There has to be something f*cked up with that genre if such assholes are considered average capture targets in an otome game, hard mode or not. I can't picture someone willingly buying a game to have to work your way up from metaphorical garbage to love interest.
Hahaha, look at this guy, he killed the stepsister he bullied his whole life just because she looked at the main character girl funny, isn't he dreamy? I've played my share of galges, and if a girl started treating my character with such disdain, I would have dropped it right there.