muse ✨'s manga / #sweet(93)

Series of short one-shots: best friends, an engagement, a young man who falls in love with a cellist

Realizing he's gay, Shun walks out on his own wedding and flees to the island where his grandmother lives to escape his family. There, with the excuse of writing books, he befriends Mio, a boy who has lost his family. Before Mio is sent to an orphanage, he kisses Shun, promising to return. When he does three years later, Shun is conflicted, remembering his own family's reaction to him coming out, but they ultimately make future choices together. It deals with isolation, loneliness, and living honestly. Some other commenters complained that this seemed randomly thrown together. I disagree, although the transitions could have been clearer. There were a few times I had to stop and say, "Oh, we've jumped ahead in time," but the story itself doesn't bother me: Boy moves to island, boy meets other boy, other boy leaves island, other boy comes home and confesses his love three years later, they dance around each other, former fiancee makes boy confront reality, boys affirm their love, boys leave the island together.

This is really really really sweet

Two men who weren't close in high school meet again at their high school reunion. A one-shot with a hopeful ending by Asou Mitsuaki.

"When business leads Haruna to Nakagawa's family-owned brewery, it's love at first sight for Haruna. Too bad that Nakagawa and his crotchety grandpa can only say "not interested" to his offers. Will Haruna ever secure the distribution rights to the best sake in town? And more importantly, will he manage to win over the cantankerous brewer's grandson?"

Friends from high school who had hooked up but never properly dated reunite two years after one stops speaking to the other because he'd fallen in love; after a separation, things work out. (The relationship is open at one point.) MC is weepy but sweet and gets jerked around too much, but he finally stands up for himself in the hospital scene, which is the crux of the story. His love interest is selfish and blind to the emotions of people around him as well as his own, but...I think they do genuinely love each other.

I like this author. The characters have agency and there's nothing cringe-worthy. Good emotions.

Three years after their impending graduation leads them to sleep together, Ikkun is still hung up on Hana, who disappeared from his life without a word. When Hana comes back to town, Ikkun cautiously navigates his feelings, worried that Hana will leave a second time.

This is adorable. The happiest little guy in the world falls for someone everyone else thinks is scary, but is really sweet and antisocial.