Title: 妹 (Akane) Vol. 3 "...Heart"
Artist/Author: 山花典之 (Noriyuki Yamahana)
Book Size/Pages: B-6, 205pp., w/o furigana
Volume: 3/14
Original Serialization: Weekly Young Jump Vol 42, '00 - Vol 1, '01
First Printing: 3/24/01
Rating: 4/4

There's no Akane beatings this volume, rather, it focuses a lot more on the apparent conflicts that Shinpei has. He has Nanako, whom he has a crush on. On the other hand however, he can't help but feel some attraction towards his step-sister (not blood relation). It's turning out to be a good drama.

The only bonus is a color first page.

24. ...Heart: Shinpei has a crush on Nanako, but can't get himself to express it as he feels like he's not good enough for her. Akane and Nanako pay a visit to Shinpei's workplace, an auto-repair shop and they see him help a little boy fix his toy car. Nanako gets invited over to Akane and Shinpei's place, but Shinpei is still not prepared to resolve their differences.

25. 今このひとときが遠い夢のように (Wanting This Moment to Be A Long Dream): Nanako has a flashback to when she was a child and wasn't too popular with her schoolmates because her family was rich. As she's walking with Chako, she sees Shinpei and they go out on to play some Pachinko.

26. all my loving: Nanako brings Shinpei lunch at his work. Akane is walking with Emily and comments on how she's looking for a job. Emily mentions that Akane and Shinpei look like a good couple. Later on, Akane and Shinpei get their shirt buttons caught on each other and for a moment, they don't look like brothers and sisters. But things seem to go back to normal.

27. チャコとメグ (Chako and Meg): Meg, the daughter of one of Shinpei's neighbors, is playing with Chako. Meg's mother works as an "escort" of sorts to support her and Meg. She had promised Meg a handmade lunch for school, but the night before, she got overly drunk while doing business and just gave her store-bought food. Meg runs away.

28. 母さんの唄 (Mother's Song): Meg gets trapped inside a refrigerator that's being sent to the landfill. With Chako's help, they find her. Meg's mom decides to quit her job and find something more proper.

29. 慎ちゃん (Shin): Marina, Emily, and Akane come to Akane's apartment and then later to a public bath. Meanwhile, Nanako visits Shinpei at work. Soon after she leaves, it starts raining hard due to a typhoon that's about to hit. Shinpei goes and drives her home, but later comes back to stay at his workplace due to the storm. The storm's getting stronger and Nanako comes back to Shinpei's workplace to bring him dinner. Akane calls Shinpei and is surprised when Nanako picks up.

30. Girl: The three girls are at the apartment and Shinpei and Nanako are at the shop. Akane is a little uneasy that her brother is there alone with a girl.

31. Brother: While going to school, Akane gets fondled on the train. She catches the guy who tells her not to inform his school about the incident. Later, Akane starts her new job at the Tinker Bell restaurant. She's popular among all the guys there, except for one, 大輔 (Daisuke). Shinpei finds out only later that Akane has found a job and sees her at work. Meanwhile, Daisuke is waiting for his brother, 洋輔 (Yosuke) who Akane overhears as wanting to go to Tokyo U. When she sees him though, she recognizes him as the pervert on the train.

32. ガリ勉リフレシュ (Refreshed Grind): Daisuke loves his brother, so takes offense at Akane's remarks, even though it's the truth. Later, she finds out that Daisuke has trouble with girls, so she, Marina and Emily take him out to the amusement park. She comes back a refreshed and happier person.

33. 想い (Memories): Daisuke sees that his brother is happier now, so he treats Akane a little better. Later, he talks to Shinpei about their love for their respective siblings.

34. 涙の理由 (Reason For Tears): Shinpei has a bad dream about having to choose between Nanako and Akane. Nanako comes into Shinpei's shop the next day and asks him out to go skate on Sunday. He agrees. That night, Akane seems to be jealous and wants to be next to Shinpei. That Sunday, after some skating as Shinpei is about to confess his love, Nanako's tears swell up.

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