The Flowers of Evil Vol. 5

Takao Kasuga is a devoted reader whose favorite book is Baudelaire's Flowers of Evil. Though he spends much of his time absorbed in reading, he struggles academically—he is caught reading during a language exam in which he receives an F. Nakagawa, the class bully, is known for receiving failing grades and using profanity. She has little interest in books or readers, but is drawn to troublemakers. Having glimpsed Takao reading over his shoulder, she recognizes he is not entirely innocent, merely bored and aware of it. When Takao impulsively acts on a moment of passion and affection toward someone other than Nakagawa, he and the bully inadvertently disrupt their rural community. Nanako Saeki, the girl Takao has feelings for, eventually accepts him—or at least accepts who she believes him to be.