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Awkward Silence #5
Awkward Silence, Vol. 5
Keigo surprises Satoru with a three-day trip to Karuizawa, but when the couple returns home, Satoru’s mother sees them kissing goodbye. Now that his parents know about their relationship, what will happen to Keigo and Satoru’s romance?
180 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2015
5 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Hinako Takanaga
105 books328 followersTakanaga Hinako (高永ひなこ) is a Japanese author of Boys' Love manga.
She has also provided illustrations for several BL light novels by other authors, including The Guilty by Katsura Izumi. Her first manga story, 合格祈願 (Goukaku kigan, Prayers for a passing grade?), was published by Hanamaru Comics in 1997; it was later reworked as the first chapter of Challengers. Most of her works have been translated into foreign languages. She was a guest at YaoiCon 2007, invited by Juné, the US publishers of her popular series Little Butterfly.
When not making Boys' Love manga, she spends her time collecting Wallace & Gromit merchandise and playing Final Fantasy. Takanaga doesn’t like beer and people who are ignorant.
She comments that her biggest influence on her art and writing-style was KOUGA Yun, a famous shoujo manga artist whose works she read as a teenager.
She has also provided illustrations for several BL light novels by other authors, including The Guilty by Katsura Izumi. Her first manga story, 合格祈願 (Goukaku kigan, Prayers for a passing grade?), was published by Hanamaru Comics in 1997; it was later reworked as the first chapter of Challengers. Most of her works have been translated into foreign languages. She was a guest at YaoiCon 2007, invited by Juné, the US publishers of her popular series Little Butterfly.
When not making Boys' Love manga, she spends her time collecting Wallace & Gromit merchandise and playing Final Fantasy. Takanaga doesn’t like beer and people who are ignorant.
She comments that her biggest influence on her art and writing-style was KOUGA Yun, a famous shoujo manga artist whose works she read as a teenager.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 7, 2021
This was so cute!! Definite confirmation that Satoru and Tamiya are my favorite couple, because as soon as the story focused back in on them, I went back to loving the series. Plus when it's from their point of view, all the characters seem more true to themselves, somehow? Tamiya has a lot more depth when he's not just playing friendly matchmaker, and his dynamic with Yu is back to how it was in the first volume, although Yu is very, very slightly warming up to him over time.
Yu and Kagami showing up during Satoru and Tamiya's weekend away wasn't really necessary, but it gave some glimpses of their relationship status and helped to bridge the transition back to the "main" couple's storyline. I found the phone conversation and texting funnier and more indicative of the kind of person Yu is.
When Satoru and Tamiya return from their vacation and Satoru's mother sees them kissing outside her house, they're shocked and worried and try to figure out where they can get some advice on what to do next (a difficult problem, when they don't know anyone else in their situation). Yu is delightfully unhelpful and snidely suggests that Satoru take it as an opportunity to break up with Tamiya, since Yu has never felt Tamiya deserved him anyway. (Then he texts Tamiya later and sorta wishes them luck, in his own way; I cracked up at Tamiya biting back by pointing out that Kagami absolutely will get them into the same kind of trouble before long.)
Satoru crying because he doesn't want to break up was sweet, and Tamiya deciding to go talk to Satoru's mother was even sweeter. Satoru's mother is...honestly a little bit silly and almost childish in some ways, but I do appreciate that her only concerns about this relationship were:
1. Being upset that Satoru had never told her about it, even though he and Tamiya have been dating for a year.
2. Figuring out how she's going to get a grandchild now that her son won't be marrying a woman (I guess she hasn't thought about adoption, or maybe that's more difficult for gay couples in Japan?)
Satoru's dad is cute, too; I like that he can read both his wife's and his son's expressions, and that he happily goes along with whatever his wife wants. It's also nice that Tamiya sees them as an example of a longterm, happy, loving relationship - something he wants with Satoru. (That makes me wonder about his family, though, and why we never get to see them.)
The drama in this volume comes in three parts and is thankfully all pretty mild:
1. Satoru's parents finding out about them. (Easily resolved.)
2. Satoru realizing that art school isn't going to be that easy to get into and that he might be farther behind his university applicant competitors than he'd considered.
