muse ✨'s manga / #top 50(48)

A sweet, short story about a young man who is in love with his brother in law. They live together following his older sister's death three years earlier.

Azuma, the teenaged son of a deceased kimono maker, falls for the mysterious Matsuoka--a man who insists on caring for Azuma and his sickly mother, saying he is only paying back a kindness. As he falls in love, Azuma grows jealous of his father's memory, believing that he was Matsuoka's savior, but his eyes are opened in more than one way when he visits Matsuoka in Tokyo. Original notes: A beautiful story. Matsuoka seeks to repay the kindness of the only person who ever treated him as human, the young son of a former employer. This author is spectacular.

When his dad falls ill, Yukinori takes a leave from his job to take over as acting president in his stead. A clumsy man, he fumbles his first days on the job and is mocked by the employees and looked down on by Maki, his father's right-hand man. To ease things with the employees, Maki tells them the acting president is taking everyone out after work, but to Yukinori's dismay, they end up at a brothel. When he confides in the worker that he doesn't want to sleep with her, she cheerfully returns with a bottle of alcohol and Maki - who is also gay. This story follows their initial fall into love and the trials of navigating a relationship. Absolutely delightful read. Kept me in bed until 11:11am on New Year's Eve. Also includes a story about a horrible guy who invited his ex lovers to his wedding.

Unemployed and unable to find a job, Misumi drowns his feelings in sake and a one-night-stand with a handsome stranger he knows he'll never see again--only to encounter him at a soba restaurant a few weeks later. Sei gives Misumi a job as sake master in his restaurant and allows him to live above the restaurant with him. Their physical relationship resumes but Misumi, who has been burned by straight men before, is reluctant to grow closer to him and pushes down his feelings until someone from his past surfaces. A+ for slow build, good pacing, FABULOUS work details. Sometimes you know an author has no real idea of the industry where a character works, but that is not the case here. I don't know anything about sake but appreciated the little bits of information in this manga. This is definitely a story I will re-read! My only complaint is I would've loved a bit more of them together in the final chapter. ETA: There was a short 12th chapter added later, where they get to be a bit lovey and intimate!

When Kawachi discovers that the senpai he's admired since middle school isn't as kind and considerate as he thought, he panics and blackmails him with sex - and has to live with the guilt. To atone, he apologizes and acts the part of doting boyfriend, walking senpai to and from school, carrying his bag, taking him out for pancakes. And while senpai is confused by Kawachi's sudden chivalrous behavior, he accepts it and the feelings that come with it. Features my favorite moment: "I AM his boyfriend."

This starts as your typical alpha/omega "I'm going to fight my nature!" story between two young heirs, but that's just the setup to the true love story between the two butlers. It centers around the concepts of destiny and choice, because one butler is a beta and will never be his mate's fated person. I'd put off reading this for months and finally devoured it on a weekend morning. It's lovely, touching, romantic, and extremely satisfying by the end. Plus the art is beautiful.

Two fantastic stories: A young man who dreamed of being an artist but whose father forbid it. He falls in love with his coworker, who is to marry his sister in a week. This has an unexpected and wonderful ending. I was so happy, I cried. (I think about it a lot, so it's in my top 50). An FBI agent is assigned to watch a criminal on death row (and former agent) during the last week of his life.

"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?"

A lonely young office worker is befriended by a child who steals his rice ball, and his older brother - Minoru - who asks him to teach him how to make them. The single father is their widowed dad; I didn't want to use a different tag for this. It's so heartwarming and sweet.

When their best childhood friend leaves her baby with them to work overseas, two guys who have been together for years but have never made a commitment to each other shuffle their lives around to care for her. Things that are amazing about this: - Established, realistic, loving relationship - Lots of women characters! Amazing women characters! Who don't die! They have careers and ambitions and speak their minds - A child with agency who also speaks her mind! - Sweet as hell proposal and engagement party - Supportive parents - Realizing that you are family when you say you are; you don't need it on paper. But it's great to be able to have it on paper, too.