Mei Aihara is a strikingly beautiful, light-skinned young girl with a graceful and refined appearance. She has straight, silky black hair that reaches down to her mid-back, with neatly cut bangs that fall over her forehead. Her most distinctive feature is her purple eyes, which often appear calm and unreadable, adding to her cool and distant aura. Mei has a slender build, contributing to her elegant and mature presence despite her age.

While at school, Mei wears the standard Aihara Academy uniform, which she complements with a student council armband on her left arm, signifying her position as the student council president. Outside of school, her fashion choices are minimalistic and modest, often opting for plain, unassuming clothes that reflect her reserved personality and tendency to avoid unnecessary attention.

Later in the series, Mei begins wearing a ring given to her by Yuzu Aihara, but only when she is outside of school, indicating a private yet meaningful acknowledgement of their relationship.

On the surface, Mei Aihara comes across as cold, strict, and emotionally distant. Her serious and often unapproachable attitude stems largely from the emotional scars left by her father’s abandonment, which shaped her into someone who finds it difficult to trust others or express vulnerability. Her interactions with others, especially Yuzu Aihara, are often marked by tension, as she struggles with open communication and instead expresses her conflicted emotions through impulsive and sometimes inappropriate physical advances.

Beneath this hardened exterior, however, Mei is deeply sensitive and emotionally fragile. She hides a vulnerable heart that can be easily hurt, leading her to retreat into herself rather than confront emotional truths directly. Her guarded nature contrasts sharply with Yuzu’s optimistic, energetic, and open-hearted personality, which Mei finds both confusing and difficult to relate to. This emotional dissonance creates friction between the two, but it also serves as the foundation for Mei’s gradual growth throughout the series.

As the story progresses, Mei slowly begins to lower her emotional defenses, especially toward Yuzu. She becomes more caring, gentle, and quietly affectionate, though she continues to struggle with being fully honest about her feelings. Mei also has subtle quirks that reveal her softer side, such as her fondness for teddy bears and occasional childlike behavior, which stand in contrast to her usual seriousness.

While she still maintains her reserved and composed personality, Mei grows more comfortable with herself and her emotions after entering a romantic relationship and eventual engagement with Yuzu. She becomes more openly affectionate and emotionally available, showing that beneath her controlled surface lies a young woman learning how to love, be loved, and accept her own vulnerabilities. Despite knowing that their relationship might not be accepted by everyone, Mei remains more confident and secure in their bond than Yuzu, showing maturity in her own quiet way.

Yuzu Aihara
Yuzu is Mei’s stepsister and the main love interest in the series. Though Yuzu is just one month older, their personalities are strikingly different. When they first meet, Mei sees Yuzu as a nuisance brash, rule-breaking, and disruptive. In an attempt to shut her down, Mei forcefully kisses Yuzu, hoping to push her away emotionally and assert control. She initially refuses to acknowledge her as a sister and treats her with emotional coldness. However, Mei’s attitude begins to change after the arranged marriage with Amamiya is canceled, and she slowly begins to open up to Yuzu.

As time passes, Mei becomes attracted to Yuzu’s bold and passionate nature, despite trying to suppress her feelings. She attempts to rationalize their situation by insisting they are sisters and both girls, but her defenses begin to crumble after Yuzu helps her reconnect with her father and returns her feelings through a kiss. Mei gradually begins to reciprocate Yuzu’s love, showing signs of possessiveness when Matsuri takes an interest in Yuzu. Though she struggles to express herself clearly, she becomes emotionally attached and even feels guilt when her actions cause Yuzu distress.

Despite a moment of rejection following Yuzu’s refusal of Mei’s sexual advances and unclear communication, Mei attempts to pursue a relationship with Sara Tachibana, though it ultimately ends when both girls acknowledge their true feelings. Mei and Yuzu officially begin dating after this resolution. When Mei learns Yuzu was upset after realizing that not everyone will accept their relationship, she writes a heartfelt note in Yuzu’s dating notebook, encouraging her to stay true to herself despite future hardships. Mei is deeply moved when Yuzu places a ring she bought for her, shedding tears of joy. Since then, Mei treasures the ring and wears it whenever possible as a symbol of their bond.

Shō Aihara
Shō is Mei’s biological father, as well as her former teacher and role model. Mei admired him greatly and aspired to follow in his footsteps. When he left to travel, the responsibility of maintaining the school fell onto Mei, and she dedicated herself to the role in the hope that her father would one day return to take over as principal. Her affection for him is evident when she smiles at Yuzu’s suggestion that he should return.

However, when Shō eventually returns and reveals that he no longer wants to run the school, Mei is devastated. Feeling as though her life’s purpose has been taken from her, she begins to emotionally distance herself from him. She still refers to him as “sensei,” highlighting that she saw him more as a mentor than a father, a habit that annoys him, underscoring the emotional disconnect in their relationship.

Himeko Momokino
Himeko is Mei’s childhood friend and the vice president of the student council. As children, they were close, but after Mei’s father left, their friendship turned cold and formal. Mei began to view Himeko more as a subordinate than a friend. With Yuzu’s influence, however, the two manage to rekindle their friendship.

Himeko harbors romantic feelings for Mei, but those feelings are not reciprocated. Despite this, Mei values Himeko’s loyalty and contributions, and she wishes for Himeko to remain a dear person in her life, acknowledging their shared past and quiet bond.

Harumi Taniguchi
Harumi is Yuzu’s best friend and one of the few students at Aihara Academy who is unimpressed by Mei’s status or reputation. Although she initially dislikes Mei’s attitude, the two maintain a cordial relationship. Harumi is unaware of Mei and Yuzu’s romantic relationship until later in the series, at which point she becomes supportive.

Mei trusts Harumi enough to ask her to tell Yuzu to stop over-studying for her sake, showing a level of personal respect. When Harumi breaks the academy’s dress code while doing Mei this favor, Mei chooses not to punish her, expressing gratitude for her help and indirectly acknowledging her as someone dependable and trustworthy.

The given name Mei (芽衣) is written with the kanji 芽 (me), meaning “bud” or “sprout,” and 衣 (i), meaning “clothing” or “garment.” The name can symbolize growth, renewal, or the beginning of change, which reflects Mei’s personal transformation throughout the series as she slowly opens up emotionally and begins to accept love and vulnerability.

Her surname, Aihara (藍原), is composed of 藍 (ai), meaning “indigo,” and 原 (hara), meaning “field” or “plain.” Together, the name may evoke imagery of a calm, vast field colored in deep blue tones—possibly representing Mei’s composed and distant outer personality, as well as the emotional depth she keeps hidden beneath the surface.