... and so very disappointing at the end. I'm not a fan of tsundere personalities. Perhaps it is because I know what happens when you are dishonest about your feelings. No one enjoys being in a relationship where they constantly feel insecure and no matter how "cute" the dishonest person is at first, the insecurity wears the heart thin over time. It seems as though this story was "given up on" at the middle and a concrete ending was foregone. The art is well done, but the writing fell short. It's a shame too, because this was actually a cute couple that had the potential for many chapters of love, growth and conflict resolution. Sadly, we won't see it.
I’m so sorry I meant to like!! Ugh the button is so small for my thumb ==
All of sensei's works are this amazing and her more racy works are so realistic from an LGBT stand point. I was sad to see this story end at 5 chapters. The writing is superb and so down to earth without being preachy or overly hetero. Though many of her characters look similar, they rarely look too similar in the same story or get confusing. The art is also exceptional and all the characters are so handsome. I can't believe I missed this one while reading all of sensei's other works! Happy to add it to the list of favorites and rereads.
I'm beginning to think Euno has a plan. Jaeha can't lead in a relationship, he's too cowardly. The first sign of trouble and he bolts. He needs a strong partner to hold him, support him and drag him forward when the time comes. Has Euno realized this and is he trying to be that man for Jaeha? He's being a dick right now, but maybe that is what will get Jeaha's attention. Jaeha would never accept Euno if he were gentle and kind, not now. He would bolt again. BUT, if he is made to feel guilty for having made Euno a jerk, that might keep him around long enough for Euno to get him to realize how much they love each other. Maybe?
I understand your explanation and I like the idea of Euno having a plan, but I don't think that keeping Jaeha close him by making him feel guilty is a healthy way to start a relationship :s
I completely agree. However, neither of these people are currently in healthy mindsets. Jaeha has hidden himself for so long he has no idea how to even be honest with himself and Euno had his heart stepped on at the high point of his life and then jumped into military service where emotions are not an asset. So, Euno has never really had an opportunity to let go of all that pain properly. That doesn't mean they can learn to be healthy together though. Sometimes it takes a screwup to help heal another screwup so they can stop being screwups together. Of the two, Euno is the "more healthy" though he's far from "completely healthy". I mean really, is ANYONE "completely healthy" if we're being totally honest? We all have a demon or two lurking, whether it is an addiction to nicotine, a jealous streak, or a fetish for LOLCats videos. Those cat videos can ruin your life! LOL
Crap! That doesn't mean they *can't learn to be healthy together. Up all night reading yaoi dies a number on my eyes and spelling! LOL
xD hahah, I understand ;)
I share your opinion, but I do hope that they don't stretch the mean-Euno-period too long :s
I agree with you there too. I don't think my heart could take it. A nice, healthy balance of strong and sweet suits Euno better than "dick mode" and it's also what Jaeha needs... a good man who loves him, but also won't let him walk all over them or run away.
Now I'm wondering if this isn't a "dose of Jeaha's own medicine" type of lesson from Euno. I used that tactic on my kids when they were young. Kind of, "How do you like it? This is how the other person felt when you were acting this way." Then, when they felt bad for what they did, I consoled them and reminded them that their words and actions affect others and they must think before they speak or act. It usually worked well and they became more conscious of those around them. Jaeha has never really had anyone to guide his life. His parents had only expectations that he couldn't achieve. He may think that nothing he does matters to anyone except himself. That would explain his reoccurring selfish patterns. Dear goddess! I think about thus stuff way too seriously! LOL
... "When you consider the size of poop"! I rarely laugh out loud at manga, but that killed me. Only because that is exactly how I have thought on many occasions! LMAO
First, and probably biggest, would be, like so many others, I'm uncomfortable with a creeper, rapist and pedophile being ignored while he has an adorable child in his care. Sure, it's "comedy" and I have a twisted sense of humour, but this didn't sit right with me. It wasn't so much "funny" as it was disturbing.
Second conflict would be the writing. I know falling in love can be instantaneous, but there was zero hesitation from the guy who considered himself hetero for more than a quarter of a century. It felt rushed and contrived. The plot and conflicts were also terribly predictable, not just for the genre, but in general. Yet, I found the story sweet and not entirely boring. Hence, the conflict.
