love how it continues to show the extent of umi's feelings for shou. she is so madly in love with her it's so cute to see her freaking out mixed with the moments where she's gentle and warm with her. also her thinking about her future with shou reminded me of her promises to be with her forever i wanna squish this mc so bad (with love).

As usual, a God damn sweetness overload! With a hint of a lewd Umi.
Thanks a lot for the chapter!

If you see fish, you know is no longer bait

Ahem. Nettaigyo.

But yeah, cute chapter.

It's been a while so I forget. Umi and Shou have confessed to each other and are quietly dating? It's not just Umi being in love with her friend?

Make this an anime please thanks
Too good, right?! I think an animation studio will want more of the story flushed-out before taking it on, though.

It's been a while so I forget. Umi and Shou have confessed to each other and are quietly dating? It's not just Umi being in love with her friend?

Yes, they’ve confessed and kissed. The kiss was at the end of chapter 14.2.

they are so wholesome.

i've been wondering for a while now if we should expect some sort of major conflict, like them being outed at school or their parents freaking out or something. that one girl is really possessive with umi, she might cause a big problem.

but then i remember that this series really hasn't been like that. it's more subtle. the focus is on relationships between individuals and how they learn and grow by being around each other.

i doubt this type of story would last if it weren't self published. there's just not enough conflict for a magazine and i really love it for that.

oof Umi's sleep is in shambles. still obsessing over how wholesome this is

they are so wholesome.

i've been wondering for a while now if we should expect some sort of major conflict, like them being outed at school or their parents freaking out or something. that one girl is really possessive with umi, she might cause a big problem.

but then i remember that this series really hasn't been like that. it's more subtle. the focus is on relationships between individuals and how they learn and grow by being around each other.

i doubt this type of story would last if it weren't self published. there's just not enough conflict for a magazine and i really love it for that.

^ This, I agree. I adore the relaxed plot and pacing. It's not exactly 'boring', but it's 'unremarkable' in a realistic way, with no kind of editorial pressure to make it more exciting.

And in fact this is plenty exciting as-is. Stealthy attempts at public affection can be terrifying; the credible fear of being found out... And not necessarily because their classmates are bad people or anything, but because they're rather well depicted as just... teens. Some of them would almost definitely be immature and narrow-minded about it, and might say/do something dumb. Malice isn't needed to hurt someone.

last edited at Dec 26, 2023 4:05PM

It's been a while so I forget. Umi and Shou have confessed to each other and are quietly dating? It's not just Umi being in love with her friend?

Yes, they’ve confessed and kissed. The kiss was at the end of chapter 14.2.

Thanks!

I know Shou is into this stuff, but was still funny to see her rattling off species on an unfamiliar island...

I just re-read it all.

Ibu seems particularly attached to Umi.

Nae-chan, the one who is practically engaged to Ma-kun, also seemed to practically come onto Shou when she came to their room...

last edited at Dec 26, 2023 7:01PM

Also Saint Shou, trading her desserts for someone's "spicy" tacos.

this is by far my favorite fluffy low stakes yuri. its all so grounded and calm and their interactions are so tender and intimate and cute and uguhhhhh im so glad this exists

this is by far my favorite fluffy low stakes yuri. its all so grounded and calm and their interactions are so tender and intimate and cute and uguhhhhh im so glad this exists

That sums up my thoughts perfectly... and better than I could have expressed it.

Did we ever find out exactly what made Shou change rooms? All I recall even from the re-read was some vague fight with Ibu, who headbutted her or something.

last edited at Dec 28, 2023 12:01AM

Did we ever find out exactly what made Shou changed rooms? All I recall even from the re-read was some vague fight with Ibu, who headbutted her or something.

Not explicitly, but Ibu seems not to be able to express herself verbally so she resorts to physical reactions. Additionally she seems not to be able to get on with Shou "It's just that she annoys me" but can't articulate why.

