In Meiji-era Japan, sixteen-year-old Maria wishes she can change her appearance. If only her eyes and hair were different, maybe she wouldn’t be met with such fear, and maybe her own mother wouldn’t be so ashamed of her. But when Maria encounters a handsome yet mischievous boy named Rintarou, her understanding of beauty-and herself-begins to change. To him, Maria’s not just pretty; she’s straight out of a fairy tale! A historical romance unfolds on the streets of Yokohama...

Hoping to marry despite their families’ wishes, Maria sneaks out in the middle of the night to run away with Rintarou. But unbeknownst to her, Rintarou’s father has suddenly fallen ill, and it’s the playboy Chiaki who arrives to take her back home. Although heartbroken by Rintarou’s unexplained abandonment, Maria-with some teasing encouragement from Chiaki-resolves to continue her English practice. She’ll show her former fiancée that under her “catskin coat,” she’s the girl he let get away!

Maria’s diligent training to become a proper lady is interrupted by Rintarou’s sudden return from abroad. Somehow, her Prince Charming is even dreamier than before-and now he’s inviting her to accompany him to a ball. But when his mother and the womanizing Chiaki attempt to redirect their affections, Maria and Rintarou’s first dance as a couple may very well be their last...!

Although Rintarou continues to tease Maria, she feels a strange attraction to him. When Maria is invited to be Rintarou's partner at one of his family's high-society parties, not all is what it seems. Could this be a scheme by a third party? The Meiji-era Yokohama romance continues!

Maria aims to learn more about her father's home country, and alsohow to become a proper lady for Rintarou.

Itsuki and Tsugumi spend the night after the earthquake together in a van outside the shelter. Koreda and Nagasawa arrive from Tokyo the next day, and Nagasawa takes Itsuki to a different shelter and away from Tsugumi. Unfortunately, Koreda learns that Tsugumi and Itsuki spent the night together. Later, Tsugumi's friend, Maika, invites her out to Tokyo, and Tsugumi accepts...only to learn that Maika's boyfriend, Haruhito, who uses a wheelchair, broke up with her some time ago. They say they have no regrets...and Tsugumi finds herself at Itsuki's apartment that night instead of Koreda's.

The dapper staff of The Watering Hole are always eager to serve their clientele with grace and charm. But little do the patrons know that these handsome gents are actually penguins in disguise! The sharply dressed flightless birds love all that the human world offers, but as the saying goes: “You can take the penguin out of the Antarctic, but you can’t take the Antarctic out of the penguin!”* *Not all penguins come from the Antarctic.**** Yes, this actually matters in the world of Penguin Gentlemen.