3. An art prep school upperclassman popping up to tutor Satoru, flirt with him a little, and set off Tamiya's jealousy.
The art prep school stuff was interesting, since I'd just read a couple volumes of Blue Period, Vol. 1, which gets way more into that side of things, and honestly makes Satoru's worries seem pretty legit. I'm sure he'll get into the school of his choice in this series, since it's not grittydark or heavily on the realistic side - and part of what's so great about his relationship with Tamiya is how fully they support and believe in each other's dreams.
With that in mind, though, it is a bit more realistic for Satoru to be putting in some extra practice by having an experienced classmate tutor him after hours. And the jealousy is all unfounded and something Tamiya is, as always, upfront about. I love that he even explicitly talks about the importance of communication: "We had a lot of misunderstandings when we started going out," he says. "But Satoru would do his best to tell me how he felt. I made sure to listen, and we'd talk."
It's so simple and obvious, but so rare to actually see in action - and that's what makes me love and appreciate this couple.
The art school classmate turns out to already have a boyfriend, who finds out about his little after-hours flirtations and breaks up with him. This is how those conversations about communication come up, because it turns out that they've just been misunderstanding the depth of each other's feelings, and all they needed to do was talk to each other about how they feel.
This side relationship honestly feels like a fast-paced replay of Yu and Kagami, complete with the superpopular playboy and the quieter, more serious, less communicative boyfriend who thinks he's just being toyed with until the inevitable breakup. Yet they somehow seemed to get more relationship development in a few pages than Yu and Kagami did in multiple volumes...
This whole volume was really enjoyable, and I only wish the full series had been as sweet and heartfelt and unique. Yu & Kagami have the type of manga relationship I've seen dozens of times by now, but what Satoru and Tamiya have is something fresh and exciting and new, and they deserved to have more space to explore their beautiful growth together.
Yu and Kagami showing up during Satoru and Tamiya's weekend away wasn't really necessary, but it gave some glimpses of their relationship status and helped to bridge the transition back to the "main" couple's storyline. I found the phone conversation and texting funnier and more indicative of the kind of person Yu is.
When Satoru and Tamiya return from their vacation and Satoru's mother sees them kissing outside her house, they're shocked and worried and try to figure out where they can get some advice on what to do next (a difficult problem, when they don't know anyone else in their situation). Yu is delightfully unhelpful and snidely suggests that Satoru take it as an opportunity to break up with Tamiya, since Yu has never felt Tamiya deserved him anyway. (Then he texts Tamiya later and sorta wishes them luck, in his own way; I cracked up at Tamiya biting back by pointing out that Kagami absolutely will get them into the same kind of trouble before long.)
Satoru crying because he doesn't want to break up was sweet, and Tamiya deciding to go talk to Satoru's mother was even sweeter. Satoru's mother is...honestly a little bit silly and almost childish in some ways, but I do appreciate that her only concerns about this relationship were:
1. Being upset that Satoru had never told her about it, even though he and Tamiya have been dating for a year.
2. Figuring out how she's going to get a grandchild now that her son won't be marrying a woman (I guess she hasn't thought about adoption, or maybe that's more difficult for gay couples in Japan?)
Satoru's dad is cute, too; I like that he can read both his wife's and his son's expressions, and that he happily goes along with whatever his wife wants. It's also nice that Tamiya sees them as an example of a longterm, happy, loving relationship - something he wants with Satoru. (That makes me wonder about his family, though, and why we never get to see them.)
The drama in this volume comes in three parts and is thankfully all pretty mild:
1. Satoru's parents finding out about them. (Easily resolved.)
2. Satoru realizing that art school isn't going to be that easy to get into and that he might be farther behind his university applicant competitors than he'd considered.
3. An art prep school upperclassman popping up to tutor Satoru, flirt with him a little, and set off Tamiya's jealousy.
The art prep school stuff was interesting, since I'd just read a couple volumes of Blue Period, Vol. 1, which gets way more into that side of things, and honestly makes Satoru's worries seem pretty legit. I'm sure he'll get into the school of his choice in this series, since it's not grittydark or heavily on the realistic side - and part of what's so great about his relationship with Tamiya is how fully they support and believe in each other's dreams.
