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メロンの味 / Meron no aji #2
The flavour of melon, Vol. 2
Nakajo lavora in una live house di cui Kiuchi è cliente abituale. Kiuchi si lascia con la sua ragazza e non ha più un posto dove dormire… Così Nakajo lo ospita. Kiuchi però non riesce a prendere sonno se non dorme con qualcuno, mentre Nakajo è gay...
176 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2021
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 18, 2025
This final volume deepens that ache into something devastatingly human. The portrayal of mental health is painfully grounded; how it can freeze time for someone, how life can stop moving forward even as the years pass. Kiuchi’s life effectively ended when he was fifteen, and despite being an adult now, he’s trying to at least search for a reason to live. But his dream isn’t happiness or fulfillment, but rest, in many ways than one. There’s something terrifyingly honest about that.
Then there’s Nakajou, who carries his own quiet burdens. He isn’t a savior, nor is he whole. What makes their relationship compelling is how living together becomes a catalyst rather than a cure. It’s in shared meals, silence, and mundane routines that something fragile begins to form. Their bond isn’t dramatic; it’s tentative, awkward, and deeply adult. I loved every bit of it.
The ending is gentle, almost merciful. Especially the extra, they finally chose to stay, to become a family, to live alongside one another rather than apart.
But to be honest, there’s a dark, twisted voice lingering in my head, in the background, wondering what Nakajou would have become if Kiuchi had truly given up, if the worst had happened. But that unsettling thought doesn’t cheapen the ending, to me, it sharpens it. It reminds me how close the story always was to the edge. There were a lot of moments when Kiuchi is alone or stares into space where I somehow feel like Kiuchi will finally do it. Also, there's a moment before the end where Kiuchi is much more happier than normal and Nakajou said that it's a serotonin boost. Well, still glad for that beautiful ending.
In all its entirety, Melon no Aji leaves an aftertaste that matches its title: not entirely sweet, not entirely bitter. This was a really good read.
Then there’s Nakajou, who carries his own quiet burdens. He isn’t a savior, nor is he whole. What makes their relationship compelling is how living together becomes a catalyst rather than a cure. It’s in shared meals, silence, and mundane routines that something fragile begins to form. Their bond isn’t dramatic; it’s tentative, awkward, and deeply adult. I loved every bit of it.
The ending is gentle, almost merciful. Especially the extra, they finally chose to stay, to become a family, to live alongside one another rather than apart.
But to be honest, there’s a dark, twisted voice lingering in my head, in the background, wondering what Nakajou would have become if Kiuchi had truly given up, if the worst had happened. But that unsettling thought doesn’t cheapen the ending, to me, it sharpens it. It reminds me how close the story always was to the edge. There were a lot of moments when Kiuchi is alone or stares into space where I somehow feel like Kiuchi will finally do it. Also, there's a moment before the end where Kiuchi is much more happier than normal and Nakajou said that it's a serotonin boost. Well, still glad for that beautiful ending.
In all its entirety, Melon no Aji leaves an aftertaste that matches its title: not entirely sweet, not entirely bitter. This was a really good read.
November 24, 2024
[[ The Flavor of Melon vol. 1 - 2, GIUDIZIO COMPLESSIVO ]]
June 12, 2023
Chinese title: 哈密瓜的滋味 下
This one has 神率 of 73% on Chil-Chil.
5⭐️
Etsuko sensei wrote at the end of the book:
After being ill, it’s not possible to keep up the “positive” side at the most painful time.
The period of being “negative” is the time waiting for the sickness to slowly recover.
Maybe life also needs some time like that.
The seme prepared popcorns and coke and had a movie night with the uke to cheer him up after breaking up with the ex-bf. The seme told the uke that he cannot rent an apartment because he doesn’t have a stable job and the landlords are not satisfied with his proof of cashflow. Although the uke wanted to ask him to stay forever, he feels that seme has not fully opened up to him yet.
When the seme can’t write lyrics anymore he would copy down ingredients and nutrition values of food packaging. One rainy night the seme was suffering from emotional discomfort so he went over to a female friend’s home to chat, he didn’t come back until the next morning and the uke was pissed. The seme apologized to the uke by scrubbing his back in the shower, and the two made out…
The next morning seme asked uke to teach him sex between men, also he started to smoke again. The two guys are getting more and more intimate, because the seme is so gentle the uke’s able to accept him, unlike with the ex-bf. The guys are getting used to being with each other, but the uke is not sure about if seme likes him or just likes human warmth.
The uke’s parents are getting divorced and will be splitting their belongings. Although the mom owns the company, the dad owns the office building and will want to rent out the top floor. The seme agreed to sign a lease and continue living here, but the uke wanted to move out and be independent.
