Ari Yasuda

"After an eventful Christmas with her classmates, Sawako is super excited when Chizu and Ayane invite her to come with them to the shrine on New Year's Eve, which happens to be her birthday. But what she doesn't count on is her friends' birthday surprise--to get her to go alone with Kazehaya-kun!"--Page 4 of cover.

Now that Sawako and Kazehaya have confessed their true feelings to one another, Sawako is afraid her rival Kurumi will try to steal Kazehaya from her and vows to do whatever it takes to protect their relationship.

"A new school year begins happily when Sawako and her friends Chizu and Ayane--as well as her crush, Kazehaya--are all in the same homeroom. But when another popular guy in the class shows an interest in Sawako, will it push Kazehaya and Sawako apart?"--Back cover.

Shy Sawako Kuronuma is ostracized by her classmates, who call her Sadako because of her resemblance to a horror movie heroine, but when Shota Kazehaya, the most popular boy in school, becomes her friend, things start looking up.

"Sawako Kuronuma is the perfect heroine ... for a horror movie. Nicknamed "Sadako" after the haunting movie character, everyone is afraid to come near her for fear of being cursed. But underneath her scary exterior lies an ordinary teenager who just wants to make friends. Ever since the near-kiss incident on the school trip, Sawako and Kazehaya have become distant. With Ayane warming to Kento's affections and Chizuru devastated that her friendship...

"While their friends' romantic relationships deepen, Sawako feels Kazehaya pulling away. Will a big Christmas party bring the troubled couple back together, or will Kazehaya continue to hide his pain from the person who most wants to help him?"--Publisher's web site.

A new year brings promise, with the budding relationships of Ayane and Kento, and Chizu and Ryu, and fear, with Sawako worried about choosing a career path.