I love this precisely because it takes Class S elements and moves them beyond the strictures that bounded the historical genre. it starts with a exploration of a particular, culturally defined pair of roles and relates them back to contemporary queerness. This is so, so, so good. <3

The latest chapter in particular really sealed my confidence that we will examine the sexuality of the characters, divorced from the genre's tropes. Roleplaying Class S is a path to self-expression, but there is a joy in trying to move beyond it, to express the sexual or romantic element that the original roleplay would explicitly ignore or downplay for comphet purposes.

In short, I'm hoping--and beginning to believe--that this will also be about figuring out the feelings of two young girls in love, with all the human messiness and complications that implies.

https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/dear_flowers_that_bloom_in_days_of_yore_ch07#7

GOSH I HAVEN'T READ SUCH A GAY PAGE IN

...maybe like a few days. To be fair, I'm on Dynasty every other day, so I have the privilege to be able to think that pretty frequently.

BUT THIS IS SO GAY. Not even in a dirty way (though admittedly Ch8's Kasumi does actually say she means it in a somewhat dirty way), it's just that it's so... loaded. She's embarrassed not only by the physical action, but by the role switching, by embodying in real life what they'd kept up in letters for so long... it's precious. Page 9 is a treat too, she's so smug.

Also woah, they didn't break character even in thought bubbles in the first half of Ch8?! Dang... but that implies she did in the second half, right? Saying something in a way, but thinking of it in another.

https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/dear_flowers_that_bloom_in_days_of_yore_ch08#23

Small typo, "Sumi-chan? What's is it?" should be "Sumi-chan? What is it?"

I really love how the translators are handling the changing of register. You can immediately tell when she's switched tones to her onee-sama persona here.

last edited at Aug 13, 2025 7:46PM

https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/dear_flowers_that_bloom_in_days_of_yore_ch07#7

GOSH I HAVEN'T READ SUCH A GAY PAGE IN

...maybe like a few days. To be fair, I'm on Dynasty every other day, so I have the privilege to be able to think that pretty frequently.

BUT THIS IS SO GAY. Not even in a dirty way (though admittedly Ch8's Kasumi does actually say she means it in a somewhat dirty way), it's just that it's so... loaded. She's embarrassed not only by the physical action, but by the role switching, by embodying in real life what they'd kept up in letters for so long... it's precious. Page 9 is a treat too, she's so smug.

Also woah, they didn't break character even in thought bubbles in the first half of Ch8?! Dang... but that implies she did in the second half, right? Saying something in a way, but thinking of it in another.

Lol, yeah, this isn't at all what places like Mangadex mean when they tag something as "SUGGESTIVE," it's just incredibly, um, suggestive.

Answers the question, "What if the Marimite 'straightening the little sister's school ribbon' trope was NSFW?"

Blimey this turned into such a banger ヽ⁠(⁠*ﾟ⁠ｰﾟ⁠*⁠)⁠ﾉ

this is insanely romantic. i'm sold. like, i'm already a sucker for class S-inspired stories (marimite, anyone?) as well as the rose/candy yuri dynamic (rose being the older girl who's mature, reserved, probably has some kind of emotional baggage that closes her off, and candy being the younger girl who's naive and sincere). huge thank you to the scanlator, i'm bookmarking this one

Im hearing all sorts of terms for the first time. Ive been reading yuri for a few years but am unfamiliar with "class s" if anyone could fill me in!

Also my first experience with rose/candy pairing was the anime Strawberry Panic lol. We rarely get the slow burn that amounts to very little anymore, since queerness can be more openly displayed rather than settling for subversive undertones, but I appreciated it for its place being it came out in 2006. Had the aesthetic of clear older-younger girl pairings but all subtext.

Edit: wow! Just educated myself a little on the history of shoujo/yuri manga, the creation of "Class S" tied to all girls schools and arranged marriages, and lesbian authors and activists who kept it alive after it was banned in Japan in 1936. Right on! I love lesbians. This tumblr post was an easy read: https://www.tumblr.com/ani-mentation/121601661502/the-history-of-yuri-part-1-before-there-was

last edited at Aug 14, 2025 1:31AM

this is insanely romantic. i'm sold. like, i'm already a sucker for class S-inspired stories (marimite, anyone?)

