A star-crossed meet-cute between an ordinary man and an idol sparks a unique Boys' Love romance!
After being dumped by his girlfriend and enduring a series of misfortunes, Chikayuki Murata thinks his day can’t get any worse—until he “saves” a young man on a bridge. The twist? Rei Aihara was just stargazing. To make up for the misunderstanding, Chikayuki takes Rei out for an unforgettable day filled with batting, bowling, and arcade games. When they part ways, Chikayuki casually invites Rei to visit his café, never expecting him to return so soon—or that Rei is actually an idol who sings his favorite song. But the real surprise comes when Rei decides to move in with him!
This was a super cute single vol manga! Pacing was great, art is gorgeous, romance arc was heart-warming, and I loved both MCs. Idol stories can be very hit or miss, especially with more spoiled characters but Rei is a sweetie and I love that while he does enjoy Chika spoiling him, he’s not a brat.
4.5; it’s very rare that a oneshot like this can actually make me care about both of the main characters AND their relationship, but this one managed it all! i wish we’d gotten to see more of them as an established couple bc the teases of smut were really great but that’s my only complaint
Cute! Enjoyable! Not too many spicy moments…which is nice! Lots of bl (especially Manhwa) are just full of sexual scenes. Sometimes, I just want the damn story!!!!! lol
A bit paint-by-numbers in some respects - there are story beats that felt pretty expected as a wrapping-up-the-conclusion rush to the finish - but this was very cute and a definite comfort read.
I also like that while there's an age gap, they're 21 and 28 and both calm and confident in their respective lives and career paths. Rei easily could've been portrayed as younger - like the baby of his idol group - and might've been pretty annoying as a result. Instead, his impulsive actions come across as endearing and easy-going rather than some sort of clingy naivete.
By which I mean, of course, Rei deciding to pack up his things and move in with a guy he'd met literally that day. And deciding nearly as quickly that he's in love with his new roommate.
I liked Chikayuki (Chika) a lot. He has the fairly typical manga storyline of losing his parents young and being raised by his grandfather, who ran a small coffeeshop with a loyal customer base. It seems like they had a good relationship, but Chika always put on a brave front at home and at school, claiming he felt fine and wasn't lonely at all, until he believed it himself.
Which isn't to say that things are particularly rough for him. He quit his office job and seems to be making a decent go of running his grandfather's shop. He has friends and a decently active social life, and dates frequently enough - his most recent girlfriend was someone he'd met at a bar, who broke up with him over texts at the start of this story, leaving him a bit bummed but not remotely heartbroken. It's not the most exciting life in the world, but he's happy enough.
Then something unexpected happens: he sees a handsome young man standing on a moonlit bridge railing, seemingly about to jump. In a misguided attempt to save him, Chika plunges them both into the water, knocking Rei out and giving the story an excuse for Chika to take him home, change him out of his wet clothes, and stick him in his bed to recover.
Rei is a bit frightened at first when he wakes up - he's basically just been abducted by a strange man - but it takes very little time for him to realize that Chika is wildly nonthreatening. He's kind and considerate and sort of a pushover, and while he's heard Rei's music on the radio, he doesn't watch much tv and has absolutely no idea that Rei's a celebrity. When he does finally make the connection, he still doesn't care. He treats Rei as an entirely normal guy whom he feels bad about nearly drowning and has fun hanging out with, and Rei really, really likes that.
Their chemistry develops quickly and is handled really well. My only real complaint is that since this is a one-shot, the actual tension leading up to the physical side of their relationship gets rushed through.
I loved so much about how it began: Rei being fairly open about his feelings, Chika understanding the situation but consciously avoiding the conversations that would put everything out in the open, and Rei respecting that it's very possible they might just stay friends. The first kiss - when Chika drunkenly makes a move, finally letting himself acknowledge how much he's attracted to Rei - was sizzling with chemistry, and I loved that Rei pushed him away so they wouldn't do anything stupid while Chika wasn't fully in control.
