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Fed up with being hopelessly single, high schooler Erika makes up a boyfriend to fit in. When her lies start to unravel, her schoolmate Kyoya offers to be her pretend boyfriend—for a price. With no other choice, Erika finds herself at the mercy of a blackhearted prince! But is Kyoya truly as blackhearted as he seems?

When Kyoya learns Erika gifted Kusakabe the same sweet she made for him, he loses it—and the pair’s days as a pretend couple are over! Complicating matters, Kusakabe asks Erika out for White Day. But is Erika truly ready to drop Kyoya for good?

192 pages, Paperback

First published August 24, 2012

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About the author

Ayuko Hatta

42 books175 followers
Also known as 八田 鮎子

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5 stars
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605 (28%)
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516 (24%)
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105 (4%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
Profile Image for Phoenix2.
1,302 reviews121 followers
May 2, 2017
The story is still good, but it feels that they are wrapping things up but still there are so many volumns to go!!
Profile Image for Anna  Quilter.
1,949 reviews61 followers
March 31, 2026
" so being a 'real couple' means we have to act like all these lovey-dovey idiots out here? "
after Kyoka reunites with Erika as a fake couple(?) he still brings his annoyance to the table.

im looking forward to the follow up series with Erika and Kyoka as adults and their zany adventures in therapy.
Profile Image for Sara .
277 reviews39 followers
April 19, 2024
well there is development but I still hate both mmc
Profile Image for Jess | jadecanread.
1,509 reviews193 followers
December 31, 2023
the "you talk too much" into the KISS!!!

screaming.

Kyoya also kabedons her in this.

