Episodes

Kaoru Hanabishi is a university student and lives by himself. One day, on the way to his apartment, he meets a kimono-clad girl named Aoi Sakuraba, who appears to be lost in the train station. Pushed by the crowd, Aoi's sandal straps break, but Kaoru repairs it for her, surprising Aoi with his skill at such an old-fashioned technique. Afterwards, Kaoru takes her to the correct platform; it is the same way he is going. Aoi tells Kaoru that she came to see her fiancé, to whom she has been engaged for 18 years. Kaoru is impressed by Aoi's devotion to her fiancé. However, when they reach the address on Aoi's note, they find that it's just a vacant lot. Seeing Aoi so depressed, Kaoru asks her if she might have anything else that might lead to the guy. The only thing Aoi has is the old picture. "But it's just a childhood picture... Hm? Isn't this me and Aoi?" The fiancé that Aoi has been looking for is Kaoru, himself! || Aoi has just arrived in Tokyo for the first time, looking for her fiancée (whom she hasn`t seen since their childhood) to find out why their marriage arranged 18 years ago has been called off. Her sandal breaks but Kaoru kindly repairs the damage. Since they are going in the same direction, he agrees to be her escort but the address Aoi has for her fiancée turns out to be a vacant lot.

It's decided that Aoi should stay at Kaoru's for the night, but he can't relax because it is the first time Kaoru had a girl at his place. He tells Aoi that there is only one futon, but she can use it and he will sleep on the floor. Then Aoi says, "I propose a compromise, Kaoru-sama. Instead, we can share it if you are willing. I don't mind at all..." To cool his head down, Kaoru goes outside. "She said she was my fiancée? I only knew her when she was a little child. But she is not a bad girl, and she is really cute..." But to accept Aoi, it means that Kaoru has to go back to the Hanabishi family, which he left behind. The bitter memories come back to Kaoru's mind... || Aoi spends the night with Kaoru who kindly gives his futon to her and sleeps on the floor next to her. The next morning Kaoru wants to escort her to the train station but she tells him she has permission to stay a while if it is OK with him, and sweetens the deal with an offer of a home cooked meal.

"Excuse me... I would like to scrub your back so would you mind if I came in?" Kaoru is flustered by Aoi's sudden idea. He tries to push her away when she enters (wearing her clothes), but Kaoru steps on the soap, and both of them fall on the floor. Something soft touches Kaoru's hand and cheek. Kaoru is on top of Aoi, hands, unwittingly, on her breasts. When Aoi's scream shakes the whole apartment, the door opens and Aoi's caretaker, Miyabi Kagurazaki jumps in, looking furious. When she sees him naked and on top of Aoi on the floor, she throws Kaoru against the wall. "Lady Aoi, are you aware of the position that you've put yourself in?" Actually, Aoi came to Kaoru without telling anyone about it. Miyabi says that Kaoru, who left the Hanabishi, is no longer Aoi's fiancée, and tries to take Aoi back home. Aoi frees herself from Miyabi's grasp, and says to Kaoru, "I cannot imagine being with anyone other than Kaoru-sama...Won't you please reconsider returning to the Hanabishi? So that we can be together..." With Aoi's words, Kaoru is... || Through a standard comedic error, Kaoru is naked and on top of Aoi after falling on her. At that moment, in bursts Aoi`s caretaker Miyabi, tasked with taking Aoi back who left without getting permission. Saddened, Aoi returns with Miyabi; however, at the train station, she gives Miyabi the slip.

