Yuzu bit on the straw of her drink. She felt a few beads of sweat falling down the side of her face which was undoubtedly ruining her make-up. It had less to do with the sun shining into the restaurant and more to do with the direction this conversation was turning.

"So, when I saw what a jerk he was, I dumped him!" the girl to Yuzu's right said, her giant heart shaped earrings flapping wildly from her exaggerated emoting.

"No way!" the girl in front of Yuzu said, her bracelet covered arm falling to the table with a loud clang. "I thought you guys were getting serious!"

Serious? Wait, wait, wait. How far had they gone, again? Yuzu vaguely remembered her offhandedly saying they'd gone to a–

"Whatever," she replied. "It's summertime and I just wanna have some fun!"

Yuzu raised her hand to rest her chin on, trying to look as calm and casual as possible.

"Uh…" Yuzu piped up. "God, I hate being single."

Both of her friends turned towards her as if she had reminded them that they only had ten seconds to diffuse a bomb.

"Oh, right!" the girl to her right said. "Yuzuchi, I forgot that you broke up with your boyfriend! I'd set you up with somebody, but you're changing schools in the Fall, right?

"Ugh!" The girl ahead groaned. "Long distance relationships suck!

"Don't worry about it…" Yuzu set down her drink and gulped down her nerves. She lifted her hand and spread out a peace sign while putting on the widest grin she could, which she hoped hid her previously shaking fingers and jaw. "I'll find a better guy at my new school!"

The cool morning breeze flew passed Yuzu as she stopped by the gates to her new school. Thank god the weather was already turning around. She pulled out her compact mirror and gracefully turned her face in every direction to check every angle. Perfect! Go get 'em, tiger!

Yuzu straightened her back and held her hands tightly on her hips, staring down the entrance. It's my first day, so I gotta crank my cuteness up to eleven! But no matter how much I pump myself up…

Two girls stood at each side of the entrance with robotic expressions. A pair of girls were giggling softly right in front of her. A group of girls walked past Yuzu. She was stranded in a sea of skirts.

…This place is still an All-Girls' High School!

"I'm wasting the best years of my life…" she muttered as she threw her head back.

She stared up at the looming tower of karma. She'd been lying to herself and everyone around her for so long and now the gods were mocking her by taking away her last chance. Her friends would always tell stories about boyfriends and dates, so she'd played it cool by making up some of her own. But she'd never been in love, never even kissed a guy.

Yuzu's phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and grimaced at the picture of her friend with a guy, both making ridiculous faces, captioned, "I got a boyfriend! Hang in there, Yuzuchi! I'm sure you'll meet the perfect guy soon!" Yuzu glanced to the side at the growing crowd of girls arriving. Yeah, right. She couldn't figure this stuff out on easy mode and now she was put in high level zone.

"Excuse me, you there." One of the robotic expression girls from the gates had walked up to her. Her hair was straight, cut at her chin, and her glasses covered half her face. She could have put a little more effort into her cuteness. "May I see your student identification card?"

"Eh? Why?"

"Well, to start with, your dyed blonde hair is in violation of school regulations. In addition, texting is also against school rules, so I'll be confiscating your phone."

Yuzu reflexively pulled her phone to her chest. "No way!" Surely, she could deescalate this situation with a bit of her charms.

"Look, I just transferred here today. I didn't mean to break any rules, I just didn't know any better." She smiled gently and gave a wink. "So, would you let it slide? I'll be more careful next time!"

"If that's the case," the glasses girl said as she stared as plainly as ever. "Then you should know that not doing your top button, wearing your skirt so short, using a non-regulation ribbon, wearing bracelets and earrings, having excessively large hair pins, tying a sweater around your waist, wearing make-up, and having painted nails are all in violation of the school rules."

Yuzu's jaw hung from her head as glasses girl continued, "Even if you are new, I cannot allow any exceptions. I'll have to make note of your name–"

"What?" Yuzu shouted. Several of the girls around stopped and stared. She lurched forward and gripped the girl by her shoulders. Glasses girl stumbled backwards, and her eyes went almost as wide as the rims of her glasses. "What's the point in being a high school girl if you can't look cute? Why suck all the fun out of life? A girl's outfit has nothing to do with how well she does in school!"

