It's kinda hard to read Sakura's expression at the end, but I think it's safe to presume that she's starting to feel left behind and a bit scared that Takamine will just grow past her. Now I wonder if the latter will actually notice this and try to reassure her or if it's going to go completely over her head. Takamine does tend to be a bit of a dumb-dumb , so I'm not sure what to expect (^^)

...these idiots have each others' phone/Line contacts by now, right? Takamine's friends made it happen?

Yes and they're also presumably meeting next day on the train, since this was how Takamine wanted to give her tickets in the first place so I'm not sure that this separation is much more than a bit of narrative symbolism but who knows, maybe Sakura will mysteriously get sick :P

I bet the train is the flower fairy.

The meanest train conductor

Woah that was a great ending, they really parted ways literally and symbolically too, and I feel like yeah, this means that after all the one that apparently was moving forward with her life, Sakura, is actually being left behind now that Takamine is putting actual effort in finding what she wants to do with hers, and finding out that she was actually in a, let's say, "toxic" comfort zone. This series never disappoints, and I'm actually quite surprised at how even without explicit romance and a really REALLY slowburn if you would, it manages to create such profound situations and depth for its characters, I really like it

I wonder to what extent Sakura realizes how hugely important she was to facilitate Takamine's growth. And if she knew, would she feel closer to Takamine, or feel even more 'left behind' so to speak?

I like the bittersweet vibes we've been getting throughout the story, but I really hope the ending - whenever we get it - isn't bittersweet. I'm too attached to these characters. I need a happy ending.

Alright, Hirose if the freaking MVP of this series and it's not even close at this point XP Also, good god the longing between these two lovebirds ! They need a day long date ASAP, even Takamine is feeling it, as dense as she is.

If you're on each other's mind all day even without seeing each other, you might have caught something. Also, they both got surprises for one another at the festival. Can't wait to see what. Lastly, Hirose is a champ. I guess Takamine was both the "brother," and the "prince" at once.

Also, good god the longing between these two lovebirds ! They need a day long date ASAP, even Takamine is feeling it, as dense as she is.

Right? Love was on every page without needing a word said about it. Very intimate, and clearly so, without needing to actually be "intimate." And if it wasn't clear enough, the conversation with Hirose puts it over the top. The whole series has been like that but especially this chapter.

last edited at Sep 20, 2024 9:22AM

...Also, they both got surprises for one another at the festival...

I think the one with the surprise is Takamine, I believe what Sakura wrote was another recruitment message for her club. I'm still hoping she gets involved in the play somehow.

Other than that, I wholeheartedly agree with your comment. I love how warm, affectionate, and intimate this feels. And definitely MVP title for Hirose this time around. I love that she straight-up tells Sakura that she is the bright light in Takamine's life.

...Also, they both got surprises for one another at the festival...

I think the one with the surprise is Takamine, I believe what Sakura wrote was another recruitment message for her club. I'm still hoping she gets involved in the play somehow.

Other than that, I wholeheartedly agree with your comment. I love how warm, affectionate, and intimate this feels. And definitely MVP title for Hirose this time around. I love that she straight-up tells Sakura that she is the bright light in Takamine's life.

It's pretty big of her, as we know she used to hope to play that role in Takamine's life herself. Hirose really is a strong person.

She got her poster back OMG i'm crying TwT

Your honor they're so down bad for each other and they don't even know it

Thanks for the chapter!

Though Takamina x Sakura is the main pair, really just want to shout out to Hatori x Hirose relationship.
Like the first few pages I didn’t understand why we see Hatori looking afar when Takamine said that Hatori always keeps a close eye on everything and have a panel for Hirose yawning. I thought that the next line is just going to be Hatori saying hi to Hirose. Until we got the panel where Hatori said that she noticed Hirose coming early today to help out with the haunted house before her club activities!

That is top-notch storytelling like wowwwwww. Tying the fact that Hatori is very perceptive/aware of her surrounding to the way that she interacts with Hirose is crazy good (I have never read a manga that has this well-executed character interactions).
Above all, Hirose is a top-tiered platinum human. She has been one of my favorite characters along with Hatori because of her personality. No wishy-washy and annoying type of character who didn’t get with the protag. Super supportive and perceptive.

Of course, it’s great to see Hirose becomes more open and hangs out with Hatori. Every single chapter is just to wait for the cute little panels between these two. Adorable!

And all is right again. I love how the side-characters are woven into the story.

last edited at Sep 21, 2024 12:44AM

That is top-notch storytelling like wowwwwww. Tying the fact that Hatori is very perceptive/aware of her surrounding to the way that she interacts with Hirose is crazy good (I have never read a manga that has this well-executed character interactions).

https://dynasty-scans.com/series/the_blue_star_on_that_day_ano_koro_no_aoi_hoshi has a lot of subtle side character stuff.

Gah, these two are so cute I can’t even. And as people here have been saying, the supporting characters are really top-notch.

While in the broadest sense I’m a standard yuri reader hoping for relationship “progress,” I love the atmosphere and the character interactions in this series so much that I’m fine with the story taking as long as the author wants to take. (But I am always greedy for more chapters.)

Gah, these two are so cute I can’t even. And as people here have been saying, the supporting characters are really top-notch.

While in the broadest sense I’m a standard yuri reader hoping for relationship “progress,” I love the atmosphere and the character interactions in this series so much that I’m fine with the story taking as long as the author wants to take. (But I am always greedy for more chapters.)

I genuinely have nothing to add to this, just wanted to shout out and say that I'm in the same boat.

Adorable, as usual ^_^ They all take such good care of each other, they're really lucky to have such a nice group of friends. No wonder Sakura fits right in !

I enjoyed the chapter, but I have to admit that note page somehow ended up my favourite part. Thank you for these continual interesting tidbits, heron!

Yeah, this story has slowly become one of my absolute favorites. All the cute and well-characterized side characters, and the realistic pacing with the main characters awkwardly and clumsily navigating their own confused feelings.

It's also in no small part due to the stellar work by knight heron, with the notes pages adding a lot of useful context!

last edited at Oct 23, 2024 1:08PM

Takamine with short hair is too cute!!
I love how she reassures Sakura that nothing has changed
(Also their first names are Tsukasa and Shirori respectively, right? They don't get used much but honestly I think it's so adorable how they keep using last names. If/when they make the shift to first names, ho boy I'm not ready)

Thanks for the chapter!

Takamine with short hair is too cute!!
I love how she reassures Sakura that nothing has changed
(Also their first names are Tsukasa and Shirori respectively, right? They don't get used much but honestly I think it's so adorable how they keep using last names. If/when they make the shift to first names, ho boy I'm not ready)

Thanks for the chapter!

It might end up like Adachi and Shimamura and they just keep going with the last names because they're too used to it by then :P

Sakura is absolutely adorable

This chapter was a pure happiness injection. Loved it!