Natsuko Usami (宇佐見 夏子, Usami Natsuko) is a supporting character in the Junjou Romantica series. She is the wife of Fuyuhiko, mother to Akihiko, stepmother to Haruhiko, and aunt of Kaoruko. She isn’t introduced until later in the manga when Misaki bumps into her at the train station with Kaoruko and Mizuki.
Personality[]
Prior to her first appearance, Natsuko's personality is only told through her family members, with her being a cold and imposing woman. She has a rough relationship with her husband Fuyuhiko Usami due to their marriage being primarily for their families' benefits and wealth, not out of love, and because Fuyuhiko was in love with Haruhiko Usami's mother. Because of her tough upbringing due to being a heiress of Usami family, Natsuko doesn't show her emotion, and treated both her biological son Akihiko Usami and stepson Haruhiko coldly and was equally distant to both of them. Her niece Kaoruko Usami being one of the few people that can communicate and understand her properly.
After her meeting with her son's boyfriend Misaki Takahashi, it is revealed that she does care for her son Akihiko and has always been collecting all of his literature and interview, but is unable to express her emotion properly. She also secretly wants to end the Usami family line, so that Akihiko would be free to live his own life without having to be bound to the family's legacy. Misaki's interaction with Natsuko has since slowly helped Natsuko to be more true to herself.
Etymology[]
- The name Natsuko means "summer" (夏) (natsu) and "child" (子) (ko).
- Natsuko's surname Usami means "eaves, roof, house, heaven" (宇) (u), "help, aid" (佐) (sa) and "see, hopes, chances, idea, opinion, look at, visible" (見) (mi).