Kiss Blue II by Kinoshita Keiko

I had bought Kiss Blue II by Kinoshita Keiko a while back, but for some reason didn't get around to reading it until now. I had raved about the first volume before, maybe I was just afraid the conclusion wouldn't be nearly as good. In any case, all my fears were put to rest because the story ended fabulously. I read volume 2 a couple of times before breaking out volume 1 and rereading that one, too. Oh, the story is exactly the kind I like. It develops slowly, with Tomosaka gradually realizing that he's in love with his best friend Noda. The story intertwines his angst as he tries really hard to suppress his feelings with glimpses of their past as friends as well as their daily interactions as friends so well. I also appreciate that we get to see Noda's side of things as he tries to make sense of how Tomosaka's feelings for him affects their relationship. This continues on in volume 2, with things sort of coming to a head at one point (see under the cut) and then resolving in a very satisfactory ending. Seeing the progression of both Noda's and Tomosaka's feelings makes a cliched ending feel oh so right. XD They are both terribly sympathetic, trying hard to deal in their own unique ways...


( back cover )

( a scene )