Manga: Hatsu Haru 2

Hatsu Haru Vol 2
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Kai, ever-suave, is used to being the target of affection. But deep inside, he's in turmoil because the girl he loves has eyes for another! Can he find a way to be direct and confess his feelings? 

After things on the school camping trip don't go his way, Kai's left dumped and convinced he's better off just giving up on girls and dating altogether. Yet somehow his friends rope him into a group date, and he ends up at the amusement park with...Riko!? But when Suwa-sensei turns up at the same park with another woman, will Kai be able to hide what he saw and protect Riko from experiencing heartbreak like he has? 

My man Kai goes straight in for a smooch as we open the volume, like no dude. You gotta build up to it! So because he made a rookie error and rushed it, of course he strikes out and Riko smacks him straight back down. She won't even talk to or look at him. But it's okay, because after his rejection he looks so pitiful that his bros have his back. Toramaru, Misaki and Kiritani are on to him and have made it their mission to help him so they organise a group outing to an amusement park as part of their scheme to get Kai and Riko together. 

I completely enjoyed getting to see not only Kai's friends but Riko's too, Kagura and Ooshima, plus Shimura the school reporter who tags along and Kai better hope she doesn't catch on to him. Out of all of them, Kagura was freaking hilarious. I actually choked at one point from something she said, and Misaki is the voice of reason throughout this whole thing...aka the only one with a brain cell. 

Kai's expressions are drawn brilliantly, but also hilariously plus he's so extra about things sometimes. But bless him...he's trying really hard with Riko and to look out for her. Riko on the other hand provides some more insight in to her crush on Suwa and we meet a new element to the equation. 

Things progress forward even more this volume as Kai comes to terms with his feelings and asks himself deep questions such as, what is love? What does it mean? And Riko realises Kai may not be as bad as she's determined to see him as in yet another hilarious and entertaining volume