Linnea's manga / #boss x salaryman(3)

8.9.2020 In chapter 4 or 5, there’s this sad story about a gay constructionworker that has a crush on his only friend at work. And the day when he finally musters up the courage to try and maybe confess, the guy in question tells that he’ll be changing jobs soon because he’s getting married to his high school sweetheart. And asks the gay guy to give the best man speech at his wedding. There’s this relly heartbreaking scene where the now heartbroken man tells his mom over the phone that he’s not okay. (Before that, his mom was gushing about how some relatives were expecting a baby).

16.9.2020 The second story about the two coworkers is the far better relationship story. They just (finally...) dare to admit to one another that they actually would want to have sex and a more intimate relationship with one another. Consent all the way there. This is what someone else wrote: This manga does something really special, it walks this fine line between realism and fantasy, and yet doesn't truly feel like either. The trope doesn't feel like a trope because the MC is actually traumatised and it shows, not always, but it's there, and it's respected in a way other real life problems aren't usually (see rape culture, abuse, CONSENT, rape culture, C O N S E N T, etc.). And yet there's still this fantasy to it, in that it's a BL; that wonderful meet-cute, saviour-of-your-life, love-of-your-life thing that we come here for. Yet because this is BL, it obviously brushes over a lot of the real consequences of living with this trauma, which is frustrating, even as the story uses it so well (also how everything is so tidy when we know life is a flaming hot cheeto, defcon 1, kaijin level mess) I love the way Doujima tries so hard and wears his heart on his sleeve (I would have hated him if he weren't like this, will discuss if asked, but nobody will), the way the mangaka shows how Tanaka is feeling every step of the way so we feel with him, not just for him, the respect there is between them, how they're both so humanly flawed, yet perfect at the same time. I don't know. It's like the realism sucks me in, but it doesn't truly satisfy me on that level, instead it makes me love it as a fantasy only, which is confusing because the circumstances actually exist.

8.11.2020 17.4.2021 9.1.2022