Captive Hearts, Volume 5 by Matsuri Hino

The dragon god has agreed to lift the curse on the Koroishi family if the two of them can find a jewel that the Dragon God lost somewhere in China.

But this time, their return doesn't go as smoothly. While they are waiting for a bus, they are attacked by a group of men and an old lady wearing a mask. The Old Lady's village was also cursed by the Dragon God, and she curses both Megumi and Suzuka, because she senses that Suzuka is protected by the Dragon God.

Her curse comes to nothing, but they do miss their bus and Suzuka's anger ends up awakening the Dragon God. He gives them a direction to go in, and they get a ride in a truck in that direction. But they are attacked on the road by the same men who confronted them in the city.

They learn that the men are actually truly cursed. They become animals- a curse put on all the villagers. The Villagers want to kill Suzuka, but Megumi is separated from her and meets a girl who watches over him and heals him. But her attempt at drying his clothes lead to them burning instead.

So she gives him clothes she has sewn for her beloved, and in it he finds a mysterious jewel. Could this be the treasure that the dragon is seeking, or is the treasure something else entirely? And can Suzuka and Megumi convince the Dragon to remove the curse on the Villagers before he leaves? Does Megumi hate the Dragon for putting Suzuka, who he loves, through all of this to break the curse? And will the breaking of the curse mean the end of the romance between Suzuka and Megumi?

Ending out the volume is an unrelated story titled "What is the meaning of this kiss?" Involving a female student and her older male teacher. She loves him, but when he kisses her, she wants to know if it meant that he loves her, too, or if he just does that with all the girls.

So, the story is finally over, and this is the last volume. And it was good. It certainly didn't have the payoff of, say, Fruits Basket, but it also didn't have the long, slow buildup to that sort of climax, either. And this volume felt like it deserved something of a longer ending. perhaps reconnecting with Megumi's father or something. The ending just felt strangely... truncated. to me.

Matsuri Hino also ramped up the weirdness and craziness for this issue, what with people dressed like ninjas, humans turning into animals... but at heart, it's all about a love story, and not just the one between Suzuka and Megumi, either.

Yes, I liked the series, but it really was nothing more than fluff. Like cotton candy, it's sweet, but there is no substance to it. It leaves you hungry for something more, for something better. So, in the end I really can't recommend it.