Third, the art left me feeling conflicted as well. It's not bad, by any means, but it just felt "off" to me. The proportions were relatively correct - for yaoi - and it looked clean, without being too sketch-like or ink heavy. Perhaps it was the shape of the faces and the fact that the hair always seemed messy. This is the mangaka's style and I am not putting down their talent. I simply didn't find the look appealing, yet it wasn't entirely the worst art I've ever seen. I adore Kou Fujisaki-sensei's works and her art is both better and worse than this mangaka. Kou-sensei's proportions are hilariously off kilter and 99% of her characters look identical, yet her sex scenes are some of the hottest I've ever seen and her characters, though identical, are incredibly handsome and sexy. It's a matter of taste, I guess. My tastes simply don't match with this mangaka's style.
The writing and pacing of the stories is simply impeccable. Just the right amount of tension and hope combine to keep the reader turning pages. The art is clean and very expressive. Even the "expressionless" seme is drawn and written with such deep and complex emotions. If you look carefully, they become quite obvious. This mangaka has storytelling down to an artistic science. I don't think there are many manga that can compare to these two on any level. Both stories have earned the 5 stars and high praise they have been given.
(๑•ㅂ•)و✧ A comment that sums up everything i was going to say! Excellent
The views and priorities of some readers are beyond my comprehension and tolerance. Ichiya is abducted, imprisoned and repeatedly raped, but because he is not a woman, he's called an unfaithful bastard. WTF?! If you're going to spout the "all non con sex is rape" line, then non con envelopment is also rape. If a woman does not fight back while she is being raped, is she still being raped? Of fucking course she is! If a woman has an orgasm while being raped, is she still being raped? Of fucking course she is! Then that applies to men as well. Do you get it yet? The double standards and hypocrisy are strong in this comment section. Calling a rape victim a cheater is a new low and the most appalling aspect of it is that most doing it seem to be women. I doubt they would appreciate being called a cheating bitch if they were the victim of rape. Talk about "blaming the victim".
As for Eiji and the principal, their relationship is not monogamous. So, neither can be said to have cheated on the other. Hence, NO ONE CHEATS IN THIS MANGA except for Ichiya's father who is said, in passing, to have cheated on his wife.
Look, I don't really like this manga either. Besides being ludicrous, it's poorly written and poorly translated. However, to label rape as cheating turns my stomach even more than this manga ever could. Rape victims are already stripped of their trust for others, their dignity, their self esteem and their sense of security. To also strip them of their trustworthiness is going a step too far.
How is being raped cheating?!
1. When you didn't do anything to get out of the situation or even show any signs of resistance to the act..
Meaning...
When you enjoyed it.
you can shout all you want that it is rape(sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without that person's consent)
BUT
when you didn't resist and let yourself feel good instead of disgust and apprehension..
that counts as giving "TACIT" approval to the deed..
thus,
it stops being "rape"
and therefore, counted as cheating.
2. When the supposed rape happens "more than once"
3. When you still came..got turned on,, got hard.. name it whatever.. don't answer me that it is physiological reaction.. if it is "rape" you'll remain placid because it is disgusting to be taken against your will.. so coming because of external stimulus, except when drugged is also giving "TACIT" approval
4. Most importantly, upon realizing the 3 points listed above, you kept it a secret to your lover..
If that didn't count as cheating.. you should check your morals.. maybe your lustful idiot who could get hard with anyone without needing romance..
Oh, and stop bringing your own definition and feelings about the matter(rape) and start preaching here with your logic.. because it makes you look stupid...
because,
one, you are reading yaoi.
two, you are reading manga,
three, just in case you still won't get my point, you are reading a yaoi manga..A genre of fictional media.. again FICTIONAL..
PEOPLE WON'T NORMALLY COME TO A YAOI MANGA SITE, and ACTUALLY BE EXPECTED TO APPLY NORMAL LOGIC..
so, you, my dear are preaching on deaf ears.. making you the funny man, talking to a wood expecting it to agree.. cause you see, where here to submerge to the yaoi world and not pick on it..