Then there's a new womanizer introduced that's trying to get Kyoya to also womanize? Bro, y'all are 16 years old. Chill and go read some manga or something instead of trying to get your dick wet.
Profile Image for Monse.
197 reviews5 followers
May 27, 2017
3.5 Creo que me gusta un poco más el protagonista en el anime que aquí, además que Erika es más torpe aquí (yep, si es posible señores) por no decir otra cosa y odio ese tipo de personajes :/
Profile Image for Mathilde.
162 reviews2 followers
July 8, 2024
I was obsessed with this cover
Profile Image for auma.
181 reviews1 follower
April 2, 2025
Si j'avais pu mettre moins d'une étoile, j'aurai mis moins. Au début, je me suis dit pourquoi pas, c'est un peu chelou mais ça peut faire comme maid-sama en mode semi-enemies to lovers. En fait, lui est juste un gros con, elle est juste une belle idiote et les deux sont insupportables. Le style de dessin est joli mais tout le reste pue la derms c'est NUL pourri nul
Profile Image for j2yde.
167 reviews3 followers
January 1, 2025
kamiya is SO ANNOYING 😭 someone needs to teach that man a lesson. and tbh kyoya needs to man up and crash out at kamiya cus why are u letting a guy keep tryna get u to cheat on ur gf smh. poor erika
Profile Image for Γιώτα Παπαδημακοπούλου.
Author 6 books390 followers
November 11, 2024
Το τέταρτο τεύχος της σειράς ξεχωρίζει για δύο πράγματα. Πρώτον, γίνεται αυτό που περιμέναμε τόσο καιρό, το twist που αλλάζει το παιχνίδι. Η Erika και ο Kyouya είναι και πάλι μαζί και αυτή τη φορά, ως κανονικό ζευγάρι. Δεύτερον, έχουμε την είσοδο ενός νέου χαρακτήρα στην ιστορία, που ταράζει με τον δικό του τρόπο τα νερά, που προσθέτει ενδιαφέρουσα στοιχεία στη ροή της ιστορίας. Αλλά ας πάρουμε τα πράγματα από την αρχή. Μετά την διάλυση της εικονικής τους σχέσης, η Erika προσπαθεί να ξανασταθεί στα πόδια της και αποφασίζει να δώσει μια ευκαιρία στον Kusakabe. Φυσικά, αυτό έχει ως αποτέλεσμα να οργιάζουν οι φήμες στο σχολείο, και ο Kyouya να μην μπορεί να εμποδίσει τον εαυτό του από το να σκέφτεται πολλά πράγματα που αφορούν τους δυο τους, ειδικά όταν συνειδητοποιεί πως η Erika είναι αποφασισμένη να κάνει το επόμενο βήμα. Βέβαια, αυτό δεν αποδεικνύεται εύκολο στην πράξη για την ίδια, αφού αντιλαμβάνεται πολύ γρήγορα πως η αγάπη είναι κάτι που δεν χάνεται εύκολα, ούτε που μπορεί κανείς να εκβιάσει, και πως καμιά φορά πρέπει να αγωνιστείς μέχρι τέλους, ακόμα κι όταν οι πιθανότητες δεν είναι υπέρ σου. Το γεγονός πως, τελικά, η πραγματικότητα της δικής της περίπτωσης αποδεικνύεται διαφορετική, κάνει τα πράγματα πιο εύκολα, αφού και ο Kyouya έχει αποφασίσει να ανοιχτεί και να μην την αφήσει να φύγει έτσι εύκολα, πόσο μάλλον με κάποιον άλλο. Οι δυο τους αρχίζουν να ξαναβγαίνουν, αυτή τη φορά ως κανονικό ζευγάρι, και το πρώτο ραντεβού τους δεν αργεί να έρθει, χωρίς ωστόσο να είναι παραμυθένιο. Η Erika περιμένει πάρα πολλά, ενώ ο Kyouya δεν είναι πρόθυμος να δώσει το παραμικρό. Αυτή είναι μια καλή ευκαιρία και για τους δυο τους να καταλάβουν πως το να είσαι με κάποιον σημαίνει να κάνεις αμοιβαίες υποχωρήσεις, και πως δεν πρέπει πάντα να έχεις υπερβολικές απαιτήσεις. Οι σχέσεις λειτουργούν μόνο όταν προσφέρουμε και δίνουμε συνάμα, και όχι όταν θέλουμε τα πράγματα να λειτουργούν κατά πως εμάς μας ευχαριστεί. Δεν είναι το τέλειο ή το ιδανικό, αλλά είναι μια αρχή. Στην συνέχεια, η ιστορία περιστρέφεται γύρω από την εμφάνιση του Kamiya στο σχολείο τους, ενός όμοροφυ νεαρού που έχει μάθει να παίζει με τα κορίτσια και που εκτελεί ό,τι κινείται, χωρίς δεσμεύσεις κι έρωτες. Στο πρόσωπο του Kyouya αναγνωρίζει στοιχεία του εαυτού του, και το γεγονός πως εκείνος είναι με μια κοπέλα σαν την Erika, τον σοκάρει. Είναι αποφασισμένος, λοιπόν, να βάλει το alter ego του -όπως εκείνος πιστεύει- και πάλι στον ίσιο δρόμο, θυμίζοντάς του τις χαρές της ελευθερίας και της μη δέσμευσης με ένα και μόνο πρόσωπο, την ίδια ώρα που η Erika τον ενθαρρύνει αφελέστατα, θεωρώντας πως στον Kyouya θα έκανε καλό το να έχει έναν φίλο. Ωστόσο, τα πράγματα δεν εξελίσσονται ακριβώς όπως περίμενε ο Kamiya, κάτι που θα είναι η αρχή τς ανατροπής της κοσμοθεωρίας του, έστω κι αν αυτός ακόμα δεν το γνωρίζει. Γιατί, τελικά, ο καθένας μπορεί να αλλάξει, αρκεί να βρει τον άνθρωπο για τον οποίο αξίζει να το κάνει, έστω κι αν δεν είναι πάντα εύκολο να συμβεί.
Profile Image for Libbie.
1,315 reviews14 followers
June 30, 2025
2.5✨

No. Just no. Self care would be DNFing this series but my completionist brain won't let me.