After being taken back home by Miyabi, Aoi comes back to Kaoru wishing to be together with him even if it means losing everything. "Please accept me, vows and all, and make me your wife, Kaoru-sama!" Suddenly Kaoru falls forward. Kaoru got soaked when he went to pick Aoi up in the pouring rain, and has come down with a fever. While taking care of Kaoru, Aoi rolls his shirt up to wipe the sweat, and is stunned by the numerous scars on his back. The scars bring back the horrible memory of life in the Hanabishi clan and the beatings his grandfather delivered with a stick while trying to force Kaoru to give up an omamori (charm). His grandfather hated the charm for the same reason Kaoru treasured it—it was a reminder of Kaoru's mother who had left the Hanabishi family. "S-Sorry, I know it's not a pretty sight to look at," says Kaoru, and tries to pull his shirt down. Aoi touches his scars tenderly and says, "I will take extra care in healing these wounds of yours over time." Aoi's tears drop onto Kaoru's back. They hold each other... || Kaoru is running a fever after they get back to his apartment. Aoi feels that she`s the cause of it and insists on nursing him to health. It is here that she sees the deep scars on Kaoru`s back, and she vows to heal these wounds.

It has been a while since Kaoru showed up in the photo club. What's waiting for him is the new member of the club, Taeko Minazuki, wearing costumes for a photo shoot. With the mistakes that Taeko makes combined with the vice-president of the photo club, Sato's cos-play (costume playing) antics, the photo club had turned into complete chaos. Kaoru thinks about Tina, one of the members of the club who left to travel the world. All of a sudden he gets tackled. "I came straight here from Narita 'cause I wanted to see my darling Kaoru!" It is Tina Foster, an American who grew up in Hakata. She came back after one year abroad. Taeko greets Tina shyly, and Tina responds in her own unique way! "All right then, it's time to celebrate my return and welcome our new member with an old-fashioned party!" While they party, Kaoru loses consciousness when he drinks some weird beverage which Tina brought from her travels. Back at home, poor Aoi worries about Kaoru when he doesn't return even late at night. The next morning, Aoi visits Kaoru's room and she finds him in the futon. Aoi hugs Kaoru, feeling relieved. But the futon that Kaoru is sleeping in suddenly starts moving. And who should appear from under the covers? Tina! || At school, Kaoru meets up with his two male friends who run the photo club he belongs to. They have a new female member, a naive, big breasted girl named Taeko. Later, a former member of the club named Tina shows up (having just returned from a trip around the world), bringing along some bottle of liquor.

Taeko shows up at the cottage with her bags packed desperately in need of a job and place to live. She just was fired from her last job as housekeeper so Miyabi decides to give her a chance. Sadly, Taeko is very clumsy and despite her efforts to do a good job, she constantly is breaking something. Miyabi has seen enough and decides to fire her. However, Aoi steps in and encourages her to make one final effort—to make a dinner. She does and Miyabi relents and lets her stay on. || Taeko shows up at the cottage with her bags packed desperately in need of a job and place to live. She just was fired from her last job as housekeeper so Miyabi decides to give her a chance. Sadly, Taeko is very clumsy and despite her efforts to do a good job, she constantly is breaking something. Miyabi has seen enough and decides to fire her. However, Aoi steps in and encourages Taeko to make one final effort - a dinner meal.

Aoi sees a brochure about a hot spring and she imagines taking a trip there with Kaoru. Meanwhile the photo club decides to take a trip to that very same hot spring and they insist that Aoi come along. Miyabi can't make it, but she ensures to impress upon Kaoru how is life will be if something happens to Aoi! Taeko has made reservations for a hotel but gets the group lost trying to find it. When they finally do arrive, she's made reservations not for that day but a year from that day! The hotel is packed and there is no room. However, Aoi whips out a company card and suddenly the hotel scrambles to get them a room at any cost! The photo club initiates new members by forcing them to take a picture of a ghost. Taeko being the new member is happy to oblige much to the shock of everyone else. However, when she doesn't return for a while, Kaoru and Aoi get concerned and set out to find her through the scary woods and to the haunted shrine. They find her well, but since a dense fog has settled, they end up spending the night in the shrine. || The photo club decides to take a trip to a hot spring and they insist that Aoi come along. As the highlight of this trip, the photo club initiates their new members (such as Taeko) by forcing them to take a picture of a ghost at a haunted shrine.

