[Thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha for an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.]

The monkey’s paw quickly bends for Hinamori, who wants to turn the head of the school’s perfect student, Suo. And turn her head she does, but Suo is not quite the pinnacle of perfection she portrays herself as. Actually, she might be the exact opposite.

Uh, hmm, okay. So, what is the definition of a story that’s kind of awful, yet you inadvertently have a good enough time? I wouldn’t call this a full recommend, caveats abound, but I would be lying if I said I won’t be buying the next one.

Let’s just call it The <i>Citrus</i> Effect, since this is also a wildly ridiculous yuri that I’ll be keeping up with for at least one more volume.

And that’s despite Suo being magnificently annoying. Crushed by the weight of expectations - the story at least makes sense in its way - she’s so happy to be infantilized that it’s a wonder she doesn’t try to crawl back in the womb.

Her outbursts are ridiculous, but they also make enough sense when it’s later shown how much effort she puts into maintaining the facade she doesn’t even want. There is a more serious version of this that just kills, I wager.

Which leaves poor Hinamori wearing the big girl pants and giving the school’s most perfect person an overdose of continued reaffirmation. Hinamori was herself rejected by her middle school sempai for being too kiddie, so the irony is thick.

(One thing I do want to call out is how absolutely matter-of-fact Hinamori is about her sexuality. I love that she just tosses out that she’s into girls and we move along from it. There’s no grand sexual awakening and that’s kind of a neat change. She just is what she is.)

There’s some humour here, or attempts at least, and some of it is amusing in that sad and pathetic sort of way. Suo is so desperate for praise, which somehow eludes her despite her position atop the school’s social caste, that she will do just about anything.

From scaring off a cat, then becoming a cat, to being a wee bit of a creeper when it comes to Hinamori, all the bases are covered. If you don’t see what’s coming when she’s cut her finger and in the nurse’s office alone with Hinamori, well, give it a few manga.

There’s almost no variation to each chapter. Suo is unflappable until Hinamori gets her alone and then Suo folds in on herself like she’s a singularity. Hinamori eventually gives her what she wants and then it’s on to the next escapade.

I will say, the last chapter is what makes me want to read more of this. There’s a plot about sports day that goes very foolishly astray when Hinamori cheers Suo on, yet what Suo interprets that as is something else entirely. That moment is also the best gag in the whole volume.

Suo’s reaction and Hinamori’s realization that maybe Suo’s not quite as annoying as she originally thought are the clear springboard for yuri to come and it makes for a far stronger chapter than anything that came before.

This is not a story for everybody. It’s not even a story for most people, as I am wont to say now and then. There are red flags, horrible characters, and all sorts of awkward. But, I’m still here and still intend to read more and, even with the old ‘yuri bump’, I don’t think that’s only due to the genre.

2.5 stars - I’m probably being super generous even. Worth a try, but it’s a tough pill to swallow that has no payoff this time around, yet it just might in the next volume.

A girl has a crush on her senpai who is top of the class and loved by everyone. But when she sees her true self, she realizes her crush is more of a mess then she thought. A school girl romance with a top academic student desperate for praise and attention, and the fellow student who she's set her sights on. Honestly this is about what you would expect. Fun and funny chapters, though I do wish there was a little more story. It very much felt like one shots.

Kinda repetitive, very silly. I definitely like the idea of the cool perfect honors student actually being childish / wanting to be spoiled, but in reality it was just too Much. Like how did she function before the events of the story if she’s this much of a disaster?

Also, Ichigo’s responses were shockingly shallow as well. There was little to no introspection; she just rolled with it, even as things got increasingly silly and out of hand.

I need a bit more depth, even in a silly slice of life comedy

It was a quick read and there were parts that were cute but it ultimately wasn’t for me. i think the author has a good grip on humor timing, but im just not sold on the characters.