"Yes, it does."

"Miss student council president!" Glasses girl said as she stumbled out of Yuzu's grip. Yuzu let her go and glared at this new girl slowly stepping toward her past the murmuring crowd. She could swear she heard boss music.

Even though everyone–except herself, of course–was wearing the exact same outfit the same way, the way she wore it felt completely different. Her vest looked perfectly slick. Her long fine black hair looked as smooth as her black tie. Her skirt flowed like waves. Somehow, even though she wore her clothing the most strictly and orderly, she complimented it beautifully. That dynamic made Yuzu's stomach tighten.

"Learning to obey the rules," the president said. "Makes us productive members of society. At this school, we're all held to the same rules and standards. And that includes you."

Yuzu frowned. The president enunciated her words with a strength that made her very voice feel like an attack. She walked right up to the president, trying to meet her glare with an even stronger counterattack.

"Well, that's a little messed up," Yuzu said, leaning forward. "You just said everyone was held to the same standard, but I just transferred here and had no idea about any of this!" The murmuring in the background was getting louder. They must have thought she was so cool for beating the president like this. "It's not exactly fair, is it? Right, Miss student council president?" Yuzu smirked up at her. The president was so terrified she couldn't even–

The president leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Yuzu's back. Yuzu's whole body turned to stone. The sun felt a million times hotter as it blazed onto her face. The president's hands slid down her back. Her mouth was right beside Yuzu's ear, breathing warmly against her skin.

What the hell is she doing?

The president stepped back from the embrace and walked away, glancing back at her. "Starting tomorrow you'll follow the rules," the president said, holding something up.

Yuzu blinked three times before she realized that the president was holding Yuzu's phone. Feeling like a burning statue, Yuzu crumbled to the ground, staring at the president's perfect figure walking away, her brain racing and slogging at the same time.

That girl's totally nuts!

Yuzu wiped her face dry with paper towels and scowled at her plain face in the bathroom mirror.

Why the hell did she make my face sweat so hard? Now my make-up's all ruined and I look like a ghoul. Yuzu couldn't get that moment out of her head. All she did was get close, and Yuzu completely broke apart. She caught her off guard. She wasn't used to someone disregarding her personal space so bluntly and casually. Come to think of it, when she grabbed me, she smelled pretty good. I wonder what kind of shampoo she uses.

Yuzu made her way through the hallway to her homeroom.

"Hey, Aihara. Aihara!"

Yuzu jumped as the realization clicked in her head. She turned towards the voice and replied, "M-me?"

"Yeah, you!" her homeroom teacher said. Oh, god, he was so achingly handsome. Damn that president for ruining her make-up! "Are you all right? I was calling your name for ages."

Yuzu fiddled with her hair between two fingers, looking off to the side. "I'm still not used to my new last name."

"Come on, I'll walk you to class."

"Yes, sir," Yuzu said, strolling at his side with an airheaded grin.

The absurd rules here were killer, but at least there was one cute guy.

Yuzu scanned the homeroom after shaking off her elation. There were students scattered through the room, all wearing their uniforms so perfectly the same, and most wore their hair so similar that she'd assume she were in a cloning facility. Standing out wouldn't be difficult! It was time to put her amazing personality to work and make some new friends!

Yuzu popped up in front of a desk that two girls were sitting at, having a quiet conversation.

"Hey, ladies! Whatcha talkin' about?" Yuzu asked.

The girls hesitated for a moment before one of them said, "Um, we were talking about what to do after school–"

"Oh, like a group date? Or karaoke? Whatever it is, I'm in! We should totally be friends!"

Yuzu awaited an enthusiastic reply, but just ended up gazing at a pair of nervous smiles and fearful eyes. Yuzu gulped during the painfully awkward silence.

"Now, now," said a voice behind her as a hand yoinked her backwards. The girl who pulled her back was putting on a gentle expression. She was following the dress code as well as everyone else here, but somehow the way she carried herself felt more relaxed and less dull than the others. "Aihara, you're doing it all wrong."

"Um, who're you?" Yuzu asked, unsure what to make of her yet.

"I'm Taniguchi Harumi, but you can call me Harumin. Fufufu…"

Yuzu let out a heavy sigh of relief. She beamed at happening to stumble across someone with some personality.

