Sano Izumi

Sano Izumi is one of the protagonist in Hanazakari no Kimitachi E. He is the guy that Mizuki Ashiya likes and an excellent high jumper. He finds out that Mizuki is a girl early in the series, but does not tell anyone else and actually becomes very protective of her secret. Before Mizuki came to Japan, Sano had been injured in an accident when he saved his team captain from being hit by a car, causing him to quit high jumping for a while because he thought that he couldn't handle the pressure. But thanks to Mizuki's deal with her brother (Sano had to jump while her brother was in Japan, or Mizuki would have to come home), he was able to try again and was given a second chance to high jump. Sano falls in love with Mizuki, but cannot tell her because Mizuki thinks that if Sano found out her secret, she would have to leave. In the last chapter, he followed Mizuki to California, pursuing both his college and high jump career at UC Berkeley. He eventually is able to confess and even proposes to her in the special chapter. He originally never got along with his father or younger brother Shin, however with Mizuki's help, he does end up reconciling with them.