Makiko Hayase

Makiko Hayase (早瀬 真樹子 Hayase Makiko) is a young schoolgirl who lives with her parents in a small town. During the events of Shinichi Izumi's trip, she starts having a crush on him. Her family owns the Namiki Inn, in which Shinichi stayed at for a few days.

Appearance
Makiko is an average sized teenage girl with brown eyes and brown hair, which she keeps in a loose ponytail. She is often seen wearing her school uniform.

Personality
Makiko is a cheery young girl who quickly takes a liking to Shinichi Izumi and she is very helpful as seen when she walked Shinichi to the hospital to see his dad, and even chased Shinichi down to make sure he took the correct way to the coastline.

She is also independent and somewhat rebellious, as seen when she skipped school and rode a ferry on her own to go shopping.

Plot
Makiko is first seen boarding the same boat as Shinichi Izumi when he goes to see his hospitalized father. She notices one of her teachers, Terai, and ducks past Shinichi. On the ferry, Terai and his friend sit down behind Makiko, prompting her to move to sit beside Shinichi and contemplate pretending that they're a couple if needed.

She then wonders why he looks so sad, and he asks if she's also from Sakurasaki, then asks if she knows where the Sakurazaki Hospital is. She says yes. The other teacher comes up and asks if she's one of their students, which she poorly denies. The teacher goes back to tell Terai, and Makiko hurriedly begs Shinichi to hide something she had skipped school to buy in his bag. He agrees apathetically.

Terai then walks up, asking what she's doing on the ferry when she's supposed to be at school. He looks in her bag and sees her uniform, recognizing that she must have also lied to her parents. Terai demands to know how Shinichi knows Makiko, which they both deny, and he tells Shinichi to stay away from his students, then and slaps Makiko when she argues with him. After a dismissive comment from Shinichi, he tries to take his bag to check it too and Shinichi stands and yells at him, frightening him off.

On land, Shinichi hands back the item to Makiko, who says she's never seen Terai back down before. She directs him to the hospital, which neighbors her house, and asks if he has a place to stay, to which he states that he planned to stay at the hospital. She then leaves.

In the hospital, Kazuyuki tells Shinichi he should stay at a hotel. Shinichi concedes, but is unable to find a hotel close enough to stay in Migi's parasite detection range that will accept him without parents or a reservation. He finally enters a small inn where Makiko's mother greets him. Makiko shows up and presumably convinces her to let him stay.

When she comes upstairs to tell him his dinner is ready, he realizes he can hear her footsteps through the walls due to his improved senses. The next morning, she comments on his improved complexion.

Makiko's mother soon asks how long he plans to stay. When Makiko comes home, she asks if he's around, which causes her mother concern. At night, Makiko's family discuss him sitting in front of the hospital as if he's standing guard and wonder if he's a yakuza member. Her brother teases her for having a crush on him.

The next day at the hospital, Makiko comes to sit next to him and tells him the package she'd had him hold on the ferry was for a popular boy in her school. She asks if he has a girlfriend. Migi awakens, and he leaves for a walk with Makiko. While chatting, she pulls up his shirt and sees the scar on his back which he hurriedly hides.

Migi then warns him of a parasite near the harbor. He asks Makiko for directions and charges off halfway through. She tries to follow him to warn about a turn before the seawall, but is unable to catch up to him due to his sheer speed. As Makiko finally catches up where he's stopped in front of the wall, she tries to tell him which way to turn, only for him to jump straight over it. She walks around it looking for him after he's left with Mamoru Uda.

A few days later, Shinichi asks Makiko if he looks human and he is relieved when she says he does. Annoyed at his crypticness, she asks what's wrong and why he looks so sad at times, then she leaves in irritation.

Once he and Uda managed to kill the parasite they were awaiting, he thanks Makiko's family for everything and goes to pick up his father with Makiko walking with him on the way. She asks if he did what he came to do and he tells her yes. She tells him to come again some day, which he tries to deny and she refuses to hear before she then tells him goodbye as he enters the hospital.

Etymology

 * The name Makiko means "real, genuine" (真) (ma), "tree" (樹) (ki) and "child" (子) (ko).
 * Makiko's surname Hayase means "already, now, fast, early" (早) (haya) and "swift current, rapids" (瀬) (se).