Pearled Oysters Volume 3

The Story So Far

Volume 1: First year students Hayami Kabehana—known as a delinquent simply because of her punk appearance—and Kumi Aramatsu—known as the school goddess because of her beauty and the reputation of her mother Lady Rin—had never met before the day that Kumi catches Hayami changing in an alley. To Hayami's surprise the other girl tells her they will go to a carnival together in a few days. Later that night, she encounters the girl again and after flirting, the two become a couple. The next day, Kumi enrols them in a program that will allow them to get married if they can complete it during high school, but forces the couple to live together as if already married. Hayami introduces Kumi to her friends and for two days everything is going perfectly on the surface, but inside Hayami is starting to doubt that her exceedingly beautiful new girlfriend actually loves her or is just using her to get free from expectations. Everything falls apart on their big date when the couple is accosted by the Jacks twins Jacque and Jackie Spires. The twins start talking about Kumi as though she messes with people like this all the time and Hayami initially doesn't believe them, but then Kumi doesn't deny the worst proof and instead talks like she has a valid reason for that one problem at the core of everything. Eventually the couple escape the twins, but the damage is already done and Hayami leaves. After three days, a bruised and battered and rough looking Kumi confronts Hayami's friends and ends up confessing the real extent of her feelings only to discover that Hayami was listening. The two then reconcile and Hayami gives them both piercings of wedding rings.
        Volume 2: The return to school after summer break and it's clear they are very close and it's revealed that they have a sexual relationship. Kumi refers to Hayami as though they are married, but Hayami is hesitant. They begin their new school life and training for their career path under Ms Sakura Kaneko, Hayami's old home room teacher who seemed to hate Kumi but is revealed to actually care for the girl and is protective of the couple. They also meet a new transfer student named Ai who has a tumultuous past with Natsu, the other new student and childhood friend of Hayami. Hayami's school friends Ume and Haru are also entangled in the situation. Natsu and Ume seem to be getting closer while Haru seems to pull away while hiding the fact she's dating another of Hayami's childhood friends, the agender amateur pop idol Kageroshi. Kumi and Hayami start training to be protectors and eventually have a run in with a remorseful Jackie and her girlfriend who clear the air about what happened before. At the same time Ume learns about Haru and realises her repressed feelings only to get into a car accident when she runs from having walked in on the couple about to have sex. Natsu also got caught in the accident because he eventually ran after her. Later Hayami and Kumi have talks with both Haru and Ume and individually learn the two still struggle with what they think are unrequited feelings. As the year goes on, Hayami and Kumi get better at their training but must endure Ai's clinginess and the persistence of a rather spiteful student council president. Eventually Hayami is taken to a place owned by Lady Rin but given to Kumi. There she meets three of Kumi's childhood friends: the beautiful and capable Aya who used to run Kumi's bodyguards, the mountainous imp Senji who is another guard, and the gorgeous and seductive Rui who is revealed to be Kumi's first love though they were never actually together. It is hinted at that Rui and Kumi had a severe falling out when Kumi made her move on Hayami, and eventually Hayami finally faces her fears about being unworthy and calls Kumi her wife. At some point before Natsu Ume and her are released from the hospital, Haru wakes up to find Ume sleeping with her head on the bed. While trying to help the girl into the bed, Haru receives a confession of love from the sleeping Ume and is then pulled into a kiss before the other girl wakes up, freaks out, and runs. Not being held back this time, Haru chases after her and confesses that she didn't have sex with Kageroshi because she couldn't bring herself to do it once she saw the hurt in Ume's eyes. Something passes between them and Ume lets Haru in but it is unclear what their relationship is. Later while preparing for their first challenge, Hayami and Kumi struggle with nervousness and dealing with the strange behaviour of their friends who recently returned to school. Hayami is confronted first by Ms Kaneko who gives her a book of recipes after hearing her talking to Kumi about favourite foods, and then by Lady Rin who hints at a very dramatic falling out between her and the love of her life before challenging Hayami not to make the same mistake she did. On Christmas, Ume remembers what happened between her and Natsu right after the accident and how she prevented him from confessing because of timing. In the present she invites the boy spend Christmas with her and her family in the hopes of sparking actual romantic feelings instead of just physical attraction. However she ends up apologising and admitting what she was doing and that she can't make herself actually fall in love with him. After he leaves she asks Haru to come over and the two confess their feelings for each other before Ume comes out to her parents and announces her and Haru's enrolment in the same program that Hayami and Kumi are in so they will be moving into their own apartment soon.
         The story of Volume 3 begins with Hayami and Kumi at the same time Ume has Natsu come over...