Well, if you're a long-time reader of TWTYH, you'll know that I'm not one to follow the beaten path or do what everyone expects with the characters. So does this mean Miyabi and Yayoi are together?! Maybe. Maybe not. If anything, it means things have suddenly gotten a whole lot more complicated and interesting for our favorite vocalist! And plus the shock of any girl being bold enough to kiss Miyabi was a nice touch, I thought. ^_^

One of the most significant parts of track 08 was Toshio assuring Yumi that he'd use protection so she wouldn't have to feel apprehensive about sex. Remember page 4 when Shuya said, "That's understandable, but she shouldn't worry. I'll give you something that will help ease her mind..." Well, that "something" he gave Toshio was a condom. I never physically showed that in the manga because, thinking about it, I felt that on top of Toshio talking to Yumi in the karaoke box, it would have been way too much for Yumi to handle if he had shown her a condom too. I mean, she may have blacked out. ^^; I feel that the way it was done is just fine and very tasteful, considering the sensitivity of the subject. So why would Shuya just happen to have condoms about his person? Well, that's Shuya for ya.

Contrarily, Yumi's integrity and personal convictions are being put to the test now more than ever. She loves Toshio and wants to please him, but is she willing to do so at the cost of her own personal standards? Tracks 09 and on will explore more of this, so I hope everyone looks forward to it. ^_^

I personally loved showing Yumi's bolder side unleashed as she's not feeling well, and how she was able to stand up for herself for the first time against Miyabi. Has his shock at her completely different reaction changed him? It will be interesting when those two see each other again...

Lastly (and if these thoughts are really jumbled or incoherent, I apologize... I have a terrible cold right now, so you can imagine how much fun I'm having!) the title of track 08 is "Longing For You" and I hope that its meaning has been illustrated well enough. Many of the characters have those they care deeply about, whether it be the mutual love and affection between Toshio and Yumi (disregarding Toshio's desire for a more physical aspect), the loss Miyabi and Yayoi both feel for their mothers, Shuya's excitement about proposing to Musashi, and others that you could probably determine yourself. At the beginning, Mr. Kobayashi described how wonderful Miyabi's mother Saeko was. That, too, is longing.

As always, it's been a pleasure to bring this story to you all! I hope you have enjoyed reading so far and will look forward to much more of "The Way to Your Heart." :D