With that in mind, though, it is a bit more realistic for Satoru to be putting in some extra practice by having an experienced classmate tutor him after hours. And the jealousy is all unfounded and something Tamiya is, as always, upfront about. I love that he even explicitly talks about the importance of communication: "We had a lot of misunderstandings when we started going out," he says. "But Satoru would do his best to tell me how he felt. I made sure to listen, and we'd talk."
It's so simple and obvious, but so rare to actually see in action - and that's what makes me love and appreciate this couple.
The art school classmate turns out to already have a boyfriend, who finds out about his little after-hours flirtations and breaks up with him. This is how those conversations about communication come up, because it turns out that they've just been misunderstanding the depth of each other's feelings, and all they needed to do was talk to each other about how they feel.
This side relationship honestly feels like a fast-paced replay of Yu and Kagami, complete with the superpopular playboy and the quieter, more serious, less communicative boyfriend who thinks he's just being toyed with until the inevitable breakup. Yet they somehow seemed to get more relationship development in a few pages than Yu and Kagami did in multiple volumes...
This whole volume was really enjoyable, and I only wish the full series had been as sweet and heartfelt and unique. Yu & Kagami have the type of manga relationship I've seen dozens of times by now, but what Satoru and Tamiya have is something fresh and exciting and new, and they deserved to have more space to explore their beautiful growth together.
September 23, 2015
Still cute, and the focus is on my favorite pairing, so that was nice. However, the chibi don't look as adorable as they used to, I felt.
March 19, 2020
This installation in the “Awkward Silence” series brings us a more settled pair, so most of the Sturm-und-Drang drama comes from other people…including a confrontation with Satoru’s equally reticent and expressionless mother.
Shy, unemotive Satoru is happy with his partner, the outgoing and expressive Keigo. But there are surprises in store as they tangle with other would-be couples in differing stages of romantic development. Ms. Takanaga has mastered the art of mingling sureness with social awkwardness, physicality, conversation and inner dialogue, as her characters attempt to figure out what they want and how to express that to their significant others. Even after going out for some time, Satoru and Keigo occasionally still need to vent their thoughts to each other.
The artist fleshes out Satoru’s inner life with cute little talking heads that reveal his thoughts and feelings in delirious, humorous detail. I’ve seen this in other manga but Ms. Takanaga makes it her signature hallmark.
As always, the sex is heady, delicious stuff. Hopefully, I can get my hands on volume six soon. I want to know where this unlikely pair is headed next.
Shy, unemotive Satoru is happy with his partner, the outgoing and expressive Keigo. But there are surprises in store as they tangle with other would-be couples in differing stages of romantic development. Ms. Takanaga has mastered the art of mingling sureness with social awkwardness, physicality, conversation and inner dialogue, as her characters attempt to figure out what they want and how to express that to their significant others. Even after going out for some time, Satoru and Keigo occasionally still need to vent their thoughts to each other.
The artist fleshes out Satoru’s inner life with cute little talking heads that reveal his thoughts and feelings in delirious, humorous detail. I’ve seen this in other manga but Ms. Takanaga makes it her signature hallmark.
As always, the sex is heady, delicious stuff. Hopefully, I can get my hands on volume six soon. I want to know where this unlikely pair is headed next.
June 12, 2019
3.5 stars/Grade B. Our guys are still adorable, the good stuff is all still good, and I love the Tono family scenes. I appreciate the progression of time and the challenges that come with, such as questioning one’s readiness for the next stage of life, what happens after graduation, or what happens when people find out about a relationship — all good things that drive the story forward. But the introduction of the art school upperclassman “rival”/couple was unnecessary and uninteresting. We need no further confirmation of Satoru and Tamiya’s mutual love (and nor do they!) so we had no need of fabricated drama for misunderstandings, and, as a pair, the newcomers (latecomers?) are just boring, lesser versions of Satoru and Tamiya. I would rather the mangaka had spent that time further developing the underlying story there for Satoru, or Yu opening up more to Kagami, or even just silly group shenanigans.
