Shakuya has what many see as an ideal life: as the heir to the famous Dragon Clan, she lives in a peaceful desert oasis, surrounded by a family with significant power and respect, preparing to one day take her place at the head of the family. Part of her destiny is to wed a prearranged fiancé as a political alliance—originally, she was betrothed to a timid young boy, Lucien, when she was a small girl. When Lucien disappeared in a sandstorm and was presumed dead, Shakuya was engaged instead to Kuwan, a respected young man in her city now working as a policeman. Now a teenager, Shakuya doesn’t mind one bit, as she’s been in love with Kuwan for a long time, even if he does occasionally treat her like a little kid. As the heir, Shakuya is learning to master a number of skills, the most important of which is her own particular burden: Due to her family’s magical ancestry, when she gets angry, she literally turns into a dragon. She’s not unnerved by the change, and in fact has grown to enjoy it, but she has a hard time controlling her outbursts when she shifts. All too often, she leaves destruction in her wake in the very city she’s supposed to protect, and she must learn to keep her temper in check if she is to rule the oasis one day. Too bad she rarely keeps her feelings in check, whether it be outbursts of joy or anger.

Then, just as Shakuya is beginning to gain control and even needle Kuwan into admitting that he loves her even a little bit, Lucien returns from out of the desert. He has no memory of the last five years since he disappeared, and the only thing that kept him searching for his past was Shakuya’s letter to him from years past. With that one thread of his past, he is clinging to his connection to her, and now that he’s back, he’s determined to win his place back as her fiancé. This is not just politics, though—both men harbor feelings for Shakuya, and each in his own way shows his affection, Kuwan through rare expressions of tenderness, Lucien through more flamboyant romantic gestures.

Shakuya is not sure where two fiancés leave her in terms of her duties, but her parents decide her feelings should lead the way. With each betrothal, Shakuya was given a tattoo to visibly show the commitment, and due to her magical qualities, the tattooed flowers blossom and grow as her feelings for who they represent increase. Kuwan’s flowers are halfway up her arm, as he’s had years to woo a very willing young lady, but Lucien’s rose has remained a single blossom—until now. Each suitor gets a year to prove his love, and by then, whoever has the most flowers, and therefore lays claim to the largest part of Shakuya’s heart, will win the girl.

Kusakawa has a flair for creating enjoyable if fluffy fantasies. Her art is engaging and clear, using thin lines and white space to keep the pages light, and sticking to sharper edges that cut down the cute factor. Shakuya is a young heroine, with a tomboy’s taste for adventure, and her long braids and slim figure make her the perfect stand-in for younger readers. Kuwan, with his rakish eye patch, and Lucien, with shaggy locks and lanky beauty, each represent a typical pretty-boy type. Kusakawa uses chibi exaggeration periodically but not excessively, letting humor out frequently to charm readers and demonstrate her princess’ quick changes in mood. With thus far zero actual violence or nudity, this series will charm a lot of older kids and young teens desperate for manga but not quite ready for teen angst, as did Kusakawa’s previous title, The Palette of 12 Secret Colors.

Our heroine is spunky but occasionally naive, the two suitors attractive in different ways, and the magical tattoos provide a convenient visible expression of Shakuya’s fluctuating feelings. The suitors’ personalities are shown in small moments, as when close-mouthed Kuwan shows how much he pays attention to Shakuya when he figures out where she is by knowing her personal logic after years of fond observation.

The basic elements of this story are traditional—there’s nothing earth-shattering in the setup or execution of this romantic triangle, despite the desert setting and the dragon shape-shifting thrown in for variation. The year limit gives a definite deadline, and manga conventions telegraph the reader that of course Lucien’s brash attention will win Shakuya over—whether it will be enough by the end of the year is not a certainty. The point, though, is that readers don’t necessarily always want some remarkable new twist—sometimes you just want a fun, satisfying fantasy, and Two Flowers for the Dragon is just such a confection.