Happy Marriage?! Volume 2
Story and Art by Maki Enjoji
From VIZ Media
When Chiwa and Hokuto agreed to marry, they never dreamed they would face the same problems other couples do. True, they married for reasons other than love, but they must learn to live with each other in their new relationship.
With Chiwa and Hokuto continuing in their marriage, Chiwa must come to terms with the growing feelings of love she has for her new husband. There is a mixture of embarrassment and frustration, seeing as Hokuto is emotionally unavailable and still unwilling to go public with their marriage. Day in and day out, she must remain distant while at work and patient in the evenings when Hokuto engages in social activities required of his position. Jealously surges through both parties when they realize how easy it can be to become more emotionally attached to a friendly person outside of their marriage, and Hokuto’s intentions in this marriage may be more harmful to Chiwa than anything else.
Love isn’t easily expressed between these two. It is still early in the relationship, and Chiwa and Hokuto really don’t know much about each other. But, thrust into such an intimate bond, they slowly learn the ways they express their feelings. Hokuto turns to Soma, an old friend, for advice in winning Chiwa’s heart while Chiwa consults with office friends on how to date a guy. There is frustration on the reader’s part, especially since both characters are too shy and stubborn to admit their feelings.
The heartbreak Chiwa feels is devastating. She wants the love of her new husband, but cannot even figure out if he is interested in her beyond her role in helping him take over his family business. She longs for the company of friends, but every male she befriends is counteracted by the jealousy of her husband. As with many love stories, there’s this belief that everyone’s problems would be solved with open communication. However, human beings are rarely that simple. Even in a marriage, Chiwa still fears rejection from Hokuto, which manifests in confiding in men outside of their relationship. Hokuto, on the other hand, expresses his feelings for Chiwa through physical manipulation. Since she has no experience in dating men, every advance from her husband leaves her with mixed emotions and embarrassment.
Happy Marriage?! still has moments of happiness for the two characters. Mixed in with the longing for each other and jealousy are small tokens of affection and sweet words. Chiwa gains some independence from her husband and boss, and move that may do wonders for her self-esteem. While the first volume of Happy Marriage?! introduced our main characters, the second volume explores their personalities much more. Enjoji is keeping things fresh with these two, which makes for an exciting, dramatic read.
