Shonen Beam

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Haruto not only saw the excellent opportunity to stand up for Eba, but he showed the decisiveness to act on it. Well done.

Screentone: Not always a good choice.

My poor eyes

Bizarre conversation between Kiyomi and Haruto.

Two characters in a romance series simultaneously realizing and agreeing that they are stupid generally leads to romantic hints between the two. Please, do not let this happen.

Kiyomi’s “apology” is quite funny, and she follows it up with an outright declaration of war over Kazama. My fears over her introduction have been relieved.

Final Flash: In comparison to the last few months, this is an uncharacteristically direct chapter; no coincidence that this is one of the better chapters in recent memory.

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Another girl? The main trio needs to stay intact. Haruto must win Eba back from Kazama on his own, without any kind of interference.

Despite this, Kiyomi presents an interesting side to Eba that the audience hasn’t been shown. Surely, Kiyomi is altering things slightly because of her own feelings, but these claims can’t be entirely unfounded.

A meeting with both girls? Seems like an intervention, even. This can’t end well.

Indeed, it hasn’t. A slap is a pretty strong way to announce yourself as part of the main cast of the series.

Hello, I am relevant

Final Flash: Kiyomi’s introduction elicits mixed feelings from me. On one hand, she’s instantly cultivating development in Eba’s character. On the other hand, she provides a possible resolution to the love triangle (Haruto/Eba, Kazama/Kiyomi) that would feel cheap compared to Haruto being able to win back Eba through his own efforts.

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Ah, the Beef Stroganoff Trap. The deadliest of traps.

Kazama, like any reasonable person, is rightfully incredulous that Haruto actually made food for his love rival.

P8, top panel: Very hungry now.

There sure has been a considerable focus on Eba disliking tomatoes. I realize it’s a cute way to show Haruto knows Eba well, but it shouldn’t be the only example.

As if it wasn’t already awkward enough that a dying man is having dinner made by his love rival, both in the presence of the girl they love, the dying man just now finds out that his girl used to live with the love rival? Redefining awkward, this.

Haruto might be taking his new, happy approach a little too far at times, but it’s still a tremendous improvement in comparison to the angst earlier this year.

Finally, a crack in Eba’s cold facade. We’re getting somewhere.

Final Flash: Awkward yet cheerful chapter. I’m actually excited for progress again. Pity there’s no chapter next week.

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Always nice when magazines remind us how super popular a series is.

Amusing first two pages. That’s the kind of small touch this series has missed.

So, if Haruto freaks out Eba, Mishima is going to beat him with a bat? Brutal. Actually, that’s excellent.

Kazama certainly isn’t helping his own cause. It seems as though he’s trying to set Haruto and Eba up again, knowing he’ll soon be gone.

Beef stroganoff? It’s a bit odd to hear that used in the context of haute cuisine. Perhaps Chef Boyardee has tarnished the name of good food.

He’s actually going to make it. Our protagonist, ladies and gentlemen.

Final Flash: Unsettling turn of events. It’s nice that Haruto is being persistent, but it will feel like a shallow victory for Haruto (not to mention a colossal waste of time for the series) if Kazama continues to practically hand over the girl he’s supposed to be fighting for.

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Aftermath of the declaration of war. This series could finally be going somewhere.

As heartless as it might seem in the moment, Haruto is absolutely doing the right thing. It would be more demeaning (both to Kazama as a character and to the readers) to hold back because Kazama is sick. Furthermore, it would be far worse to see Haruto and Eba reunited after Kazama dies.

As expected, Kazama is up for the challenge.

Nagoshi’s flustering is so cute. It’s a pity she wasn’t in the series when she could have been a significant love interest.

On the same note, Mishima is fantastic. She’s easily my favorite character of the series right now.

Nagoshi! How adorable. Sorry, young lady, but Haruto is busy spending time with the girl he should end up with. You’ll have to wait. (Please feel free to continue being appallingly cute in the interim.)

Final Flash: A glimmer of hope! This series is finally starting to progress the main storyline and move out of pure angst. I’m fine with a little angst, as long as its relevant, but we’ve had to endure far too much angst for too long.