I always thought Marimite is a weird one. Yes, it has all the surface elements of a Class S story (sisterly bonds, rosaries and the like), but almost none of the elements that make Class S so distinctive. Most classic Class S stories have a heart of love, longing and outright lust, and Marimite has almost none of that. It's mostly the antics of high school girls who like role-playing Class S tropes, but there's no there there, if you know what I mean.

The few times Marimite seems to be going into a more romantic direction it gets treated as if it's something to be avoided, such as Sei's backstory. It's also telling that by the end the only official couples are heterosexual ones.

Strawberry Panic, for all its silliness, seems to get al least the romantic and lustful part of Class S right.

The author posts cute drawings on their BSKY. https://bsky.app/profile/nishi55.bsky.social

I am very tempted to create an account so that I can appreciate the cute drawings, but maybe they'll get uploaded here someday

Creating an account and following the artist is best imo, liking/sharing their work and so forth. I want artists to keep engaging with blue sky and build up their followings, the less artists engage with twitter the better >.>

You make a very good point about supporting artists directly, I'll definitely create an account now

help

this manga is trying to kill me with how fucking cute it is

Someone pointed out that bottom left panel on page 22 looks like hanging and now I can't unsee it.

Edit: meant the bottom right panel. I subconsciously described it through Kasumi's POV.

last edited at Aug 14, 2025 11:03PM

Someone pointed out that bottom left panel on page 22 looks like hanging and now I can't unsee it.

That is an odd one (although I think you mean the right panel?). We’ve seen the overhead lighting in the corridors before, but I believe that previously the pendant lamps have always had those round globes. It’s hard to tell the exact shapes of the lamps in the bottom two panels on page 22, but the panel with Haruyo makes it obvious that they aren’t the usual globes. So the “hanging” effect very well could be subtly symbolic—there has been similar imagery in this series before.

On the other hand, Igarashi doesn’t seem to be entirely consistent about the details of the school’s architecture—sometimes in exterior views all the windows are arched while other times the bottom story’s windows are rectangular and only the second story windows are arched.

The varying treatment of backgrounds is one of the things I really like about the visual storytelling here. Lots of backgrounds are entirely blank, other panels have figurative or expressionistic textures, some scenes have extremely detailed backgrounds, and sometimes details are dropped out for compositional effect, as on page 24, where the ceiling lamps are omitted entirely.

I’ve said before that this series combines some world-class fluff with more than a bit of dark themes and sinister visual subtext. Maybe it’s time to start a list of “hanging” imagery, and see if anything eventually comes of it. I’d almost be inclined to include this one:

https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/dear_flowers_that_bloom_in_days_of_yore_ch07#1

I’ve said before that this series combines some world-class fluff with more than a bit of dark themes and sinister visual subtext. Maybe it’s time to start a list of “hanging” imagery, and see if anything eventually comes of it. I’d almost be inclined to include this one:

https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/dear_flowers_that_bloom_in_days_of_yore_ch07#1

I'd say these two pages from chapter 4 are even more ominous, especially the second one when her friend's suicide was brought up
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/dear_flowers_that_bloom_in_days_of_yore_ch04#1
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/dear_flowers_that_bloom_in_days_of_yore_ch04#27

I didn't see the hanging imagery until it was pointed out, though I have always thought that there is definitely an ominous tone throughout the series so far. I'm really hoping for a happy ending for our couple...but I'm kind of waiting for the shoe to drop and crush my hopes with it...

This is possibly my favorite manga on the site, and I've been here a while! And while we are making predictions, I'm surprised no one is talking about the graffiti rose that so conveniently happened to be at their new meeting point. I keep thinking, are the odds really so low that someone else saw their letter exchange in that book? Maybe they've got an ally, could even be painting girl. But of course, that's just speculation for now

last edited at Aug 15, 2025 3:33PM

This is possibly my favorite manga on the site, and I've been here a while! And while we are making predictions, I'm surprised no one is talking about the graffiti rose that so conveniently happened to be at their new meeting point. I keep thinking, are the odds really so low that someone else saw their letter exchange in that book? Maybe they've got an ally, could even be painting girl. But of course, that's just speculation for now

Good point. I certainly noticed it and wondered, but I don’t know what to link it to except the MC’s name and her use of rose-themed stationery.

As you say, the art girl almost can’t be just a random detail, but at this point what she’s about is totally unknown.

