Manga: Hatsu Haru 3

Hatsu Haru Vol 3
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

They say idiots don't get colds, but Kai sure has been love-sick over Riko. There's a fireworks festival around the corner, but instead of asking Riko along, he decides to just not go! When Class Representative work keeps them late at school anyway, it looks like the perfect chance for Kai to collect his feelings and confess...With summer vacation approaching and fireworks booming overhead, will the feelings Kai's precariously kept under wraps finally explode? 

The romance is stepping up with this volume, and not just with our main couple! Miki is adorable, bless him, and he and Kiyo are cute together even though they insist they aren't dating...yeah right. I ship it! Poor old Kai had to give Miki advice/tips for meeting her for the fireworks and it was kinda hilarious how Miki turned to his friends as an example for help and to see what he actually thinks of them individually. I was actually intrigued to sidetrack to Miki and his romance, seeing as it was actually going somewhere, no offence Kai. What I'm trying to say is that it was a cute little happy romance to offset the trials and tribulations Kai is going through with his. I have to say I was cheering him on, but he was also pretty relatable at the same time if you all cast your minds back to what it was like dating someone in school/for the first time in general. Bless him. 

I have to say, Kai was literally every single person ever when looking at one of those sickeningly cute couples at one point. He's just so salty that he can't go to the fireworks with Riko. Meanwhile Riko actually wants to thank Kai for the apple but doesn't seem to know how and he doesn't get what she's getting at, so she gets a tiny bit frustrated and then Kai gets frustrated...BUT we finally have some progress because of it! 

They get to spend some time together, and they do have quite a cute and innocent moment....but it's not long before it gets blown up and causes some trouble thanks to Ayumi...but like I said. It's all good. It's necessary because it pushes things forward and is the catalyst in leading Kai to finally snap at Riko, moving things along as she comes to terms with the fact that she and Suwa aren't going to be a thing. 

Riko has to come to terms with a few things this volume actually, and then try and move on and get over her feelings, Kai is also faced with a problem when it looks like Riko has moved on and gotten herself a boyfriend in the form of Hatano who's introduced this volume. He's an old classmate of theirs from Middle School. Which did surprise me because I thought as far as a "love triangle" was gonna go, it was just gonna be Suwa. Anyway, Kai reaaaaally doesn't handle it well. Luckily his buddy Takaya is looking out for him and gives him an opportunity just in time for the end of the volume and....did he...did he just confess?! 

I have to say, I'm pleased this isn't dragging out her whole thing with Suwa or Hatano, like I was expecting it to go on for longer than it actually has so far, proving the pace of this series, but it also makes me intrigued to see what else this series is going to throw at us, as we've made some progress with Kai and Riko, both of whom are developing more as characters this volume, and now it's just waiting to see what they'll do about things...like their feelings for instance...