muse ✨'s manga / #writer(28)

A novelist who can't write unless he's had sex and is still struggling from the fallout of a breakup five years ago takes up with a jack-of-all-trades. The novelist's manager realizes his feelings for his (gorgeous) sex friend.

The one with the man who has been in love with his spacey novelist friend since high school

A refugee who has spent most of his life in a hospital escapes and proposes to a novelist he admires and happens to meet at a bar. I didn't think Chris's mental state was defined enough for this to really work, or that we saw enough of his influence on the novelist (beyond knowing he did write again), but it had a quiet tone.

Sakuragi, an unsuccessful playwright suffering from insomnia, takes a vacation to clear his head and hooks up with a younger guy for the sake of something different. Three months later, he's annoyed when Imamura turns up at one of his plays, but a cold shoulder isn't enough to shake him. Inspired by Sakuragi's work, Imamura becomes an actor and quickly achieves the kind of success Sakuragi has only dreamed of, which puts pressure on an already tenuous relationship. Believable relationship stress. Believable frustration.

Shouji takes care of his neighbor and childhood friend, a needy and helpless mangaka, but pulls away when he thinks Niki has grown too dependent on him. But when Niki is accused of plagiarism, Shouji can't leave him alone.

An older writer ends up living with the man who was supposed to be his son-in-law when his daughter backs out of her wedding. (Spoilers) I was delighted that the daughter's reason for walking out was that she was in a relationship with another woman, and that she didn't want her father left alone after she left to live with her. I found all of the characters likable. A soft and sweet romance perfect for bedtime. I would like to know what happens to the neighbor!

A carefree son is summoned home after dad gets wind of his grades. He falls for his servant, who has crushed on him for ages. His dad's story: Twenty years after brothers-in-law-to-be fell in love and risked a forbidden affair, they have a chance to be together. Too short, but I would read a hundred chapters about the dad. Both story lines are entertaining, but the dad's -- finally being with the person you've loved for two decades -- really touched me. Honestly, I reread the dad's three chapters probably once a month. That's why this gets five stars. It really resonated, despite not being long or developed. I'd write a novel based on the concept of waiting twenty years to be with the person you loved.

A proofreader flees to an island after being dumped by his boyfriend and meets a young man he confides in, knowing he'll never see him again. But he's in for a surprise when they run into each other in Toyko and start a casual relationship he's afraid of letting become serious. Slow burn on the relationship build front. This was really satisfying and sweet.

When college student Erwin injures novelist Levi in a bike accident, landing him in a cast, he agrees to work as his transcriber - except that Levi writes porn. For a month, Levi dictates erotica to him that Erwin painstakingly writes down, but as the novel approaches its end, things Levi has said to him begin to unravel. Their names weren't actually Levi and Erwin. I forget their names. I found this because I saw the first episode of the prequel's (?) drama adaptation on Facebook and landed myself here. This was interesting. When they finally kissed, I was relieved, but their relationship is ambiguous at the end. I get the feeling they will be together eventually, but it ends on an odd note.