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[The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity] Sweet Romance with Saka Mikami – Part 2

Interviews #Kaoruhana #Saka Mikami #The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity

This article was originally published on April 14, 2022.

Welcome back to part 2 of this interview with Saka Mikami! Let’s jump right in!

I want to create a story where all the characters are kind

――How did you decide on the way that Rintaro and Kaoruko’s relationship would be?

Mikami:
I think it was decided based on how they looked together. I love couples with a height difference [laughs]. I decided that Rintaro would look intimidating, but actually be quite nice, and due to his history, he wouldn’t have any confidence. For Kaoruko, I couldn’t decide whether or not to have her be from a rich family as she attends such a prestigious school for the first two chapters. Then, as the third chapter came together, I went with her being from a regular family.

――Kaoruko usually has such a gentle presence, but that scene in the third chapter really drove home that she’s actually strong and quietly determined.

Mikami:
That was the plan! [laughs] My editor and I discussed it quite deeply.

Editor:
Actually, when we have those kinds of talks, you come up with interesting ideas very quickly though, which resulted in that wonderful scene. You really make my job as editor easy.

――How about Kaoruko’s friend Subaru?

Mikami:
I wanted to create someone who Kaoruko holds dear. At first, I was imagining someone much more selfish, but I thought that might be more difficult for the audience to accept, so I went with someone with low self-esteem who tends to bottle up their feelings instead.

――Even Rintaro’s best friend Usami watches out for everyone.

Mikami:
I did not want to stray from the “everyone is kind” aspect, so I considered Asami and co. as characters who would bring Rintaro out of the darkness. Not only Rintaro, but they’re all really good at keeping conversation flowing too. They’re easy to depict.

――Rintaro’s mother also adds some beautiful moments at important points.

Mikami:
I wanted to show another side of Rintaro – a teen boy who deeply cares for his family. I wanted to show the readers that he truly is a nice person at heart.

One of my favorite scenes is the one with Kaoruko and Subaru in the park

――How did you come up with scenes like the one where Rintaro and Kaoruko meet at his family’s patisserie?

Mikami:
I decided that the difference between Rintaro’s tough features and working at a cake shop would make for a nice contrast in vibes, basically. We had a meeting and talked about how the story would flow, and just decided to try drawing it out. Also… I love a good personality contrast [laughs].

――Everyone loves a good personality contrast! At this point in time, do you have a favorite scene or plot point?

Mikami:
The scene with Kaoruko and Subaru in the park in chapters 10 and 11. I spent the most time on the storyboards for this part, as it needed a detailed portrayal of their emotions and the growth of those emotions. I have a special attachment to this particular scene.

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――I think the way that you portray those emotions is a major plus point of The Fragrant Flower, but is there any particular expression of Kaoruko’s that you are fond of?

Mikami:
I’ve always enjoyed drawing emotive expressions, but for The Fragrant Flower, I think one of my favorites is when Kaoruko and Rintaro visit the aquarium in chapter 18. When he says to her “we’ll check out all the stuff you want to do”.

Oh, and in chapter 2, when Rintaro tells her that he was happy too and it cuts to Kaoruko smiling. I put a lot of effort into drawing her hair, so that panel has really stuck with me. I spent about 2 hours scribbling away with a mapping pen, and afterwards, I thought “I never want to do something this much of a pain in the butt again!” [laughs].

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Keep your eyes on Rintaro and Kaoruko!

――The physical volume release has already been decided – how do you feel about it?

Mikami:
I still haven’t been to any bookstores yet, so I haven’t actually seen my book on the shelves, but my friends have contacted me about it. I almost can’t believe it’s real. I’m very happy.

――Can you give us any things to watch out for in the upcoming chapters?

Mikami:
Rintaro and Kaoruko’s relationship will continue to develop, so please pay attention to that. Rintaro will finally start to recognize what his own feelings are.

――Are there any manga published on K MANGA that you think people should be reading?

Mikami:
WIND BREAKER and Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie. I’ve enjoyed Shikimori ever since it was only on Twitter. I like WIND BREAKER, but I also owe a lot to Satoru Nii-sensei as I worked with them as an assistant before.

――And finally, a message to the readers!

Mikami:
Knowing that so many people are reading gives me a huge amount of motivation, and I’m truly grateful. The best way I can repay that support is by channeling it all into my manga, so I’ll do my best to bring you even more adorable moments between Kaoruko and Rintaro. I’d be really happy if you keep reading and watching over them!

Thank you so much for reading to the end!

▼Read The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity here!

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