The pacing from there unfortunately got a little rougher, with too many storylines needing to be wrapped up quickly. It was still handled decently - we got enough closure with Rei's family and with Chika confronting his own loneliness and letting himself be vulnerable for the first time. Then we plunge into a kind of silly misunderstanding. I loved the ache of Chika's abandonment for that week, and his realization that he'd known so little of Rei after all - he didn't even have a way to contact him!
I didn't mind how that was resolved - it was funny and fairly in line with Rei's carefree nature - but I do wish this had been a two-volume series, or even just had a couple more chapters to give those next stages of their relationship more room to breathe. But I still liked it a lot. I appreciated that they were both straightforward adults who addressed issues without wallowing in unnecessary drama, and who found a surprising bond that ended up making a whole lot of sense.
This early review copy was given to me by Media Lab Public Relations on behalf of the publisher, Tokyopop.
This was one of the more adorable BLs I’ve read lately, and I’m so glad I was given the chance to review it early!
I don’t want to repeat the summary again, but the moment Chikayuki sees Rei, there’s some magic there. …Until Chikayuki ruins it by knocking both of them off the bridge and into the river. Anyway, it’s sort of a goofy way to get things started, but the scene where Rei wakes up in Chikayuki’s apartment is pretty funny.
Thus begins the cute and funny relationship between Chikayuki and Rei. Later the two go out at night and spend the time at batting cages, bowling, and the arcade, so Chikayuki can make things up to Rei. Rei has such a great time, he entertains a certain thought… perhaps he should stay with Chikayuki.
The thing is, besides having a magical night of fun together, one of the things that Rei finds so refreshing is that Chikayuki has no idea that Rei is an idol. Not only that, but Chikayuki’s favorite song is performed by Rei’s idol group, and he still doesn’t make that connection. Not even when Rei gives him a hint this huge: he starts dancing and singing the song in the street. Chikayuki is impressed, but STILL DOESN'T GET IT, lol.
Rei finds Chikayuki to be kind, a little bit on the quirky side, but overall a good person, so Rei drops living in his apartment with his idol group and impulsively moves in with Chikayuki. Chikayuki’s home is an apartment above his coffee shop that he inherited from his grandfather, who raised him after his parents died. This tragic turn of events never brought Chikayuki down, and Rei respects that. Plus, he loves Chikayuki’s coffee!
There’s a lot of fun to be had with this manga. Rei wears his heart on his sleeve and is very open about his feelings with Chikayuki. Rei’s group Clan hones in on Rei’s new home, and there’s a bit of jealousy and slow acceptance there. We learn of Rei’s past and struggle with his extremely cold, perfectionist father, and how Chikayuki supports him, no matter what he decides. This is a great pair because they encourage each other, and act as each other’s strength.
There is an interesting quandary that comes up that I’ve seen in similar idol/”commoner” love stories, where the ordinary partner starts to doubt his feelings and wonders if they are true, or if they’re simply dazzled due to his partner’s idol status. Chikayuki finds out pretty quickly that Rei is an idol, and starts seeing him everywhere–billboards, TV, magazines, etc. Chikayuki can’t help but let this affect him slightly, and in a bad way: instead of talking things out with Rei first, he finds information from magazines and other publications to learn more about Rei, and then brings it up. That’s not the best way to go about it, but Chikayuki makes up for it.
Rei and Chikayuki are absolutely an adorable couple. I love seeing how an idol dating an ordinary person keeps them refreshed and grounded. Meanwhile, I love seeing how an ordinary person feels lucky to have been chosen, and how they want to protect their idol.
What’s great about these two is that they help each other grow emotionally. Chikayuki, who’s always been pretty mellow or happy, has moments where he admits to feeling lonely, and cries. Rei is encouraged to be brave and resolve things with his father in his own way. Chikayuki and Rei clearly love each other, even when sometimes there are goofy misunderstandings (like a big one at the end that annoyed me *slightly*).
