Ogawa Chise: Kono Ore ga Omae Nanka Suki na Wakenai

When I started reading this, it was one morning before I left for work. l was enjoying it, but I had to stop reading because I needed to be at work in 35 minutes and I hadn’t even gotten dressed. Later at work, I started tearing up at how Okachimachi walked away from Fujima after his friend Masumi exposed Fujima and Fujima exploded. It was a moment colored in the gray of sadness and devastation.

There I was at work and tears were streaming down my face because of this part. I really wanted to leave work at that moment and get back to reading it.

I’ve read several stories where the previously jilted party seeks revenge all because of a misunderstanding and then, of course, things work out, but there’s something really refreshing about how Ogawa chose to develop this story. Fujima’s friends, the twins, Angie and Tokuko were great comrades as well as voices of reason. I appreciated how earnest and intimately forward Okachimachi was and Fujima’s inability to stay on task was so entertaining and endearing. I had fun reading it in the morning, but when I returned home after work and read chapter 5, I was cracking up, near tears, and there were moments I had to catch my breath. This was a great read the first time around and I know I’ll enjoy it just as much the next time around.