“Saijo no Osewa: Takane no Hanadarake na Meimonkou de, Gakuin Ichi no Ojousama (Seikatsu Nouryoku Kaimu) wo Kagenagara Osewa suru Koto ni Narimashita” is a romantic comedy depicting a slightly unusual relationship between a perfect young lady admired by everyone and an ordinary high school boy. The protagonist of the story is Tomonari Itsuki, a high school student who grew up in a poor family and worked hard at part-time jobs almost every day. However, one day his parents suddenly disappear in the night to flee debt, driving Itsuki into a situation where even his advancement to the next grade in high school is at risk. It was at this rock bottom of his life that he met Konohana Hinako, the daughter of Japan's leading financial clique family. Moreover, it was no ordinary encounter; Itsuki gets caught up in a kidnapping incident involving Hinako. However, taking this incident as an opportunity, Hinako takes a liking to Itsuki and surprisingly designates him, saying, “I want him.” Having lost his place to go, Itsuki comes to work as a live-in employee at the Konohana household, and begins a life in a completely different world from before, where he also attends the prestigious Kihou Academy as Hinako's caretaker.

At the academy, Hinako is a flawless “perfect young lady” who possesses both intelligence and beauty, and behaves impeccably. Her family background, appearance, and conduct are all top-class, making her literally an unattainable flower in the eyes of those around her. However, that perfect appearance was crafted in order to live as a daughter of a distinguished family. The true face she shows in front of Itsuki is surprisingly defenseless, lacking life skills to the point of not even being able to change clothes properly by herself, and she is a lazy girl who tries to slack off at every opportunity. This contrast is precisely the greatest charm of this work. The more you know Hinako who behaves dignifiedly at the academy, the sweeter she appears showing a completely spoiled side only in front of Itsuki. At the same time, the fact that she does not end as a mere “disappointing young lady” is also an interesting point. Behind Hinako continuing to act perfect lie the obligations unique to someone born into a distinguished family. Precisely because she can never show weakness on the outside, in her figure relaxing only in front of Itsuki, one can feel her own earnestness alongside an amusing gap.

Even while knowing Hinako's secret, far from despising her, Itsuki attentively takes care of her so that she can feel at ease showing her true self. And Hinako also comes to trust such an Itsuki, gradually leaning on him without holding back. What is interesting here is that their relationship stops being a simple one of “young lady and servant.” Formally Hinako is the master and Itsuki is the caretaker, but in daily life Itsuki supports Hinako, and mentally, for Hinako, Itsuki becomes the place where she can be without putting on airs. Starting from a relationship of “the one who takes care” and “the one who is taken care of,” they gradually transform into existences necessary to each other. In that process lies the sweetness unique to this work.

What feels particularly charming while reading is, rather than the gap in Hinako itself, the relationship of “it's okay not to be perfect in front of Itsuki.” For Hinako who is admired by people, the evaluation of being a perfect young lady is a proud thing on one hand, while on the other hand it is a role that binds her. That she can be unadorned, lounge around, depend on him, and even lay bare her lack of life skills in front of Itsuki. Precisely because Itsuki accepts that figure as a matter of course, one could feel a warmth in their interactions beyond mere romantic comedy. Itsuki himself was left behind by his family, and the story begins from a place where he lost his belonging. In other words, this can be read not as a story where Itsuki unilaterally saves Hinako, but as a story where two people carrying loneliness gradually find “someone to return to with peace of mind.”

“Saijo no Osewa: Takane no Hanadarake na Meimonkou de, Gakuin Ichi no Ojousama (Seikatsu Nouryoku Kaimu) wo Kagenagara Osewa suru Koto ni Narimashita” is a work where you can enjoy the overly unexpected true face of a perfect young lady, while its charm lies in using that gap to carefully bring the distance between their hearts closer. To the classic-feeling setting of a gorgeous prestigious school, a financial clique young lady and an ordinary high school boy, and a secret caretaker, Hinako's intense personality of “perfect outside, lazy at home” is added, making one instinctively want to watch over their daily life. A sloppy true face shown to only one person feels more special than a perfect smile shown to anyone—is this not a work that people weak to such a “sense of distance known only to the two of them” will gradually fall for?