I read this when it first was released in the US many years ago, and despite loving it, I was only ever able to get the first three volumes. Now I have them all, and I'm currently bed-ridden and I decided to read through them all - rather than do schoolwork.
Another great volume of the series, I enjoyed more of Naoya and Reiji. I think they're my favorite characters in the series, despite the considerable size of the cast. This volume shows more of Naoya's past. The back description of the book is incredibly misleading. They devote an entire line to a girl who confesses to Naoya, which lasts all of a page or two, but don't even mention the fact that Naoya's grandfather, who he has never met, has shown up to claim him as fair to the Haitani family. We also meet Wataru, the little boy his grandfather adopted after his own daughter, Naoya's mother, ran away to marry Naoya's father.
Wataru is a great character and I hope he shows up more!
Today didn't start well as I showed up for work and it turned out it was actually my day off! Doh! So I hit rush hour traffic on the way there and back. My boyfriend had already made plans as he thought I'd be at work...so what's a girl to do?
Binge read Yaoi of course! Unfortunately I only own the first 5 volumes of 'Love Mode' and now I've read them all :( . I've put them all on my wishlist and it's my birthday soon so maybe I will get them :)
This story was all about Naoya & Aoe, I'm guessing these must be the authors favourite as she keeps coming back to them. Naoya's grandfather shows up, wanting him as a heir but he has to break all ties with Aoe or else!
We finally get a little bit of a sex scene between the couple but they don't go all the way. I did really enjoy this story and I can't wait to read the rest in the series :)
Blurb-nya ga cocok. Semacam konflik utamanya itu krn ada cewek yg bakal jadi saingan Reiji, padahal Naoya cuma dpt surat cinta dari cewek dan itupun selesai dibahas dlm bbrp halaman. Sbnrnya yg jadi fokus utama di vol 5 ini tentang kakek Naoya yg memaksa Naoya jadi penerusnya. Plot lbh dramatis dari sblmnya, tapi aku suka drama yg satu ini. Byk jenis opera sabun dlm plot, kadang ada opera sabun yg bikin aku kesel bkn main ama MC-nya, mostly krn salah dia sendiri yg bikin opera sabun itu terjadi, apalagi kalo dia itu plin-plan. Kalo opera sabun krn pihak lain atau situasi yg tak terhindarkan, that's okay. Tapi tetap tergantung cara mangaka menghadirkan opera sabunnya. Kadang terlalu berlebihan atau bertele-tele dan berkepanjangan pun jadi menyebalkan.
So much ridiculous drama (long lost family! blackmail! there's a kid who hates you whoops no he's just neglected and wants your love! even more blackmail! reunited! oops tragic terminal illness means our brave lovers must part! wait no reunited again!) but look, if you're reading volume 5 of Love Mode, you know what you signed up for. I recognize that this series is objectively Not Good but I love it anyway.
I don't know HOW many times I've read this, if you include all the times I listened to the drama CD, which is SO GOOD. It's my favorite of the entire series. I love seeing Naoya with Wataru (I love Wataru period!) and I love seeing Naoya and Reiji try to reconnect again and again only for Naoya to leave once more to protect either Reiji or Wataru. It's just so WONDERFUL and ROMANTIC and full of LONGING and LOVE and ahhhhh. The absolute BEST.
After moving in with Reiji, Naoya’s life has changed for the better, including a new school. On the first day of school, Reiji and his brother Kiichi pick up Naoya to celebrate. As usual, Reiji seems irritated by the close relationship between Kiichi and Naoya, and his brother accuses him of being jealous. Naoya keeps his part-time job, intending to reimburse Reiji for at least some of the money the man has spent on him.
The relationship between Naoya and Reiji is beginning to subtly shift, with each man thinking of the other a lot, even if neither one admits to it. However, forces are at work that threaten to tear them apart. On his way to school, Naoya is stopped by a man who asks if he is Shirakawa Naoya. Upon learning that he is, the man says he has orders to bring him to the mansion where his grandfather awaits. Grandfather? Seriously? Meanwhile, Reiji learns that one of his clients is being blackmailed.
Naoya opts to live with his grandfather, but for altruistic reasons, believing himself to be a burden to Reiji. Reiji accepts his decision, although he leaves him with something to remember him by before he goes. Life with his grandfather isn’t always easy either. All of Naoya’s stuff is disposed of, anything which connected him to his former life, including the keys to Reiji’s apartment, which is thrown out into the enormous garden. Try though he might, Naoya can’t locate them. On top of that, young Wataru, who was supposed to be the heir to Naoya’s grandfather, is angry at Naoya’s arrival and jealous that he has been supplanted in his adopted father’s affections.
Reiji pretends to be unaffected by Naoya’s absence, but even Kiichi can see the truth about Reji’s feelings for Naoya. He and Naoya reconcile, but an unexpected crisis threatens to tear them apart permanently.
This volume of Love Mode brings the love story of Naoya and Reiji to a dramatic climax – literally and figuratively. Naoya does a lot of maturing, and learns to be his own man and make his own decisions. The scene we’ve all been waiting for between Naoya and Reiji finally happens, so yay for that! There’s a lot of drama between Naoya and Wataru, who not surpriisingly feels abandoned in favor of the “true” heir. Reiji is forced to examine his own feelings for once and not hide everything away beneath his oh so cool exterior. Things should be smoother from here on out.
Was okay. A bit silly and dramatic, but Naoya's tendency to cry every little while is starting to get annoying as well as his inner dramatic "should I be happy" monologue's.
2017 update: I feel the same about this almost two years later. Bit silly and Naoya is written to be a crybaby, which is a shame as when he is by himself he is a strong individual. This volume was fluffy melodrama.