Ai Yazawa is most famous for her josei work Paradise Kiss as well as her more mature shoujo series NANA. However before these she actually got her start creating manga for the shoujo magazine Ribon which has a much younger target audience. Ive been planning to read all her early works and Im glad I read this one. Im surprised that its not more popular given that more grounded shoujo without all the love triangles and stuff are high in demand. In addition Yazawas later works are so well known. Perhaps its the age and lack of English licenses. Anyways the story is about Midori Saezima a high school student who is returning to school after recovering from an illness only to find that she was volunteered for a role in the student council. She discovers that the boy she fell in love with at first sight back on the first day of school was also nominated. This is one of the most grounded romance stories Ive read. I never felt like it was melodramatic. There were a few parts that were a bit extra but none of it felt out of the realm of reality. I appreciated the way that Akira the ML had family problems that were normal things like his parents divorce. Its not just big dramatic problems that leave an impact on people and their lives. I appreciated the arc at the end about the characters growing up preparing to go off to college and discovering their passions. I felt like Mamirin was the one who benefited the most from it and I was very pleased with how she decided to go about her dream. The way the characters care just as much about their friendships as they do about romance was really great. I feel like it really ads to the strong realism and the deep bonds between everyone. This is a story about happiness. We all want our own happiness and happiness for our love ones above everyone else. We also dont realize what we have until its gone. Midori is a girl who cant hide her emotions. She can get jealous be selfish and be nosy and its all visible. However her kind heart and compassion for her friends shine more. Shes friendly energetic and she knows what she wants. I really loved watching her as a protagonist. Her love interest Akira stands in perfect contrast. Hes determined to hide his emotions and his pain from his past. Hes had to shoulder some adult problems and deal with things that he shouldnt from a young age. However he doesnt let it stop him from being a good person. He shows the people he loves great care even if he is a bit intimidating. I was impressed by the growth of their friends and how they were all able to find their happiness and something that they wanted. Mamirin was probably my favorite. I loved watching her friendship with Midori shape her into a more caring person who is more comfortable around people and showing her emotions. As for the art I adore the atmosphere Ai Yazawa creates. It feels very retro. The fashion and the hair feel very 90s. Akira looks like a real delinquent with the Elvisstyle hair. You wouldnt think he was the student body president. I always loved Ai Yazawas art but this really charmed me. Seriously people read this. If you want grounded shoujo where they have realistic romance and life problems read Tenshi Nanka Janai. Its criminally underrated.