While always being empty and silent, it was the house my father kept sending letters to. There has been no news about him since he left us, almost five years ago. We knew he was still alive since he kept sending me letters to his house address. This is one of the reasons why I kept living here instead of with my grandfather. Even though I never open his letters, it was the last channel of communication I had with him.

Yet, here I am leaving.

My father has remarried and requested that I go live with his new wife and her daughter. The news has reached me through Grandfather. He said they didn't hold a reception. This complicated things for grandfather, who kept appearances by telling shareholders that father was coping with the divorce and that he was exploring new horizons for expanding the Aihara Academy. The harsh truth is that Father ran away. He asked me to go with him. I refused, hoping he would stay, but he went away anyway. Now that he got remarried, I have no choice but to keep up appearances as well and go live with his new wife. Grandfather was against it, but said it was the best course of action.

A new student by the name of Aihara Yuzuko was admitted to transferring in the fall. My position as Student Council President doesn't allow me to access her file. I wish I could know Father's stepdaughter's face beforehand, but I will meet her soon enough. She was put in the same class as me.

According to grandfather, Father's wife was a construction engineer at the Obayashi Group. Grandfather ran a background check on her. He found out that she failed one semester at the University. This made him fume. He didn't trust academic underachievers. The University she went to wasn't a prestigious one either. For him, it was a small consolation that the apartment they moved into was in the wealthy part of town and close to our school. Father probably paid for it.

On the morning of the first day of the fall semester, I notice Maruta-senpai having trouble with a student. The student in question is dressed sloppily and has bleached hair. A delinquent? She seems to be asking to be overlooked.

"Besides," she says, "It's not like dressing up nicely is gonna affect my studies!"

"Yes." I intervene. "It is going to."

"Stu-Student Council President?" Maruta-senpai stuttered. Knowing Maruta-senpai, she probably wanted to let her off with a warning.

"Living by the rules of the institution prepares you for society." I spell out what should have been clear in the first place for her. "At this school, we're all expected to abide by the same rules and standards, and that includes you !"

"Haven't you gotten things mixed up?" The delinquent advances towards me and leans forward daringly. This is a diversion for hiding her phone in her back pocket. "You just said everyone was held to the same standards, but I just transferred here and I had no idea about any of this. It's not exactly fair, is it? Right, Miss Student Council President?"

She gives me a contemptuous look. Students gather around us. They are probably curious as to how the First-year Student Council president would handle this situation. She needs to be taught a lesson. Otherwise, my authority will be undermined.

I leaned forward and hugged her... I slide my hand along her spine and reach into her back pocket to grab her phone. She trembles in my embrace.

"Starting tomorrow," I say after confiscating her phone "You will be following the rules."

I think she learned her lesson. She has collapsed behind me. No mental fortitude. She made me lose precious time. Besides my duties, I had to meet Father's stepdaughter. Not to mention Amemiya-sensei always calling me after classes...

xxx

Father's stepdaughter is the delinquent I got acquainted with earlier. I abandoned the idea of introducing myself and getting along with her. I have to be harder on her. Whether I want it or not, she is an Aihara now and has to behave as one.

As per usual Amemiya-sensei called me. These calls became an annoyance I have to deal with every day I am at school. He pinned me against the wall and started kissing me. He pulled away for a second and started kissing me again without letting me catch my breath. In that brief respite, I heard a rustle in the bush. I open my eyes and catch Father's stepdaughter watching us. I look her in the eye. She seems surprised and flustered more than anything. Is it the first time she has seen people kissing? Upon realizing I saw her, she jumped away, shrieking as if she was the one being caught. Her reaction cut this unpleasant session short.

I suppose I should be grateful to her. She doesn't seem to know the rules. I doubt she would report us.