I thought the fact that the hidden letter was in volume 2 of the collection was a nice little touch—it’s unlikely that anyone who didn’t care for the S-class theme would have picked up that specific book. (Library books notoriously can have years or even decades between one checkout and the next.)

this is insanely romantic. i'm sold. like, i'm already a sucker for class S-inspired stories (marimite, anyone?) as well as the rose/candy yuri dynamic (rose being the older girl who's mature, reserved, probably has some kind of emotional baggage that closes her off, and candy being the younger girl who's naive and sincere). huge thank you to the scanlator, i'm bookmarking this one

I am more or less familiar with class S, but I hadn't heard of the rose/candy dynamic. That's a good label for part of the depth and nuance in their relationship. Kasumi is essentially a rose who plays at being a candy as a form of escapism while Haruyo is the opposite, a candy playing as a rose.

It ties really well into their underlying reasons behind seeking out this class S relationship. Haruyo is infantilized by being the youngest sibling and casually by the way her friends treat her and sought to become more mature, being in control and relied on by others was her fantasy when writing these letters. Kasumi is burdened by the death of her friend, and feels an acute lack of support, probably tied into her identity as the eldest sibling in her family. She seeks out the class S relationship because she wants a space where she doesn't have to be the strong/resilient person, she desperately needs a place to be openly weak and express all those emotions she's been bottling up.

That was a hard "love" by the way.

Kasumi's trauma gets clearer. There's the self-loathing expressed in self-sabotage. The belief that she has no value, offering nothing to Haruyo and that Haruyo might only be with her out of pity. She's said this before, "why do you always give me what I want." It makes Kasumi uncomfortable. There's the return of fearing becoming dependent on another, that Onee-sama could disappear from her life and she needs to be ready. The fear of intimacy is stronger than ever. That the greatest love she can offer is to step out of the way. She didn't want to taint Onee-sama with her ugliness, was afraid she's the only one getting turned on by this.

Haruyo is still on that fantasy Onee-sama pedestal. From this chapter it's like Kasumi doesn't even believe Haruyo shares those feelings, that she angelically overlooks and accepts that part of her. But considering Haruyo is so innocent she didn't notice the way she was touching Kasumi, she'd never have thought Kasumi was after a faceful of boobs. Kasumi takes one soft comment and twists it into Haruyo obsessing over the letter's sender. She assumes Haruyo would be happy with someone else. And in doing so, she's giving up their secret.

Since we haven't seen in Haruyo's head in a while, it's easy to get caught up in some lesser misconceptions. She's straining herself as much as Kasumi is to keep their relationship going. Trying hard to work off the guilt she felt for abandoning Kasumi. She doesn't understand the times Kasumi's self-loathing slips through. She isn't intentionally being a gay nightmare for her repressed little sister (older). Haruyo is a confused middle schooler wearing a mask. And if Kasumi keeps this up that mask is going to crack.

I won't spoil much but if you don't trust this manga yet: If you're seriously concerned about Sayori, don't be.

The manga practically always uses the Japanese translation of sub rosa, literally "under the rose." This is just as obvious in Japanese as in English so yeah, let's just say Haruyo was distracted by her cute imouto. But sub rosa sounds cooler so I'm not going to deny Sayori her moment.

The dual nature of cold is back: it's both pretense for the invitation to warm herself under Haruyo's coat and the pretext Kasumi uses to be distant. Kasumi is purposefully choosing the cold in a way that explores the old themes of repressed, forbidden sexuality in Class S but through a repurposed angle. The manga's also expanding on rose symbolism, between constricting thorns and hanging roses you've seen in the past but might not have noticed.

The concept of "the greatest love you can offer" being to step away came up in both the protagonists of Igarashi's previous manga, Dominant. I'll have more to say on that when I get around to translating AriSaku's Bluesky extras, but Igarashi seems to like exploring twisted outlets for love.

We're now .5 chapters away from being caught up. I'm going to be working on Sylph and Aizawa's latest chapters now so don't expect 10 until after the 28th, when the second half releases. After that I'll likely start uploading half chapters bimonthly going forward.

In other recent news, Igarashi was going to draw a "violent" doujinshi for November's COMITIA event, but currently only has lewd yuri thoughts on the brain and will likely do that instead.
It is a mystery why Igarashi now has lewd yuri thoughts on the brain.

last edited at Aug 19, 2025 12:46AM

well, this is interesting, I guess, it's nice we see the character that showed up in just a few panels of the previous chapter. I mean, what's nice is that nothing the author chooses to do is innocent. Everything is planned and that's good.

