Dakara Koi to Yobanaide, by FUJIWARA Yoshiko

> Manga > Dakara Koi to Yobanaide, by FUJIWARA Yoshiko
  • Title: Dakara Koi to Yobanaide
  • Author: Fujiwa
  • Publisher (JP): Shogakukan
  • Imprint: Flower Comics
  • Year: 2010
  • ISBN (JP): 978-4-09-133064-2
  • Licensed in North America?: No
  • Also Known As:
  • Publisher (US):
  • ISBN (US):
  • Anime Version? No
  • Live Action? No

I’m a fan of this author’s other series, Koi Nanka Hajimaranai, so when I saw this volume at the bookstore, I couldn’t resist picking it up. Especially since the cover seems to indicate that this is a teacher-student story! Well, after reading it, I can say that it IS a teacher-student story — sort of. As of volume 1, there isn’t exactly romance between them, but there is definitely a close friendship developing that may progress to something more later on. I like the fact that this series isn’t rushing things, and for all I know, may take the romance in a completely different direction. I actually wouldn’t mind which way it goes, because all of the guys in this series are interesting! Our heroine has some good choices here 😀 This is volume 1 of a continuing series, and it is thus far not smutty, though that may change. I wonder how many volumes this story will last. I can imagine all sorts of angst-ridden twists and turns it could take. The art style is cute, if a little bit messy. The author is good at drawing really silly character faces when they react to something crazy.

NARUSE Kokoro is a 17 year old high school student. She has a hopeless crush on a boy in her class, the cold and handsome Fuwa-kun. Her friends can’t quite get what Kokoro sees in Fuwa, but to Kokoro, he is the best. He’s good-looking, really smart, doesn’t flirt with all the girls, and doesn’t hang out with all the guys. Fuwa is serious and hard-working. To others, this may make him seem like a cold, uncaring guy, but Kokoro is determined to win his heart.

Unfortunately, she isn’t having much luck. He is just as cool and unflirty with her as he is with all the other girls. His conversation is no-nonsense and brief. How can Kokoro crack his cold exterior? One-sided love can be painful!

Things start to change with the arrival of a new teacher. He is taking over for another teacher out n leave, and will be advising Kokoro’s class. His name is TAKAYANAGI Jiro, and he is 26. He is also friendly and cute. Kokoro first sees him before class, taking a cigarette break outside. She doesn’t approve of smoking (and it’s against school rules for a student to smoke!), and runs off wanting to tell a teacher on him. Therefore, she is surprised when she learns this guy IS the teacher! Jiro looks fairly young, and is not the most put-together guy. His suit is too big, and he has a hole in one of his socks. This is his first time teaching.

Even though they got off to a rough start, they soon become friends, once Kokoro sees how dedicated Jiro is to becoming a good teacher, and how friendly and nice he is. He is a little bit insecure (the other teachers shun him because they think he got the teaching position due to family connections) and he is rather adorable. Quite the opposite from Fuwa-kun, really. When Jiro finds out Kokoro has a crush on her classmate, Fuwa, he offers to help, andassigns Kokoro and Fuwa to the same after school duties. He cheers her on, and hopes she can make Fuwa fall for her.

And it works, sort of. Fuwa-kun notices Kokoro, and actually talks to her a bit, though he is still not the most outgoing guy. It is an improvement. He even finds himself confiding some of his opinions about things to her, something that seems to surprise himself as well. For example, Fuwa doesn’t like Jiro-sensei very much because he feels that the teacher is too sloppy and laid back, and is not serious about being a teacher. But Fuwa shows that he is not inflexible, as his opinion changes once he gets to know Jiro better, too. Jiro manages to influence both Kokoro and Fuwa for the better.

Will Kokoro be able to win over Fuwa-kun? He seems to be not as cold as he acts, and may care more for Kokoro than he lets on. And what about Jiro and Kokoro? They seem like great close friends, but is there anything more there? Jiro certainly goes out of his way to help her, and is remarkably sensitive to what may hurt Kokoro’s feelings. Is a love triangle developing?

This is volume 1 of a continuing series, and I feel like things are just getting started by the end of the book. I am not sure who I would want Kokoro to be with either 🙂 Will things remain on the fun friendship level with Jiro? I wonder! As for Kokoro, she is cute. She can be insecure, but she also has the courage to try to approach Fuwa when no one else will. She is also not a clingy crybaby, and will accept things when they don’t go her way. The friendship between her and Jiro is sweet. I like how she thanks him for his kindness by sticking deco stickers all over his stuff. (Those tiny jewel-like stickers used for decorating things like cellphones). She manages to deco-bling out his indoor slippers and his office chair in this volume, much to his dismay 🙂

I look forward to future volumes of this!

6 thoughts on “Dakara Koi to Yobanaide, by FUJIWARA Yoshiko

  1. I realize that this is definitely a long time after you posted this, but I’m still hoping that by some chance you’ll see it. I know for a fact that this series ended up being 5 volumes long and is finished, but I can’t find any of the volumes online, so out of desperation I searched for scans—but found only the first chapter, which everyone who’s scanned it has called it a oneshot. I realize it’s apparently a not very popular series, but out of curiosity I read the first chapter and I liked it a lot. Do you have any idea why it’s labeled as a oneshot, and why it’s not available anywhere? Did it stop being published or something, meaning there’s no more copies?

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