When Liam was diagnosed with cancer in the game Acting Lessons, I was really shocked.
I fell in love with Bree from Summer Heat (she reminds me a lot of my first love irl).
As far as protogonists in a VN are concerned, I identify most with Senpai from Lessons in Love. He usually has no idea...
For me it was “Unteralterbach”. The first game I spent hours playing and even skipped lectures. The humor, the story and the setting really appealed to me.