美智子's manga / #abusive relationship(2)

"A serious manga about partner abuse. Yumi's boyfriend beats him, demeans him and tries to isolate him from others by controlling when he leaves and returns to their apartment. Yumi tells himself that there isn't anything this man could do to him that would actually hurt, but when Mayama, a friend from school who never called or texted him in spite of his obvious attraction, suddenly shows up at Yumi's workplace and appears to have kept a flame burning for him, will this change?"

"In the first story, the main character is toxic — bitter about his time in high school, and particularly, toward Natsuo, a 'hoodlum' who seemed to thrive on tormenting him — and his unfortunate target is Natsuo, a simplistic and inept young man with few social graces. It's brilliant set-up: make Natsuo fall in love with him, and then dump him in the most humiliating manner possible. The second story is a spin-off of sabita yoru demo koi wa sasayaku, it's about partner abuse, and what happened to Kan-chan, the abuser, after his relationship was over. At times awkward and fumbling, other times adept and hot as hell, this story is a believable testament to vulnerability and the healing power of love."