A love in which one half absolutely adores the other. "If you abandon me, I'd die." A story about a devoted lover falling in love with his beloved and living life even when he was abandoned. A story about a disloyal lover learning to let go of his ego and the things that torture his life and embrace the genuine small bits of happiness.

If you've enjoyed this manga, I would highly recommend Hako no Naka (Novel), written by the same author. Both has a devoted and 'naive' male lead.

... Last updated on November 29th, 2016, 3:03pm

This work is the perfect marriage between Konohara Narise's and Miyamoto Kano's styles. They both have this melancholic air about their works featuring unrequited love, loneliness, and the desperation to escape it. The way Konohara influences the narration with Shinichi's dry, raw feelings blends perfectly with the endearing juvenile personalities that are so common among Miyamoto's works.
What made the biggest impression on me was how brutally honest the main characters were in their interactions: . But I think that's what struck a chord in me, because Chikara reminded me of someone I knew in high school.

Angsty mixed with the sweetness of Chikara's pure feelings. Recommended

I love the angst and realism portrayed in this story. I HATED the way they made Chikara talked. It made he seem retarded or something when it's only his voice that has an accent. Other than that I liked Shinichi's character. Regardless of his his flaws and cruel personality, I can't deny that I can relate to him. Everyone has the feeling of wanting to boost their ego even if there's no passion in doing so before. Yet I do admire Chikara's personality too... Although I find him to be kind of creepy. I don't blame Shinichi for some of the stuff he says to Chikara cause some of it was over the top, but he was still leading Chikara's on and so I can see why Chikara was mad.although it's depressing but I love a good angst so I recommend it to you.

... Last updated on August 11th, 2021, 12:52am

I loved this so much. It made me cry. Chikara is a hero for becoming an unknown poet. And he teaches his conceited lover to become a martyr too. The end of youth means the end of self-conceitedness. Finally you can start living for someone else. So beautiful and true.

This isn't your typical yaoi at all. For one, both Shinichi and Chikara aren't completely like-able characters. Shinichi's selfishness really annoyed me and Chikara - especially young Chikara - got annoying sometimes, too. But, and this is a huge BUT, these are what make the characters realistic. Like George R. R. Martin said, realistic characters always bring ambivalence in readers. Chikara's bluntness reminded me of my younger sister, and I completely related to how Shinichi felt. I understood the self-hatred Shinichi had, and Chikara's earnestness endeared me to him.

However, the yaoi was a bit slow-paced, and I felt like the ending was a bit abrupt. That being said, this is a great coming of age story, and I loved it.

Unlike in Inio Asano's works. His works are mostly realistic and depressing too, and this manga pale in comparison. While I read this manga, I just sit there, unmoved, distant. Maybe this manga just didn't have what it takes to be connected with me.

Chikara is annoying and unreasonable. Shinichi is pathetic. Actually those aren't bad points, considering this is a realistic-theme manga. But I don't see what they see in each other. If only the author showed us what it is, and not just told us.

it really could have been better, i think it was really a depressing story, it manage to even depress myself..

i won't recommende it, only if you're really bored and have nothing to read, but i think it's really depresing and dark... that's the only way i can describe :/

it was really awesome at the beginning..so real and all but then towards the end, it got rushed. And the sudden change in Chikara hatred to shinichi is weird. So i'm really dissapointed in that, when the story could have been much better

Realistic and serious, this captivating story will hold you to the end. Beautiful art, as always. I loved Chikara. I love semes who are obsessed about their ukes. I also liked how unfeminine this was. I get so sick of the same flowery stuff with ukes that look like prepubescent girls.

This is not a happy or a goofy manga. I don't mind at all, because sometimes I get so tired of the fluff. It's a look at how a guy's life went exactly the way he didn't want it to, and it ends when he starts trying to get back to living. Chikara simultaneously interested me and freaked me the heck out. I didn't love any of the characters, but that was because they weren't really lovable. They're interesting, dark, and kept me kind of enthralled in the story, though.

I'd give it a try if you want something more serious than the usually fluff. Not that there's anything wrong with fluff.