It could have been a decent manga, but it unfortunately has several flaws and started to fail from the beginning of the most dramatic plot of the story when he attempted to slap the bully but hit Kokoro instead when she got in the way.
It's rushed and short, which feels like a span of only weeks that they've been friends, while having never known her name which is dumb.
The heroine with an unrequited love was weak for never revealing her feelings, never truly trying even with the support of their male friend, and ended up cutting her hair as a sign of giving up and moving on from accepting that they like each other- which is fine, but it's extremely basic, cliche and boring from that type of character.
The protagonist is fairly dense to love, simply from being oblivious to his friend's, and being unsure of his own when his male friends warns him to be aware of the difference between like and love ... even though, once he's aware of the bullying of Kokoro, (which he was ignorant of) he shows the character of a caring somewhat righteous and supportive friend.
Unfortunately, the moment the story is first ruined is when Kokoro is revealed to be the idiotic all-good type of character who decides to befriend the bully to comprehend her flaws, and have a candid friend to keep her honest and wise.
Somewhat possibly realistic... but as a past victim of bullying myself, the act of jumping to your bully's slap is ridiculous.
On first reaction, I thought it was out of dumb good will, but I just realized it was to protect him from hitting a girl and getting consequences from it. Although, apologizing to her bully afterwards is stupid regardless.
A bully empathizing with a victim is possible, but very unlikely.
Under those circumstances, I think it's unrealistic. Locking her in a locker, notebooks in the garbage, a vase as a sign of death to her, and finally shoving from irritation of her obnoxious perplexing smiling reaction towards bad done to her- ...to then suddenly give her a chance, hear her out, feel guilty, and befriend her. That type of bully doesn't do that.
Yamashita confronting the bully was satisfying, but she also quickly accepted the bully. It's all stupid.
The pairing's introduction was charming. The reveal of Hoshi having the burden of his family expecting them to be a teacher like them, and her a victim of bullying seemed intriguing in potential.
Then, one single moment of revealing his choice against teaching, and his parents now simply understand and give him a chance. While, she befriended her bully. Such bullshit.
Their romance was barely developed since the focus was on that, until he drew a heart on her hand, like she did on his cheek, and later met together again two years later as university students who both ask what that heart meant. 3/10. |