The uke found the parcel from seme’s ex-gf containing medicines for depression. That girl is a nurse and she referred seme to see doctor because he’s been depressed for years, in the end she broke up with him because she couldn’t handle his conditions. The seme hasn’t been taking the medicines to help him sleep or feel better.
The two guys went on a short trip together on Shinkansen, the seme went off to the platform to buy tea from vending machine and he couldn’t come back onto the train because he can’t stand crowded places. The uke waited a long time for the seme at the final stop, and confronted him about his sickness, the seme broke down and cried.
The seme opened up to the uke during this hot spring trip, they just stayed in the hotel room, cuddled and chatted. The seme’s symptoms vary depending on the day, can’t go to crowded places, can’t pick up the phone, get sad for no reason, can’t get out of bed, can’t focus his attention, dislike reading/watching emotional stuff… The seme picked uke to live with because he doesn’t know his past and illness.
Another band mate 奧田賢 is trying to organize some gigs and wants to invite the seme to play again as it’s something happy to do. Before the uke moved out, the seme said he previously wanted to die because something’s missing from his heart and everything looks grey. The uke saved seme just by being by his side, not purposely trying to cheer him up.
They’ve never really defined their relationship, but it’s obvious that they are special to each other. The seme doesn’t dislike anything about the uke, and the uke likes seme’s caring personality. The seme dreamt that he’s uke’s kid and wished it can come true in the next life. Things starts to get better after the two guys are living separately, they still think that having each other in their lives is enough.
In the epilogue, the pair is now living abroad (maybe USA or Canada). On the uke’s birthday, they ate at a Chinese restaurant for lunch, and cooking Japanese for dinner with the landlord’s family. The seme asked uke to become a family too and proposed to him. They plan to stay together forever, eventually adopt a kid and a dog.
This one has 神率 of 73% on Chil-Chil.
5⭐️
Etsuko sensei wrote at the end of the book:
After being ill, it’s not possible to keep up the “positive” side at the most painful time.
The period of being “negative” is the time waiting for the sickness to slowly recover.
Maybe life also needs some time like that.
The seme prepared popcorns and coke and had a movie night with the uke to cheer him up after breaking up with the ex-bf. The seme told the uke that he cannot rent an apartment because he doesn’t have a stable job and the landlords are not satisfied with his proof of cashflow. Although the uke wanted to ask him to stay forever, he feels that seme has not fully opened up to him yet.
When the seme can’t write lyrics anymore he would copy down ingredients and nutrition values of food packaging. One rainy night the seme was suffering from emotional discomfort so he went over to a female friend’s home to chat, he didn’t come back until the next morning and the uke was pissed. The seme apologized to the uke by scrubbing his back in the shower, and the two made out…
The next morning seme asked uke to teach him sex between men, also he started to smoke again. The two guys are getting more and more intimate, because the seme is so gentle the uke’s able to accept him, unlike with the ex-bf. The guys are getting used to being with each other, but the uke is not sure about if seme likes him or just likes human warmth.
The uke’s parents are getting divorced and will be splitting their belongings. Although the mom owns the company, the dad owns the office building and will want to rent out the top floor. The seme agreed to sign a lease and continue living here, but the uke wanted to move out and be independent.
The uke found the parcel from seme’s ex-gf containing medicines for depression. That girl is a nurse and she referred seme to see doctor because he’s been depressed for years, in the end she broke up with him because she couldn’t handle his conditions. The seme hasn’t been taking the medicines to help him sleep or feel better.
The two guys went on a short trip together on Shinkansen, the seme went off to the platform to buy tea from vending machine and he couldn’t come back onto the train because he can’t stand crowded places. The uke waited a long time for the seme at the final stop, and confronted him about his sickness, the seme broke down and cried.
The seme opened up to the uke during this hot spring trip, they just stayed in the hotel room, cuddled and chatted. The seme’s symptoms vary depending on the day, can’t go to crowded places, can’t pick up the phone, get sad for no reason, can’t get out of bed, can’t focus his attention, dislike reading/watching emotional stuff… The seme picked uke to live with because he doesn’t know his past and illness.
Another band mate 奧田賢 is trying to organize some gigs and wants to invite the seme to play again as it’s something happy to do. Before the uke moved out, the seme said he previously wanted to die because something’s missing from his heart and everything looks grey. The uke saved seme just by being by his side, not purposely trying to cheer him up.
