Happy Marriage?! Volume 3
Story and Art by Maki Enjoji
As Chiwa grows to love Hokuto, a whole new set of issues rear their ugly head. There is a certain amount of incongruence between the way Chiwa feels and the way she acts. Immaturity plays a huge role in their relationship, for both participants. Two steps forward in their relationship are quickly met with one step back. Progress is being made, but the two fail to communicate to each other their feelings.
Since Chiwa and Hokuto are living together during their marriage, they are forced to rely on each other even more. Hokuto becomes sick, and Chiwa does her best to help him recover. This small act of kindness towards him means much more to Hokuto than anything Chiwa could say. From that moment, Hokuto begins to open up more and more to his wife, sharing memories of his early childhood with her as well as introducing her to his emotionally distant family.
The emotionality of visiting Hokuto’s mother’s grave makes the young couple look to their future. Despite the circumstances of the marriage, Hokuto and Chiwa slowly accept the longevity of their relationship. They both profess their commitment to each other, and trust starts to build between them.
Hokuto sums up the physical aspect of their marriage: “We’re married. Why make up excuses?” Though Chiwa is in love with Hokuto, she still does not know his feelings. There is a constant, nagging thought in the back of her head about how she was a tool to gain favor with Hokuto’s grandfather, the chairman of the company. She still holds out for normalcy in their relationship, but it will take more time. The third volume of this series is the most satisfying in terms of the growth Chiwa and Hokuto undergo.