December 21, 2025
The focus of this one is very much back with our two leads. Keigo and Satoru go on their first vacation together at Kagami's summer house. When they return Satoru's mother catches them kissing outside the house and realises that her son is gay. I thought this handled the coming out theme rather nicely. The boys are terrified, but it turns out the mother was more upset they hadn't told her than because she found out he was gay.
Satoru's parents make this - I love how they want grand children, so once they find out Satoru is gay they decide to try for another child themselves. Its also the final volume of high school - as the boys will be off to university after this. We don't get much Yu & Kagami in this one - but there's a new bonus couple - There's a guy, Shimon tutoring Satoru and Keigo gets jealous - so it turns out does Shimon's boyfriend who tries to break up with him. Our heroes try and get them to patch things up.
Satoru's parents make this - I love how they want grand children, so once they find out Satoru is gay they decide to try for another child themselves. Its also the final volume of high school - as the boys will be off to university after this. We don't get much Yu & Kagami in this one - but there's a new bonus couple - There's a guy, Shimon tutoring Satoru and Keigo gets jealous - so it turns out does Shimon's boyfriend who tries to break up with him. Our heroes try and get them to patch things up.
May 8, 2022
I enjoyed this volume. The series is winding down with the next volume being the last. The plot and story in this volume were okay. I enjoyed the announcing the relationship with Tono's parents. I love how flustered Tamiya was when Tono's mother found them kissing. The side story of the art student possibly hitting on Tono was kinda meh.
Interesting to see how they end this series.
Interesting to see how they end this series.
August 16, 2025
Bon, c'est la package du BL japonais lycéen de cette époque, ni plus, ni moins donc je vais pas en faire une critique sérieuse (version tome 5) car ce serait redondant :
On revient sur le couple principal mais attention, nouveau trope, un type tourne autour du bleu ! Mais non, ça ne tourne pas en rond car, encore une fois, le type en question s'avère avoir aussi sa propre histoire, du jamais vu!
On revient sur le couple principal mais attention, nouveau trope, un type tourne autour du bleu ! Mais non, ça ne tourne pas en rond car, encore une fois, le type en question s'avère avoir aussi sa propre histoire, du jamais vu!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2020
La mamma di Tono è FA-VO-LO-SA!! L'ho già scritto ma vale la pena ripeterlo... Adoro il modo in cui ha reagito alla notizia dell'omosessualità del figlio. Ma anche il papà non è da meno.
Quasi quasi mi dispiace che questa serie sia quasi finita!
Quasi quasi mi dispiace che questa serie sia quasi finita!
June 19, 2021
This volume was absolutely adorable. I love how the main relationship blossomed in this volume.
July 18, 2021
3.5 stars.
May 2, 2023
3.5-4 stars.
March 15, 2016
Back to Satoru x Keigo ceritanya, kali ini hubungan mereka sudah diketahui ortu Satoru. Selain itu, pasangan ketiga juga diperkenalkan di sini : Izumi x Shimon. Karena Shimon, ceritanya jadi memicu konflik utk pasangan Satoru x Keigo. Ditambah level adorableness Satoru x Keigo di sini juga bikin sakit gigi saking manisnya!! terutama adegan newlywed mereka, aduhhhh.....XDDDD
Dan btw, ternyata Izumi ini punya karakter dan problem yg mirip dgn Ritsu di Sekaiichi Hatsukoi, sama2 sulit mengekspresikan perasaannya, sama2 takut pasangannya kecewa pada dirinya jika ia jujur dan blak-blakan soal perasaannya, sama2 takut sakit hati parah jika jatuh cinta terlalu dalam pada pasangannya, maklum seme mereka itu satunya playboy parah, satunya lagi mantannya. Shimon juga mirip dgn Takano di Sekaiichi Hatsukoi, tipe yg keliatan playboy and sweet talker bgt tapi nol besar soal relationship sehingga hubungannya biasanya tak bertahan lama, padahal mereka itu bnr2 cinta pada pasangan mereka masing2.
Tapi untungnya Izumi x Shimon ini berusaha utk komunikasi dan drama mereka tdk berkepanjangan seperti Ritsu x Takano.
