Prologue: You’ve got it wrong!

A relaxed atmosphere filled the apartment. A young girl threw herself on the bed, and

her facial expression kept changing.

"Why…? But…"

The girl mumbling to herself while her complicated emotions played across her face

was Alisa Mikhailovna Kujou. She had removed her school blazer and didn't seem to be

concerned by the wrinkles creasing her shirt as she restlessly rolled around her bed. It wasn't

like her to be this sloppy, but Alisa didn't have it in her to worry about that at the moment.

She was thinking back to what had happened around thirty minutes before, on her way

home from school. She pondered about those eyes gazing directly into hers, the hand held

out to her, and the words that slipped off her tongue.

"'Love'? Me? What?"

She'd done it without realizing. The powerful feelings deep within her heart had swelled

until they tumbled out of her mouth.

"I'm in love with Kuze? M-m-me?!"

She questioned herself once more before immediately diving into her pillow, burying

her blushing cheeks.

"No! There's…no…way…I…!"

Her knee-jerk denial filled the pillow covering her mouth.

I love Kuze? Me? That's impossible! There's no way I would ever be in love with

someone like him!

I could never love a slacker like him. I might have said some things in Russian that may

have made it seem like I had feelings for him, but I was simply teasing him. I didn't mean

what I said. I was just laughing at how dumb he looked with that seemingly permanent smug

look on his face, never realizing I was complimenting him.

…Really, though?

A hint of doubt suddenly peeked out from the back of Alisa's mind, and she clenched

her fists tight.

"Really. I really don't have any feelings for Kuze. I…I just got caught up in the moment.

That's all it was!"

After convincing herself, she sat up swiftly and then headed toward the closet.

Besides…even if I did have feelings for Kuze, and that's a big if…there are more

important things I need to worry about right now.

While she changed out of her uniform, Alisa reminded herself what was most important.

She didn't need time to think—it was becoming the student council president. She wouldn't

allow herself to lose sight of the goalsolely because she wasinfatuated with a boy. She would

be betraying Masachika, who said he was going to help make that dream come true as well.

Yeah… I need to live up to his expectations now that he has agreed to help me. I mean,

how would he feel if I dropped out of the race and told him I had feelings for him? For

example, of course.

She imagined how Masachika would respond.

"What? You like me? Oh, sorry. That's not what I meant when I said I would be by

your side and support your dream. Have you always felt this way about me? Come on… Ew.

Forget I ever offered to help you."

She imagined him being disgusted.

"Ack…!"

Alisa's own imagined scenario hurt her, and she staggered. She stumbled back over to

her bed before collapsing onto the covers. After lying in blank amazement for a few moments,

her eyebrows furrowed, and she started to relentlessly beat the covers.

"Oh yeah?! Well, I don't like you, either! How about that?!"

Breathing heavily, she pounded her fist on the bed with each word. Besides, this is Kuze

we're talking about. He's going to slack off during school tomorrow and annoy me like he

always does anyway.

Even after I did that.

"…!"

Just thinking about it irked Alisa, so she got out of bed and slammed the closet door

closed…right as the front door to the apartment slammed shut. She placed her hands on her

cheeks to check if they were still heated, then headed into the hallway.

"Hey, Masha."

"Hey, Alya."

"…?"

Usually, Maria would greet her sister with a radiant smile and a hug with a kiss on each

cheek, but she seemed rather out of it today.

"Masha…did something happen?"

"Huh? Why do you ask?"

"Why do I ask…?"

Alisa wanted to tell her, but she didn't know how to explain and fell silent. Maria's gaze

still seemed somewhat different from usual until she suddenly put on a big smile and plucked

a stuffed animal out of the plastic bag in her hands.

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot! I met someone wonderful who I think you'd like."

"Huh?"

Maria's sudden cheerful voice, along with the cat plushie she was holding out,

bewildered Alisa.

"Ta-daa! It's Mewlisa!"

"M-Mewlisa…? What?"

"Check it out! Isn't she the spitting image of you?"

"…In what way?" Alisa's expression was unamused as she took a step back.

"Uh… Like…the eyes?"

"They're two black dots. It's nothing like me."

"Come on! Take a closer look. See?"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say… I just want you to call it something else. Okay?"

"But…"

"It'd feel like someone was calling my name every time you talked about it. I wouldn't

be able to relax."

"Hmm… Then how about Mewlya?"

"I guess that'd work…"

"Hooray! ♪ Now, let me introduce you to your new home, Mewlya."

Maria began to head to her wonderland and clutched the stuffed animal to her breasts

with a mirthful smile. Alisa rolled her eyes at the sight until Maria suddenly stopped in front

of her room and looked back at Alisa over her shoulder.

"By the way, Alya, about Kuze…"

"What about him?" Alisa defensively replied after suddenly hearing the name of the boy

she had just been thinking about.

"Oh, it's nothing important. I only wanted to say that I think he's a good guy. I can see

why you like him," Maria answered cheerfully, unaware or unconcerned that Alisa's guard

was up.

"For the last time, I don't like him."

"Really?"

"Enough!" yelled Alisa in frustration and discomfort, but she almost immediately

withdrew when she saw the look in Maria's eyes. Contrary to Maria's jovial tone, her eyes

were dead serious, almost frighteningly so. Nevertheless, that serious look was then hidden

in a near instant behind her characteristic smile.

"Ohhh. I see."

"Huh?"

"You're so cute, even when you're not being honest with yourself."

"Wh-what?!"

"But you should hurry up and tell him that you like him before someone else steals him

away from you."

"Wh-what are you talking about?!"

"Giggle. Ah, to be young again. ♪"

Maria then retreated to her room like she knew something her sister didn't, unconcerned

by Alisa's dismay.

"Hmph… What was that all about?"

Alisa resigned herself to stop trying to figure out her sister, then retired to her own room.

She tried not to care or speculate, but…

"…"

…she couldn't stop thinking about the serious look in Maria's eyes for a while after that.