So, I've re-read this yet again today, taking notes this time, which turned out to help me a lot with keeping track of everyone outside the MCs. Especially since many of the characters look rather similar. I am here to share.

Setting:

Place: Amematsu Girls' High School, in the town of Amematsu, and an affiliated but unattached dorm, which is some houses and konbini away from the physical school. Segawa Shou lives in Amematsu. Koumoto Umi's family lives in Tanami City, far enough away by train to make visiting non-casual, close enough that Shou can visit for an evening summer festival and still get back home.

Time: Umi and Shou's second year of high school. Starts in early spring (winter uniforms), wraps around back to winter, but I don't think Christmas has happened yet.

Cast:

Umi and Shou's roommates:

Baba? Mari. Black hair, glasses, slightly chubby looking, friendly. Writer. The first to notice Umi's new fixation on Shou, and their sneaking out together, and she is supportive. Gives me the feeling she imagines a lot more making out than has actually happened. Managed to talk about love with Shou without any knowing smirks.

Fuki, or Fuku in chapter 3. Short, short blonde hair. Can be mistaken for an elementary school student. Isn't seen much; I feel she's mostly a placeholder, to round out the room without complicating dynamics too much. Has a similar role in Umi's Okinawa group. Revealed guitar-playing during the culture festival.

Umi's friends group:

I don't blame Shou for being intimidated, it's like a large school of moderately friendly sharks.

Ibu Yuuki. Long brown hair, usually looks angry. Somehow is the reason that Shou changed rooms; I think Ibu would have been happier if she'd been the one changing. Seems attached to Umi: Umi helps her in cooking class (Yosshi accuses Umi of spoiling her), they share a private moment (with Umi feeding her a skewer quasi-romantically), Ibu looks extra angry when she noticed Umi being clingy around Shou, Ibu cadges a piggyback ride she didn't actually need from Umi when sick in Okinawa (Umi later: "wait, what?"), Ibu tries to be clingy after that but can't actually admit it. I won't say I know her feelings, but if she turns out to be crushing on Umi I will be utterly unsurprised. Told Shou to stop forcing herself on others. Told Baba she doesn't even try to be mean, but Shou gets upset at what she says, also she hates Shou. (Baba calls her pretty dense.) Says "gross" to both Shou and Umi -- "Segawa this, Segawa that, you've been pretty gross." Is 'Ibu-chan' to Umi and 'Yuuki' to Yosshi, 'Ibu-san' to others.

Kichida Yosshi. Black hair, little ratty ponytail. Loud, obnoxious, can't read a room, lashes out at people for behaving 'weird'. Is the reason Umi missed the Aquarium Club during the culture festival. Has known Ibu a long time. Did express concern when Ibu was sick -- but Umi did the work of finding and caring for her. Complains about Nae getting a boyfriend, then immediately says they all have to get boyfriends too. Currently crushing on the tour guide for Okinawa.

Nae-chan, also Nacchan. Long brown hair, probably smiling sweetly. Practically engaged to Ma-kun, who thinks he loves her enough to take over the family orchard. She can see Tanami City from there. When she announces the relationship, she hugs Umi, and they declare being on each other's side. In the Okinawa group photo, she was clutching Umi's arm at a moment when no one else was clinging to anyone. When Shou showed up for her sleepover, Nae was not just friendly, she was touchy and up in Shou's personal space like one of Asumi-chan's brothel girls. Unlike Ibu, she is not unhappy about Umi spending time with Shou. (I don't think we ever see Nae unhappy.) Gets to be in Umi's Okinawa group (and I note that the sleeping line is Fuki, Ken, Nae, Umi, [Shou]).

Zumiko. Short brown hair. Perfect grades, studies a lot. Would like to socialize more but feels compelled to study. Has a long term boyfriend we don't hear much about. In Ibu's room for Okinawa, sweatdrops as she watches Ibu try to cling to Umi and fail. From Amematsu, and would like to get far away.

