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I picked up this series because it is by the same author as “Kimi ni Todoke” (Reaching You). I really enjoy the story, characters, and artwork in that series, so I figured it would be a safe bet to assume I would enjoy this series as well. While I did not enjoy it quite as much as I like Kimi ni Todoke, this is still a very interesting series and is worth reading. It is 6 volumes long, which feels like a good length to me. Not too drag-on long, not too short ^_^ The artwork is really clean and pretty, especially on the covers.
This story revolves around the tangled relationships between a group of five friends. The focus is on a a cute, naive girl named Sachi (or “Sa-chan”). Sachi is silly and innocent and friendly. She had a very “genuine” personality. What you see is what you get. Sachi doesn’t have a boyfriend, but would like one (going to an all-girls school makes finding a boyfriend difficult), so when she is asked if she would like to go to a “goukon” (a group date) she jumps at the chance. At the goukon, Sachi meets a lively and cute boy named Yuki. Sachi falls for Yuki at first sight, and they get along very well. They both have energetic personalities. Yuki thinks Sachi is cute, and seems to really like her.
At school, Sachi’s closest friend is a beautiful girl named Akemi. Akemi is a mature, almost elegant type of girl with long dark hair, and a fairly serious personality. Akemi’s boyfriend of two years is Yuhei, a guy who is almost her total opposite. He has a personality somewhat similar to Sachi’s in that it is very honest and genuine. He is a little more shy and emotional, but all in all, he is adorable and really loves Akemi very much. Rounding out the group of friends is Akahoshi, a school friend of Yuki’s. He is also a serious type of guy. He is observant and insightful, and acts supportive of both Yuki and Sachi in different ways.
Every day, Sachi finds herself falling more and more for Yuki, and her affection is very obvious to everyone around her, including Yuki. However, while Yuki does like her, there is some sort of barrier between them. Yuki is holds himself back and will only see Sachi as a friend. When a secret from Yuki’s past comes to light, and a relationship is revealed, the group of friends is thrown into turmoil. Bonds are strained or broken, betrayal is felt, and everyone must re-evaluate how they feel about each other.
The first volume sets up all the characters and the main situation, and the remaining five volumes cover the aftermath of the revelation. I admit that both Yuki and Sachi annoyed me at times (especially Yuki!) but I still couldn’t stop reading. There are some frustrating parts, where it seems like everyone is just going in circles. However, Sachi is an interesting character, and the other characters are also sympathetic. I found the resolution to be satisfying, and think if you like Kimi ni Todoke, then this is worth a look.