Spun off from the low-key and charming Sasaki and Miyano, Hirano and Kagiura's light novel adaptation is, well, low-key and charming. That's a good sign on several levels, not the least of which is that fans of Shō Harusono's cozy slow-burn storytelling can be assured of finding the same thing here. But it's also important because Harusono isn't the writer for this novel – the illustrator and author of the brief included manga, yes, but the actual writing is handled by Kotoko Hachijo. Hachijo does a remarkable job of mimicking not only Harusono's writing style, but also the soft flow to the story and the barely-there (but still clearly there) romantic tension. Simply put, if you didn't know Harusono didn't write this, you wouldn't be able to tell.

Unlike the manga of the same title (also currently being released by Yen Press), the novel of Hirano and Kagiura starts before the inciting event of Sasaki and Miyano. It opens at the very beginning of the school year, with Kagiura about to move into the school dorm. He's a first-year on the basketball team, and because his early morning and late afternoon commutes would be two hours each, he's opted to stay on campus. The school's policy is to give first-year students second-year roommates as a way of helping them to adjust to dorm life, and Kagiura's roommate is Hirano. As Sasaki and Miyano fans will remember, Hirano projects a much scarier image than he is in reality: he bleaches his hair blond and has an intimidating face, especially when he's tired. Since Hirano's not expecting Kagiura quite so early or by himself – the dorm leader was supposed to show him to his room – first impressions are not great. But before too long, Kagiura finds himself relying on the older boy in ways he never expected, from homework help to getting him up in the mornings. It's safe to say that not many people luck out with their roommates the way that he does.

While we do get Hirano's perspective in the novel – it's actually evenly divided between the two third-person perspectives – it does feel like we don't get as many of his emotions. There's a very clear sense that Hirano has always been someone with one or two good friends rather than a large friend group, and he's not expecting the sort of bond that he begins to develop with Kagiura. He's startled by many of Kagiura's overtures and unsure how to take them, such as Kagiura's invitation to visit his family home over summer break or his desire to see the school festival with Hirano rather than someone else. Even Kagiura isn't quite sure why he's so drawn to his roommate, although we can see him figuring it out before he ever puts a label on it.

That's one of the stronger elements of the book. We know that Kagiura is falling for Hirano, but he isn't quite as clear. The ways he thinks about their relationship indicate that he may subconsciously understand; he at one point thinks about his parents' relationship and how they seem more like best friends than anything else he's seen, and how that's the sort of relationship he wants for himself. When his thoughts turn to Hirano, he's not fully cognizant of why that is, but it's something he logs in the back of his mind for later. He also thinks about a brief stint in middle school where he dated a girl; it just sort of fizzled out for him, and while that didn't make him give up on romance, it did make him want to wait for something that mattered enough to him to make him not want to let it go. We can see that he's moving in that direction, even if he hasn't quite come to terms with it yet.

As far as romance goes, this is so tame as to barely even be there. If you're looking for passion, pick up Yes, No, or Maybe? instead, because this is the slowest of slow burns and doesn't even really end on a conclusive note. (Fortunately, we do have the manga, so the story doesn't feel cut off.) But physical expressions are limited to Kagiura stroking Hirano's hair and the classic sequence where he trips and falls on the other boy. That in no way means that there's no tension between them, because there is. It's just that the flavor is sweet rather than spicy.

That, however, is part of the joy of the world Harusono has created. Lightning doesn't need to strike to make us invested in the characters and their stories, and Hachijo captures that beautifully in this novel. Hirano and Kagiura is about the quiet start to a relationship, before even the protagonists quite know what's going on between them. It's lowkey and lovely, the sort of book that just melts gently into your mind, and definitely a must for franchise fans.