Kiki's manga / #unrequited love(10)

This could have been 4 stars but the main story ended so abruptly. It's the second story I've read written by this particular mangaka and it's the second time I thought something was missing...which is a shame because I enjoyed this one waaay more than Boku no Shiru. So much potential...

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.