In Volume 1, Himari saw Yori up on the stage playing with a band and was blown away by her. When she told Yori-sempai, Yori replied that she’d fallen in love at first sight with Himari. So the two of them agreed to hang out and see if Himari would return Yori’s feelings.

Now, in Sasayakuyouni Koi wo Utau, Volume 2 (ささやくように恋を唄う), Himari definitely has feelings about Yori-sempai, but she has no clear idea what those feelings might be yet. She’s not sure what love ior, how she’s supposed to feel…or if her enjoyment of Yori’s company is enough. It’s her best friend, Miki, who comes up with a brilliant plan…if Himari and Yori date casually, it will let Himari understand her feelings a bit more.

Yori knows she likes Himari, but also knows that Himari likes her when she plays her guitar, so she accept the bands invitation to join them for the school festival. Himari, unable to meet Yori after school, joins a club of her own, where she can make tasty sweets for Yori. But now Yori has a new problem as she’s jealous of Himari’s club sempai. And yes, she knows she’s being ridiculous, she confides to band member and her best friend Aki.

And then it’s Aki’s turn to be jealous. She comes home to find Himari visiting her sister Miki, and while Himari waits, alone, she tells Himari that she, Aki, is in love with Yori and won’t Himari just…let her have her?

The epilogue gives one more twist the story…Himari’s new club sempai, Momoka appears to have an entanglement with the band’s vocalist Shiho, who is always draped around drummer Mari.  So we’re at one of those all-Yuri schools, apparently. ^_^

I really like Takeshima Eku’s art. It’s got a dramatic quality, especially in the musical performance scenes, that I find very appealing. The characters are all likable, the story isn’t so overwrought that it becomes a burden to read, nor is it so banal that it leaves no impression. While “I’m not sure what ‘love’ is,” is the new Yuri flavor of the day, I have no objection to that. It’s actually reasonable for a teenager to ask themselves if they have any idea what they feel, as opposed to holding hands at the end of several volumes and calling it “love” and assuming thst it’s forever.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Service – 0
Yuri – 8

Overall – 8

Happiness is a hell of a drug and I’m coming back for more.