By Gwyn J.

After a few bumps along the way, we end up seeing Hotaru and Hananoi-kun going out on a trial basis. Volume 2 starts a month after this trial run, and Hananoi-kun reveals that he was going to break up with her on Christmas because he thought it would be easier. But Hotaru asks if they could extend the trial, because she feels things are actually going somewhere. This makes Hananoi-kun very happy, and it’s quite clear at this point that Hotaru has started to grow feelings for him.

It’s nice to see the slow development of feelings between both Hotaru and Hananoi-kun. Some manga series rush through that part of a budding relationship, but A Condition Called Love does it perfectly.

New characters are introduced, and Hotaru applies for a job. When she tells this to Hananoi-kun, she also tells him that she wants to get to know him better. She tells him about how a close friend of hers had cut her hair as a prank, and Hotaru said that she had hurt this friend without realizing it. Hananoi-kun tells her about himself, admitting that he was not a good kid.

Hananoi-kun walks Hotaru home from work, since he had just gotten out of the library and was waiting for her. They walk to her home, only to come across her mother and younger sister. Her family invites Hananoi-kun to dinner, and so he goes to their home.

Later on in the story, the two go on a date and go see a movie. Hotaru suggests seeing a movie that is based on a book that Hananoi-kun was reading, and it ends up being a gory movie.

Hotaru makes a slip-up and mentions the cafe where she had been when Hananoi-kun had his bad breakup. When he hears this, he is caught by surprise, and asks her if she had been there that day. She admitted she was and Hananoi-kun said that’s the reason why she brought the umbrella to him. He admitted that he was feeling pretty down that day, so Hotaru was his hero when she came along.

Volume 2 is just as good as the first volume, and at the end, Hotaru discovers that she really is in love with Hananoi-kun. The volume really wants to make readers cheer these two on with their budding romance. They both have questionable pasts, but I’m sure as more volumes are released, we’ll find out more about them.