Sakura’s perception of other characters
When Sakura thinks about the people he loves, he thinks of them as a collective. People he wants to spend the rest of his days with. A community that he wants to protect. Which is why he strives to be the top of Furin: to properly ensure that goal.
There are numerous panels of Sakura’s friends all coupled up together, looking at him with smiles on their faces. They’re concrete proof that he’s accepted unconditionally, when prior to Makochi all he’s ever known is instantaneous rejection.
In tandem, the people around Sakura are influenced by him. It isn’t just Sakura’s role as a main character that lets him have such an impact on other characters, it’s a show of mutual acceptance. The people in Makochi/Furin have changed Sakura, so Sakura likewise reciprocates that sentiment. Multiple individuals have had their views change and even lives improve due to Sakura.
But that brings up the question: Does Sakura acknowledge the individualities in the community he adores?
The short answer is yes, obviously, but it is a much more subconscious process. Consciously, Sakura has done it… once. When he thinks about his friend’s individual traits, Sakura only lists their ‘less favorable’ characteristics (with the slight exception of Kiryu, as he didn’t know him well at the tome). But he then immediately contrasts that with the following page: despite their ‘shortcomings’, Sakura still cherishes his friends. They’re all good people. It’s his community, as a whole. Sakura wanted to protect them, which is why he ultimately decided to go with Endo. But conversely, he never considered the feelings of his friends. That they don’t see Sakura the same way he sees himself.
It’s in this amalgamation of individual characters into one, collective community that allows Sakura to fall into this heuristic. Aside from his insecurities and trauma, of course. Yes, they all value Sakura, but they have different viewpoints and differing relationships with him. Because every person is unique—no two are the exact same. Throughout the manga however, Sakura hasn’t quite regarded each person in his community on an individual level. In the forefront, they nearly morph into one singular entity to Sakura.
Though there is one exception to this: Umemiya.
Sakura sees Umemiya as an ideal. A cookie-cutter example on what it means to be the top. Since Sakura wants that position too, he analyzes and observes Ume’s behavior. As such, he thinks he must emulate Umemiya in order to be a good leader.
But Togame says it himself: A Sakura can never be an Ume. Sakura will have to forge his own ideals instead of copying Umemiya’s stratagem. After all, they are different people, and the circumstances that contributed to Ume becoming the top of Furin are wholly different from the schools situation in the present.
Throughout his all struggles, Sakura used to forget one key detail: Umemiya was given the title of leader. And with how much Sakura’s friends and outer circle support him, he’s sure to rise to the top. But even when they directly declare their dedication, Sakura still felt uneasy before he eventually spoke with Togame. He eventually did realize why he wanted to lead Furin: it properly lets him protect those he cares about. And in time Sakura stops fixating on Ume, and focuses how to forge strong connections with people both inside and outside his social circle.
And out of everyone in that room, who was the first person to give Sakura an actual leeway to become a leader?
Of course, everyone else wound up agreeing that Sakura should be their class captain. But if Suo didn’t wholly believe in Sakura and took initiative to nominate him, then the latter would’ve never gotten that position. Even Nirei and Kotoha initially doubted Sakura’s goal to be the top. Heck, the thought of even volunteering for a position of leadership never occurred to Sakura, because he thought his ideals were empty like Tomiyama’s—in other words, a lack of self confidence. He wanted to take the top to prove his strength, without understanding the true responsibilities of a leader. Even so, the people around him still accept him. And within that sea, the person who helped grant that opportunity just so happened to be a part of it.
This isn’t the only thing Suo has done to help hone Sakura’s leadership skills. He encourages Sakura, gives him well-worded advice that bridges Sakura to his community, and most of all Suo teaches Sakura how to fight with others instead of separately. Aside from Sakura’s ideal, Ume, and his senpai Kaji, Suo has arguably helped Sakura advance toward his dream the most. He doesn’t even have the virtue of being an experienced leader in Furin High (at least), Suo did all of this out of his own will.
But Sakura… doesn’t really acknowledge this. He’s thought about Umemiya multiple times, and it is Kaji’s advice that allows him to work through his fear of rejection, but Sakura hasn’t thought about Suo’s role in his life at all. There is only an implicit, unspoken mutual trust between them.
And even so, it's other characters that directly highlight the trust between Sakura and Suo. Nothing has been said by Sakura himself.
Because even if Sakura doesn’t judge a book by its cover, he has always had a problem with generalizing and assuming. Tsugeura is rambunctious, is he really strong? Kanji and Umemiya are powerful, so everyone at the top must be the same. Nirei is physically weak, which means his personality is naturally meek.
This is most evident when Sakura thinks of the people that have wronged him. They’re featureless and confrontative. Of course, Sakura doesn’t need to offer grace to those who’ve abused him. They’ve all hurt Sakura in some way or another, so they’re all the same in the end. But this lends itself to Sakura subconsciously applying the same heuristic to those he loves. Supposedly, they all care for and support Sakura the exact same amount. Even if Suo has contributed the most direct support (aside from Sakura’s upperclassmen), even more so than Nirei I’d argue, he is still just one person amongst a community.
It’s why Sakura is scared of seeing Suo now. He thought that everyone would be with him forever, so seeing one of those friends in his ‘everyone’ abandon him without even a goodbye shatters Sakura’s world. Sakura assumed he knew Suo well, which is why he didn’t think about him individualistically. Now he can only fear the person he once trusted the most.
But if Sakura properly about it, if he moved a little past his current (understandable) distrust and fears, he can realize that Suo has always been by his side. Their relationship did mean something to the both of them. It was Suo who declared that he wanted to support Sakura to the best of his ability after all.
In the upcoming chapter, I think Sugishita will tell Sakura that he’s taken Suo for granted, or something along those lines. After all, Suo was the one that helped him and Sakura work together despite their animosity. He too is wholly aware of Suo’s capabilities.
Likewise, Sugishita has drilled into Sakura's head about being more mindful, as shown in Noroshi where he reminds Sakura of his goal and Umemiya’s words. Speaking of which, Sugishita is able to articulate why Umemiya is so important to him (hence Sugi’s unwavering devotion), but can Sakura do the same for his relationship with Suo? He certainly hasn’t up to this point, but only time will tell.
Additionally, I think this may be what Nii-sensei meant when they said Suo’s arc will be important for Sakura’s development. Maybe he might start acknowledging the people in his community on a more individualistic level, being able to name why each person is important to Sakura. And Suo will be the first step towards that goal. Like he always has been.
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