Spoiler
I rarely find a book that I can't put down. This manga was one of those stories that I couldn't stop reading. And in the end that is what made the last volume that much more disappointing - because I WAS caught up in it.
Although the art wasn't my lust-after preference, I did like that the men were all drawn masculine and cleanly. It was a nice change of pace from the feminine shoujo-style bishies. The most amazing art work was the tattoo work on F's back. The expressions on the characters faces' in a few scenes were captured well.
The story was exceptional. I really wanted to know what was going to happen to piece this broken man (F) back together. I wanted to know more about him. He was like the philosophy of wabi-sabi: where he will become more beautiful because he has been broken. I thought K was the one who was going to help him.
Gah. The ending was completely a cop out for such a previously well-developed story. The characters all made wonderfully touching decisions and shouting-at-them bad decisions, but all believable and likable. Then comes this ending that is so 'out-there' that it was only 1 degree better than the ending of the Forever Knight TV show. (And none has made me rage like that one.)
Another thing missing was the angsty and then touching sex that should have happened between K and F. At the end, the reader doesn't even know if F. has moved beyond simple friendly recognition of K. to something deeper like love and perhaps a carnal desire or 300.
It had such promise! Off crying in a dark corner but occasionally comforting myself by replaying the awesome scenes in my mind
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(Since the mangaka's fav stories are Heart of Thomas and Poem of Wind and Trees, it would have been better if lessons learned from those endings were applied.)
Kudos to Volyund for attempting to share her/his love of this story and mangaka's work by scanlating for all to be able to read in English. It wasn't a perfect job, but it was so incredible that she/he did this out of passion. Thank you!