To be continued?? TO BE CONTINUED?
I can't believe I put off reading this volume only to find out it's not the last of the series, like I'd thought.
Don't get me wrong: I love these characters and am delighted that I'll get to spend more time with them. But now there's the waiting game for future volumes, and this drama with Shizuma's hot boss, which makes me a little nervous and reluctant to do all the "you've GOTTA READ THIS" advertising I was primed to do after finishing off what I'd thought would be a wonderful final volume.
It's not that I'm worried about Shizuma, really. If you had to pull out one guy from BL manga who'd never, ever cheat on a significant other, I'd think it'd be him. But putting him in awkward situations like his boss seeing him in his underwear as he was changing...and all that emphasis on how incredibly beautiful she is, and how her personality is a little bit like Minato's...I mean yeah, that's not my favorite thing in the world.
The funny part is, about halfway through this volume, I was composing something in my head about how much I adore this series specifically because there are never petty little dramas or misunderstandings. When something starts worrying one of the characters - like Shizuma thinking he's suffocating Minato, leading to awkward tension between the two of them - they almost immediately bring it up and talk through it.
I love that impressive, mature level of communication; it's one of my favorite things about Shizuma's and Minato's dynamic. They feel like a real couple, who have the entire package: physical attraction, and emotional and intellectual bonds that will keep them close as they grow old together. They get along and talk and don't just have hot steamy sex every time they see each other (although yeah, that definitely happens too).
So I'm a little frustrated that there's going to be a competing love interest thrown into the works, in a situation where Shizuma's already triggering a lot of Minato's anxieties and literal PTSD by choosing work over him. By making him feel abandoned, like his mom was, when his dad was cheating on her...
It's definitely something they're going to have to talk through; it ended up truly not being a big deal in this volume, since it was just Minato's insecurity cropping up, and he genuinely felt fine as soon as he was with Shizuma again. But with the beautiful boss showing up in that final panel, and Minato's jealousy being a huge component of his personality, and something he brings up often - his incredibly deep fear of someone he loves cheating on him - it makes sense that it'll become some sort of major plot element.
I just hope nothing happens that'll sour my view of their relationship and this story, because I love it so, so much.
The four stars for this volume is really just because I'm mad at the cliffhanger and afraid of what's coming next. But the actual story and time spent with the characters was really great, yet again - and Hinohara's art simply cannot disappoint. It's some of the most beautiful art I've seen in any of the manga I've read. I hope this can remain one of my permanent favorites...whenever it actually does finally come to a close.