I Thot You Was a Toad's manga / #straight seme(6)

One of Kawaii Touko's light, sweet stories: sales license procurement officer, Haruna, tries to secure a contract with the dreaded and renowned Nakagawa Sake company, whose owner is so rude and ornery, he throws things at people he doesn't like. But his son is just Haruna's type. Haruna throws himself at the computer technician unreservedly, but Nakagawa has his own reasons for playing things cool, and he will not put up with betrayal. Will Haruna persuade him?

Stories about dealing with cheating lovers. (1) Shiraishi is forthright about being gay and this causes problems, but his faithless lover causes him even bigger ones. So when co-worker, Kanzaki, offers him sanctuary, he jumps at the chance, even though he feels obliged to hide his attraction for his new roommate. Kanzaki doesn't seem to share these inhibitions. (2) Prequel to Sorenari ni Shinken Nandesu. (3) The first 2 stories are much better.

Satou, a straight businessman with a kindergarten-aged son, falls for Takahashi, his gay neighbour, who loves children. Takahashi has endured censure and abuse, and Satou and his cute son had to deal with abandonment by his ex-wife, so they both bring their baggage to the relationship, and this manga shows how they deal with it and master their instincts. Satou is a little more authoritarian than I like in men, and I almost dropped the story at one point where he crosses the line, even if his first concern is for his son. The story is so fearsomely earnest and tries so hard to be wholesome and sweet almost into maudlin territory, it's difficult to stay offended for long. A lot of Kitazawa Kyou's stories tend to dance on the edge of that place where the autocratic seme almost overwhelms the compliant and good-hearted uke, so this is clearly a power dynamic preference of the mangaka's. It isn't mine, though, but this time, Kyou doesn't let the story go too far.

Edgy, hot and sexy as hell, this story is quintessential Zaria, somewhere in that murky area of consent and desire and teetering on the edge of violence. A sleeping disorder causes Jude's straight business partner, Lois/Royce, to attack him sexually in his sleep. Jude doesn't mind the sex so much, but it bothers him that Lois/Royce is doing this unconsciously when there's a pharmaceutical remedy for the disorder. What happens when Lois/Royce finds out?

Realistic and moving story of Shima, who is deliberately outed by his former gay-lover-gone-straight as a means of professional sabotage, at his former workplace, and Togawa, the straight and divorced boss who doesn't care ... about Shima's past or much of anything elsef, but cares very much for Shima. Shima has become hyper-cautious and sensitive as a result of this treachery in his past, and he doesn't know what to make of this man who is so, seemingly, heedless and rough-spoken. Can Togawa pierce through his armour?

"I want all your firsts." Jun steps forward when Toshiyuki finally gives up his unrequited gay love for his heterosexual childhood friend, Yasoshira. The rest of the story explores how they overcome their reticence and have a real relationship. Sakuragi Yaya understands and depicts emotions clearly. This is one of her best, a yaoi classic.