So, the story and characters have me sold. I really like the art style too. It reminds me a little of Meguru Hinohara’s character depictions, only the lines are a little more gentle, and the faces a little more subtle. The characters are certainly attractive (including the idol group!) and their beauty is fitting for a BL.
While I have been given the privilege to review a digital copy of the manga, I think, when it comes out in February, I’m going to nab myself a physical copy. This one’s a keeper.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
It was a wholesome one, where it felt like Rei and Chika’s encounter was fate. With the full moon having a different meaning for both, but under it set in motion their destiny.
Chikayuki had a day of misfortune, starting with getting dumped by his girlfriend. So when he saw Rei up on the bridge he automatically assumed the worst and tried to “save” him. This misunderstanding led to an unforgettable night with Rei, not realizing who he was. Before departing each other, Chika invites Rei to visit the cafe sometime. Next thing he knows Rei is back and declaring he is moving in.
Destiny Paradise Night -coffee shop owner x idol -Age gap -Some spicy scenes toward the end
I haven't heard of this one so wasn't sure what to think at first, but absolutely loved reading and couldn't put it down till the end. Grateful @tokyopop gave me an opportunity to read this DRC, because now I'm adding another volume to pick up. The pacing is what you would expect of a one-shot but everything felt balanced and fitting. I do like that it didn't go from them just meeting to right into a relationship, there was a build up and Chika realizing what he was feeling. Do I wish to have more moments of them and/or some bonus stories of the other two Clan members? Yes, but that's the reader in me just wanting more. Rei comes in like he belongs next to Chika, in a sense it felt natural even during the times Chika was trying to figure out why he was moving in. While they don't appear a lot, you can tell the other Clan members care about Rei and are like family. I could honestly go on with moments I loved, but I don't want to spoil anything for you guys.
This has some of my favorite tropes. I like Idols in stories and the bringing home random stranger that becomes your loved one. Chikayuki is having a bad day. On his way home from not being able to buy eggs, he meets a stranger that he ends up taking home as he falls unconscious. The man wakes up they have a very cute hang out and he tells him to come back for coffee anytime. He didn't think the man would think that meant return in a few hours and move in. It was cute watching their friendship and love grow for one another. I liked that both had friends around them. Chikayuki's friend who helped him realize his feelings was really kind and I liked Rei's band mates so much. And I liked the twist with the third act break up, it was silly.
It is open door but not explicit and it is age gap as well(early vs late 20s). This was unexpectedly cute and a really nice read.
This author and another I recently read both have stuff on MangaPlanet. I need to plan to get a month so I can read both their stuff.
A misguided rescue leads to an idol bulldozing his way into a coffee shop owner’s life with loving results.
The story goes by fairly quickly but that’s it in a nutshell. It’s a one shot so I feel like it covered the bases and of course prioritized the main characters, so the part about Rei’s family did go quickly but I felt like it didn’t need to be that much of the focus anyway. I liked Chika and Rei as characters. I liked the brief appearance of the other idol group members. I like when these BLs include the main characters having good friends, family or co-workers. Having a little community in the story helps.
3.5 stars, but I'm rounding it up because Goodreads is allergic to half stars.
A jpop idol and a cafe owner fall in love and it is adorable. This story has enough plot to have several volumes, so I am a little disappointed that it all wrapped up in a single volume. Everything felt a little too shallow, but the artwork was very nice and I enjoyed the small amount of time I got to spend with all of these characters.
This was surprisingly so sweet and wholesome, which I was not expecting from the cover! Chikayuki and Rei were sweeties, and I died over Chika "saving" Rei and how he took him home and how Rei fell in love at first sight and how great it felt for Chika not to immediately know who he was. I loved how Rei moved in and how the two of them got to know one another. This was a cute little story. I died over them and how domestic they became together. This was a cute, sweet little manga!