just_m3h's manga / #childhood friends(345)

Ch 7. Yeah, maybe will read again when over 50 chapters

When he said 50 more years. I fucking died. That's exactly how I've been holding on. This story's fucking debilitating, I swear. I knew it was about the trauma and loneliness attached to having a particularly unsavoury sexual fetish, so while I expected to be sad, I didn't think there would be anything much I could relate to. But the depression and loneliness, damn. I didn't expect to be attacked. The thing is, both characters are so lovely, too. And he's such a sincere guy. I guess they both are. They're good people and they deserve good things. Ch 4

It's off-the-charts hot. So hot. But frustrating. I mean, if you get assaulted by someone who happens to be gay, does that give you the right to be a homophobe? How is his saying "I hate omegas" any different from someone saying "all Muslims are terrorists"? It's all senseless hate, is what I'm saying. And even if he was saying that to put up a front (which, it's not quite clear), the fact that he said it at all is the key issue. Any omega would immediately refrain from telling him they're one, that's just a logical act of self-preservation. And this omega is his best friend who also happens to be in love with the dude. Of course he hid it! Of course he did! So I can't quite stomach the seme somehow trying to take the moral highground here. Having said all of that, he really does love the uke. He's devoted and diligent, and gentle, too! Plus, he's really, really careful about consent. In any case, I'm letting it slide because they've both been through some rough patches, and they're both happy now. Edit: Completed. Just fluff/smut chapters now. Ch 43

I mean, it's a standard plot, but you gotta love the perceptiveness and the positive spin. 4.7 for you, Glen Coco.

Standard friends-to-lovers with a side of who's-going-to-top plot. Really adorable characters, especially the Kazuki. Standard, but cute. 4.65 Ch 5

Estranged friends reunite after 5 years and sparks fly. Very promising start. Ch 2

Wako has been in live with his childhood friend Take forever but has resigned himself to a lifelong unrequited love. But when Take claims he'd be fine with guys too, after years of pining after him, Wako ends up confessing his feelings unexpectedly. Wako has so little self confidence, I can see why it's frustrating to Take, especially if he feels like the strength of his feelings is being questioned. But I really do get it. I get why Wako is the way he is. In any case, he did muster up the courage to confess, which was kinda amazing, given that Take had only ever dated girls and Wako was also putting their friendship on the line. I'm glad it worked out. It never would have, if Take wasn't such a kind (so kind) and determined person. Plus, Sakura (best wingman, honestly) helped them out quite a bit, too. 4.9

I thought it'd be a cute re-encounter story about childhood friends, with cultural differences thrown in for a bit of angst and plot development. Since the prince is the uke, I figured the typical noncon issues would also be non-existent. I didn't except... this. This is pretty dark. I wasn't expecting a fucked up childhood + rape + gaslighting + trauma, wtf?! I'll still read it, I need to know that he finds a safe place where he can recover. But wow. This came out of nowhere and hit me smack in the trauma receptor.

Ehhh. I guess my issue with stories that follow this kind of plot is that I don't like the implication that his feelings can be transferred over so easily.

I really can't. It's just gross? He pretty much watched a child grow up while having those kinds of intentions. He didn't groom him, but it's still pretty disturbing. 8 year age gap is the main issue. If it had been a couple years, it wouldn't have mattered at all.