Can't believe this is the same author as Ima koi
Profile Image for Francesca.
265 reviews
June 22, 2026
Non ho la minima idea perchè io stia dando 3 stelle a questo manga, perché onestamente non ne ho motivo. Credo di aver odiato il 90% di quello che ho letto per tutti i 16 volumi eppure, in qualche modo, sono arrivata alla fine. Forse per curiosità, forse per i personaggi secondari, forse perché gli shoujo tossici sono il mio guilty pleasure. Fatto sta, eccomi qui.
Senza perdere tempo, partiamo dalla cosa che ho odiato più di tutte: Kyoya.
Credo che Kyoya sia uno dei peggiori protagonisti maschili che io abbia mai incontrato in uno shoujo. Non è il classico bad boy arrogante che sotto sotto è innamorato perso della protagonista e lo dimostra a modo suo. Kyoya per gran parte della serie sembra semplicemente disinteressato a Erika come persona. La insulta, la umilia, la tratta come se fosse un cane, la prende in giro continuamente, non le dà rassicurazioni, non la sostiene quando ne avrebbe bisogno e, soprattutto, sembra passare più tempo a farla stare male che a renderla felice. Specialmente terribile il capitolo in cui la definisce "maiale" quando "ingrassa" (e qui ci vorrebbe una parentesi enorme per descrivere lo schifo provato nel leggere commenti simili rivolti ad una sedicenne MAGRISSIMA, non immagino nemmeno come possa arrivare a delle bambine/giovani ragazze che leggono).
Il problema non è nemmeno il suo carattere iniziale, il problema è che in 16 volumi c'è una crescita minima, se non inesistente. Ha qualche momento carino? Sicuramente. Qualche scena di gelosia, qualche gesto di premura, qualche dimostrazione d'affetto. Ma stiamo parlando di forse una manciata di episodi sparsi in un'opera lunghissima. Troppo poco. Non basta un abbraccio ogni tanto a compensare pagine e pagine di comportamenti tossici, di vero e proprio bullismo mentale e fisico perpetrato ad Erika. Se almeno ci fosse stata una backstory di un certo livello per giustificare una tale cattiveria, un tale distacco e una tale apatia, almeno avrebbe avuto un senso. Invece, più semplicemente, è un personaggio orribile sotto ogni aspetto. Sembra miserabile anche dopo che si sono sposati e hanno avuto una figlia.
E qui arriviamo alla seconda cosa che mi ha fatto perdere anni di vita: Erika.
Perché se Kyoya è insopportabile, Erika riesce nell'impresa di farmi esasperare quasi allo stesso modo. Vederla accettare qualsiasi comportamento da parte sua è stato frustrante oltre ogni limite: si scusa continuamente anche quando non ha fatto assolutamente nulla di sbagliato, si colpevolizza per qualsiasi cosa e sembra incapace di riconoscere quando viene trattata male. Non si prova tenerezza per lei, nemmeno pena, solo esasperazione per quanto un personaggio possa rivelarsi ingenuo, imbarazzante e soprattutto umiliante. E' talmente servile da dare il voltastomaco. Qui non è neanche un discorso di sadismo-masochismo, qui si parla proprio di deviazione mentale, perchè non è accettabile in nessuna situazione essere trattati così e non andrebbe minimamente romanticizzato.