UNLESS, you are part of the MINORITY who come to yaoi manga sites to pick on grammars of translators, bully the readers who likes certain genre, pick on the artists/authors style, plot & story elements(e.g. rape, Stockholm,etc.) and debate and preach righteousness and justice.. in short being an asshole.. (btw, these trolls are coming in droves, recently... youths, ah!!)
well, basically what you just did(bring REAL LIFE situations while reading FICTION..) raining on the reader's parade..
and yeah, before you attack me with "freedom of speech" and "right to express your feelings".. i want to remind you that you just preach about the people commenting here, so you don't get the right to step in and arm yourself with "freedom" defense..that will make you really funny..
you, get my drift, dear..??
And if all of your instances apply to a woman? If you're saying that a woman in all those instances is as much of a cheating whore as Ichiya is a cheating bastard then I will agree.
Oh, and do you have a hat?
Go fuck it.
Completely agree (Y)
hold on a second here...I may not be a man and all but even so if a person doesn't want it its classified as rape.
it doesn't stop the person who is raping them from stimulating there body which is a normal reaction to any human from reacting and feeling ecstasy but it doesn't mean their heart does even if they feel the pleasure it doesn't mean they like it in the true sense of making love is supposed to be like between a couple! so its rape either way! if the person said no but was forced its still classified as rape even if they come from the person who is doing them against their will since their body is feeling it not their heart! and HE NEVER CONSENTED IN THE FIRST PLACE SO HE NEVER CHEATED!
phew sorry if I offended anyone I just had to get that off my chest! also I think the reason he never told him is because he didn't want to make him worry.
You're exactly right. Just because a person orgasms doesn't mean that it's not rape. It just means that the body is doing what it's designed to do. That goes for both men and women. Anyway, judging from the comments, I think I'm going to give this manga a pass.
the first one is very debatable, though i'm leaning more on cheating.
the other times however were clearly rape.
but eh it's kinda pointless to argue about it since this really just boils down to senseless smut.
Honestly, it has been a dogs age since I read this manga. However, if I remember correctly, the principal's little boy toy mounted the protagonist after drugging him - maybe I'm off on the drugging, now that I say it. Regardless, he is mounted against his will and ends up giving into the pleasure. Hmm, so if a girl has an orgasm while being raped, she wasn't raped? This is where I have a problem with commentators. They'd NEVER say that about a woman, but because It's a guy, somehow, It's different and okay to blame him for being raped. But you're absolutely right about one thing... this is erotic fiction. The grown ups here take this kind of thing with the grain of salt it is meant to be taken with. It's all just a sexual fantasy drawn out in manga form. Nothing more, nothing less.
the first time was when the glasses guy sucked the mc while his lover was calling him. he wasn't bound, blackmailed, drugged or anything, and he also clearly has enough strength to resist him. but he didn't. that's why i said i was leaning more on cheating than rape.
i agree that afterwards it was already rape. also, i don't think the comparison with a girl would really efficiently work. after all, most readers here may not have even read stories that had girls raped, and for all we know, they've only encountered fictional rape in yaoi. it's all hypothetical anyways, though i think that they'd be more vocal about it if was indeed a girl being raped.
Ah, as I said, It's been a dogs age since I read it and I have no desire to put myself through it again. So, I can't refute my mistake.