After I separated from Amemiya-sensei, I went and grabbed the overnight bag I prepared beforehand. The rest of my luggage will be posted to me at my father's new apartment. It was close to our school. Perhaps he wanted me to walk to school together with his stepdaughter. A shame that any hope of getting along was destroyed this morning. She seems weak-willed. I may be able to get her to submit to me... If she tries to use the fact that she caught me with Amemiya-sensei, I will find a way to deal with her. As for my father's wife, I will just tell her he is my fiance.

My idiot step sister arrived before me and left the door open. I knock and enter. She and a woman, who I assume to be my stepmother, are in the middle of a conversation. I hear her say: "You have a little sister!"

Strange. Why did she wait for today to tell the idiot about me?

"I'm home." I say, announcing myself.

"Huh?! Whaaaa?! Why are YOU here?" My step sister turns to me and shouts.

"Oh, are you two already acquainted?" My stepmother asked.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Aihara Shou's daughter, Aihara Mei." I bow down, and introduce myself since neither of them did. "Thank you for letting me be part of your family, Mother." I show her my best smile.

"You don't have to be so formal." stepmother says with a smile, "We're family now."

"No! You're MY mom!" stepsister protest, but stepmother pays her no mind.

Well the father you just got is MY dad, you idiot. I'm sure I'm getting the short end of the deal here.

"Yuzu, you take care of her, okay?" Stepmother asks her. I don't think either of them is in a position to take care of me. The daughter with a sloppy outfit, and the mother that lets her wear it. What was Father thinking?

At the dinner table, "Yuzu" was utterly speechless. My stepmother's name is Ume. She seemed genuinely pleased to have me. If that is indeed the case, then I am grateful. Apparently, Yuzu didn't know I was coming. I could play this to my advantage... If she decides to play rough, I will put her in her place quickly. Stepmother didn't make any effort to make a good impression: she smoked indoors, while speaking to us. "Yuzu's birthday is earlier so she's the Onee-san." she said.

I will NEVER call her that.

xxx

I had to share a room with her. It was spacious enough for two people. Two futons were placed side-by-side in the middle of boxes. It seems they just moved in themselves. Yuzu went to take a bath first. I busied myself while waiting for her to finish.

"The bath is free." she says. I pay her no mind. It doesn't seem to sit right with her. She stands up in front of me blocking the light. "Soooo… I know a lot has happened today, and neither of us asked for this. Now that we're stepsisters, let's get along... Even if we don't mean to…"

Is she pretending to be the bigger person?

She extends her hand to me, asking for a handshake. I don't know what she's plotting, but I won't give in. She apparently wants me to lower my guard. I will get her to lay down her cards right here, right now. I ignore her and move away to prepare my things before going to the bath.

"Say, about Amamiya-sensei…" she pretends to be unphased "Is he a good kisser or what?"

That was easy. I pretend to check my briefcase. I want to hear what she has to say.

"Though is it really okay for the student council president to lock lips with a teacher?" She goes on "Right on the school grounds too!"

Blackmail? Please! It's her word against mine. Who are they gonna believe? The Student Council President, or a girl who broke at least ten rules on her first day? Doesn't she realize that?

"Or is it the thrill of being caught?"

Seriously?

"Could that have been your first kiss?"

She must never have...

"Kissing should be more like... Reassuring each other's feelings, you know. Hm?"

She definitely has never been kissed. Feelings? I'll show you, sister darling!

I pushed her down and pinned her with a deep kiss on the mouth. I moved my tongue inside her mouth as she struggled to breathe and break away. As I disengaged, a string of saliva formed between our lips. It was surprisingly pleasant.

" That's what it was like," I say.

No feelings or anything. Hoping for such a thing is setting yourself up for disappointment.

I went to the bathroom without looking back, slamming the door behind me. I felt so hot. I took a cold shower to calm down, then got into the tub. I relaxed for a minute, then it hit me! I gave her another weapon to strike me with. What if she tells her mother and my father! It's my word against hers still, but I have no credibility advantage in this case...

When I went back to the room, she was coiled up in a fetal position, hugging a pillow and obviously awake. Was she still shocked? She doesn't put up much of a fight, does she?