Ai Kara Hajimaru

Sakura Ai has always held a deep affection for sunflowers, drawn to the way their bright petals mirror the warmth of the sun. This fondness is intimately tied to her childhood, as "sun" was the meaning behind the name of her very first crush, a boy named Taiyou whom she admired during the third grade. That early infatuation left a lasting mark on her heart, and in the years that followed, Ai never found herself falling for anyone else. Instead, she gradually retreated into herself, growing increasingly introverted and quietly resigned to a life untouched by romance. Everything begins to shift during her fifteenth summer when a chance encounter introduces her to a young man who shares the exact same name as her long-lost childhood crush. This unexpected coincidence slowly coaxes Ai out of her shell, stirring emotions she believed had long since faded. As the warm days unfold, the possibility of experiencing genuine love finally feels within reach, promising a season where her heart might bloom just like the flowers she has always cherished. This volume also includes the short stories Sugarless Kiss and Tsunde Renjou.