Life is pretty dull for four-eyed high school student Karin. She has never thought of herself as beautiful or glamorous, yet one day she finds Kiriya, the hottest guy in school, taking pictures of her in the subway. Karin is not sure if he actually likes her or if he just some kind of weirdo. Things are further complicated when Yuka, the most popular girl in Karin’s school takes a romantic interest in Kiriya and views Karin as her rival. Karin tries build up her courage and self esteem and stand up to Yuka. A modern story inspired by the classic Ugly Duckling fairy tale, KARE FIRST LOVE, from Kaho Miyasaka, realistically depicts a young girl’s path to discover her true self and her first experiences with love.