Ah, the classic aquarium date. A yuri staple.

That page of Haruyo saying Kasumi's name as they parted at the train station really got me right in the feels.

Okay why did that ending feel like a goodbye?

Images of drowning and dissolution have a long-time sapphic associations, and I read the latter bit of this chapter as Kasumi’s (as yet unknown/implied) pull towards depression and suicidality being associated with both escapism and her relationship with Haruyo, juxtaposed again a warmth that contradicts the sinister implications.

When I go to the aquarium near me, there is a tank where I look up at the water above me and have the sense that I am drowning. Sometimes this is existentially horrifying, other times it feels comforting/alluring as an end to some of the pain inherent in emotional disorder. I will sometimes visit there specifically to look up at the water and use it as a gauge for how I am feeling about life.

I’ve started going on more yuri dates there and don’t bring this up, but do still pause a moment in the room. I think I am trying to fill in the negative connotations with good IRL relations that feel wholesome and grounding.

last edited at Dec 13, 2025 6:27PM

This is perfect.

A lot of the chapters are cute and sweet but that fucking yandere knife scene came out of nowhere earlier and its still all I can think of

I'm sitting here like "HOW IS IT GONNA GET FUCKED UP"

Yet another one that can't get the Aquarium tag just because Dynasty still doesn't have it.

I wish I could have a penpal friend, happy for these cuties… :’)

They might have not seen much of the aquarium, but talking about their feelings and growing even closer to each other made this the best date they could have had. ^_^

The subtle linguistic dance going on here showcasing their characters has been excellently translated. What a remarkable story

Something about the way Haruyo's arms are hanging limp by her sides (pg 15), combined with the mood of that moment, gives me a bad feeling. Though maybe I'm just getting hung up on an incidental detail

Okay why did that ending feel like a goodbye?

In fiction what otherwise may be a routine goodbye (where the characters expect to see each other again soon) is usually emphasized by the presentation when it has a deeper (such as an ominous) meaning. I think this one is not the maximum level of ominous since the scene does not abruptly cut off after Haruyo saying "Kasumi-chan" (pg 15). But Kasumi's expression on the next page feels dissonant enough to suggest the two of them are not on the same page about something.

last edited at Dec 14, 2025 3:09PM

I’m so fucking scared

It's simply to good to be true (= ^ =)
this chapter sort of feels like the ending of the summer you were there but no ones dead yet...

Like how everyone is commenting on the unsettling ending to the chapter, I did some rereading to see if I could figure out where things were going. Rather than something horrible happening, I'm wondering if we're going to get a disconnect between what the characters feel romantically. This chapter definitely felt like the point where Haruyo 100% falls in love, but I'm wondering if Kasumi even understands the romantic side of everything. In chapter 1, she summarized Hana Monogatari as "depicting friendships between girls with flower motifs". None of her narration has explicit romantic feelings. And the dialogue points out their disconnected reactions here last chapter.

I'm also wondering if there's any significance to her only reading the first volume. Are there tonal differences between the earlier and later works?

Something about the way Haruyo's arms are hanging limp by her sides (pg 15), combined with the mood of that moment, gives me a bad feeling. Though maybe I'm just getting hung up on an incidental detail

It might just be because of the way the manga artist is drawing arms (and hands), as I've noticed that in quite some panels already. Anatomically speaking, proportions are a bit off, but close enough so it gives an uncanny feeling. This is especially true with Haruyo, as she is quite tall, it exaggerates the issue. It gives off a bit of a mantis feeling, with arms too long for her body. But I think it's just due to proportion mistake, and there are no intention behind it.

It might just be because of the way the manga artist is drawing arms (and hands), as I've noticed that in quite some panels already. Anatomically speaking, proportions are a bit off, but close enough so it gives an uncanny feeling. This is especially true with Haruyo, as she is quite tall, it exaggerates the issue. It gives off a bit of a mantis feeling, with arms too long for her body. But I think it's just due to proportion mistake, and there are no intention behind it.

The artist grew up reading shoujo magazines and for the longest one tried to be a shoujo mangaka, so I guess that's why they have a habit of drawing long arms and large hands. The artist is aware of this too.

last edited at Dec 14, 2025 11:17PM

I'm reading this and screaming and crying about when everything will get fucked up and they'll become the most messed up yuri ever

god, this manga is such a gift.

It might just be because of the way the manga artist is drawing arms (and hands), as I've noticed that in quite some panels already. Anatomically speaking, proportions are a bit off, but close enough so it gives an uncanny feeling. This is especially true with Haruyo, as she is quite tall, it exaggerates the issue. It gives off a bit of a mantis feeling, with arms too long for her body. But I think it's just due to proportion mistake, and there are no intention behind it.

The artist grew up reading shoujo magazines and for the longest one tried to be a shoujo mangaka, so I guess that's why they have a habit of drawing long arms and large hands. The artist is aware of this too.

