The first sentence of Miyoshi’s author notes is, “This volume couldn’t be more different from last volume’s love story!” While you don’t get the mindlessness of the previous volume, you also don’t get the fun.
Or mature Kako.
Or doting Kota.
Or good communication. Etc.
However, before I get into the story, I will say much of this volume is going to hinge on your own internal beliefs and morals. Specifically, the concept of justice, the idea of past versus current and future behavior. My Boy in Blue has tackled this before: Kota and Heisuke were both delinquents, and Yui’s sharp tongue pushed people away. Despite their mistakes, they are now in a better place.
But does everyone change for the better? And even if they have, is there a hard line where you don’t get the benefit of the doubt? Who gets to draw that line? The victim(s)? The legal system? Society at large?
These are hard questions that will be debated until the end of time. I don’t think My Boy in Blue was meant to concentrate on these, but your opinions will affect your judgement of the characters. You see, there’s a new staff member at the place Yui lives and Kako is volunteering at. Nicknamed Tee-sensei, he looks about 12 instead of 20. A bit blunt and not much of a talker, Tee cares about the children in his own way, as more of someone to be there for kids instead of some magical savior of a teacher. Kako is touched by Tee’s honesty and the way he mentioned that she should read to kids.
But lives are thrown into disarray when Kota shows up. Kako is confuzzled when Tee starts groveling and Kota becomes cold and furious. The reason? Tee killed Kota’s father.
So the manga is entering its Kota arc. No doubt this involves him coming to terms with his father’s death, and likely Tee as well. Whether you are the type of reader that puts themselves in the story or not, there is room for debate on all the characters: Kota wants Kako to quit, Tee feels guilty but doesn’t need forgiveness from anyone, and Kako likes the school, Tee, and Kota of course.
Kako is likely to evoke the strongest emotions in readers. As the protagonist, she’s been apt to forgive others quickly. But this time, she’s not the victim. Neither believing in someone or judging someone’s past behavior are necessarily wrong, but Kako and Kota have very different fundamental beliefs about people in general.
Kota isn’t perfect either, don’t get me wrong. But it’s hard not to see Kako’s pleas for Tee to stay and for her to keep working there as idealistic in the best case and narrow-minded at worst. Relationships are often torn apart by an attitude of, “Well, sure, they did something horrible to someone important to me, but why should that affect my association with them?” Even if you are the type to believe in second chances, seeing Kako run away in fear after Kota’s angry encounter with Tee is not likely to endear her to readers, especially compared to her passionate reaction when Tee’s past is leaked to others.
Also, Heisuke drops by earlier in the story, and Kako tries to get him to meet up with Kota. Heisuke still has complex feelings toward Kota, and he overreacts when she suggests today. She responds, “Jeez, you sound like a virgin on prom night…” I’d love to know what the original Japanese line was, because they seem very odd here. One, because Japan doesn’t have prom, and two, because, as we saw last time, she’s still inexperienced (and nervous) in that area herself. And saying it to a guy who likes her sounds even more bizarre for Kako.
Still, while I spent a whole paragraph on a throwaway line, it’s probably the least of volume 14’s problems. I feel like I should go back to my review for My Boy in Blue volume 13 and put a disclaimer: “Enjoy this volume while it lasts, folks. Because everything I praised volume 13 for is getting thrown into the trash again in the next.”