Tina decides to buy a ferret much to the chagrin of Miyabi. Since pets make messes, Miyabi says she doesn't want to make more work for Taeko. However, Taeko sees the animal and goes, "KAWAII" which ends Miyabi's argument. The ferret escapes confinement and heads straight for Miyabi, stealing her favorite pen. This causes her to chase the animal all through the house. Finally, Miyabi locks herself into her study and refuses to answer anyone. The ferret encamps outside of her door and then tries to get in by climbing up a grandfather clock to go into a small open window above the door. Unfortunately, the animal falls and gets stuck behind the clock. Miyabi aides the others in rescuing the poor animal and the ferret gets a name. || Tina decides to buy a ferret, much to the chagrin of Miyabi (who doesn`t want to make more work for Taeko) but Aoi considers the animal incredibly cute. The ferret escapes confinement and heads straight for Miyabi, stealing her favorite pen and thus causing her to chase the animal all through the house. Finally, Miyabi locks herself into her study and refuses to answer anyone.

Miyabi and Aoi have to leave for a day to take care of family business leaving Kaoru in charge of the house. The other two male members of the photo club come by and nab Taeko for some cos-play photos. This leaves Tina and Kaoru alone for the night. A storm comes along and knocks out the power causing Tina to insist on being alowed to spend the night with Kaoru. Surviving the night, the next evening, Tina and Kaoru start drinking and Tina trashes the place. Miyabi and Aoi return and Miyabi is ticked about the mess and forces Kaoru to clean it up while the culprit Tina gets taken to bed. || Miyabi and Aoi have to leave for a day, leaving Kaoru in charge of the house. The other photo club members come by and nab Taeko for some cos-play photos. This leaves Tina and Kaoru alone for the night. A storm comes along and knocks out the power causing scarety-cat Tina to insist on being allowed to spend the night with Kaoru.

Tina and Kaoru show the group pictures they had taken a year prior before Tina's trip. Aoi sees a picture of Kaoru standing next to the statue of his college's founder. Since the only picture she has of him is from their childhood, she asks if she can have that photo. The next day when Aoi is out buying food, she finds herself thinking of Kaoru and his life at school. Meanwhile at school, it is lunchtime and Tina, Taeko, and Kaoru are eating the lunch Aoi made for them and remarking how good it is. Aoi returns home and sees something on the TV about a certain food item that Tina had been raving on. Since the vendor will be shutting down in an hour, Aoi decides to go over, buy some of this, and take it to the university for Kaoru. She wanders around the campus lost and gets seen by Tina. Tina is unable to get Aoi's attention nor get to her, so she heads off to find Kaoru. He has Tina and Taeko go to class while he continues to search for Aoi. Eventually he runs into her at the statue where he had his picture taken and together, they eat the meal she purchased. Kaoru tells Aoi that he now has the afternoon free and they can do anything she wants. She wants to tour the campus with him which he gladly does. Then Tina and Taeko find them and the group goes out to eat. || Tina and Kaoru show the group pictures they had taken before Tina`s trip, including a picture of Kaoru standing next to the statue of his college`s founder. Aoi finds herself dreaming of Kaoru and his life at school - a Kaoru she doesn`t know. Watching TV, Aoi suddenly learns that the mysteriously moving Mitsurugiya shop (whose legendary taiyaki Kaoru said he wanted to eat at least once) happens to be in the neighborhood today. Since the vendor will be shutting down in an hour, Aoi decides to go over, buy some of this, and take it to the university for Kaoru.

