Life isn't going too well for Yuzuki. She's a 34-years-old and without a boyfriend. The elementary school she works at is close to firing her, and to top it off she doesn't know what to do with her life at all. But even when she quits her job and tries to have an arranged marriage things don't work out. Only the bread she eats at the small stationery store around the corner gives her comfort. So one day, she asks the storeowner to marry her on a whim and to her surprise, he agrees...?

From Viz: After her parents divorce, Anna Uekusa and her mother move from Tokyo to rural Shimane. Used to the anonymity of city living, An can't get used to the almost overbearing kindness of the people in her mother's hometown. But when personal tragedy strikes, An discovers how much she needs that kindness. In 2005 Sand Chronicles was awarded the 50th Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo manga.

After her parents divorce, An Uekusa and her mother move from Tokyo to rural Shimane. Used to the anonymity of city living, An can't get used to the almost overbearing kindness of the people in her mother's hometown. But when personal tragedy strikes, An discovers how much she needs that kindness. In 2005 Sand Chronicles was awarded the 50th Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo manga.

A series of oneshots: Story 1) Kobini S This is about a girl and her 3 friends that get an offer to help out an old lady for a week (board and food included) for 20,000 yen. During this experience she learns many things about herself, her boyfriend and the old lady. Story 2) Happy? Happy! About a girl and her requited love.

From JShoujo Scans: Falling in love with him was her biggest mistake... After being badly bullied in junior high, Kazu's sworn off getting deeply involved with other people. One day though, the resident class playboy, Kirishima, comes and tears down the walls she's built around her heart. She finds herself falling quick and hard...but is she only setting herself up for heartbreak?!

Will anyone answer love's distress call? Find out in this funny and poignant collection of short stories! 1) SOS 2) Organ - A pipe organ is discovered in the debris after the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake. What does that have to do with the dreams of two young people in the Taisho era? 3) The Easy Life

Story 1: 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...? Story 2: Racing Queen, by IZUMI Kaneyoshi 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... Story 3: English Garden, by SAKURAKOUJI Kanoko 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... Story 4: Pure White Anniversary, by AYASE Riu: Just by selecting her, and saying her name, she became the class´ representative, and after time, trusted by teachers and students. That always maked 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. Story 5: The Coffee Shop that Ends Unrequited Love, by ADACHI Keiko This story is about a gilr called Rui. She's always too late on dates. But when she met Shiyouta she fell in love with him an want to be not late anymore... Story 6: Great Waiters?, by WASHIO Mie 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!

Collection of 4 short stories: 1) Butterfly Cloud Best friends Kiyo, Kanta, and Goma live in a small, depopulated island in the Seto Inland Sea. One day, a transfer student from Tokyo arrives. Before long Ritsuka, a cute and fair-skinned girl, started hanging out with the three best friends, but what happens after? This story was released as a oneshot in the Bitter - Nakechau Koi Monogatari anthology volume. 2) Middle School - Less Than Love 3) Middle School - Man Hater 4) Middle School - The Cherry Blossoms Scatter

Ootome Hime’s father was a jockey who dreamed of winning the Japanese Derby. One year, when Hime went to watch him race in the Derby, he died in a horrible racing accident. The man responsible retired in guilt from being a jockey. 10 years later, Hime is in high school, and she has heard that Arakawa Jin, the son of the man who killed her father, is debuting in the Derby as a jockey. She went to see him race, and was outraged to see him win! Now Hime has decided to quit high school and go to a special school for jockeys, in hopes of being able to beat Jin in a race one day. She has met a new friend and aspiring jockey along the way, a boy called Tadano Ryouhei, but she can’t let him stand in the way of her revenge!

Asako lives her life day-to-day acutely aware of how lonely she is. That all starts to change when she meets Hongo, a boy who thought she was trying to commit suicide and tried to stop her. They form a bond and find how much fun life really is. Until Asako finds out about Hongo's past. Source: Baka-Updates Includes two other stories once called Cuckoo's Child and another called 60 days.

Story 1: Tsuki to Mizuumi From Shogakukan: Kazuna's late grandfather was a writer, and his unpublished novel depicting his private life was found among the articles left by him. He had written down his affection to his lover, while he was a devoted husband. Kazuna felt perplexed, and went to see his grandfather's lover. Hinako Ashihara depicts sweet, painful love in this collection of her long-piece love stories. Story 2: Nora in December from tohukyo: Dressed in frilly clothes like a princess, Nacchan lived next door in a house made of sweets. Nacchan says she doesn't like it because it is all her mother's own dream world. To help Nacchan, I decided we should go out on an adventure like Nora the cat. It was such a fun day and the best part is we actually met Nora! But Nacchan's mother was so upset that she didn't let Nacchan and I be friends anymore. Then one day, Nacchan's house of sweets next door was suddenly enveloped in flames. Nacchan was never found again...

The daughter of a washed out actress, is given the chance to see what it's like to be in a real family. Itsumi's mother, Kei, is a washed-up actress. One day, Itsumi meets a lady with a severe heart condition and receives an invitation to her house. The house, which Itsumi thinks of as the ideal family home, was just a performance arranged for the lady. Among the family members, Itsumi meets Shuu, a very polite boy, and is persuaded to play in a theatre... ?!

From MegKF: Despite repeated rejections, Shinatsu fell in love at first sight with the most popular boy in school, Yoshiyuki-sempai (a member of the tennis club). After unhesitatingly joining the team, she gets rejected by her sempai. On top of that, she is bullied by his girlfriend. However, as her childhood friend Iku, says, "Things that are too easy to obtain aren't amusing at all." Right?

From Tokyopop: When a young girl loses her confidence to dance, she fears she'll never set foot on the stage again. But then she falls in love with an all-guy avant-garde dance troupe and their leader...and everything changes. Soon, her primary goal in life is to join the troupe and snag the guy. So what if she's missing a Y-chromosome? She's got spunk, skill, and passion--and, in the end, she hopes that love will conquer all.

From Aerandria Scans: One day, Mizuho, a university student, receive news that her classmate in high school, Origuchi Haruka, passed away. Mizuho doesn't remember being best friends with Origuchi, but apparently, Origuchi told her mother that Mizuho was her best friend. And now, her mother wants Mizuho to help her find the boy Origuchi dated during high school. Mizuho told Origuchi's mother that Origuchi was a very plain girl, and she was never seen with a guy, but her mother told Mizuho that Origuchi got pregnant and had an abortion when she was in high school. Mizuho was shocked, but she still starts asking her other classmates in high school and following the traces Origuchi left behind.

23 year-old Office lady Akari is looking for a marriage partner, with whom she can have a steady and "normal" married life. While she is spending her days hedging risks so as not to become unhappy, she becomes interested in her plain 40 year-old co-worker, Tanaka-san. Judging by her figure, Akari suspects she must be doing something. And that something is bellydancing! When she discovers Tanaka-san's secret, Akari becomes a fan of this stoic yet sexy older lady. As a friendship blooms between them, two women chase after their dreams and love.