quick rating -/
Reading other people's ratings, I must agree with many about how amazing the story telling is. If this was indeed a first go at Renpy/HS, then I must tip my hat to you. Well done on a great job.
/- end quick rating
Personal view.
At first glance, I wasn't really excited on the choice of HS assets, but your use of artistic framing coupled with superb writing really knocked this one out of the park. I'm so glad I gave this title a chance because I got sucked into the story almost instantly. I really respect the modest usage of the lewd scenes. As I'm not one who reads/plays VN's for lewds, and even less when it comes to taboo subjects like incest. But let's be honest here, having 'step siblings' with zero blood relations isn't really considered 'taboo' in my opinion. How you tap danced your way around that was brilliant.
Furthermore, I also really appreciated how you added so much nuances around how to romance some of the LIs really threw me through a few hoops. How some results wasn't only reliant on 1 answer or choice, but an accumulation of choices was so well thought out. Judie for example, while in Japan, I expressed love for her and how important she was (affection score reached 21 at that scene), yet if I recall correctly, the choice following that scene made it that her path was lost. I'll admit that ticked me off, but got me thinking about how you thought out the mechanics for each path.
If one pays enough attention to all of these little details and nuances, one can quickly tell you cared deeply about story quality over "bling", and makes me respect the work that much more. Your writing was clever, witty and original. Characters do not feel superficial but instead feel organic and natural and each had distinct and unique personalities, and didn't feel 'repeated'. Of course some things could perhaps have been done 'better', but that is a very subjective observation. Because even true works of art have flaws in them, and I'm kinda glad you left them in the final product. None of the scenes felt as though they were "rushed".
Thank you for sharing your talent and imagination with the rest of us. It was/is inspiring. And I cannot wait to give Eternum a try, but I am glad I played this one first. Because knowing what you can accomplish with HS, I think I'm going to be blown away with your second attempt. Once again, thank you and well done.