Becoming My Dream Pharmacist: Hikata's Dream?

Hikata Yakasuke lives by a single, desperate rule: Laughter Saves. His constant jokes are a frantic mask, hiding the truth of his past: a childhood shattered by poverty, the gruesome murder of his parents by his own brother, Hakurage, and the profound shame of surviving. Hikata's mother taught him that a joke is the only way to cover up the gaping wound, believing that confession will only lead to isolation and death. At Seiho High, Hikata's toxic formula of forced cheer is working—until he meets Akio Hukitaske. Akio, the blue-haired transfer student with piercing violet eyes, isn't fooled. A clinical genius and future Pharmacist-Hero from a regressed version of himself, Akio sees Hikata not as a person, but as a "highly reactive compound" on the verge of emotional collapse. Akio delivers a devastating diagnosis: "Every joke is an apology for the weight you carry." Akio's relentless, analytical empathy shatters Hikata's defenses, leading to a raw confession and a terrifying choice. Akio, instead of running, offers an anchor—a firm hug and a simple command: "The formula for healing starts with the courage to stop running." Now, Hikata must choose. Does he retreat to the safe, silent despair of his trauma, or does he accept the help of the one person who sees the darkness within? But Hikata believes getting close will only contaminate the hero. Can the figure who survived betrayal become the catalyst for the hero's ultimate compound of friendship? Or will Hikata's chaotic past become the poison that dooms them both?