Kotomi's parents

Koutarou and Mizue Ichinose were Kotomi's parents. They only make a brief appearance in Kotomi's arc, during a recollection of her past. They were both famous scientists known for discovering the imaginary world. They would sign joint scientific papers with "K&M", their initials.

In the past, the Ichinose family lived a happy life, and Kotomi's birthday was coming up. Tomoya, whom she had met earlier, and his friends promised to show up She told her parents that she wanted a big teddy bear as a gift. Suddenly, the Ichinoses had to go to America on a business trip, meaning that they would miss her birthday. However, they promised that they would pick up Kotomi's bear while they're overseas. Kotomi, distraught, told her parents that she didn't need it and hated them, and ran away from the room, crying.

During her birthday, Tomoya and his friends fail to show up. It is later revealed that Tomoya was mocked by his friends for going to a girl's party. A gentleman who worked with the Ichinoses later comes over and explains that the plane carrying her parents crashed due to a malfunction, resulting in their death. Furthermore, they were carrying an important paper with them and explained that there may be a spare copy in their house. Her parents' death and her loneliness made Kotomi depressed. She made him go away, believing him to be a bad person who wanted to take something important away from her parents. After that, she tries, in vain, to make her parents come back, promising that she would be a good girl. She went into her father's study and finds what is presumably her parents' paper. Believing it to be the cause of her parents' death, she burned it and nearly destroys the house in the process. She is saved by Tomoya and the gentleman. Tomoya and Kotomi's friendship grows apart after this event.

Kotomi manages the years after their deaths but still hasn't gotten over it. She cuts out and pages from books or newspapers that mention her parents. One day, at a bus accident, Kotomi breaks down and starts screaming and sobbing. Kotomi leaves home early that day, and she doesn't come to school. Tomoya and the others come over to visit Kotomi and find out that she locked herself inside. Tomoya and the others renovate her house's lawn, which was overrun with weeds, and arranged for her violin to be repaired to surprise Kotomi.

When Kotomi shows up for school again, she agrees to meet her godfather, the gentleman who showed up in her house many years ago. He says that her father's suitcase survived the crash and finally arrived at his lab. Rather than containing her parents' papers, it contained the teddy bear they promised, a letter from her parents, and a note telling the finder to bring the suitcase to their daughter. The suitcase travelled all over the world and was passed on by many people in order to find Kotomi. The gentleman also reveals that the paper she burned as a child was actually a teddy bear catalogue, and that only one copy of the paper existed. He said that the case's contents, including the paper, was thrown out and replaced with Kotomi's teddy bear. Realizing her parents' great love for her, she becomes at peace with her parents' fate.

Quotes
"Those who seek out the truth must not be arrogant. You must not laugh at miracles just because they cannot be explained scientifically. You must not turn away from the beauty of this world."

- Koutarou to Kotomi

"Dear Kotomi, the world is beautiful. even when they're full of sadness and tears, open your eyes. Do what you want to do. Be what you want to be. Find your friends. Don't be in a hurry to grow up. Take your time."

- Kotomi's parents to Kotomi

Trivia

 * The Ichinoses' discoveries regarding the Imaginary World were verified by ; this fact is referenced by Kotomi's name&mdash;a being a stringed instrument.