Synopsis: Short-Tempered Melancholic and Other Stories

Comprised of four short stories, the tankoubon named Kanshakudama no Yuutsu features one of the two-part narratives included in the book. The initial story, Kanshakudama no Yuutsu, recounts the tale of Kajika, a female ninja who lost her parents to the Hayato ninja clan, their rivals, when she was young. Presently, Kajika resides with her grandfather and harbors feelings for her senpai, Fujisaki, who believes her to be too manly. In contrast, her childhood friend, Yuga, dislikes Fujisaki. However, when Fujisaki asks Kajika out on a date, a startling discovery awaits her. The second story, This Affair is for Real, revolves around Yuri, who wishes to introduce her pen pal to Karin, her affluent friend. Karin agrees to meet the pen pal at an aquarium in exchange for a cheesecake. The encounter with Ryo doesn't play out as expected as appearances can be deceptive. The third story, The Romance in the Afternoon Rain, depicts Minori's love for Takato, a student from a different school who lent her his umbrella during a rainy day. Minori anxiously awaits the rain to fall so she can spend time with Takato under his umbrella. However, rumors about Takato hating girls after a rejection begin to spread. Minori endeavors to learn the truth about the rejection and the person responsible for it. The final story, The Second Time in Love, marks Arina Tanemura's debut story, and dates back to 1995 or 1996. It narrates the tale of Mana, who loves Yume's boyfriend but also captures the attention of the school's most popular student, Nakamura Shigenobu. Despite Nakamura's advances, Mana remains steadfast in her emotions for Nishikawa-kun, Yume's boyfriend.