Kiyoharu comes from a family with strong ties to ballroom dancing, particularly through his mother, Chizuru Hyoudou, a former dance champion and one of the instructors at the Ogasawara Dance Studio. Under her rigorous training, Kiyoharu began dancing from a young age and rapidly rose through the junior competitive ranks.

As a child prodigy in the ballroom world, Kiyoharu was paired early on with Shizuku Hanaoka, and the two trained intensively under the Ogasawaras. Their partnership earned them acclaim in youth competitions, and they were widely expected to dominate the professional scene in the future.

Kiyoharu is tall and lean, with a slender, athletic build that suits the elegance of ballroom dance. He has dark eyes, short black hair, and a calm, stoic expression that rarely reveals his emotions. His posture is near-perfect, reflecting years of disciplined training.

During competitions, Kiyoharu wears traditional ballroom tail suits, carrying himself with poise and grace. His refined appearance and quiet demeanor make him a standout both on and off the dance floor.

Kiyoharu is often perceived as cold, focused, and emotionally distant, rarely engaging in idle conversation or showing outward signs of vulnerability. However, beneath his composed exterior lies a dancer who is deeply passionate and fiercely committed to his art. He expresses himself almost exclusively through dancing, where his emotions and intensity are on full display.

Though competitive, Kiyoharu is not driven by arrogance. He seeks excellence and artistry in dance and respects those who share his dedication. He can be sharp-tongued and brutally honest, especially when evaluating others, but he ultimately wants his peers to improve and succeed.

His relationship with Shizuku and rivalry with Tatara reveal deeper layers of his character his struggle with injury, fear of inadequacy, and desire to remain at the top.

• Tatara’s Idol and Rival
  Kiyoharu is introduced as a rising star in the world of competitive ballroom dance and serves as Tatara’s first inspiration to take up dancing. Tatara is captivated by Kiyoharu’s poise and power on the dance floor, and this fascination becomes the spark for his own journey.

• Injury and Temporary Withdrawal
  Partway through the story, Kiyoharu suffers a serious injury, forcing him to step away from competitions. During his absence, Tatara is invited to partner with Shizuku for an upcoming competition, setting the stage for a symbolic passing of the torch and eventual rivalry. Despite being sidelined, Kiyoharu continues to observe and evaluate Tatara, offering rare moments of advice and critique. His return to dance later in the story is marked by renewed fire, aiming not just to regain his status, but to challenge Tatara and surpass his own limits.