Ken. Tall, very short black hair. Got a tan. In Umi's Okinawa group.

I think there are even more girls in the general group, with the same default brown hair color that Umi/Ibu/Zumi/Nae have, but not their own clear names or identities. [Edit: yeah, Maki aka Makki. Into theater. That's about it.]

Aquarium Club senpai:

Fushiki. Short, has black hair covering her eyes. Missed so many classes that she gets to repeat a year, so we might still see her if the manga enters the third year. Sometimes even does aquarium stuff.

Shimada. Short black hair and glasses. Helps occasionally but skipped the sendoff party for third years. (As did all the other third years.)

Thoughts

For a work with just one kiss, several chapters after mutual confession, it's surprisingly erotically charged. A lot like Asumi-chan and Nanao blushing at each other. Even with almost nothing happening, the sense of physical awareness is very well conveyed. Umi is the obvious one, but with some attention, you see that Shou wasn't far behind.

Questions

Is there anything deeper behind Shou's childhood memory of getting rescued by a "mermaid"?

When Shou talks in chapter 4 about the mermaid being surrounded by her friends, is she talking about Umi already?

How much is Ibu into Umi? And what's between Ibu and Shou? (Not jealousy over Umi, the timing is wrong.)

Is Nae really bisexual?

And are there any automated love hotels that minors can check into, even if they're not supposed to? I think Umi really needs to know... Else it's sex on the beach by starlight.

last edited at Oct 29, 2024 12:26AM

ch 16 nerd analysis of the secondary relationships

Nae and Umi share a bus seat (again)
Ibu has sunglasses that 'Koumoto' bought her, and she's smiling for once
Ibu's group is her, Zumiko, Yosshi, and the unidentified one
Umi and Shou hold hands on the beach where Nae and the others can see them
Nae and Umi together at dinner
Ibu asks 'Koumoto' for help showering, Yosshi gets mad at making 'Umi' do that.
Umi and Yosshi bond over love at first sight, Ibu disgusted, Zumiko doesn't contribute.
Nae picks out the Big Boobs shirt. Still friendly, holding other shirts up to Shou.

last edited at Oct 29, 2024 12:28AM

Please wake up Shou, your girlfriend is having a gay panik

Chapter 7, Nae tells the group she has a boyfriend, and when they don't freak out too much, specifically goes in to hug Umi.

Who is going "?" so being that physical seems not so usual for her and Nae.

And it's an extensive hug. They even look into each other's faces and hug again. Though no one in the group seems to find it odd.

I think this is part of why the manga is so fascinating for me. It's not just the MCs being sweet and adorable, there are all these hints of people's other stuff and motivations going on as well, but never quite in focus, so they stay tantalizing mysteries. After all, the narrative camera is almost always on Umi, or sometimes Shou, very rarely anyone else (there's one Ibu & Baba scene that comes to mind), and I'm not sure if anyone besides Umi gets thought balloons. (Shou does get the occasional "?")

Unrelatedly, I realized the volumes have been like 3 chapters every year, so probably Knight Heron will give us another chapter in late January, and then it'll dry up for the next 9 months. ;_;

Nae: "I feel this one [shirt] suits Segawa-san", holding up a shirt that says 海 or 'umi'

Could be because she knows Shou is into fish and such

but I wonder if she's thinking Shou is into Umi and vice versa

Also Saint Shou, trading her desserts for someone's "spicy" tacos.

Umi's dreaming of trying Shous spicy tacos (⁠◔⁠‿⁠◔⁠)

7th girl in the friend group is in fact Makki. Brown hair, usually in a bob so looks short from the front. Starred in the musical. Otherwise low-impact.

I realized that after Umi's near-drowning in chapter 5, we never see the MCs on their nighttime beach walks. Umi does propose it, but Shou says they should go at a time that's brighter, also something Umi wants, which leads to their weekend aquarium date. Their late night meetings after that are in front of the dorm vending machines. I wonder if Shou is that spooked by Umi's experience, or if the dorm locked down/alarmed their egress. It's a pity, they could really use some alone time cuddling on the beach...