Still, I ask myself will this be something good? Not for them but for the story itself. I think a third wheel was unnecessary really. Some stories have a use for it, this one didn't seem like it.

And Sumi-chan's reasoning is also something that bothers me a bit. Of course, she's been shown to be "insecure" and not feeling enough before, but to think she's doesn't deserve her Onee-sama and that she should rather hand her to someone else?? Why would she think that? Mental gymnastics at its finest. Haruyo's shown to have a deep appreciation for her, even if I don't think Sumire's love and Haruyo's love are "the same". But why would she go so far as to distance herself from her? It doesn't make sense to me

This is possibly my favorite manga on the site, and I've been here a while! And while we are making predictions, I'm surprised no one is talking about the graffiti rose that so conveniently happened to be at their new meeting point. I keep thinking, are the odds really so low that someone else saw their letter exchange in that book? Maybe they've got an ally, could even be painting girl. But of course, that's just speculation for now

bro you can see the future

This is possibly my favorite manga on the site, and I've been here a while! And while we are making predictions, I'm surprised no one is talking about the graffiti rose that so conveniently happened to be at their new meeting point. I keep thinking, are the odds really so low that someone else saw their letter exchange in that book? Maybe they've got an ally, could even be painting girl. But of course, that's just speculation for now

bro you can see the future

I know, I can't believe it, I wanna do a victory dance!! And about your previous comment, I agree I'm skeptical about this new development. Still, I don't think painting girl will get in the way all that much, these two are too gay for each other now! Hopefully it's more about Kasumi working through her self-loathing and it doesn't take too long. But it's cute to see Onee-sama desperate to spoil her little sister, the feeling is definitely mutual! (Even if Haruyo might need some time to ahem catch up to Kasumi's "maturity")

We're now .5 chapters away from being caught up. I'm going to be working on Sylph and Aizawa's latest chapters now so don't expect 10 until after the 28th, when the second half releases. After that I'll likely start uploading half chapters bimonthly going forward.

In other recent news, Igarashi was going to draw a "violent" doujinshi for November's COMITIA event, but currently only has lewd yuri thoughts on the brain and will likely do that instead.
It is a mystery why Igarashi now has lewd yuri thoughts on the brain.

Thank you for the translation. I also really like ready about your take on the story as well.

About the remaining chapters, would you mind telling where to find them? I've been reading them on comic walker, but they are only available until chapter 10. And the ebook for the second volume is not available yet.

Pages 25-26 are incredibly lewd. Also, did they kiss on page 26?

Namyks posted:
Also, did they kiss on page 26?

Doubt it, it wouldn't be Class S anymore.

And Sumi-chan's reasoning is also something that bothers me a bit. Of course, she's been shown to be "insecure" and not feeling enough before, but to think she's doesn't deserve her Onee-sama and that she should rather hand her to someone else?? Why would she think that? Mental gymnastics at its finest. Haruyo's shown to have a deep appreciation for her, even if I don't think Sumire's love and Haruyo's love are "the same". But why would she go so far as to distance herself from her? It doesn't make sense to me

I think the pacing was perhaps a little fast, but the reasons are clear: Kasumi hates herself, has since the beginning, and thinks she doesn't deserve Haruyo and Haruyo would be better off without her.

Aww Kasumi. Such a sad panda...

The plot thickens. In hindsight, it should be obvious that Haruyo couldn't have come up with letter exchange herself (rude, I know). I wonder if the art girl is the originator or she too is a link in the chain, and the custom goes way back to the era of actual Class-S (hence the tittle). Would be cool if we discover other pairs of sisters along the way.

While I understand Kasumi's self loathing drives her to find someone more worthy of her oneesama (and she is scared of being this enamored with Haruyo and probably disgusted by her own lust), I can't help but fear that Haruyo would be hurt by this. Hopefully Sayori (I bet this is also the name of a rose) can talk some sense to her.

About the remaining chapters, would you mind telling where to find them? I've been reading them on comic walker, but they are only available until chapter 10. And the ebook for the second volume is not available yet.

You've caught up. Chapter 10 (first half) is the latest. Did you misread 0.5 chapters as 5 by any chance?

last edited at Aug 19, 2025 6:07AM