Very, very nice. The ball had a very sweet conclusion, and then it was pretty cool to see Mizuki finally go home, and to get a look at the rest of her family. I love her dad. It's pretty cool how Gil has come back into the story too. And then, y'know, I just love Sano and Mizuki. So much cute. ( )

I enjoyed the Christmas coed dance story so much that I worried the next arc would fall flat, but Hana Kimi continues strong in this volume. Ashiya is planning on spending the New Years at school, where she and some of the others skipping the trip home for the holidays enjoy a cute ice skating outing, and we learn details that were left out of the last volume. For instance, who won the best couple award? Of course, Sano and Ashiya couldn't win, as they weren't an official couple, but the author manages to modify this disappointment by telling us that they won an unofficial award of best special couple. We also see Dr. Umeda and Rio's parents again, and while the thought that people can age that wonderfully is simply ludicrous, I like them. Certainly, wish fulfillment all around in the Umeda family. Back to a new plot line... Ashiya's idyllic holidays are interrupted when she receives a cryptic letter from her brother telling her to come home. With no other information, Ashiya is petrified that something bad has happened. When she arrives home, though, it turns out that her brother was just careless. An obvious manipulation to move the plot forward, but I don't mind, because fun developments arise in America. Ashiya finds out that Gil, the boy who helped her when she ran away and her first crush, is close to her family. Even better, Sano and Nakatsu conveniently turn up in the same city on an athletic outing, and the whole party wind up having dinner together. This collection offers a few too many convenient contrivances, but they create fun situations that are treasures. Two volumes in a row that I greatly enjoyed. I hope the trend continues. ( )