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How convenient; Haruto finally remembers to care after the damage is done.

After making us sit through the date with Nagoshi for so long, Kouji might as well have wrapped up her small storyline properly. Instead, Haruto explains that she left. That isn’t proper narration.

Wait a minute… who is this girl again? I feel like I’m supposed to know her. … oh, that’s right, it’s Eba, who we should have seen weeks ago.

Clearly, this isn’t going to go well.

So, it finally happened. I still don’t necessarily believe Eba, and will refuse to believe her outright until we see her supposed new boyfriend, but this is the storyline development that needed to happen. Unfortunately, it needed to happen several weeks ago, so most of the impact is gone.

Final Flash: The author made the audience wait too long; much like real relationship issues, one side’s indecisiveness has soured the whole experience.

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P1: Ah, unreasonable expectations.

Of course, Nagoshi is completely misunderstanding the situation. Not just a little. Completely.

Don’t be fooled, Haruto! Let Nagoshi have a bad time!

A haunted house. Cue standard “I’m scared, let me fall into your arms” scene.

Surely Eba is one of these ghosts.

What better way to wrap up an entirely stereotypical chapter than with Haruto falling on Nagoshi and revealing some skin?

Yep, Eba. I take no credit for seeing that coming. Painfully obvious.

Final Flash: Highly disappointing. Romance series can be somewhat derivative, but being outright formulaic is unacceptable.

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Well. Hello, Aoi.

Oh, the perils of being a stalker.

Wow. This turn of events is too much of a stretch. Anyone would see the problem with using another girl for this. You can only make your main character so naive before the audience’s suspension of disbelief breaks down.

When Negi adds a harem member, it’s a great occasion. When Haruto adds a romantic interest, it’s frustrating. Show us Eba already.

This entire chapter is following the most basic of romantic comedy formulas. Seo is a better writer than this. What a letdown.

Final Flash: Well, I suppose since Haruto doesn’t want to see Eba with Nagoshi in tow, there’s a 99% chance it will happen. I wish we didn’t have to drag this disappointing storyline to the long-awaited meeting.

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Suzuka and Yamato fighting! Cute and unsurprising. Unfortunately, the constant references to Suzuka are beginning to have a negative effect; I’ve enjoyed Kimi no Iru Machi as a whole, but not nearly as much as Suzuka.

For anyone interested, the cast are at a real race track: Tsukuba Circuit, in Ibaraki Prefecture. (Haruto calls it Ibaragi, an apparently common mispronunciation.)

I think I could have done without Kazama being sick. It’s already enough to swap out half the cast of the series midway through; don’t make me care for a whole new set of dramatic circumstances. Couldn’t Kazama just be an aspiring racer?

It’s hard to tell if Kazama is actively trying to push Haruto and Mishima together or only joking.

That ended quickly. Haruto is the one who needed cheering up, not the audience; we don’t need an entire chapter at a race track.

Final Flash: I read a theory online that Kazama is Eba’s new boyfriend. This would be horrible and unnecessary. I’m okay with Kazama and Mishima now, but please, not too much more. Stick to the main storyline.

I know Haruto is trying not to become attached to or distracted by anyone here, but he could at least not be a jerk. His time in Tokyo so far has made me think less of him.

Oh, good, Mishima is taking care of that.

I’m sure the author is going to create some romantic tension between these two, given the genre, but I’m finding it difficult to retain interest in the supposed “right” couple since we haven’t so much as seen Eba in so long.

Yeah, there it is. Harem series protagonist innocently calling a girl cute. Never fails.

Final Flash: Eba needs to show her face soon, because between the two-week break and non-chapters like these, this is quickly losing any remaining momentum.

Two weeks off felt like a long time for a romance series.

Not sure how I feel about Haruto’s new acquaintances. I have yet to warm up to them.

Oh, Rin-chan.

I know Seo has a distinct art style, but Rin on page 13 looks exactly like Suzuka.

Well then, that will certainly help me warm up to Kazama. Good last few pages.

Final Flash: We have entered the main stretch of standard romance series heart-wrenching. As always, I hope the conclusion will be worth the trouble.