Sleeps In Sunbeams's manga / #novelist(5)

Enjoyed the first story, though it felt like it could do with another chapter.

The second story was more enjoyable, probably because there was a more obvious connection between the teo.

Two men with a lot in common. They are neighbours, enjoy the same books, fight with each other, fall for the same girl and eventually fall for each other. Plenty of heated clashes and arguing fill the pages of this manga but it works for these stubborn guys.

Novelist Ikusabe returns home to an intruder. A rare beast human has hidden in his apartment and holds him captive as he lays low from police attention. At least, that is what Dieter thinks at first. But Ikusabe is remarkably unconcerned about being held captive by a monster. In fact his fascination and care for his captor makes Dieter wonder who is really the captor and captive. This story had plenty of smut scenes, Ikusabe was in no way shy about his sexuality and was fast to fall for his wolf man. It fell short with a few unclear points for me. For example, it seemed important for Dieter to have sex in beast form (which is a humanoid body btw) as part of accepting himself and opening his heart to another, but the mangaka was unable to do that. And it felt like there should be more to the significance of the choker. But overall, this was really worth reading.

A surprisingly deep story with a ML who verges on being unlikeable but the mangaka saves him by invoking empathy instead. College student Haruhiko Kuzumi’s life changes the day he rides his bike into novelist Renjiro Kijima, breaking the older man’s hand. A poor college student, Haruhiko can’t compensate Kijima for the accident. So, Kijima offers Haruhiko an unusual deal. Haruhiko can transcribe Kijima’s latest story as he orally dictates it. Little does Haruhiko know, Kijima specializes in erotic novels. Kijima’s alluring voice soon draws him into a world of sensual daydreams. The eroticism of the stories being dictated and the fantasies of Kuzumi were beautifully depicted. The deceptive eccentricity of Kijima was so interesting for a MC, but it was that raw vulnerability of a man yearning to write that really won me over. Looking forward to the next volume.