Non credo esista rappresentazione di un personaggio femminile umiliante quanto lei. C'è addirittura una scena in cui un vecchio amico di Erika la schiaffeggia e prova a molestarla e LEI COMUNQUE PENSA DI SCUSARSI PER AVER FATTO QUALCOSA DI MALE. È veramente un insulto a tutte le donne e specialmente alle ragazze più piccole che leggono questo manga. NON STATE CON DELLE PERSONE CHE VI TRATTANO COME KYOYA TRATTA ERIKA, E NON COMPORTATEVI IN MODO SERVILE E STUPIDO COME ERIKA! È la prima volta che leggendo un manga NON tifo per la coppia principale, sarei stata più felice se Erika si fosse messa con il dolcissimo Kusakabe o letteralmente con qualsiasi altra persona.
La loro relazione è così sbilanciata da risultare quasi imbarazzante da leggere.
Andando avanti, menzione "speciale" anche a Rena. Non ricordo l'ultima volta che un personaggio secondario mi abbia fatto incazzare così tanto. Mettersi in competizione con la propria cugina per un ragazzo è già abbastanza squallido di suo, ma il suo atteggiamento arrogante ha reso ogni sua apparizione ancora più irritante, avrei voluto schiaffeggiarla. Stessa cosa per Kasai, altro personaggio che sembra esistere unicamente per creare problemi inutili.
Eppure, nonostante questo, questo manga ha una qualità ENORME: i personaggi secondari.
San, Takeru, Kamiya, Marin, Tezuka, Kusakabe... loro sono il vero motivo per cui non riesco a bocciare completamente questa serie. Sono divertenti, ben caratterizzati, hanno personalità distinte e spesso risultano molto più interessanti dei protagonisti stessi. L'amicizia che si crea tra loro è probabilmente la cosa più bella dell'intera opera. Tutte le scene scolastiche, i compleanni, il diploma, il Natale, i viaggi, momenti di gruppo... sono quelle che ricordo con più affetto e nostalgia. Anche se sono un po’ arrabbiata che l’autrice non abbia fatto finire insieme San e Takeru…
Comunque, loro sono i pilastri di questo manga, se non ci fossero stati loro, sarebbe stato una tragedia.
Ed è proprio questo che mi lascia un po' di amarezza. Perché questo manga dimostra come l'autrice sarebbe stata perfettamente in grado di scrivere relazioni sincere e personaggi interessanti. Per questo fa ancora più strano vedere quanto la relazione principale sia stata romanticizzata nonostante fosse così tossica.
Alla fine gli ho dato 3 stelle perché, nonostante tutto, mi ha intrattenuta. L'ho letto con leggerezza e così dovrebbe essere per tutti. Ma come storia d'amore non funziona per me. Non mi ha fatto battere il cuore, non mi ha fatto sognare e soprattutto non mi ha trasmesso un'idea sana di amore. Non capisco come abbia valutazioni e recensioni così alte.
Però devo ammettere che le note dell’autrice in ogni volume sono ESILARANTI, la adoro!
Le 3 stelle sono tutte per gli splendidi personaggi secondari e per la loro amicizia! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Rach.
1,914 reviews101 followers
December 15, 2023
There’s definitely progress in Erika and Kyoyo’s relationship in this volume. After breaking up with Kyoyo, Erika has been trying to give Kusakabe a chance. He’s a really kind, thoughtful guy, and Erika does like him, but in the end, the heart wants what it wants, and Erika still loves Kyoyo. Luckily, Kyoyo had realized that he could actually lose Erika for real, and decided to come interrupt her date and tell her he actually does like her, for real. Of course, he tries to just kiss her and not say anything, but Erika stands her ground and makes him say the words out loud.

