This manga had *so much potential* for me. The main characters are interesting with struggles that are much more mature than you'll find in most shoujo. While this is a romance, the themes are much more centered on family and finding a sense of belonging. Being an adopted child myself, I found myself really relating to Yukimi's feelings and her desperate need for acceptance. The dynamics and parallels between several relationships were very well crafted.

Unfortunately, the plot suffered from overuse of cheap cliches. Characters coincidentally running into each other at the perfect moment, accidentally overhearing conversations, a shallow rival love interest that pops up out of nowhere and quickly becomes irrelevant, the magical child who innocently says whatever the adult characters need to hear at any given moment.. these are all staples of shoujo and drama that I've become accustomed to and even enjoy most of the time. However, their use here felt rote and so clunky that it pulled me out of the story.. frequently.

It could have used some polishing is all I'm saying, but I still enjoyed it and think it's worth a read for anyone who wants to read about complex characters in a mediocre plot with *stunning* themes.