The photo club puts on a show with Tina and Taeko wearing outfits to draw attention. To this event comes Mayu -- a girl who's been living in England and has returned to go to this college at 16. Seeing Kaoru, her mood improves and she flings herself at him and kisses him on the lips. Tina and Taeko are stunned by this. || The photo club puts on a show with Tina and Taeko wearing outfits to draw attention. To this event comes Mayu - a girl who`s been living in England and has returned to go to this college at the age of 16. Seeing Kaoru, her mood improves and she flings herself at him and kisses him on the lips. Mayu convinces Kaoru to spend the night at her house since she`s there alone. Kaoru informs Aoi of this though he neglects to tell Aoi that his friend is a female.

Mayu, who comes from a wealthy family, convinces Kaoru to come to her house for dinner. Kaoru informs Aoi of this though he neglects to tell Aoi that his friend is a female. Then Mayu convinces Kaoru to spend the night at her house since she's there alone. Again, Kaoru calls but doesn't let Aoi know that his friend is female. However, when Taeko lets it slip that she was surprised Kaoru's friend would kiss him like that and that the friend was female, Aoi is suddenly worried. || Kaoru and Mayu are playing card games in her room, and the girl insists on sharing her bed with the boy. Kaoru suddenly recognizes her huge stuffed rabbit and remembers the days when they first met four years ago. At home, Kaoru wants to explain everything to Aoi. But before he gets a chance to do it, a drunk Tina wants him to kiss her, like he kissed that other girl... right in front of Aoi, who pretends not to listen but leaves the room.

Tanabata is more than just hanging written wishes on a wreath at the Sakuraba Mansion: It also happens to be Aoi's birthday! After suggesting that they throw a big bash, Kaoru starts working extra hours to buy Aoi an outfit he sees on display at a clothing store. But since this gives him little time for leisure, the birthday girl almost believes he doesn't care about her anymore. And just when it seems Kaoru's hard work has gone to waste, both he and Aoi are in for a pleasant surprise. || Aoi used to celebrate her birthday only with Miyabi as her parents normally were busy. So Kaoru wants to make it a special event for Aoi this time. When they go shopping together Kaoru sees a beautiful dress in a store window and wonders how it would suit Aoi. Being a poor student, he secretly accepts several part-time jobs. But while he is working day and night, Aoi is feeling lonely and is afraid Kaoru is avoiding her - is she not good enough as his fiancée?

Mayu tries to learn cooking from Aoi in a attempt to win the love of Kaoru. || When Tina teases Mayu telling her that Kaoru likes girls who can cook Mayu asks Kaoru may she cook an o-bento for him tomorrow. But cooking turns out to be more difficult than she had expected. Now she remembers that Aoi`s cooking had been praised by everyone. When the students arrive at home they are presented a new housemaid: Mayu, who addresses Aoi as "Kaoru`s maid" in front of everyone! Miyabi asks Aoi to bear this insult because she must keep their arrangement a secret.

When Aoi was a child her grandmother wore a kimono that Aoi loved and told her that she would have someday. Aoi would walk through the cherry blossoms hand in hand with her grandmother. Aoi's grandmother also tells her that her husband loved the kimono and one day her husband would love it to if his love was true.Kaoru asked Aoi to go shopping with him. Aoi decided to wear the inherited kimono since she knows they will be alone together. Kaoru tells her that he loves the kimono which brings tears to her eyes and her love for him grows. || Kaoru asks Aoi to go shopping with her the next day. When Aoi wonders what to wear for that event she discovers an old kimono she had inherited from her grandmother who told her "the feelings of a person wearing a kimono become part of the kimono itself", and that she should wear it walking with her companion. And then Kaoru wants to visit his old apartment which is unoccupied now and brings up more memories.

Everyone goes to the beach where Kaoru discovers that everyone but Aoi has worn a sexy swimsuit to attract his attention. || Tina is going to buy a nice swimsuit and all the girls accompany her. Back home, Taeko receives a letter from her grandma who invites her to the beach house she runs, so they all decide to join her on the trip. When playing on the beach, Taeko seems a bit lonely but Kaoru asks her and her cousin Chika to play frisbee with him. Aoi is too shy to expose her skin in public and just watches from afar, although Miyabi asks her whether this is alright.

