Kiki's manga / #age gap(40)

I've rarely read a BL story with such emotional realism. Here is an artist with a good grasp of the power dynamics in romantic relations with this kind of set up (age gap, older richer partner, younger, less stable partner in college) and how that inevitably affects how each behaves. Ji Hye-Kyung inhabit's each of their perspectives perfectly, and makes them sympathetic, presenting none as villain or angel, but as imperfect persons on an unexpected path trying to figure out their own happiness...maybe in and with each other?

These two stories have such a natural, enchanting air to them (no doubt due to the fact that it appears to be an official translation). We've all read those childhood friends + high school + re-encounter stories but it's less common for the creator to acknowledge the beauty but ultimate transience of a first love, and avoid making the straight friend a prize to be won at all costs. The second story manages to pack a lot of convincing drama in two chapters. We believe in both the two characters' love but also the pain in their own past that affect how they approach the inevitable problems. Love is often represented in the little things that you do for you do for your partner, that endears you to them and the reader. The two dissonant notes in both stories centre around a rape threat (one in a dream, one in real life) but thankfully neither actually happen. I wish BL mangakas were less inclined to put rape all over their stories, even in the *fluffiest* titles. It wasn't enough to spoil things for me but the book missed perfection because of it. Still love this one. Gotta find more books by this mangaka.