and Ritsu and encouraged Ritsu to do his best, while telling Masamune she will not forgive him if he hurts Ritsu.
Chiaki Yoshino (吉野 千秋 Yoshino Chiaki)
Chiaki Yoshino is a 28 year old shōjo manga artist known as Chiharu Yoshikawa (a female name). His editor in-charge is Yoshiyuki Hatori, who is also his childhood friend. His two best friends are Hatori and Yanase, but the lines between friendship and love begin to blur after a number of confusing incidents. Chiaki begins to question his feelings for Hatori after not only witnessing him and Yanase together in what he thinks is a kiss; then Hatori kisses him one night. Chiaki begins to realize he has to confront his true feelings or risk losing them both.
Yoshiyuki Hatori (羽鳥 芳雪 Hatori Yoshiyuki)
Hatori, also known as Tori, is 28 years old and an editor in the Emerald department. Although in the beginning he is serious and reserved, we later learn that he has harbored both deep and secret feelings for his childhood friend Chiaki. After kissing him and confessing his love, Hatori pulls away fearing that Chiaki doesn't feel the same, but instead loves his rival, Yanase. Although Chiaki does somewhat have the same feelings, unbeknownst to Tori.
Yuu Yanase (柳瀬 優 Yanase Yuu)
Chief assistant for mangaka Yoshino Chiaki. Hatori and Chiaki both came to know Yuu when they were in junior high. An immediate tension is visible between Hatori and Yanase. It isn't until later that it is discovered that both are vying for the love of Chiaki.
Shōta Kisa (木佐 翔太 Kisa Shōta)
Kisa is a fellow editor in the Emerald department, and because of his looks he is mistaken for being much younger than his true age of 30. He considers himself gay and has never been in a serious relationship; he doesn't think himself capable of being in one because of his tendency to fall in love for only good looks without knowing a guy's personality. Because of this, he immediately questions his feelings for Kou and doesn't hold out much hope for a relationship with him. His mentality can be described by his line: "love at first sight works well enough in manga, but this is reality."
Kō Yukina (雪名 皇 Yukina Kō)
Yukina is a 21-year-old clerk in charge of the shōjo manga section at the bookstore Marimo Books. He's been aware of Kisa coming in to watch him, but when he finds out Kisa is the editor behind all of his favorite works he begins to develop feelings for him, though he considered himself straight prior to then. He's willing to fight to make Kisa understand that what they feel for each other is real and that Kisa is able to actually fall in love.
Takafumi Yokozawa (横澤隆史 Yokozawa Takafumi)
Yokozawa works in the sales department at Marukawa. He is friends with and had a physical relationship with Takano when they were both in college. It's also common knowledge in the publishing world that he helped Takano get into publishing and get his position at Marukawa. He is seriously jealous of and resents Ritsu, blaming him for "screwing up" Takano. He often warns Ritsu away from Takano, even going as far as proclaiming Takano is his. He has his own side story called Takafumi Yokozawa No Baii(Takafumi Yokozawa Case) about his new love interest, Kirishima, and him handling his rejection by Takano.
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