The fluff

3.5

La disposition des dialogues est un peu moins brouillon que dans le tome 1 et on distingue mieux les flashbacks du présent. L'histoire reste mignonne malgré les clichés dominants/soumis (comme c'est mon premier BL je ne sais pas si c'est aussi le cas dans les autres) et j'ai vraiment envie de voir comment la relation entre Sasaki et Miyano va évoluer !

Loved seeing Sasaki pining for Miyano and having to hold himself back. His angst is almost palpable. Loving the slow burn.

I have binge-read available volumes and the anime as it just finished airing, so to be honest I don't remember exactly what happened in this specific volume but I can tell you this is a lovely romance and the friendships between all the characters are very wholesome and it's a story I quickly engaged with and enjoyed.

This series is sticking cute! Oh my goodness. I didn't think that I was really going to enjoy it, but this one is definitely a series that I will be continuing. In this specific volume, Miyano begins to realize that Sasaki may have feelings for him and he's also trying to figure out whether he has feelings for him or not. Sasaki is trying to adjust to the idea of graduating and leaving Miyano behind. I think that this series just has a certain charm to it that I wasn't necessarily expecting. I absolutely find it hilarious that these two are living out tropes commonly found in BL while also being BL fanboys and not noticing that they're doing it. I definitely recommend check out these series. I'll be diving into volume 3 really soon.

The narrative of this manga really brings all those early questioning feelings to the forefront and illustrates it in a way that is so painfully relatable. You get all the usual stages of young romance:
- are they flirting or am I projecting?
- maybe they just meant that as a joke?
- omg I can't do this right now
- why is my heart having a dance party?
- I'm not gay, nope, not me, not now not ever, but like?
- I liked a person of the opposite gender that one time in elementary school though.
- oops that wasn't very straight of me
- oh no maybe they are gay? do they like me? No-not possible
- and even if they did, I would not like them like that ... but like maybe though?
- gotta not show my crush I like them - going to be real subtle - like a car crash.

I am just so happy that manga like this exists in the world.

This review is more vague since I’m reviewing all volumes read so far instead of individual volumes. It’s a really sweet series depicting 2 high school age boys that also shows the complexities of relationships especially the worry some teens deal with when what or who they love is deemed abnormal. The Japanese cultural aspects are fun to read about as well and there’s a glossary at the end of each book to explain any words or activities western readers may not understand or know about.

Miyano meets Sasaki when the latter helps one of Miyano’s friends who is being bullied. Sasaki is in his last year of high school while the younger Miyano is just beginning. Sasaki learns Miyano is a fan of BL (Boys Love) manga and wanting to get to know him better starts reading Miyano’s recommendations and enjoys discussing them with him. They become close friends but as time goes on Sasaki recognizes that he’s developing feelings for Miyano beyond friendship. However, Miyano despite being an obsessive BL reader has no interest in “BL developments” in real life. Will Miyano ever realize Sasaki’s feelings and is Sasaki willing to risk their friendship telling him? How will his friends react when they find out? More important to Sasaki is whether there is any chance that Miyano will accept Sasaki’s feelings and become his boyfriend?