Kids on the Slope by Anna Krystal Santiago

坂道のアポロン ( Sakamichi no Apollon ) written by Yuki Kodama , Published by Shogakukan.
Kaoru Nishimi(main character), Sentarō Kawabuchi (main characters friend), Ritsuko Mukae(friend of sentaro and kaoru),
Junichi Katsuragi(friend of the family also known as brother Jun), Tsutomu Mukae(Ritsuko Mukae's father and owner of their jazz shop), Yurika Fukahori(Sentaro's first love), Shigetora Maruo(chubby kid that three main protagonists talk to occasionally), Seiji Matsuoka(flamboyant future rock star and somewhat more of a friend to Yurika and Sentaro), Mariko(Kaoru's cousin). The story of love,friendships, & Jazz fills the air as Kaoru Nishimi moves from his old place to Yokosuka then to Sasebo then later Kyushu to live with his relatives. He is a freshman in Highschool and grew up visually a loner up until now when he meets his soon to be friends Sentaro and Ritsuko. Throughout his school years he gradually changes with his newfound friends and experience a serious love triage between the friends. As things boil ending up a bit rough in the end the three friends decide on the hardest decisions of their highschool life.