The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity

Two rival schools stand wall to wall: one for distinguished young ladies, the other for supposed good-for-nothings. But one of these boys proves to be a chivalrous diamond in the rough, and one of these girls is more open than her world allows. This sweet, twist-filled manga variation on Romeo and Juliet first became a digital hit in Japan and now appears in print.

Chidori is a boys' school with the lowest grades and a poor reputation. Right next door stands Kikyo Girls' High, where wealthy families enroll their sheltered daughters. The Chidori second-year Rintaro, tough-faced but soft-hearted, helps out at his family's patisserie when he meets a girl named Kaoruko. The two hit it off immediately—but Rintaro soon notices that Kaoruko is a student at the strict Kikyo.

What starts out as sweet bliss quickly becomes complicated: Kaoruko doesn't realize what a huge problem this forbidden connection poses. Can the two find their own path while dodging the traps—metaphorical or all too real—of their classmates?