I love Kusakabe's wholehearted dedication to bold gestures of affection. It contrasts so beautifully with Sajou's more shy and reserved manner. I have such a soft spot for the fluffy moments where they casually learn more about each other and, since I read this series to see them explore their relationship and steadily let each other deeper into their lives, I was disappointed to see that there was a heavier focus on the creepy teacher in this volume.

It doesn't sit well with me at all that most of the teachers in this series are apparently pedophiles, especially since it's treated as okay and normal by the story, and I'm really not a fan of the implications made about homosexuality there either. The incorrect stereotype pushed by bigots that pedophilia and homosexuality go hand in hand is gross, but it's particularly unsettling here when it gets used as a plot device to make the kids feel insecure in their relationship... and then they're told that that insecurity is stupid to feel because the pedophile "wasn't a threat" all along. That's so backwards and manipulative, and it's just played off as a funny little part of young love to feel jealous or worry that someone with clear power over you and your partner will use that power against you.

The only silver lining here is that the story still mostly focuses on Kusakabe and Sajou outside of all that, so I tried my best to ignore it and focus on the wholesome moments of their relationship instead.