Finding love in your 40s can be tough, but when two total opposites match on a dating app, they'll have a one way ticket to romance in this Boys' Love manga.Harue, a forty-two-year-old gay man, hasn't had a single date in his life. Deciding to try out his company's dating app, he's surprised when he matches with the suspiciously hot Fujishima. Harue has his doubts, of course. Fujishima is sexy, smart, and kind--too good to be true. However, once they start talking, Harue gets butterflies for the first time. The conversation and alcohol flow freely, and before they know it, they've missed the last train, left with no choice but to spend the night together...
To love and be genuinely loved in return... is really such a wonderful feeling.
Hmm, it was okay but I only got hooked starting at the 5th chapter. I couldn't care less about anything else to be honest. And there's nothing interesting about the characters? But they're cute together, so.
I realized I want more bl focusing on older men in the same age like this one!
Fujishima, a wedding planner, is in his forties and has already experienced the highs and lows of relationships. On the other hand, there’s Harue, a computer engineer who hasn’t been in any relationship ever. They both tried the Suddenly app (a dating app) and met each other. Eventually, they clicked together. It felt quite a basic story, all in all. Nevertheless, it didn’t fail to give a fluffy, wholesome atmosphere in it. Enough to put a smile on the face.
I was excited about this one, but it was actually pretty disappointing. It's not a bad story, just...very mediocre and shallow.
Despite the back cover's summary, Harue is 41 years old when he meets his first-ever boyfriend. We start, a little confusingly, when he is 42...with all the tension completely stripped out of the story because he's a year into dating and living with Fujishima. They had a recent argument about Harue's pessimism and "dark thoughts," but are still being very new-in-love and cutesy. Harue curls around Fujishima in bed, desperately spinning a little wish-spell to ensure they stay together forever.
It's very sweet...but a little bit of a weird way to start, because it ends up making their future seem not quite as settled and guaranteed as the "forever" Harue wants so badly.
We then skip back to their first meeting, when overworked salaryman Harue is out drinking after another long day at work, and runs into a guy he'd matched with on a dating app he'd only installed on his phone for work purposes and had forgotten to delete. The backstory for that was funny, with Harue literally dropping his phone on his face and accidentally "liking" a hot, out of his league guy's profile.
Fujishima had matched back, or their phones wouldn't have chimed with recognition when they were in the same bar, but he clearly hadn't been that interested, because he'd never bothered messaging Harue.
Once they start talking, though, he gets increasingly intrigued: Harue is cute, interesting, and very refreshing. He seems to really get Fujishima and laughs along with him, contributing such good conversation that they stay out drinking and talking until the last train is gone. So they go to a love hotel - something Fujishima is used to and has indeed used this app for - but which Harue is not remotely ready for.
At no point in the story does Harue actually tell Fujishima that he's completely inexperienced; it's implied near the end, when he's "practicing kissing," but we don't get to see him telling Fujishima he's literally never dated anyone. He just says things like "it's been a while." Fujishima is his first love and his first boyfriend, and it makes him extra anxious and worried about getting a lot of things wrong, or making Fujishima lose interest in him.
Fujishima tells Harue that's what he loves about him...because after one night of talking and some online chats, he's decided he's in love. And Harue says he is, too.
That was...honestly way too fast. I appreciated that the physical parts were a slower progression, with Fujishima respecting Harue's pace and understanding he didn't want to rush things he wasn't ready for or experienced in. But you don't fall in love overnight, and it cheapened their story a little bit.
It also added to everything feeling a little more shallow. Fujishima loved all those fresh, exciting expressions Harue had, which were largely due to his inexperience. But a year later, they have an argument about Harue...still being insecure and pessimistic and hard on himself, which is what Fujishima had claimed to love about him? So the shine wore off, that quickly, as things do with new relationships.
That's what made the pacing and structure feel off to me. I did like the little bits of Fujishima's side, where it showed more of what he liked about Harue and how lonely he'd been, even with a lot more relationship experience. But I never felt the real depth of their connection.
Plus we literally got two separate guys barging in to try to steal Fujishima away, which was an awful lot for a story this short.
And a lot of the art was pretty indistinguishable...there's this particular, very distinctive jacket/blazer pattern that was used (with only minor variations) for Fujishima, one of his former app hook-up buddies, and one of his gay male coworkers. Then this other guy, an ex wedding client of Fujishima's who'd gotten divorced so he could be with him instead, suddenly shows up out of nowhere to tell Harue he's drab and doesn't deserve him. I had to flip back to figure out if he was the same former hook-up guy (he wasn't).
Fujishima goes from "oh hey it's been so long, nice to see you," to an instant "I WILL CALL THE POLICE FOR HARASSMENT," which was also really weird pacing and hardly even seemed in character. Then Harue has this kind of immature outburst about "he's my boyfriend, how dare you say I'm not good enough!"
On top of that, there's this whole side thread about Fujishima's grandmother dying, and then his cat dying, and him being a lot more sad about the cat. There are close up panels showing him touching his cat necklace and being sad, and the ex-hook-up guy tells Fujishima he's sad and lonely because of his dead cat and should hook up with him again so he doesn't feel so alone...
But Fujishima never talks to Harue about his cat. Then they suddenly have a cat when they move in together. Happy ending, woo?
