Fragments of Love (Omoi no Kakera) is a Slice of Life Yuri Genre manga by Jin Takemiya, published in Rakuen between October 2009 and June 2014. The plot follows Mika Takaoka, a high school girl who Likes Older Women and whose confident and borderline cynical demeanor conceals a vulnerable heart still recovering from a traumatic First Love.
The tie-in story Love & Piece (sic!) contains the origin story for Takako and Yui, the main plot's not-quite-Beta Couple.
The manga contains examples of following tropes:
- Armor-Piercing Question: Mika has incredible insight into human psychology and is able to figure out people's true feelings and intentions from briefly observing them—then smacks them over the heads with a laser-guided question.
- Beta Couple: Sort of. Takako and Yui are very close and very much in love with each other, but are not technically a couple, since Yui views herself unworthy of Takako, and Takako doesn't want to push her into romance.
- Distant Finale: The epilogue chapter is set several years after the main story, with all main characters visibly older, Mika working at Cafe Piece full-time and finally finding love.
- The First Cut Is the Deepest: She may not dwell on it, but Mika's traumatic relationship with Sayaka has affected her on so many levels, from her preference for older women, to her inability to sustain new relationships.
- Gay Bar: Mika frequently visits one, and is accidentally outed by Harada after running into him near it.
- In-Universe Catharsis: Mika experiences one after meeting Sayaka at the school festival and realizing that she is the only one who still hasn't moved on with her life. Mayu does, too, after Mika rejects her love in final terms, bringing about her very first heartbreak.
- Official Couple: The series is unusual among the yuri genre in that it doesn't have a central couple, with the protagonist remaining single throughout the story.
- Origins Episode: Love & Piece offers some insight into Takako and Yui messed up relationship.
- Stock Shoujo Bullying Tactics: Mika finds herself receiving threatening messages after she bonds with Harada—and lampshades this immediately.
- Unresolved Sexual Tension: There is so much of it between Takako and Yui, mostly coming from the latter attempting to get closer to Takako and always backing off in the last moment.
- The Un-Reveal: The epilogue chapter builds up to the reveal of Mika's first true love in years—and then we only see her from the back.
- You Are Not Alone: Mayu delivers this revelation to Mika, giving her the strength to confront Sayaka and her traumatic past.
- You're Not My Type: Frequently employed by Mika to rebuff younger girls' confessions; she also claims to not date married women. Takako also rebuffs Mika by saying she doesn't date "kids".
