Wow. I cannot think of a single thing I didn't like in this manga - even the ones I was gonna "make excuses for because it's BL" were explained and properly dealt with.
I loved Minato from the get go. I read Secret XXX just so I could read Therapy Game, and I fell in love with Minato there, but ended up liking the prequel much more than I thought I would. But I'm an angst > fluff kind of person, so this here is much more my style.
The scanlator I read from kept making playful comments that I enjoyed, like "prepare your tissues", and boy, were they right! This got me crying from the first chapter - and that's how I like it!
Now, I knew I'd like Minato much more than Shizuma because I'm a sucker for the ukes that aren't weak, especially if that makes them all the more weaker. Minato is not only drop-dead gorgeous, but sassy, sure of himself sexually, a tsundere and, the most important, completely emotionally damaged.
But the thing is that I didn't expect to like Shizuma as much as I did. I'm not usually into gentle semes, but he's such a perfect match for Minato that I couldn't help but see the "prince" everyone was talking about. Oh, and also hot!
The plot surprised me at every turn. Yes, it's your usual "drunk men sleep together, one of them forgets it, they fall in love but there's a misunderstanding which leads to a huge fight", but it was done skillfully, even masterfully, I'd say. I was * not* expecting said fight to be so prolonged. It wasn't solved quickly in one simple dialogue (much like in Secret XXX, by the way) but rather spread over many different chapters, and that's what I live for!
I'm also not usually okay with characters falling in love within a matter of days, but here it felt realistic to me because each of their interactions were meaningful (I've been in love for much less than that) and the fact they didn't know each other so well was even addressed within the manga.
I enjoyed reading their cute and funny moments and seeing them fall in love with each other, and, in fact, I couldn't put this manga down!
Then came the chapters after they were together, and I was scared. I have to admit I find it profoundly boring when couples are already together and there are chapters and chapters about fights and drama (the bad kind) - once they both said they love each other, it should end there for me. But this is one of the *very *few cases where I loved it. That's because not only were both of their concerns valid, but the last two chapters tied together everything that I didn't expect was going to be resolved (the things I was going to justify not being resolved in BL): Yuka, Shizuma's relationship with Minato's friends and Minato's relationship with Shizuma's friends (especially the part where they discussed their previous conflicts), the family background on both accounts, and... this is where I'm especially surprised, in a wonderful way: the "being gay" aspect.I t's a sign Japan is changing, even if slowly. The part of me that's an ally has always hoped for that, but the part that's a fujoshi was always scared of how this was going to be portrayed in manga, if it was going to lose its magic - and look at that, it didn't! I never expected some elements were going to be dealt with, like the fact that Shizuma slept with a man and was now coming to terms with his bisexuality, Minato being insecure about that and being broken from his past experiences, and the fact that Shizuma's friend not only apologized to Minato, but also agreed that homosexuality was normal!
I also really like all of the background characters, I found that Hinohara-sensei was very capable of making each and every one of them interesting, even though there were so many of them!
It was also helpful to read the prequel. While it's not exactly necessary for this volume, it made it much easier to understand Minato's predicament, as well as the relationship with their respective brothers (which was delightful!) and their interferences (and advice!). I especially liked how Mito put Minato on the spot and sort of forced him to confront his feelings, while not really hurting Shizuma in the process.
I loved each sex scene, they didn't feel like too much, and I especially liked how Minato was neither the sulky virgin nor terrified of sex. Rather, he was prepared for it and had plenty of experience; they both did! Refreshing to read about that for a change, especially after they have officially gotten together and there's nothing to be hesitant about.
The art was lovely and even the extra chapters were not just a bunch of made up scenarios like many mangaka add or funny bits that are ultimately unnecessary, but actual parts of the development of the relationship that were just as important to the romance, but hadn't made an appearance before.
After having read only two of Hinohara Meguru's work, I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for her in the future and I strongly recommend this manga 🙂
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