Hana no Miyako de

Motoharu, heir to the Tsujimura clinic, has held his childhood friend Akira Hazumi close to his heart for years. When he finally gathered the courage to confess, the answer was a clear rejection—yet even that could not keep them apart, for he followed Akira into the same university and enrolled in the very same department. In the aftermath of that ill-fated confession, a strained distance settles between the two, until Akira reaches out with a suggestion to make amends. For the first time in ages, they walk home together, and the evening takes a startling turn when Akira abruptly kisses him. Hope flares anew in Motoharu's chest, only to be extinguished the very next day, when Akira coldly tells him to forget it ever happened. Stung and bewildered, Motoharu finds his blame turning squarely toward the friend he loves. In the companion story, Arikawa and Misaki have been sharing a home for some time now, and the moment has finally arrived for a family introduction—Arikawa's mother is eager to meet Misaki in person. Adding another layer to the occasion is Arikawa's elder sister, whose presence brings Arikawa's family squarely into the couple's shared life.