Valentine’s day surprise for girlfriend manga written and illustrated by Riichi Ueshiba. It was originally published as a one-shot story in 2004 before becoming a serialized comic in Kodansha’s Monthly Afternoon magazine in 2006. The series follows the relationship of Akira Tsubaki and Mikoto Urabe. Urabe is a transfer student who recently came to Tsubaki’s school.
After a series of strange events, Tsubaki finds himself addicted to Urabe’s drool. Once she claims the addiction as love sickness, the relationship slowly progresses, focusing on the odd bond that comes out of the drool attachment. As the story progresses, the relationship between the two deepens into genuine love. The manga strongly foreshadows that they will never break up, but rather will stay together for life. Very little is known about Urabe, as Tsubaki’s occasional visits to her apartments have never shown her parents to be around. She initially transfers to Tsubaki’s school and gives off an unsocial air, refusing to eat lunch with her classmates in order to sleep. Tsubaki is an average boy by most standards.
He lives with his sister and his father. His mother died when he was very young, prompting his sister to fulfill the motherly role instead. When Urabe transfers into his class, he is initially intrigued by her, particularly after one outburst of her hysterically laughing. Ayuko is Kouhei’s girlfriend and Urabe’s eventual friend. She was first introduced when Tsubaki walked into his homeroom to see her and Kouhei kissing together. Kouhei is Tsubaki’s friend and Ayuko’s boyfriend. When Tsubaki first walked in on him and Ayuko kissing, Kouhei asked him to keep their relationship a secret, as he is rather shy about it.