Kare Kano vol 21

 In volume 20 Soichiro's issues around his birth parents comes to a resolution that leaves him optimistic about his future.  We get to see intoabout  his adopted mothers history and devotion to her son.  Yukino, who is outed by her own mother, finally reveals her pregnancy to Soichiro.  They see a bright path ahead of themselves and with their families blessings and support they forge a new path together as a family.

    After the whirlwind of emotions that was their final winter break, Yukino and Soichiro return to school with a defined path in front of them.  It may not be the one they initially chose, but it is one they are going to put their best effort into to make work.  Now it is just a matter of informing those close to them about their plans.  The first person outside of their family to learn of the pregnancy and pending wedding is Asaba.  Yukino wants to let him know first due to how close and similar he and Soichiro are.  She understands that this will be the final wedge that separates them in a profound way.

    After telling their teacher the news, which came as an incredible shock to lose the prestige of their top students, they tell their larger friend group.  The reception was quite happy and supportive.  As they return to Soichiro's house after school they encounter another challenge ahead of them.  the unexpected visit of his aunt, the architect of not only his but his fathers misery within the family.  She delights in Soichiro no longer following the path of a physician, ensuring he won't have a stake in the Arima business.  Soichiro fights back, telling her he doesn't care about her concerns and ambitions.  But when Yukino interjects that she will become a doctor at some point in the future, deftly countering his aunts attacks, the older bitter woman seems to relax a little.  Afterward Soichiro's father explains that his aunt may actually be fond of her soon to be niece-in-law as she plans to follow the path she was not strong enough to travel herself.

    As their senior year comes to a close, the friends see the pathway to adulthood open up before them.  Those that worked to pursue their desired high educational pathways succeeded.  Their hard work and dedication paying off, nwo it is a matter of completing that next hurdle before entering the workforce.  Other have immediate plans for adulthood and rush off directly after the graduation ceremony, leaving only Yukino and Soichiro to remember the three years which changed all of their lives, hopefully for the better,

    The tale ends with a look at the friends, sixteen years later.  It wouldn't be any fun to ruin everything about this amazing story, so I will leave it to you to enjoy that last part on your own.  This series of overviews has gone over the general plot points of the story but leaves much for anyone who has not yet read this manga to experience for themselves.  This story has always had a profound affect on me and for many years I have gotten into the habit of watching the anime adaptation every summer.  Yet I have only read through the manga three complete times up to this point, something I need to rectify.  The rest of the story, that is left out of the anime, is incredibly powerful and moving.  These are all characters that you grow to love and wish you could spend even more time with, but unfortunately we only have this 21 volume time bubble to live with them again and again.