Souya Minamino

Souya Minamino (南野 宗谷) is one of Hayate and Ayumu's friends who attends Hayate's previous high school, Shiomi. According to Ayumu, he's really (and only) good at swimming. He is also the protagonist of Kenjiro Hata's previous work, Heroes of the Sea Lifesavers.

Appearance
Souya has short grey hair and has brown eyes. he is often seen wearing a hooded jacket with his Shiomi High School uniform.

In Heroes of the Sea Lifesavers, Souya is usually seen wearing a hooded jacket over a pair of swimming trunks

Beginning
On December 24th, while on their way to a Christmas party, Souya and his friends meet up with Hayate and try to invite him to come along, which he declines saying that he has no money and he's on his part-time job. Much to their annoyance they start to question him about his dedication to work which Hayate states his parents are unemployed, afterwards Souya and his friends leave ultimately feeling sorry for Hayate.

Hayate's return to Shiomi High
Later on January 10th Souya and his friend Hijiri, encounter Hayate with Ayumu at the entrance of Shiomi High school. After finding out from a teacher that due to his parents asking for the remainder of his school fees, Hayate is now a drop out, Then much to his surprise, Souya witnesses Ayumu confess her feelings to Hayate before getting slapped by her after turning her down.

Brief Reunion with Hayate
Later in February, Souya and his friends from Shiomi run into Hayate, after catching up with him at a restaurant they unwittingly leave Hayate with their bill for 50,000 yen. A few days later, Souya visits the Sanzenin Mansion to repay Hayate for their restaurant bill.

Souya later makes a small cameo in Ayumu's flashback in chapter 114, while standing in an arcade with Hijiri, where they overhear Ayumu ask Hayate if he can take a photo sticker with her.

During Golden Week, while exploring the underground water tunnel with Nagi, Ayumu mentions that she learned a lot from a book on swimming that she once borrowed from Souya.

Ayumu's Birthday
Later on May 15th Souya encounters Ayumu. After asking him what day it was, Ayumu leaves, depressed that he didn't remember her birthday.

Livesavers Arc
For more information, see Heroes of the Sea Lifesavers.

Helping Rebuild the Seaside Restaurant LIFE
Later in August, after having overheard Yamato refuse to hand over his amulet to Hayate, Souya approaches them both and suggests that they hold a competition. Yamato vainly asks him if he really believed that anyone could take something from him in a competition, to which Souya tells him that they wouldn't know until he tried, before informing him that Hayate's abilities where more amazing than his own.

The following day, Souya approaches Hayate and asks him if he would be able to pay back the eight million yen in his competition against Yamato. After having told him that it would be difficult, Hayate asks Souya about the whereabouts of his brother. Having caught Kotetsu's attention, Kotetsu asks Hayate about his relationship with Souya, to which Hayate then introduces his former classmate Souya to him. Afterwards, Hayate asks both of them to look after the seaside restaurant LIFE in his absence.

Later, after having returned to the seaside restaurant, Hayate is taken aback by how many customers the restaurant had, before Souya and Kotetsu inform him that they had earned over one million yen. Afterwards, they are soon joined by Hinagiku, Maria, Chiharu, Kayura, Alice and Ayumu, who then help them earn the remainder of the eight million yen.