The Wallflower: Volume 28

by Tomoko Hayakawa, 156 pages

The local market is in danger of closing down due to competition from a shiny new grocery store, Kyôhei suffers the attentions of a pitiful young man who says he reminds him of the girl who stole his heart, and a what-if? chapter relates the exploits of an Edo-era thief helping the downtrodden in a silly period piece cast with the series's characters.

This is not one of my favorite volumes of this series, sadly.  The first story is too similar to plots that have come before and the last one is just too silly and random (and that's saying something for a series founded on silliness and randomness).  I must admit, though, that the middle story with put-upon Kyôhei as romantic proxy made me snicker.  If only the rest of the volume had done the same.  Hopefully, things will return to fun form in the next one.