Tapi, kuharap sensei bisa fokus di Izumi x Shimon atau Sagara x Kagami di next volumes krn dinamika hubungan mereka lebih dramatis dan penuh konflik ketimbang Satoru x Keigo yg uda kaya jadian puluhan tahun, lol. :)
Dan btw, ternyata Izumi ini punya karakter dan problem yg mirip dgn Ritsu di Sekaiichi Hatsukoi, sama2 sulit mengekspresikan perasaannya, sama2 takut pasangannya kecewa pada dirinya jika ia jujur dan blak-blakan soal perasaannya, sama2 takut sakit hati parah jika jatuh cinta terlalu dalam pada pasangannya, maklum seme mereka itu satunya playboy parah, satunya lagi mantannya. Shimon juga mirip dgn Takano di Sekaiichi Hatsukoi, tipe yg keliatan playboy and sweet talker bgt tapi nol besar soal relationship sehingga hubungannya biasanya tak bertahan lama, padahal mereka itu bnr2 cinta pada pasangan mereka masing2.
Tapi untungnya Izumi x Shimon ini berusaha utk komunikasi dan drama mereka tdk berkepanjangan seperti Ritsu x Takano.
Tapi, kuharap sensei bisa fokus di Izumi x Shimon atau Sagara x Kagami di next volumes krn dinamika hubungan mereka lebih dramatis dan penuh konflik ketimbang Satoru x Keigo yg uda kaya jadian puluhan tahun, lol. :)
September 23, 2017
~4.5/5
(Contains light spoilers.)
It’s been over a year since the last volume, I think, but I’m still just as in love with this series.
First, the main pair go on a trip during vacation, knowing that the school year will be getting very busy for them. They’re interrupted by the second pair, of course. And when they get home, they’re seen kissing by Satoru’s mother.
I love Satoru’s parents, seriously. They’re so cute and lovey dovey, and Satoru and Keigo are so similar. So cute!
The second half of the volume includes some drama, as Satoru starts an art course, getting prepared for university after high school, and gets hit on by an older student. Then Keigo joins cram school next door, and we find out that Satoru’s tutor is having troubles with his boyfriend. It all turns out rather sweet, really.
Mostly, I’m in this for Satoru and Keigo, and they’re very cute and steamy in this volume. I just love them, and am always happy for a new volume, even if they’re far between.
[Read more at my blog, Geeky Reading!]
(Contains light spoilers.)
It’s been over a year since the last volume, I think, but I’m still just as in love with this series.
First, the main pair go on a trip during vacation, knowing that the school year will be getting very busy for them. They’re interrupted by the second pair, of course. And when they get home, they’re seen kissing by Satoru’s mother.
I love Satoru’s parents, seriously. They’re so cute and lovey dovey, and Satoru and Keigo are so similar. So cute!
The second half of the volume includes some drama, as Satoru starts an art course, getting prepared for university after high school, and gets hit on by an older student. Then Keigo joins cram school next door, and we find out that Satoru’s tutor is having troubles with his boyfriend. It all turns out rather sweet, really.
Mostly, I’m in this for Satoru and Keigo, and they’re very cute and steamy in this volume. I just love them, and am always happy for a new volume, even if they’re far between.
[Read more at my blog, Geeky Reading!]
June 29, 2022
I love Hinako Takanaga's work. She puts both humor and heart into her stories, and yes it is cheesy at times, but it works. I thought Awkward Silence ended at volume 4, but Takanaga-sensei is now continuing the series, so I was excited to learn there was a volume 5. Satoru and Tamiya are cute as always. This latest manga has all the humor and romance you'd expect from Hinako Takanaga.
March 1, 2016
Adorable as always.
December 26, 2016
^w^ <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
best christmas present!
At the end the mangaka says she´ll keep working on the series, so I hope Sublime Manga gets to release it in the future.
best christmas present!
At the end the mangaka says she´ll keep working on the series, so I hope Sublime Manga gets to release it in the future.
April 22, 2019
This review is for the italian edition.
Satoru's parents are the best parents.
Satoru's parents are the best parents.
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