is an romance

Romantic love

Romance is the pleasurable feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.In the context of romantic love relationships, romance usually implies an expression of one's love, or one's deep emotional desires to connect with another person....

-based shōjo

Shojo

The term refers to manga marketed to a female audience roughly between the ages of 10-18. The name romanizes the Japanese 少女 , literally: "little female". Shōjo manga covers many subjects in a variety of narrative and graphic styles, from historical drama to science fiction — often with a strong...

 manga by manga artist

Mangaka

is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...

 Miho Obana

Miho Obana

is a shōjo manga artist born in Tokyo, Japan.She began her manga career as an assistant to Momoko Sakura, creator of Chibi Maruko-chan. She debuted in 1990 with the Mado no Mukō, which was published in the autumn 1990 issue of Ribon Bikkuri...

 that was serialized in Ribon

Ribon

is a monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Shueisha. First issued in August 1955, its rivals are Nakayoshi and Ciao. Its target audience is young girls roughly 9–13 years old. In 2009, the magazine's circulation was 274,167, down from the previous year's circulation numbers of 330,000...

 magazine from May 2001 through July 2002. A compilation version was published by Shūeisha

Shueisha

is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...

.

The story centers around the main character, Mei Takahara, who lives with her older stepbrother named Natsu whom she has fallen in love with. The plot thickens when a friend of the family whose parents have died comes to live with the siblings. Mei struggles with the complications of her feelings with Natsu and the newcomer to her home who also develops feelings for him.

Characters

• Mei Takahara

Mei is in 8th grade and is the president of her school band. She plays the saxophone. She lives alone with her brother Natsu. However, Mei and Natsu are not related by blood and Mei is in love with him. But she gave up on him when Natsu started dating Melvina. Later she asks Shuu out, trying to forget Natsu.

• Natsu Takahara

Mei's brother and a genius musician, already famous at the age of 17. He can play a number of instruments, but spends most of his time writing songs. He is in great demand and is often overworked. He starts dating Mel, but moves out when he finds out that Mel and him are half-siblings.

• Melvina "Mel" Molan

Now living with Mei and Natsu because her parents died. She is good-looking and has a beautiful singing voice. She starts dating Natsu, but they break up when they find out they are half-siblings.

• Shuu Fujinaga

Shuu is in 9th grade and plays the drums. He has a part-time job at a nearby restaurant. He attends the same school as Mei, but he hasn't shown up since around the end of his first year. The reason for him not coming to school is unknown.

• Hikaru Teru

Mei's best friend and vice-president of the band. She is always supportive of Mei.

• Eiko-san

Mei's mother. She married Natsu's father but later divorced him. Tends to be blunt.

• Satoru-san

Natsu's father. Rather irresponsible and "adopted" Melvina, only to dump her off onto Natsu. He moved back to Australia in an attempt to jump-start his failing business. He is Mel's father. Mel's mother saved him when he tried to commit suicide.

Volume list