We ended Volume 2 with a good feeling about whatever was building between Sora and Ayaka, however screwed up it was at the start.

But both of them had had kept Sora’s “favors” in one emotional box and now her feelings are threatening to leak out on to the rest of their lives. Now, in I Can’t Say No to the Lonely Girl, Volume 3 people around them can see that they really need to address whatever is going on, but since they began their time together in a place that was too intimate, neither of them know how to broach what they feel. Sora has her “favors” to draw on, but how is Ayaka supposed to respond? And just as they almost come to understand each other, Sora is going to transfer schools! At last, we finally see the “why” of Sora’s behavior and realize that she had been struggling all along.

Ayaka tres to face down Sora’s mother, but is rejected. Ayaka find strength and support in all her friends and her brother and decides that Sora is worth the risk she’s about to take.

This is the volume where the story gets good. Sora and Ayaka dancing around each other is a little hard, but Ayaka finding herself and deciding to save Sora is a fantastic climax for this volume. It is at this point there is now doubt that we’re rooting for them. Kashikaze’s art has matured quite a bit. Sora’s blank expressions have more depth to them, especially. Another excellent production from Kodansha.

Volume 4 is headed our way in a few weeks and the story is just starting to get good. ^_^