Of course, that doesn’t mean Erika finally has the boyfriend of her dreams. Kyoyo is still Kyoyo, after all. And after a really awkward date where Kyoyo comes along but is crabby and refuses to actually do any of the activities, they finally come to a good middle ground. Erika can let go of some of the “typical boyfriend” stuff because, in the end, she just likes being with Kyoyo, no matter what they are doing. And Kyoyo realizes it is actually nice to do some of that cheesy stuff if it makes Erika so giggly and happy. Turns out he likes being the guy who can make her smile so much.

And then, we had to get another antagonist. Honestly, Kiyama is a lot like Kyoyo used to be - dating multiple girls, using his looks to charm everyone he can. He doesn’t see the point of dating just one girl, especially someone as normal as Erika, and he’s taken it upon himself to convince Kyoyo that life is better as a playboy. I’m honestly not sure why Kiyama cares so much, except he likes being right about things. Poor Erika believes his lie that he’s just trying to be friends with Kyoyo and encourages them to spend more time together. But Kyoyo is staying strong. Looks like he really does care about Erika and has no interest in cheating on her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for brookie the cookie.
331 reviews10 followers
April 12, 2026
disappointed. that's what i am.

i really hoped that the whole "i'm going to date another guy" would last longer😭😭😂

but ig kyoya not being able to stand erika being with another person and just finally breaking character shows his dedication to her now😭😅


still, it happened just a TAD too fast for me! something tells me i'm into slow-burn🤨😔




also, that new guy (whose name i obviously didn't bother remembering😭) is very very bad😂
kyoya isn't that dense bro give up already




in conclusion... this is the end of the road for me ):

i might regret this later *cough* like how i'm regretting giving up yona of the dawn cuz if i want to read it now i'll have to reread the first 10 volumes😭😂 *COUGH* but welp- i REALLY want to start a different manga series heh
Profile Image for The Book Dragon.
2,566 reviews40 followers
February 29, 2024
Erika and Kyoya broke up (not that they were officially together in the first place) and it's been a month. Erika is semi-dating Kusakabe because he's sweet enough to wait for her to decide if she's ready for a real relationship.



Then we enter the new school year and the classes get shuffled around. All of the characters we remotely care about are in the same class and we get a new character: Nozomi Kamiya, a playboy who is openly proud about being in open relationships. All I'm gonna say is Kyoya had the correct response on page 134.

This series has 16 volumes.
Profile Image for Fatimah.
340 reviews25 followers
July 5, 2026
Although Kyouya did try to be a LITTLE nicer (keyword being "try" and "little"), he still annoyed the f out of me. And the newly introduced Kamiya🤦‍♀️WTF is wrong with most of the male characters in this series(not that the female characters are any better, the only normal one is San-chan and Kusakabe), I feel like Kamiya is introduced just to make Kyouya seems like a better person; not that it helped that much, I still hate Kyouya.
With that being said, I'm dropping this series, as reading them only makes me mad and stressed out haha. This series is a mess and painted high schoolers and romance in such a bad way.
Profile Image for monica ♪.
506 reviews79 followers
October 21, 2014
After the "break up" Erika tries so hard to move on and forget Kyouya.
She gets closer with her classmate - Kusakabe-kun who is so kind and truly care of her. Kusakabe-kun has confessed her, but he doesn't want to push her. So he just waiting for her answer patiently.

Erika finally decided that keeps pretending to be Kyouya's girlfriend has no use anymore because no matter how hard she tries to make him fall for her, Kyouya is still the same - cold, careless. Or so what she was thinking about him.

But no matter how hard she tries to move on, she still can't forget Kyouya. She still loves him even though he treats her bad.

Erika goes to a date with Kusakabe-kun. But she feels bad for Kusakabe-kun also, because what she does to him is just the same with what Kyouya does to her. So she decides that it would be the best if she stops giving Kusakabe-kun wrong vibe. She finally told him that she can't like him the way she likes Kyouya.

Then suddenly Kyouya came to the place where Erika and Kusakabe has a date.
And this is happen....

description

ASDFFGHJKLMCAISNAZLASJ I CAN'T ラブ らぶ1 キャハハ


Unexpected kiss is the best!!! KYAAAAAA きらきら good


I REALLY CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THIS SCENE IN THE ANIME!!!

This is the joy of reading shoujou manga!! LOL


Although Kyouka still can't properly said "I like you" to Erika, he already showed her that he likes her too. And it wasn't an act like she thought it was.


But then Kyouya being an asshole again! Boo-!! むっ

He is so naturally cold, but he's actually cares of Erika. He just doesn't know how to express his feelings toward her.


There are 4 chapters in this volume, each chapter has its own main story, I'm just giving the general story here.