"Okay, Harumin," Yuzu said, scratching the back of her head. "Where'd I go wrong?"

Harumin looked off to the side as if about to recount a tragic backstory. "See, almost everyone in this school has been together since kindergarten. They're used to this place and don't like change. I also had a hard time when I was new. I've only been here since high school started." Then in an exaggeratedly cute voice she said, "I'm a total girly-girl too!"

Yuzu smiled. "Yeah, I kinda figured since we have the same vibe and all."

Harumin walked Yuzu over to the window. "Everyone here keeps their head down 'cause they're afraid of the school's scary chairman. She's the quintessential example." Harumin pointed at a silky black-haired girl with a perfect figure outside. The student council president. Yuzu's most recent failed boss battle that KO'd her with a backrub. And the strictest person here, huh? I see.

Harumin drooped over the window, resting her arms. "But," Harumin said. "She's also a special case."

"Special?"

"She's pretty and smart. Plus, she's already the student council president even though she's only a first year. Rumor has it she's even engaged to one of the teachers."

"Wha? She's our age and already engaged? I've lost! Game over!"

Harumin rolled her eyes. "Well, she is the chairman's granddaughter. Someday she'll inherit this whole school."

Yuzu drooped beside Harumin, resting against the window, watching the president who was busy taking notes over a garden plot. Sure, she acted the dullest out of everyone here, not a single flaw in her motions. But she was marrying some guy just to make her family happy. That had to suck.

"And with that," Harumin said as if she'd passed a checkpoint in a jrpg dialogue tree. "I guess I'm technically your friend, so let's swap numbers." They both stood up from the window and Harumin was holding a phone.

"Whoa! Don't let anyone see that! Isn't it against the rules?"

"Let me guess. You got your confiscated? It's not against the rules if you aren't caught." Harumin slid her phone between her breasts, making it vanish as quickly as it came.

"You better head over to Mineko's room."

"Huh? Who?"

Honesty, blah, blah, these days, blah, blah, the rules are, blah, blah, blah, for your own good, blah. Yuzu felt like her brain was going to melt from the dull agony of sitting and hearing an old lady ranting for what must have been an hour, especially after an entire day of school.

Yuzu staggered through the hallway, packing her phone tightly away in her bag. Her breasts weren't ready for Harumin's trick. It wouldn't be too long though. She hoped.

In the corner of her eye, she recognized her handsome homeroom teacher outside the window. "Mr. Amamiya!" Yuzu felt a bit of life filling back into her. Now that I've got my phone back, I can get his number!

Yuzu strolled outside, musical notes dancing inside her head as she headed in Mr. Amamiya's direction. She rounded the bush filled corner where he went.

"Mr. Am–" Yuzu froze. Only a few feet away, Mr. Amamiya was pining someone against the building wall, their lips tightly locked. Yuzu dropped behind the bushes, her body rushing with adrenaline. She had to press her hand against her mouth to keep herself from screaming.

The shock starting to fade, she took a glance back at the pair. The girl had quite long silky black hair. Hold on. Was that the student council president? She fell out of the kiss, breathing heavy, her face scarlet. Her eyes looked strained. Not giving her a chance to catch her breath, he pulled her chin up and continued. She forced herself out of it soon after. Yuzu and the president's eyes met.

Controlled by her panic, Yuzu's legs kicked into gear and bolted her away. She didn't stop even after she got out of the school's grounds. Oh, god. What was that? The student council president and Mr. Amamiya? And they totally saw her! The president looked right at her, and the teacher would have heard her running out of the bushes. What the hell was going on? She couldn't process any of this just yet.

"I'm home!" Yuzu called through her winded breaths as she opened the apartment door.

"Ugh! Yuzu, where have you been," her mom asked, carrying a large box. "You promised to help unpack!"

"Sorry," Yuzu said, kicking her shoes off. "I had a crazy day. Um, is my new dad here yet?"

"Well…" Yuzu's mom looked off to the side, her eyelids drooping. Then she put on a smile and said, "He said, 'Look for me on the other side of the world' and left! Isn't he funny? So, he probably won't be back for a while." You'd think him leaving was the most romantic thing in the world based on her tone of voice. So, she'd fallen for another weirdo, and Yuzu thought he'd been a decent guy.

