Growing up, Aika immediately noticed the difference from all the pampered rich kids and himself.
Other kids wanted the newer things you could only get with money. Aika liked old things, tinkering with a few of them before mending it together with something else, creating his own new thing.
Then he met the 'commoner stores' when his mother took him out, telling him about her days as a child when she herself bought from these stores. Before she and Aika's father met and fell in love.
Another thing Aika loved was 'commoner' clothing. It was so different. Much cheaper, and it was definitely a lot more comfortable than the dresses Aika was forced to wear by his mother.
Aika was out-casted by the rich society, until his third year of high school, and finally being brought in to a mess he never thought he'd be mixed in.
Oh, yes, you may be confused about the masculine form in the context. I completely forgot to mention it.
Aika, full name, Suzukino Aikahitsungami, is a male.
[Yaoi]