さくらさくらさくらさくらさくらさくらさくらさくらさくらさくらさくらさくら



Time flies and they're a 2nd grade high school students now. Erika and Kyouya are in the same class now. Erika is soooo happy about it. Though Kyouya is Kyouya, still the same - plays it cool like it's not a big deal.
San-chan is also in the same class with them.

But here's an annoying character shows up.
Their new classmate - Kamiya-kun, is such a player.
He doesn't believe in relationships. He thinks that why the hell do you have to commit with one girl when you can get all of them without strings attached?
He doesn't agree with Kyouya's decision of having relationship with Erika, because he thinks it such a waste since Kyouya is so handsome and popular. So Kamiya does his best to persuade Kyouya to being unfaithful toward Erika.
But Kyouya really really commit that he doesn't want to do such thing.

I HATE Kamiya so much!!! He is a jerk!! 怒る

I'm so glad that Kyouya is so faithful. Although he acts so cold I know deep inside he really loves Erika so that he doesn't want to even try to cheat on her. ハート


I just can't stop reading this manga! I love the story!! ハートラインストーン桃
Profile Image for Soobie has fog in her brain.
7,354 reviews138 followers
September 3, 2020
Erika ci prova a stare con quello carino, simpatico, tenero che si preoccupa per lei. Invece no, lei vuole quello che la tratta come un cane... A volte 'ste eroine io non le capisco proprio...

Però è vero che lei comincia a tirar fuori un po' di carattere e lui sembra trattarla un filino meglio di prima. Però mi chiedo cosa succederà mai nei prossimi dodici volumi visto che questi due son già .
Profile Image for Mandy Sickle.
1,568 reviews161 followers
December 29, 2023
Erika just wants to fit in with her friends as they are always going on and on about having boyfriends and one day she decides to make up her own. Little did she know that she would have to prove that she has a boyfriend and when forced to prove it she takes some random guys picture. How did she know he went to the same school. What's a girl to do now but ask him to be her boyfriend and shocking he agrees to pretend but he's not going to let her off easy.
Profile Image for Sha.
1,008 reviews38 followers
December 18, 2017
I am inclined to be on the side of the jackass about all the romance shit, and it's an interesting observation of what romance is supposed to be like and what it actually is? That's pretty much what the entire manga has been addressing so far. I'd be more into it if there were less cliches in the base story though.
Profile Image for R..
2,242 reviews
January 18, 2024
Erika and Kyouya are now in the same class, which you would think would make it easier for them to be together. Unfortunately, Kamiya seems to be getting in the way a lot, and even fooling Erika into thinking he's trying to befriend Kyouya. Kyouya doesn't seem to be taken in by it all though and as usual is marching to his own drum. Hopefully it doesn't all backfire.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Natalia Hincapié.
Author 5 books123 followers
October 3, 2018
Me gusta mucho, osea Kyouya Sata se comporta de una manera cada vez más diferente... Pero sigue siendo demasiado bipolar, la verdad es que se comporta como príncipe frente a los demás, pero con Erika saca su verdadera personalidad.
Profile Image for KatesReadingKorner.
231 reviews2 followers
November 30, 2020
Okay wait maybe I’m starting to form a lil soft spot for Sata...and just to put the icing on the cake, he’s somehow not the WORST character. Kamiya really gives him a run for his money (and not in a good way).
Profile Image for Cassandra.
3,288 reviews32 followers
November 13, 2024
They are a real couple now and that is gonna take away from the fun of him bossing her around. Also, woman he was awful on their date. Like genuinely awful don’t do it. I don’t get the new guy that was introduced at the end of the book.
Profile Image for Shiritaku.
727 reviews2 followers
November 10, 2025
Mmmmh, der neue Dude nervt mich ja jetzt schon dermaßen 😂 armer Kyoya. Hoffe er hat ihn bald los. Aber ich befürchte, das läuft nochmal in eine andere Richtung.. 😅 mal sehen. Aber er bleibt bisher gut standhaft! 💖
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews