Boys Over Flowers: Jewelry Box  is a one-shot shōjo romance-comedy based on the 36 volume series Boys Over Flowers. The volume takes place one year after the end of the last volume of the main series. While the main series centers around Tsukushi Makino, a hard-working girl from a working-class family who attended an elite high school, only the first short prologue centers around her. Instead this volume centers around Rui Hanazawa, a very laid back individual. The story deals with Tsukushi's long-distance romantic relationship with Tsukasa Domyoji, the former leader of F4 and heir to Domyoji Enterprises, and Rui's complex feelings for Tsukushi.

Highlights:
I think this was probably as good a volume as any for me to read in the series, as I could identify with the main character for this volume, Rui. He, like myself, appears to have Asperger syndrome, in many respects. He is to a large extent detached from the world, except for his friends and family, i.e., those he cares about, and generally doesn't care to get involved in things that don't interest him. This makes it all the harder to see how he may have ultimately lost out on every girl he's pursued because of his inability to fully recognize social cues, appearing aloof and cold when he really just doesn't know how to act. In the end, he appears to have made some kind of peace with himself and the relationship Tsukushi and Tsukasa have with each other, but the mangaka Yoko Kamio has admitted in the bonus section she doesn't know whether the relationship will work out and that Rui's feelings for her are always in a constant flux.

I also particularly like the metaphor that Kamio used to link Rui's relationship with Tsukushi and Tsukasa and Rui's relationship to his vineyards. At first he doesn't know what to do and leaves it up to the consultant much as he lets life drift around him with what would seem to an outsider as a laissez-faire attitude. It's not really true though. He just doesn't know what to think he doesn't want to get to involved with the Italian vineyards because he doesn't know enough and doesn't want to take a risk in the same way he cares for, and has romantic feelings for, Tsukushi, but doesn't want to risk losing her or his friendship with Tsukasa. In the end, he takes a gamble on Tsukushi's and Tsukasa's relationship, in spite of the hardships they'll face in the same manner he takes a chance on the vineyards, which will take at least 10 years to show any signs of success, if at all. In both cases he gives up something as well. He gives up being able to push things to the side in his work as he will have to study and learn about grapes and at the same time he has seemingly given up on a romance with Tsukushi and, in his mind, anyone else because of his social difficulties.

Overview:
Boys Over Flowers: Jewelry Box  is one of the better one shot continuation manga I've read. Kamio was able to write a concrete story and introduce the three main characters, Rui, Tsukushi and Tsukasa, in such a manner that someone not familiar with the series could pick it up and still not feel left wanting, at least for those characters. Unfortunately this doesn't extend to some of the secondary characters as their relationships aren't completely clear, but they are also not necessary for understanding the one-shot volume either.

The artwork for the volume is quite well done. Kamio's extra effort for the drawings on this special one-shot volume really show through. In addition the extras at the end are a really nice addition to this volume, including the backstories, which recap the biggest highlights for the series and thoughts on her characters from the past and possible future. Since most of the earlier series was written from Tsukushi's perspective, I think she did a good job switching to Rui for this volume to give her readers a different perspective on the characters, especially one like Rui.

My only qualm with this title is I wish we could have had better than a bitter-sweet ending for Rui, who seems like he deserves move. Whether you are a fan of the series already or just looking for a quick short story, Boys Over Flowers: Jewelry Box is a great read.

ComicsOnline gives Boys Over Flowers: Jewelry Box a 4 out of 5 Italian vineyards.