[DeepL Translation - needs review] Introduction to Volume 1: ◆◇ 6th Kakuyom Web Novel Contest 《Love Comedy Category》 Special Prize◇◆
I, Maki Maehara, who didn't even know anyone before, made my first friend, Umi Asanagi.
Asanagi, who is rumored by the boys to be the "second cutest girl in the class" and follows the innocent No. 1 girl, Amami, around with great care, is...
She sneaks over to my house only after school on Fridays.
It's a fun time with her, who also shares my taste in movies, g...
This volume was jam packed, and soooooo much fun. It also probably had the most perspective switching out of any of the stories (the only perspective we didn't really get being Nozomu).
While the story is mostly focused on the main 5, Riku, Shizuku, Reiji, and various parents all play a significant role in various events. There's of course the expected 花火大会, 三者面談, 進路調査票 events, as well as a really fun date (initially featuring just Maki, Umi, Masaki, and Sora, before turning into a four family affair. While I still feel like Nozomu is a little too in the background and underdeveloped, it's cool seeing how he's gotten much closer with various groups members. On the other hand, Nina really features much more prominently than in previous novels.
Anyway the big drama that's been hinted at for 4 volumes now finally plays out. While I can't say I was 100% comfortable with how it played out, it was mostly really well done. (There were some things that made me extremely uncomfortable tho, especially with Umi, and the way Maki resolved things with her... In a sense it makes it really interesting, bc they seemingly have such a strong, healthy, unified relationship, and yet there's still some toxic tendencies to it. Still this was the first time I found myself thinking "he's too good for you". Though it's not the first time I've found myself wishing I could go into the story and tell this kid "this isn't normal or healthy, you should not have to do this, you shouldn't be suggesting it", etc. Honestly, I'm upset that Maki wasn't more upset for himself, at the way he was treated). Otoh the way Maki conducted himself throughout the rest of this just further increased my respect for him. Besides those qualms though, the whole arc is really well done, and manages to not feel too drawn out.
Anyway, overall I loved this book. I already knew what to expect for some of it, from having read the web novel version, but this went above and beyond my expectations, and I look forward to rereading it.
Note: there is a trial chapter for 男嫌いな美人姉妹を名前も告げずに助けたら一体どうなる？ at the end of the ebook. I didn't read it tho