It feels like so many scattered ideas that just didn't work for a coherent story. Should probably be a lower rating, but I wanted to like this so badly that I'll just let it stay at 3 stars. It'd be nice to have more actually good stories about middle-aged men in love, or finding love later in life. I appreciate that there was an attempt, at least.
everyone calling this old men yaoi is crazy theyre barely in their forties...it's middle aged yaoi at best. anyway i had fun there is truly no expansion on any sort of character development but i ❤️ sweetie romance forever and forever so im not upset. i do wish we got more into their relationship it felt so short and undercooked... regardless, sweet! i love gay losers 5ever
This is so UTTERLY sweet!! 🥰 From the prologue I was like 🥺🫶🏻 I loved having older protagonists and seeing how they navigate the world of romance, and showing you’re never too old to fall in love and get all the butterflies you think are only for people in their youth. Absolutely adorable, loved these cutie pies and I hope there is another volume in the future! 💗
What an amazingly sweet manga! Because it’s a one shot the pacing can get a little off, but overall, I really enjoyed our two characters meeting and developing a relationship. Harue is very endearing, funny and his lack of experience and how he felt with it felt real/natural and not looked at as a “something is wrong with you” kind of way. Gay or straight, his reactions to Fujishima and the new attention will feel familiar to late bloomers lol. Fujishima was also just as great and kind. He’s understanding and patient with Harue and I overall liked the life Dayoo created for him. He had his own struggles with relationships and felt with his own loneliness and then he had his cat and the little cat necklace! Amazing. I want a Cherry Magic level series from this one shot or from this author someday. I also just loved the whole, “Is it weird cause I’m 41?” And every time, “Absolutely not!” We love to see love at any age!
Le genre de romance qui me fait du bien un main chara qui est agé et n’a jamais eu de relations, le voir avec tout ses doutes envers lui même, et le love interest est le plus adorable au monde, aucune toxicité, juste deux mecs de la 40aine qui se kiffent bien, et c’est trop mim et adorable ! + MERCI de parler réellement de vouloir le mariage gay légalisé au Japon dans un BL, c’est TELLEMENT RARE! vraiment une de mes BLs préférés je pense maintenant, je lisaiq cet artiste en 2017 avec young good boyfriend, histoire un peu malsaine mais en même temps…. je ne sais plus ca fait longtemps mais j’étais tombé amoureuse de ses dessins! heureuse de pouvoir lire le reste maintenant
I need an everlasting gobstopper worth of volumes of these two. I need an unending supply of this old man yaoi shipped to my front door every day for the rest of my life. This was not enough. I am gluttonous with my desire and I shall never be full.
To continue living as an act of defiance, against a society that refuses to acknowledge your existence… Fujishima I resonate with what you say on a spiritual level.
One of the most earnest, raw, and realistic portrayals of being gay and aging and anxious about life, feeling like you have no control over your own destiny and so taking a chance on something that feels real. Goddamn. Goddamn. I’m genuinely moved.
I could nitpick a little and ask for more development for Fujishima, instead of the small glimpses we got to his tragic backstory. But I don’t think it’s worth critiquing. I could also critique the weird conflict character in chapter 7, but again it’s not worth it! That weird man served his purpose.
Dayoo, I hope you live a long and beautiful life. Please, please give us more of these two.
Very cute, in both story and art. The cover and title were what caught my interest. Wish it was a bit longer though for more substance. Got through it in a little less than an hour (reading fairly slow). Neverthless, the balance between both Harue and Fujishima's thoughts was done well. However, he ex-client scene was a bit too tropey and pointless, and felt a bit out of nowhere tonally. Especially because they kind of just immediately move on from the incident. The short message at the end about wishing for gay marriage to be legalized in Japan was nice, being a lot of BL creators only care about the marketability and fetishization.
Wanted something a bit lighter compared to what I've been consuming recently, so it served its purpose well.
Aiii n'esperava molt més d'aquest volum únic perquè té tots els ingredients que solc gaudir en un BL: amor entre dos adults de 40 anys, que es donen una oportunitat després de molts dubtes, despertar sexual a una edat "avançada"... però tot i el potencial m'ha deixat una sensació freda, superficial. No sé si és per l'slow burn agònic o perquè no hi ha escenes íntimes, que en aquest cas sí que em semblen indispensables per culminar la història. Una llàstima perquè adoro l'estil i els còmics previs de la mangaka :/
обожнюю роменсики про дорослих та дещо непевних людей зі своїми загонами ✋😔 бонус поінтс за те, що insecure тут (моментами) були обидва. ця історія вдарила б ще сильніше, якби трошки глибше були пропрацьовані персонажі, але й так все доволі миленько. втім, хотілося все ж чогось більшого. було б класно, якби сюжет розтягнули принаймні на дві частини, доповнивши його якимось суттєвими деталями. це була б взагалі казка, адже почуття є, персонажі симпатичні та й мальовка гарненька!
Adorable. Cute. Precious. Wholesome. Heartwarming. Sweet. So, so domestic. This is a simple story without your typical misunderstandings or over the top drama. It kinda gives Love on the Horizon by Yamashita Machi in the sense that there are relatable and real problems the mcs experience, and it all feels more realistic. Like communication and action coming from a place of love and respect.
Also, spoiler.....they get a cat?!!!! 😫😭😭😭😭😭✨️💛✨️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I LOVED this! I literally fell in love with the characters within the first 4 pages, and it just got better from there. I smiled through nearly every page.
There's an established couple, both reaching 40, and it shows how they got together as well as how their relationship has become as strong as it is. There's a bit of 'first time' included in the plot, too.
The art was BEAUTIFUL! In fact, the whole thing was beautiful, perfect, lovely. This is easily going onto my Best of 2026 list!
This was a really cute BL about an older couple in their forties. No spice in this one. I love that this focused on older men struggling to find love. This is something that is completely normal. The creator handled this story with care. I would love more about this couple; I wanted to see what happened after it ended. This would make a great series. Overall, it's a great one shot that I would recommend.
While I found the relationship a little underbaked my love for gay romance set well into adulthood is unmatched. So fluffy it almost feels fake but I enjoyed the romance and the quiet thoughtfulness of it a lot. And like the author, I hope we get to see same-sex marriage legalized in Japan (and around the world) soon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.