I understand there are codes, but sometimes, it's really unsettling. I never got that feeling from any shoujo manga I've read, unless there were issue with anatomy. To be fair, different proportions doesn't necessarily mean being anatomically incorrect. Having longer arms and hands is not so much the issue actually. It's the join placement. It's just wrong sometimes.

For example, the hands in the bottom left panel, look almost disarticulated. Or look at the arms on the top panels, very long for sure. But the joint placement is a bit off (especially on the right panel, the wrist joint is really weird).

https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/dear_flowers_that_bloom_in_days_of_yore_ch13#5

I honestly don't care much, I just happens to work an artistic job, so I tend to notice that kind of stuff (but don't mind it). Lots of manga artist are not super good with anatomy so mistakes happen all the time. In this case, this is just to explain the unsettling/uncanny feeling that some panels can convey, unintentionally (compare to other panels were it's total intentional).

this series is like crack cocaine to me

Official chapter 14.1 raws.
It looks like we are taking the anthology route after all. Kasumi and Haruyo exploring different sets of older couples as they trace the letters back. It's fitting, given Hanamonogatari was an anthology itself.

Yamabe's seems to be a story of missed opportunities, working on a meta level as she encourages Kasumi through her past failings. It's far from enough to heal that wound but it's nice Kasumi has another senpai to relate to. Speaking of which, I hope the boxcutter senpais stick around. The one thing I don't want from an anthology approach is for characters to come and go after Igarashi did so well introducing them. But I trust she has good ideas in store.

I'm guessing there's a reason Yamabe got a react panel to the model on the 4th page.
In case you were worried or want to be worried, Igarashi has teasingly hinted Yamabe's story might not be as innocent as it seems.

last edited at Jan 21, 2026 4:09PM

I'm been wanted to comment on this chapter ever since I've read it in Japanese.

I'm glad this is taking the anthology route indeed. It feels like each senpai those two will met will be sharing their wisdom, helping them not do the same mistake (in that case, dwelling on the past). It's like they are guided by the original sender, as if she was a kindred spirit.

Thank you for the translation, I always enjoy re-read them in English, and your notes are always nice to read as well.

Copying from Discord:

not sure "gone said" is wrong, but it sounds weird to me. "gone unsaid" is standard, but for the opposite, I think "been said" would be better.

SIDENOTE
Most of I See You, Aizawa-san's chapters are free to read (only for today) on the official site.
If you have the time, it would be cool if you gave it traffic. Like Arisaku, you can give each chapter 10 hearts at the end.
The magazine Aizawa-san was published in recently shut down and the mangaka's other manga just got an axe notice, so it always helps to offer a little support. I'll be adding a guide similar to Arisaku's next chapter but Aizawa-san has been on the usual post-volume break these past 2 months and they're doing a New Year's special offer. I'll delete this part of the post when it's over.

I’ll definitely heart all of these since they’re so great. It sucks that magazine was cancelled though. Does that mean there won’t be any more physical volumes or anything?

Link to the raw chapter 14.2.

The ending is so cinematic, turning from Mia's face popping up to her cover page in the present. Can't wait to see how Yamabe fumbled and unfumbles this.

I love that Igarashi's working the anonymous letters back in too. It's a fun device HaruSumi sadly had to graduate from but I hope it sticks around for a while. Maybe Yamabe never even worked up the courage to let Mia know who she was? That could be part of why she regrets not taking her hand back then. Interestingly, it doesn't seem like Mia had anything to do with the rejection letter Yamabe left either. That and the original letter are likely saved for future pairs. Hanamonogatari's influence grows.

Little bit of trivia, Igarashi apparently studied architecture in university. She's surely pulling from experience with Yamabe's engineering college, which she described as getting to draw messy while Kasumi's school needs to stay idealized and dreamlike. Igarashi also admitted to being nervous her depiction of Mia could come across as mean-spirited towards non-native speakers, and you can feel that in how friendly her classmates are. In Igarashi's words, "I don't want to make a manga that hurts anyone [reading it]."

SIDENOTE
Most of I See You, Aizawa-san's chapters are free to read (only for today) on the official site.
If you have the time, it would be cool if you gave it traffic. Like Arisaku, you can give each chapter 10 hearts at the end.
The magazine Aizawa-san was published in recently shut down and the mangaka's other manga just got an axe notice, so it always helps to offer a little support. I'll be adding a guide similar to Arisaku's next chapter but Aizawa-san has been on the usual post-volume break these past 2 months and they're doing a New Year's special offer. I'll delete this part of the post when it's over.

I’ll definitely heart all of these since they’re so great. It sucks that magazine was cancelled though. Does that mean there won’t be any more physical volumes or anything?

Physical volumes will still be releasing—volume 5 is out on February 6th. The manga has been on its usual post-volume break too while Dorothy plots out the next one.

Igurashi Jun you’re so fucking real for this. I have, at various points in my life, been trying to learn both spanish and japanese, and working up the courage to speak it with a stranger only to be responded to in english just destroys my confidence every time ;-;

I wonder if we'll circle back to the other side couples or is this really an anthology of those who've done the letter exchange.

last edited at Jan 22, 2026 2:30AM