Long Vacation
re-read 26.6.2020, 24.8.2024 Two boys who’ve been friends since high school. One straight, one gay. Somehow, one morning, they end up kissing. A year after that, they have sex for the first time. Time passes, with them being on and off sex friends: on when single, and off when in relationahips with other people. One evening, about 14 years after they became friends, they have sex ... but this time, the straigt guy notices that his friend ”is feeling it more this time”. In the morning, the straight guy tells the gay that they ”need to stop this”. Gay guy thinks it means the straight wants to break it off completely, and says it was ALL his fault. But the straight one clarifies before he even finishes his apology, saying ”won’t you go out with me?” because he wants them to have a proper reltionship instead. Gay guy starts to ugly cry, because that’s what at least 6 years of unrequited love will do to you. Damn good one-shot.
Shingeki No Kyojin Dj - Shirakawayohune
25.8.2020 The 'first' reincarnation cycle lost Levi to tuberculosis, and the second one has Erwin meeting a reincarnated Levi 14 years after his death.
Kage Aru Tokoro ni
25.8.2020 There was one review about this one which went like this: I'm so happy I read this in spite of the slightly lower rating. This was such a thoughtful, powerful story - it made me cry many times. (Spoilers follow.) What struck me most was how much Nakamichi changed after he transferred to the country hospital; I wonder how happy he truly was before? I feel he'd resigned himself to scraps of stolen happiness - like the cup - but never imagined a lifetime of it. The hospitals themselves seem like metaphors for Nakamichi's mental state: the city hospital is sophisticated but large and confusing. It's so large, the staff doesn't even realize Nakamichi was the one who cared for sensei before he died, just as no one recognized his grief or went to his home to check on him when he was sick. But the country hospital is simple, friendly, and surrounded by nature. Now that I think about it, Nakamichi and the younger Tsutsumi's relationship is associated with nature and the outdoors, beginning with their moment in the hospital garden when Tsutsumi falls out of a window and then holds Nakamichi as he cries. In contrast to his father, the younger Tsutsumi is open about his affection for Nakamichi, even crawling into his hospital bed toward the end of the story. And while Nakamichi's relationship with sensei had been utterly secret, in the wonderful final scene, just as Nakamichi has decided to accept the younger Tsutsumi's feelings, someone slides open the door to reveal both of them in the bath. (Nothing malicious; there's a hospital emergency.) I so appreciate the subtlety of the writing in this story and its exploration of complicated feelings. I look forward to reading more by this mangaka!
Fubin Bl
30.11.2020
Kuroko no Basuke dj - Misoji no Koi