muse ✨'s manga / #Haru wo Daite Ita(2)

Two AV actors audition for the same role and are later cast together in the TV adaptation of the film. Katou falls for his older co-star, Iwaki, immediately, and is delightfully persistent in his courtship. Which basically consisted of showing up at his house and eventually moving in. They're open about their relationship with the public and their families; they marry; they deal with the sort of ups and downs that come up in a long-term relationship. I didn't expect to like this story. The art style in the early chapters threw me, but it evolves as the story goes along. Katou is easily the prettiest man in any manga I've read. If he weren't married to Iwaki, I'd say he's one of my husbands, but I respect their relationship too much. A couple icky things happen to them, which are caused by outside people, but their relationship is solid and honest and loving. They love each other SO MUCH. That's what I like most about this. This story DOES have a sequel, which I've tagged with this story's name as well. It is ongoing. ETA 2020: It's probably best to avoid the sequel! Just read this and pretend this is all that exists!

The continuation of Katou and Iwaki's story, at least a decade after the first. They're still acting, still in love, still hot as hell, still having spectacular sex! One day they'll call each other by their first names during sex and I'll die happy. Anyway. In this new arc, Iwaki learns he has a grown biological son, and we see some obstacles thrown at his relationship with Katou, but they make it over the hurdles together. I wish I'd had this sort of bond when I was married. We had nothing like this. This is the sort of bond and respect I'd want from a partner, if I ever have another one. The scanlation team switched because people were uploading to reader sites against their wishes. A new group has picked up the series, but it's a shame people were disrespectful. :-( ETA: On March 8, 2019 there was an update where Iwaki called him Youji while they were play-arguing and it led to sex, so I can die half happily. 5/25/20 - Read a spoiler (LOOK AWAY IF YOU DO NOT WANT SAD THINGS IN YOUR EYES) that says Katou dies in the final chapter. I'm not sure the teams will bother to translate that; I'm not sure I'd want to see it. I have loved this couple. What a tragic ending, but hearing about it out of context, I can't judge it properly.