Though handsome and well-liked, Kohei Sugihara has led a gloomy and withdrawn existence ever since he developed severe hearing loss in junior high. But in college, a chance encounter with his ever optimistic classmate Taichi Sagawa ignites an undeniable shared spark that eventually blossoms into love. Graduation nears for Kohei, and with a job offer in hand from his top choice, he embarks on a summer internship to ease the transition. However, the experience quickly turns into a trial by fire, leaving Kohei struggling to find his way among the sometimes divisive opinions of his new coworkers.
By Yuki Fumino
Series I Hear the Sunspot
Volume 3 of -
Release Date 03.06.2025
Genre Boys Love
Age Rating 16+
Publisher ONE PEACE BOOKS
CW None
Rating ★★★★☆
My Review
I finally got around to reading the new I Hear the Sunspot volume! I had it preordered- as this is one of my favorite series, but you know when you get fancy chocolates for the holidays? You want to save it for the perfect moment and that’s what I was doing with this volume. I knew I’d get through it quickly and then be stuck waiting again, so I was saving it. A few days ago, I finally decided the moment had come.
This volume mostly focuses on Kohei and the start of his career. Before beginning his new job, he takes on a summer internship there. He quickly learns that office life isn’t all that fun—and that there are... difficult people everywhere. He struggles with his hearing disability and often feels insecure. This volume also introduces some new side characters, which added some freshness. It was interesting to see how his disability is handled in the workplace, and it was rewarding to watch Kohei grow and gain confidence.
That said, there weren’t many interactions between Kohei and Taichi in this volume— we don’t even see Taichi that much. Maybe it’s because the last volume focused more on him, but I really missed their interactions. I get that this is probably setting up a new phase in their lives, and one thing I’ve always appreciated about this series is how well it explores the characters' families, personal struggles, work environments, etc. Still, I couldn’t help but feel that something was missing.
On the final page, there was a note from Yuki Fumino saying she plans to develop Kohei and Taichi’s relationship further in the next volume, so let’s wait and see where it goes. I just hope it picks up a little bit.
