This story brought me to tears. It makes you realise just how hard it was for gay people to accept themselves and live their lifes with that in mind. This is a sad story about a forbidden love that shouldn't have happened in the first place. It was very heart-breaking, I advice everyone who wants to read this, to keep some tissues nearby. It'll come in handy... T_T

Even though I kept praying for a happy ending despite the tragedy tag and the various comments about the sad ending (you never know, okay, maybe it could've turned happy just for me), this was just perfect. This might be my favorite one in the series, short as it is, and as heartbreaking as it was. The feelings invoked by the last two panel defy description. It was that second to last page that triggered the waterworks for me. Definitely something you have to experience for yourself.

Even if you're hesitant to pick up a yaoi manga, I highly recommend reading it for the romance. This is first and foremost, a story about love, and it tells it masterfully.

... Last updated on July 29th, 2013, 11:01pm

I feel sad and a very angry. Because. It brings you back to reality. I don't need that. I want to go into the nice and fictional story telling and the happily ever after. But The story was actually really good. And it had me in its grip. I do suggest the manga and if you like sad endings well you'll enjoy the read. But I hate to be reminded that its like that in real life. Sometimes you lose your love to life cruel and horrible game. Ah~ crap. I need to go back to lalaland.

As expected of Rihito Takarai-sensei. I have read numerous of her works and each of them are beautiful though I hate yaoi because she is an exception. Her works are beautifully drawn and sweet, as always.
I must admit that I cried a lot due to the tragical ending. It's a very touching an unexpected prequel to 'Only the Flower Knows'. Very bitter sweet yet amazing.
It's recommended.

Amazing manga with amazing characters! It was sweet and cute but also really sad at some point... I was really near crying while reading last chapter

A little sweet & sour love story. The art is beautiful, both the characters and the backgrounds. The story is really simple but pretty realistic for the times it is developed in. There are not many stories like this, where there may not be a happy ending but doesn't need to fall into angst necessarily. I recommend this for those who like a more deep story. I mean, it really made me think about the characters' situation and the choices they made at the end.

only takarai rihito-sensei could create that unbearable sweetness and then kill us with that ending. ugh! for its length, i thought it was well done, though. i even think i liked it more than the original story since the angst balanced out the sweetness, unlike the original which was pretty much all sweet 8D who knew the prof had such a touching backstory ;_; i love unrequited love pieces done in historical times, so this was right up my alley <3

I REALLY LOVED IT. At first I didn't know that the story was actually about the professor... I just realized it in the end. And oh my god, it really broke my heart. like I really shed tears when I read the ending. It was really realistic and tragic but still it was super good!

It's the type of manga that will be able to touch your heart. Recommended! As expected of Takarai-sensei. The plot, flow and the art was all very good.

I love Hana no Mizo Shiru but it's been a while since I read it so I didn't remember anyone's names. I started reading this and vaguely remembered I'd seen that a series was related to Hana no Mizo Shiru but didn't remember if it was this one. It wasn't until the very end that everything connected in my mind.

As usual, I love Takarai Rihito's artwork. It's so beautiful, and she does expressions and little movements quite well. I also like her backgrounds. Her stories seem to tend toward a sort of low-drama, bittersweet story, and this falls in that category as well.

But it was so sad It's not that the story doesn't make sense or isn't probably pretty realistic for a BL manga, but it was still so very sad, and that left me with a weird mixed feeling. It's not actually anything wrong with the story itself but rather what it made me think about in general. As a result, I couldn't decide how to rate this initially, but I went with 8 because I love the artwork. Honestly, if the romantic in me wasn't so strong, I'd have rated it probably even higher. It's a short story that tells that story well. I just happened to be saddened by the story it had to tell.