I fell in love with my kind and beautiful stepmother, Rieko Hiraoka. (KSBJ-395)

My father remarried. My new mother, Ms. Rieko, was a woman whose gentle voice and smile perfectly complemented each other. As for me, I didn't know how to respond and could only offer a stiff smile in return. One day, Ms. Rieko gently stayed by my side. I was struggling with a learning plateau, and she guided me with magical clarity. She cared for me, gently cleaning my ears with her lap pillow. Surrounded by her soft fragrance and warmth, my heart began to flutter. I knew this wasn't right. But in that instant, I saw Ms. Rieko not as a 'mother,' but as a woman…