I'm not sure how reading about rape in manga would limit a person from being able to see a man being raped and a woman being raped as both being rape equally. You don't have to read about rape, whether male or female, to know it is both a crime and just morally wrong. That is kind of a given in most civilized societies. Even in places where rape is somewhat more overlooked than in others, it is still considered wrong. I'm not a "yaoi rape" hater either. In fact, I'm very much into BDSM and rape play, personally. What got my knickers in a twist was that commentators called a rape victim a cheater. I'm also a rape survivor and a former rape and sexual assault counselor. So, I'm sure that has a lot to do with my indignation. I've been a victim of forced oral sex as well - my rapist liked head I guess - and I could have bitten his dick off to be completely honest. But after the way he beat the shit out of me for keeping my knees locked together, I was honestly scared to defy him again. Now, obviously, that wasn't the case in this manga as you've described it, but the Japanese are known for not wanting to offend others. Particularly those considered to be of higher rank or status. So, to me anyway, that is rape by abuse of authority. The rape in this manga didn't make me bat an eye. I couldn't care any less. Again, my knickers were in a twist because the commentators considered a rape victim a cheater. So not okay in my book. If your boss tells you he'll fire you from your extremely well paying job if you don't give him a blowjob, that is still rape/sexual assault. You may do it to save your job, but you aren't doing it because you like the guy or the taste of his dick. Sorry if I am a little vulgar there, but I don't know how else to put it. That is rape by abuse of power or authority. Sure, you may have got down on your knees and put him in your mouth, but you did it grudgingly and only because you were threatened. That still counts as sexual assault. So, even if Ichiya - I got that name from my own comment - did suck him off, but did it because he felt obligated (because of his position as a senpai), coerced with future benefits (like more freedom on campus)- remember, I have long forgotten the details of this hot mess of a manga - or threatened, then even bending over and taking him in his mouth is still sexual assault too. Your partner has to be as committed to carrying out the sex act as you are for it to not be rape or sexual assault. If there are any threats, coercion, false promises, or violence, the act is not considered consensual. In fact, since Ichiya had been intentionally abducted with the purpose of "retraining him" sexually ( I do remember that part), then any sex act carried out with him or on him is automatically against his will, by default.
Whoa, wait a second. I misread your first sentence. I thought you said Ichiya sucked off the glasses guy. My bad. Actually, that is DEFINITELY sexual assault. You can't take a man's penis in your mouth any more than you can take a woman's breast in your mouth if it is not consensual. The fact that he did not fight the glasses guy is irrelevant. If a woman has her vaginal area sucked on, or her breast sucked on, without her consent it is DEFINITELY considered sexual assault even if she did not put up resistance to it. The same applies to a man having his penis or nipples sucked. Especially if the person being sucked is abducted and held against their will by the person doing the sucking or other conspirators. Let me put it this way, if my husband of 23 years was abducted and held against his will by some crazy woman, or man, who sucked him off, I wouldn't consider him to have cheated on me. He would be a victim of rape/sexual assault. Even if he didn't resist. I'd honestly be glad that he didn't do anything that might have led his captor to injuring him or killing him.
hm true, it is indeed sexual assault rather than blatant cheating. i'm just bothered why he didn't resist when he clearly could, especially when he knew his boyfriend was on the phone. ╮(￣▽￣)╭
Well, That's netorare for you! LOL Remember, we're discussing a poorly written smut manga here. It ranks only a hair's breadth above hentai and cuckholding is very popular in hentai... I know because I read that shit too. LOL This was never meant to be a lovey-dovey fluff manga. It's twisted af and is the romantic equivalent of porn. But I did get one good thing out of reading it though... I enjoyed the hell out of talking with you.
haha true, i also feel the same.
if not for me disassociating myself further from the story and seeing it as only smut, i don't think i would've finished reading this ε=ε=(ノ≧∇≦)ノ
I know, Right?! By the end, I either had to just go with the smut flow and laugh or scoop my eyes out with a rusty spoon!
I don't want to seem like I'm harping on the subject, but I want to take back my statement about "reading about rape shouldn't affect whether or not people equate male rape and female rape as wrong". I think, perhaps, if male rape was discussed more it would be seen as just as heinous as the rape of a female. As it stands now, in my country at least, a man can only be raped by another man because the definition of rape only includes penetration and does not include envelopment. So, a woman who mounts a man against his will is only guilty of sexual assault and not rape. Worse, the punishment for sexual assault is less than that for rape. Even in the case of fellatio, if a man puts his penis in another person's mouth without consent, whether male or female, it is considered rape because he is penetrating an orifice. However, if a woman takes a man in her mouth without his consent, it is only sexual assault. Totally unfair and unequal in my book. I think you may be right. If more people knew about female on male rape and understood it, then a lot of these hypocritical and sexist comments would be reduced. Even though we have legalized gay marriage here, the concepts of rape between males is ridiculously twisted. It is rarely reported and most people think it only happens in prisons. Now, add to that the complete lack of belief that a woman can even rape a man, like it is here, and men are really getting a raw deal when it comes to their safety. I'm a big proponent of men's rights. I have a husband, three sons, a gay brother and more gay friends that I can count. So, you could say I have a vested interest. LOL That is probably another reason I got so pissed about a male rape victim being seen as a cheater.
