Ema’s new life in the Asahina household was a whirlwind of handsome faces and constant attention. Thirteen brothers, each more charming than the last, seemed to orbit her, drawn to her quiet grace and the soft beauty she inherited from her parents. Then there was You, Ema's younger sister, who watched from the periphery. You had always been the one in Ema's shadow, her features a little less refined, her personality a little less captivating.

"Ema, you look radiant today!" Masaomi would say, offering a gentle smile as he prepared breakfast for his new step-sisters. "That outfit suits you perfectly."

Later, Louis, the quiet hairdresser, would often offer to style Ema’s hair, his delicate fingers weaving intricate braids, while You sat by, her own simple ponytail feeling suddenly inadequate. Subaru, usually awkward, would find his words when Ema entered the room, his cheeks flushing a faint red. Even the usually abrasive Futo seemed to soften when Ema was around, offering her a rare, genuine smile.

For You, it was a familiar pattern, amplified thirteen-fold. The brothers were polite, of course, but their eyes always found Ema first. Their conversations sparkled with shared interests with Ema, their compliments reserved for her elegance. You would try to interject, to share a thought or a joke, but the moment would often pass, their focus already back on Ema.

One evening, as she overheard Tsubaki and Azusa laughing with Ema about a voice acting role, You retreated to her room, a knot forming in her stomach. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, scrutinizing her own face, searching for a beauty that seemed to elude her. The insecurity, a constant companion since childhood, tightened its grip. She knew it wasn't Ema's fault; Ema was kind and genuinely oblivious to the disparity. But knowing that didn't stop the quiet sting of feeling perpetually overlooked, a stark contrast to the radiant star her sister had become in this bustling, brother-filled home.