Chika, tricks Kaoru into taking a bath with Taeko! || Still on the beach holidays the whole group helps Taeko`s grandmother running the beach house. Taeko wonders what Kaoru means to her after he was so kind to her. Chika gets aware of that and decides she has to `help` her older cousin - by luring both Kaoru and (short-sighted) Taeko into the onsen`s shower at the same time. After this day`s work is over, grandma asks Kaoru to go out with Taeko. Taeko realizes that she is practically on a date with Kaoru and gets super-nervous.

A trip to the zoo for Kaoru becomes a day with Tina followed by a drunken night in a love hotel. Will Aoi really believe they simply fell asleep? || Tina has seen some cute monkeys on TV that will be on display in a nearby zoo, but as everyone else is busy only Kaoru is able to attend this "photo club excursion". Tina is amazed by the zoo`s attraction: "Animal Fantasy - a place to explore love" where Kaoru and Tina are separated and then each have to cross the "Jungle of Evil" on their own. When Tina and Kaoru finally get to the railway station the heavy pours of rain have caused a landslide and all train lines are closed.

Chika visits the tenants, and ends up learning the meaning of family. || Chika is sending photographs from the summer holidays, and a letter: Now she will visit her cousin Taeko, searching for help with her summer homework. Aoi allows her to stay, and everyone offers to help her. Thankful Chika volunteers to help Taeko with her household work, and unlike her cousin she doesn`t cause any mishaps. Also, Tina has found a new video game opponent who reveals surprising skills. Soon Chika has all her homeworks completed, with one exception.

Aoi has some hidden talents, some that she saves just for Kaoru and others that she uses to save the college festival! || The photo club is doing an Animal Cosplay Cafe for the University Festival. Both Aoi and Miyabi visit the festival, and even Mayu is lending a hand by washing dishes. Things seem to go well - until Tina announces a `special service`... Everyone is depressed, but Aoi serves a cup of tea for everyone - and photo club president Suzuki has an idea: A traditional Japanese tea ceremony stall, serving Aoi`s tea! But the kimonos everyone will have to wear revive painful memories for Kaoru.

When Aoi falls ill, everyone at the Sakuraba mansion falls apart trying to fill her shoes with the necessary household chores. || Aoi has a fever but tells the students to go to university. While Miyabi performs the medical care of her patient, Kaoru cleans the mansion, Tina does the laundry, and Taeko makes dinner. But both Tina and Taeko fail miserably, and at the end of a long day the mansion is still at a mess. On the next day, Kaoru has off at university, and with him advising the girls at work, miraculously everything work much smoother now. Finally, even Aoi`s fever is going down but she still needs special treatment.

Kaoru and Aoi encounter a severe frost. Aoi's father forces Aoi to return home in an attempt to separate her from Kaoru forever! || Miyabi and Kaoru have arrived at some other Sakuraba property: Aoi had asked Miyabi to bring Kaoru to her. Kaoru begins to remember that he has been at this place on the day when he and Aoi first met as children; he recognizes a big tree where he left his most precious possession in Aoi`s hands. Meanwhile Miyabi has already left the property, so Aoi and Kaoru will be together alone this night.

Miyabi and Kaoru drive back to the Sakuraba to meet with Aoi again so that they can take her back. But Kaoru will have to go through Aoi's father first. || At the Sakuraba residence, Aoi`s father isn`t willing to listen to Kaoru at first. But both Aoi and Miyabi insist on Aoi`s wish. And when Aoi`s mother takes their side as well, Kaoru is allowed to speak. But when he starts to explain his current situation, the head of the Sakuraba family blames him for being a traitor, betraying Aoi`s love by running away from the Hanabishi family. Suddenly Kaoru feels that Aoi is holding his hand... but then Aoi`s father leaves the room without a word.