束の間の一花 [Tsuka no Ma no Ichika] #2

The second volume of Tsuka no Ma no Ichika continues this quietly affecting slice-of-life manga with a sun-dappled cover that captures a relaxed, candid moment between its two leads — a fair-haired young man pausing to drink from a water bottle and a bright-eyed girl in her school uniform holding one of her own, both bathed in warm, dappled light beneath leafy trees. There's an easy, unhurried intimacy to the scene that says everything about the gentle tone Tadano Natsu brings to this series. Fans of tender, character-driven stories will find plenty to appreciate here.