Nanoka no kare

Plot

When Nanoka was in middle school, she received her first confession. However, she overhears the boy using her to show off to his friends and the relationship ends. Now in high school, the break-up from her middle school days makes Nanoka hesitant to pursue a new relationship. Through a chance encounter, Nanoka overhears a strangers break-up that reminds her of her past relationship. Knowing that both she and the stranger were betrayed in their first relationship, it stirs up her feelings inside. A few days later she recognizes his voice as he passes by her in the streets with his friends. After hearing him recite kind words in regards to his break-up that Nanoka longed to hear in her previous relationship, she instantly confesses to him.

Characters

Nanoka Ayase

Nanoka is a first-year student in high school. After overhearing Hayata’s breakup with his girlfriend in a fast-food restaurant, it reminds her of her failed relationship in middle school. She passes by Hayata a few days later and instantly confesses to him after hearing him confess that he and his ex-girlfriend’s feeling simply did not match at the same pace. Though initially rejected, the two begin seeing each other a week later with Nanoka believing she will genuinely fall in love this time. Through their relationship, she comes to terms of why her middle-school relationship did not work out and becomes more honest and straightforward through Hayata’s influence.

Nanoka’s boyfriend in middle school was Takato. He confessed to her and she agreed to go out with him because she could feel that his feelings were sincere. However, after hearing that he was using her to show off, she confronts him and he tries to kiss her by force. After pushing him away, they stop talking and their relationship ends unresolved.

Hayata Kiriyama

Hayata is a third-year in middle school and the captain of his school’s volleyball club. After breaking up with his girlfriend for cheating on him, he is confessed to by Nanoka a few days later. He initially rejects her, not being ready to date again. However, he decides to pursue her after she tells him not to lie in her defense when she was the one rejected by him in front of his friends.

Hayata’s actions are kind and straightforward. Takato’s taunting cause Hayata to suffer an inferiority complex due to the age difference and the fact that Takato saved Nanoka twice, arriving just before Hayata in both cases. However, this provokes Hayata to protect Nanoka from Takato’s advances on her. Hayata states that being with Nanoka is the first time he’s felt attached to something that he is willing to fight for; stating previously he would always share or give up.

Takato Uesugi

Takato is a first-year in high school and the previous boyfriend of Nanoka when they were in middle school. After encountering Nanoka at a Karaoke bar, he becomes jealous when she says there is someone she genuinely likes and kisses her by force. Irritated that he was not Nanoka’s first love like she was his, he tells her to keep the kiss a secret to have leverage over her by informing her that her new love interest would hate her if he knew the truth.

He believes Nanoka’s new relationship will fail and that he will be able to get her back because the emotional scars he gave her made her who she is in the present; claiming that those emotional scars make her his.

Ouji Karasuma

Ouji is a second-year in high school introduced in Part Two of the story. He is rejected by Nanoka and hates her for it. He views Takato’s unrequited love as the most beautiful and becomes his accomplice.

Yuuko

Yuuko is a first-year in high school one of Nanoka’s best friends. Nanoka confides in her after having her first kiss stolen by someone she didn’t like.

Chisato

Chisato is a first year in high school and one of Nanoka’s best friends. She enjoys talking about love and relationships.

Kensuke

Kensuke is a first-year in high school and the classmate of Takato and a former volleyball senior to Hayata. He gives advice to both Takato and Hayata as he watches their relationship with Nanoka play out. Takato tells Kensuke that he kissed Nanoka by force when he met her again and reveals that he lied in middle-school to impress his friends, Kensuke being one of them.

Manager

She the manager of the volleyball team. Hayata breaks up with her after she reveals she had another boyfriend. She admits she only acted to do so because Hayata’s kind nature made her believe that he didn’t view her any different compared to his friends and made her feel insecure. She is jealous of Nanoka for being able to provoke certain emotions in Hayata that she was never able to do.

Manga

Ongoing with nine volumes as of April 25, 2016 and published by Shueisha.