Good point. though i guess since it's a really sensitive subject, most people don't really like to discuss about it.
i also heard that victims, especially males, tend to keep the assault/rape hidden because of society's judgmental eyes. it's sad to think about it.
it would be nice though if many people would be aware of the matter, as well as its technicalities — it's a nice thought.
unfortunately, i didn't have sex education thanks to my country's curriculum a few years back so i still have some skewed perspective towards stuffs like that. so thanks!
it's good to learn something new today. (๑•ㅂ•)و✧
However, this has to be either an early work or some of her least thought through. The characters are unlikable, which is so vastly different from her other works. Even Atsushi from King and Prince is not as annoying as the ass in the last story and Atsushi is a tsundere little prick, but he eventually shows redeemable characteristics. The characters from the first story are both easily manipulated and the antagonist has the foresight of a bat. What high school play has a "producer" and what high school student - aside from actual professionals - has a manager? He is a kid for shit's sake! A sophomore, he's 15 or 16 tops. This is another area that I felt wasn't thought through well, since being sexually frustrated and depressed would have had the opposite effect on a 16 year old. They don't have impulse control like an adult yet and raging hormones at that age would have made depression that much worse. That's not to say that a 16 year old can't behave maturely, but they are still more sensitive emotionally. The seme had the reaction of a college aged, or older, person. It made the character less believable. It was just poorly written and/or not thought through. As for the last story, who treats their lover like this and expects the lover to stick around for the abuse? Moreover, who would stick around after that kind of abuse and intentional miscommunication? To make matters worse, the sex, across the board in both stories, was as hot as a corpse. Fujisaki Kou is one of the few mangaka who can write and draw sex scenes that genuinely turn me on. Yet, in this hot mess of a manga, the sex between fish would have been more arousing. (Fish don't have sex, the female lays the eggs and the male then comes by and fertilizes them.) So, yeah, fish sex would have been hotter. I can only imagine this had to be an early work or sensei had an editor that was not letting her spread her wings. Comparing this to King and Prince or any of the Happy Yarou Wedding series just can't be done. This pales so badly in comparison.
Hi, just wanna I love your comments and arguments against yaoi-rape haters. The words you used were so professional that it sent shivers down my spine ( literally). The arguments that you come forth were as straight and piercing as a sword. Moreover, I love it when you use anologies for comparison. I totally respect you and I look forward in reading your wonderful arguements/comments about both manga and the people encountered in internet. (▰˘◡˘▰) (๑•ㅂ•)و✧
Wow, thank you for your kind words and lovely compliments. I am genuinely and sincerely flattered. I have strong opinions on a lot of topics and sometimes the words I use are vulgar - I have a horrible potty mouth - but I take pride in the fact that I don't voice an opinion on a subject unless I have researched it and/or experienced it myself. As for my vocabulary, I was a sad and lonely child who enjoyed reading dictionaries and encyclopedia. LOL A large and varied vocabulary also helps counterbalance my potty mouth. LOL
Thank you, again for the kindness and compliments. I hope we have many more opportunities to converse in the future, even if we disagree in our opinions. Until then, I wish you the best.
This is a beautiful ending. The only thing constant in the universe is change. Everything changes and once it does, it can never go back to what is was before. Yoon Taemin changed, both inside and outside through his ordeal. The important thing is that Min Woojin still loves him despite, and to some extent, because of those changes. As a person grows older, their body can sometimes feel as if it is borrowed. It doesn't look or act the way it used to when they were young and they will lament that they "want their old body back". They will feel insecure about how they look and ask the one they love, "Do you ever wish that I looked like I did when we met?" The only correct answer is, "I love you more now." Yes, it is cheesy, but just like in the story, it is also comforting if it is said sincerely. No one will look the same, at 50, as they did at 20. Time is cruel and gravity is a bitch, but to the ones who love us, we only get better with age. After all that this couple has been through, this was truly a beautiful way to end the story. They feel like an old, married couple. LOL I like that.
Haha.. Yeah.. Well said (=・ω・=)
This is a very hot, sexy, smutty, short story. The dynamics of an S/M relationship are conveyed beautifully, though not necessarily specifically, and the art is superb. Most people don't know much more about BDSM than what they read here and there or see in porn. So, most assume that "power" and "control" in a BDSM relationship either go hand in hand or are one one the same thing. That isn't how it really works. Because the masochistic personality derives pleasure from pain and humiliation, the masochist is the one who controls the flow of the relationship dynamic - they are the one dictating their own pleasure. The sadist is the one being directed. By refusing or complying with a sadist's demands, the masochist directs their own pleasure. The sadist is actually at the masochist's mercy if the masochist chooses to not give the sadist the pleasure they seek. It's the same as looking at who controls the dynamic of a relationship between a spoiled rotten child and their parent. The parent has all the power, but the spoiled child dictates the way their relationship progresses, the child is in control. If the child behaves, the parent is pleased. If the child throws a tantrum, the parent gives the spoiled child what they want. If the masochist seeks pleasure in the form of punishment, they disobey the sadist. If the masochist wants to please the sadist by appealing to their ego, they comply with the sadist's demands. Obviously, this dynamic applies to S/M relationships involving mutual consent, affection and understanding and not one sided cases of violence and abuse. In this story, the "switching" of the uke conveys the moment when their relationship "switches" to the sadist wanting to give the masochist what they desire rather than only seeking to please himself. One night stands are engaged in to find pleasure for one's self. The other person's pleasure is secondary. Whereas, a committed relationship's sex revolves around pleasing one's partner first and putting one's own pleasure second. The "switch" depicted in this story is not only literal, the switching of the positions, but also metaphorical - their relationship "switched" from being selfish pleasure seeking to seeking pleasure for their partner as a priority. Or, from a one night stand to a more committed relationship. The mangaka's subtltey in portraying this "switch" is remarkable and done beautifully. There is actually more to this story than just sex. LOL
Why doesn't this have more up votes? You described it beautifully ty^^
Thank you very much for the lovely compliment. I have been involved in BDSM for 30 years. The S/M, dominant/submissive dynamic is what drew me in. The typical ideas of "power" and "control" are terribly flawed. I realized this only after being involved in BDSM and experiencing what real "power" and "control" looked and felt like.
Give the comment a few days, it is kinda new. I hope more readers feel the same way you do. Thanks, again, for the lovely compliment. You made my day.
For the first time since I knew what BDSM is I finally found someone who really understand something about the subject. It pains me when the seme rapes and beats the uke and someone says it's BDSM, because it's not! It just plain violence (altought it can make a great plot if the mangaka is any good, like Caste Heaven), of course it's nothing wrong since fiction it's not reality, but it's not BDSM. Like you said, the sub controls the whole action and people not seeing this and saying anything violent is BDSM male pissed.
Really, you should write a book or manga and show it to the people. Anyway, I already love you! So good to see someone who really knows about what is talking about!
Thank you for the lovely compliments. There is "rape play" and ravishment in BDSM, but that is usually done between established partners with complete consent, trust and understanding between them. So, one could say that the "yaoi rape" that is depicted in manga - When the seme kabe-dons or pushes the uke down and has his way with them - is an extension or depiction of rape play in BDSM, but it is a poor example. Those who are involved, seriously, in BDSM would never just push a stranger, friend or potential love interest down and engage in rape play without the other person's consent. That is actually rape, the crime, and they would be just as guilty of that crime as any rapist. People engaged in BDSM take consent very seriously because the games we play border on assault, battery and rape if there is no consent from the other party and we could easily find ourselves in prison if we are not strict about consent. I have been involved in BDSM for 30 years and the people I "play" with, as well as myself, have legal written documents of consent and liability wavers that we ask all partners to sign. We have to protect ourselves and our partners. There is enough risk in BDSM games, there is no need to increase it.
Thank you, again, for the lovely compliments. I wish you the very best and hope we get a chance to talk again in the future. Have a great day!
I'm glad I read this story just to read this comment. I so happy to find someone who actually understands these relationship dynamics and not just blindly glorifying them. Thank you.
Or blindly dismissing and insulting them. You don't have to engage in, agree with, or even like a subject to understand it. Sex, in it's various forms, is always a complicated matter., whether discussing sex and love, sex and pleasure or things like kinks and fetishes. Only when one understands sex can one really get out of it all there is it has to offer. LOL