People call Umi the "mommy" of both Shou and Ibu. Neither one likes the analogy.

Aah, we saw that sneaky hand-hold at the whale shark tank. Don't think that we didn't.

Also the not so sneaky handholding right in front of Nae.

https://mangadex.org/chapter/a42cbd3b-a364-4a9f-9e8c-7313e92fd0d4/20

More comments! Yes I'm obsessed, but I think the work deserves it. Even reading just 3 chapters a year, basically "the MC love story and some vague sea of side characters", it was good enough for me to download the chapters. But now that I'm really paying attention, I keep finding more signs of craft, even on the Nth re-read. There's a lot going on in the art that doesn't get verbal attention: where characters are sitting, what they're paying attention too, small details of facial expression.

Ch 5, cooking club fight. Umi sweeps Ibu up by the waist like a smooth ladykiller, already mentioned. Then she keeps holding on, and there's a shot of Ibu looking down at the hand holding her, clearly Having Feelings. I'm not sure what feelings, but she's aware, without protesting.

Ch 8, Umi is at lunch moping about her botched confession. Sitting between Nae and Ibu, naturally. Nae's chatting with Makki, Ibu is on the end just looking at Umi.

• note, Ibu is always on the edge of these groups, never the center. Usually next to Umi or Yosshi, or else looking down at her her phone. -

Then Umi moans, and Nae whips around to ask what's wrong. Ibu just asks "constipated?" Also Ibu has stolen Umi's juice.

• another thing, Ibu is a taker. She demands things from Umi (not others), she receives things, she never says thank you, or gives Umi something, or reaches out to be supportive. Contrast with Shou, who scrambled to reciprocate once she realized there was something to reciprocate. Insofar as Ibu reaches out, it's for more attention; the most she gives back is that she actually looks happy when alone with Umi, or when showing off the sunglasses Umi gave her. -

Ch 12, Zumi talking about going to Tokyo for summer vacation. Ibu doesn't say much, but her face goes from surprised to disgusted as Zumi talks.

Ch 16, bath. Umi sitting next to Nae, Ibu beyond; Ibu glares as Umi and Shou wave to each other.

Fuki playing guitar on stage in the culture festival surprised people; I realized that we see her practicing with the guitar in the dorm room in earlier chapters.

Zumi mentions having known Shou in grade school; later she cheers at finally leaving Ametatsu, so oh right, they live in the same city, went to school together. We also see Zumi biking past, making me wonder if she actually still lives at home and not in the dorm room; I don't think we ever clearly see her there. But that would mean Shou either lives further away, or preferred living with hostile girls to living with her slovenly father.

Umi has a pattern of not paying attention to her phone when with other people. Ibu comes to scold her while she was helping Shou with the aquariums; later Umi misses Shou's tests when she's carrying a sick Ibu around. (Symmetry!) It does make me wonder how Umi got her phone confiscated, kicking off the whole plot...

I don't think the work is outright perfect; it's got various flaws or potential flaws. The teacher slapping Shou on the butt in chapter 3 is rather odd (and no one here seems to have commented on it.) Some things feel like plot convenience, like the phone thing above, or Shou changing rooms after that for unexplained reasons. (Though, if Shou started asking about Umi and set Ibu off, that could explain something -- including why neither tells Umi clearly about it.) I'm not sure why Umi asked Shou out (ch 6) in the middle of a classroom, rather than more privately. Lots of interesting conversations just get cut off, like Umi asking Ibu if she would look at a cute girl who was changing. (Maybe Ibu just went "Hah?" in confusion, but still.)

Nonetheless: once you've sorted out the characters, and really pay attention to the art, there's a lot going on, tantalizingly. The author has clearly thought out at least many of the side characters, and used them consistently even when they're not the focus of attention.