muse ✨'s manga / #First Love(15)

Two men are reunited after a bad breakup ten years earlier. They still harbor feelings and resentment over what happened, but they do take the second chance at love.

I'm crying and there were hardly any words? Okay, to be fair, a large part of that is because this is the same author as Doukyussei, and the characters look just like Sajou and Kasakube (with slightly different hair and no glasses). This is gentle and a little sad, but so lovely.

TRIGGER WARNING: This depicts on-page physical assault on a partner. I become deeply upset every time and don't want anyone to go in un-warned. Yumi is in a long-term relationship with a vitriolic and abusive partner when he reconnects with someone he'd loved in high school. I hesitated to read this because it deals with domestic abuse, but it doesn't romanticize it. His partner is aware that his behavior is unforgivable and eventually begs Yumi to leave him. Yumi is the one who walks out the door. The partner's story continues in "Renai-rubi no Tadashii Furikata" and he experiences constant guilt over his past behavior. I read that story before this one. I'm glad, because I wouldn't have been able to enjoy it after reading this. In fact, I'm annoyed he was given a redemption arc, but I am biased; I was on the receiving end of long-term psychological abuse. Yumi's reactions to being abused were genuine to me, as far as my personal experience goes. I had to stop reading a few times to catch my breath - especially when his injuries are shown - but I'm ultimately glad I read this.

Two stories: As a child, Natsuki saw a gay couple on the beach, and it was his sole notice of them that made him realize he was different. Years later, he returns to the beach with his boyfriend. (There are more chapters about their love, how they met, and a beautiful rainy day at home.) Their story continues in the book Kare No Barairo No Jinsei. The second story is about a man who, fearing the end of the world, reconnects with a classmate he has admired for ten years. Their story is ambiguous, but I believe they will end up together. Some speculated they were the couple Natsuki had seen on the beach, but since their story takes place in 2012, I don't think it's possible given the timeframe and Natsuki's age.

A sensitive, well-paced, beautifully drawn story of Katou, a boy inspired by his teacher, who grows up to become a teacher as well. Five years after graduating, they reunite as coworkers, and Katou is still in love.

After Fujita is spectacularly dumped by a girl who calls him impotent, Kawasaki, who has loved him for a while, initiates a sexual relationship to cheer him up. It lasts a few months but ends abruptly when Fujita declares he'll find a girlfriend in college, leaving Kawasaki heartbroken. Years later, they've had no communication, and Kawasaki is shocked returning home from work one evening to find Fujita outside his door. Tie-in story to Oko-sama Star, the love story of their two friends.

Wataru and Saeki have one thing in common: their love of movies. So when Saeki confesses that he's in love with Wataru, it comes as a shock, but he demands nothing more than a pilgrimage to visit locations from a film that is special to him. The trip brings them closer together, and just as Wataru is beginning to unravel his own feelings toward Saeki, he transfers schools and Wataru has no idea how to find him.

The youngest member of a popular idol group falls for another boy at school. The main couple is cute, but it's the older brother and Rin I'd really like to read about.

A salaryman leading an ordinary life stumbles across an AV set and meets the love of his life.

A young man who has never had anything keep his interest for more than three hours is hired to bug test a dating sim he develop for his brother's company, and finds himself growing interested in a male NPC named Ichi. He returns time and time again, determined to clear the level, but his focus shifts to making Ichi fall for him - the first person he's ever had to work to win over. A surprisingly moving story, although quite short. I would've loved double the length, but it had quite a lot of emotional build in spite of the length. I even teared up twice.