Yuzu's mom stopped and searched Yuzu's face.

"Look, mom," Yuzu said. "Are you happy? 'Cause that's all I care about."

Yuzu's mom beamed. "Oh, yes! I have you and Papa's other child! How can I be sad when I'm surrounded by my two lovely daughters!"

"Huh?" Two?

"Oh, didn't I tell you? Starting today, you have a little sister."

"I'm home," said a familiar voice behind her.

Yuzu turned slowly and was face to face with a plain faced black-haired girl, the student council president.

What?

"Why are you here?"

"Aw," Yuzu's mom mused. "You already know each other?"

"It's a pleasure to meet you," the president said, and of course she bowed so gracefully and perfectly, like a robot. "I'm Aihara Shou's daughter, Aihara Mei. Thank you for letting me be part of your family, mother."

Mei put on a constructed-looking smile, probably made in a factory with all her other parts. Then, Yuzu's mom cozied up to Mei, saying "Hey, don't be so formal! We're family now, after all!" The terminator was already blending in well enough to seduce her own mom! "Yuzu, take care of your little sis, okay?" Today couldn't get any weirder.

Yuzu sat upright in the bath, unable to loosen up despite how exhausted she was, physically and mentally. She sat like a shaking pole through all of dinner. Suddenly becoming someone's older sister was weird enough, but with everything else that happened, it was straight up stressful. She acted like little miss perfect in front of mom, but she was making out with a teacher at school. When Yuzu first met her, she seemed like the type to just be busy and work seriously all the time. But what was that look on her face when Mr. Amamiya kissed her? Those bright red cheeks. It was like her robotic persona melted right off.

Yuzu caressed her finger across her bottom lip. Does kissing really feel that good?

Yuzu gripped her hair in tight fists and splashed around. "Ugh! Why can't I stop thinking about her?" Having let her frustration boil out, she curled up and wrapped her arms around her legs. "Really, why should I care?"

"The bath's free," Yuzu said to her sister as she walked in her–no, their–bedroom. Mei was sitting at her futon on her shins, her back perfectly straight, still as a statue, reading a book. She didn't react.

Yuzu gulped. "So," she said, trying to keep the tension out of her voice. "I know a lot happened this morning, and neither of us asked for this, but we're step-sisters now." Yuzu walked up and held out her hand. "Let's try to get along. Deal?" You go Yuzu, being the responsible mature elder sibling.

Mei stood up and moved past Yuzu, her shoulder brushing Yuzu's outstretched hand as she passed.

Yuzu stood right there, her face tensing up. Oh, so you wanna play, huh? Okay then.

"So, about Mr. Amamiya. Is he a good kisser or what?" Yuzu smirked, getting into the gossipy attitude she had done so many times with her friends. She sat comfortably on her futon and spread out her fingers, gazing at her nails while she continued, "Though, is it really okay for the student council president to be locking lips with a teacher? Right on the school grounds too! But I guess that's what makes it so exciting. Doing it out in the open where just about anybody could see you. I wouldn't have thought you were so kinky. Or maybe that was your first kiss? What was it like? I think your first kiss should be, like, magical…"

Yuzu looked up to see Mei towering right by her. Mei pushed Yuzu down on the futon, falling with her. Yuzu opened her mouth to complain, but Mei just pressed her mouth onto hers. Yuzu's body went limp, and her eyes bulged. Mei just kept pressing their lips together tighter without moving them at all and Yuzu felt Mei's tongue sliding against hers. Yuzu couldn't think; her mind completely crashed. Mei came up off Yuzu after she apparently thought she couldn't dig her tongue any deeper.

Yuzu stared blankly at Mei looking down at her. That expression. That damn empty expression.

"That's what it was like." Mei said. "Magical enough for you?"

Mei turned to the side to leave. Yuzu watched this crazy person with complete focus despite her mind being a complete mess. Mei's blank expression tensed up with strained eyes right before she went out of view.

Yuzu raised her hands up to her face, one covering her mouth, which was still feeling the imprint of the intense pressure Mei put on her lips and tongue.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think my first kiss could happen like that. Stolen by my new stepsister.

"What. The. Hell."