薫る花は凛と咲く [Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku] #12

The cover of volume 12 captures a quietly charged moment between the series' two central characters, seated side by side on a bench yet wrapped in their own separate silences — her long dark hair framing an uncertain expression, his posture closed and contemplative in a grey suit jacket. Saka Mikami's shojo-meets-realism artwork conveys the emotional tension the series is known for with understated elegance. If you've been following this Kōdansha title, this installment looks poised to keep that bittersweet atmosphere burning.