Now that there are more chapters up, I'm taking my time to re-read. It's an easy going manga, nothing too serious, a light and fluffy read. I rarely like the tropes with really-popular heroine but I find myself loving Suiren. The humor is fun and the side characters are charming. The leads are great and the art is expressive(and effing awesome).
I am puzzled at some readers hating on the female lead. Even in the manga, there is no bullying Suiren for her being popular (which we see so freaking often in shoujo). This wasn't meant to be something deep, dramatic, and antsy. The only real conflict is mostly internal with both leads learning how to reach out, going through young love.
I find it refreshing. I'm sick of mangas with unnecessary conflicts and misunderstandings thrown in the mix when the leads themselves have enough issues.
Some readers view the lack of words from Suiren, or either lead, as a bad thing but I love that, in this, the art, already beautiful, is able to express what words cannot. There is no need for heavy dialogue and, really, the absence of infodumping and telling-not-showing is a relief. The reader doesn't need words all the time to empathize with the character and the mind is given a chance to piece the scenes together without stumbling and getting lost.
The author is in control and in a good way. The pacing is easy going (though it might get frustrating for those preferring faster resolution or angst to fill in the spaces in between). I love that neither lead strictly adheres to a certain type even if it may seem that way in the beginning. Yes, it may seem that we're getting to know more about the male lead than the female but only because we are placed in the POV of the female lead as she discovers more about Kawasumi and their blooming friendship. The short POVs we have from the male lead are also telling about his character and story but he hasn't managed to learn as much about Suiren just yet seeing as he is hesitant to know more because of an issue alluded to early on in the manga.
I got all defensive. Sorry. Still, this is a great manga if you're looking for something easy and heartwarming. I usually like my heroines with big and expressive personalities but Suiren had me falling for her. No crybabies or wimpish girls here which was surprising and had me grateful to the author for the simple surprises that came up when the characters weren't straight-out-of-the-mold-for-this-type-of-trope kinds.