BITTER: Nakechau Koi Monogatari(2003)

BITTER: Nakechau Koi Monogatari

A collection of love stories by various manga artists.

1 Chouchougumo (蝶々雲) [Hinako Ashihara]
N Island is a small island where all the kids know each other, and they're excited to meet the new transfer student from Tokyo. Fifth-grader Kanta doesn't want it to be a girl, because his classmate Kyo is the only icky girl the island needs. In a way that makes Kyo happy – because she's always known she wants to live out her life on the island as Kanta's wife someday. But the transfer student, Ritsuka, is a girl, and a shy one with a mother who's shunned by the island. So Kyo makes it her mission of good faith to assimilate Ritsuka, but then Kanta starts acting more interested in Ritsuka than in Kyo... When the main cloud splits into a butterfly cloud, which girl will be the one to separate from the rest...? This story was released as a one-shot in Chouchou Kumo.

2. Circuit no Joou-sama (サーキットの女王様) [Kaneyoshi Izumi]
When it comes to being a racing queen (it's like being a cheerleader for Nascar), you're either a bitch or a lost puppy. Ei learns this lesson the hard way from Akane, the reigning racing queen of the famous Meitoh Team, when Ei joins the team to put herself through college. It's only by doing harm to others that you succeed, and once you've succeeded, everyone wants to do harm to you. Ei's dream was to be the top racing queen, but once she gets there, it turns into her worst nightmare... This story was released as a one-shot in Ni no Hime no Monogatari.

3. English Garden [Kanoko Sakurakouji]
Hayato is moving to England in one month, so he approaches Fumio and tells her to date him – almost like a command. He's dominating, stubborn, and selfish, and Fumio really can't say no. But Hayato isn't without his charm; he has a talent for making things grow, and he designed a gorgeous English garden. Now he wants to spend his last month in Japan building a garden with Fumio. As the garden grows and changes, so do its gardeners... and as time becomes strained, so do their emotions... This story was released as a one-shot in Baby, Star.

4. Masshiro Kinenbi (まっしろ記念日) [Riu Ayase]
Just by selecting her, and saying her name, she became the class representative, and after time, trusted by teachers and students. That always made her excited about working hard and being better. But not all is white, not all is pure. When she was in trouble, a guy suddenly appears to help! Who is this guy? Why is he helping her? And why does Sakura feels scared whenever she is with him? Well... we sure want to know.

5. Kataomoi no Owaru Cafe (片想いの終わるカフェ) [Keiko Adachi]
This story is about a girl called Rui. She's always late on dates. But when she meets Shiyouta, she falls in love with him and doesn't want to be late anymore...

6. Great Waiters? (Greatウエイターズ?) [Mie Washio]
At 175 cm, Eisei (real name Haruyo) never thought she would ever find a boyfriend because of her height and her rather tomboyish looks and demeanour. Under her friends' recommendation, however, a visit to the renowned "Hot Cafe" caused her to fall for a charming waiter named Kono... who promptly dragged her to fill the vacancy – as a male waiter?! Having a chance to get closer to him is one thing, but has Kono also accidentally mistaken her for a boy?! How is Eisei supposed to express her feeling for him now? With a cafe filled with handsome waiters and the pretty girls who swoon over them, this "pretty boy" has work cut out for her! This story was released as a one-shot in the anthology volume Kanojo ga Cafe ni Kayou Wake.