They’ve never really defined their relationship, but it’s obvious that they are special to each other. The seme doesn’t dislike anything about the uke, and the uke likes seme’s caring personality. The seme dreamt that he’s uke’s kid and wished it can come true in the next life. Things starts to get better after the two guys are living separately, they still think that having each other in their lives is enough.
In the epilogue, the pair is now living abroad (maybe USA or Canada). On the uke’s birthday, they ate at a Chinese restaurant for lunch, and cooking Japanese for dinner with the landlord’s family. The seme asked uke to become a family too and proposed to him. They plan to stay together forever, eventually adopt a kid and a dog.
February 15, 2024
Honestly I want to say this is a story about survival. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.
We have expectations from stories: they tend to be story-shaped, with loose ends tied up and the obstacles overcome. This isn't one of those stories, but at the same time the choice of taking things slowly, of not having to feel the pressure of being alive, and just being happy in the presence of someone, sometimes that's enough for a person to keep going.
We see how Kiuchi's depression affects his life more here because Nakajou is slowly figuring things out. Kiuchi just standing in front of the bullet train and unable to go back inside because the train is crowded (the loneliness in the way he just stands there alone while Nakajou watches him from the window) is so sad. But the scene that really broke my heart is when Kiuchi admitted that he wanted to die.
And honestly it's one of those things. He had to give up his dream and couldn't write songs anymore even though he's still in contact with his old bandmate (who's still doing gigs). When Kiuchi said he wanted to die and when he said he had to give up his dream just so he would feel better, I felt a certain kind of affinity. There's really no point in continuing to live.
But the days he spent/is spending with Nakajou were good. Unlike the people who know about Kiuchi's past, Nakajou knew nothing at the beginning and demanded nothing from Kiuchi. He didn’t want Kiuchi to keep writing songs or get miraculously healed by taking his meds. Nakajou was happy just by having Kiuchi by his side and that helped Kiuchi a lot.
Like I said before, it's not story-shaped. Kiuchi doesn’t make a comeback. The power of love can't fix everything. But it can make things a bit better. And it's nice to look forward to little things.
We have expectations from stories: they tend to be story-shaped, with loose ends tied up and the obstacles overcome. This isn't one of those stories, but at the same time the choice of taking things slowly, of not having to feel the pressure of being alive, and just being happy in the presence of someone, sometimes that's enough for a person to keep going.
We see how Kiuchi's depression affects his life more here because Nakajou is slowly figuring things out. Kiuchi just standing in front of the bullet train and unable to go back inside because the train is crowded (the loneliness in the way he just stands there alone while Nakajou watches him from the window) is so sad. But the scene that really broke my heart is when Kiuchi admitted that he wanted to die.
And honestly it's one of those things. He had to give up his dream and couldn't write songs anymore even though he's still in contact with his old bandmate (who's still doing gigs). When Kiuchi said he wanted to die and when he said he had to give up his dream just so he would feel better, I felt a certain kind of affinity. There's really no point in continuing to live.
But the days he spent/is spending with Nakajou were good. Unlike the people who know about Kiuchi's past, Nakajou knew nothing at the beginning and demanded nothing from Kiuchi. He didn’t want Kiuchi to keep writing songs or get miraculously healed by taking his meds. Nakajou was happy just by having Kiuchi by his side and that helped Kiuchi a lot.
Like I said before, it's not story-shaped. Kiuchi doesn’t make a comeback. The power of love can't fix everything. But it can make things a bit better. And it's nice to look forward to little things.
December 29, 2023
Una historia bonita y muy humana donde se trata muy bien el tema de la depresión, con sensibilidad y con sencillez. La relación de Nakajô y Kiuchi es muy linda y va más allá de lo físico: es muy profunda donde prevalece la comprensión y la aceptación.
Leer la reseña completa:
https://unabibliotecaentremundos.blog...
Leer la reseña completa:
https://unabibliotecaentremundos.blog...
May 19, 2023
J'ai vraiment beaucoup aimé cette histoire. C'était une belle découverte
July 19, 2023
基本上絵津鼓的作品都會買，不過這次是先被推友的截圖吸引（角色聊到最喜歡去的國家，提到台灣和法國），看完感覺比起愛情更是陪伴的故事。
如果抱著一般商B的期待去讀絵津鼓可能會一頭霧水，不過看完哈密瓜又回頭重看 Joy 和 In the Apartment，還是很喜歡作者輕輕點出一些幽微細緻的感情。
木內對中城說：
「⋯可是你⋯沒有試圖把我從那種情緒拯救出來，對我是很大的幫助。」
「你沒有給我誇獎的鼓勵，什麼都不說地陪著我，讓我得到非常大的療癒。」
不管注意到身邊多少親友發生類似的情況，對我來說每次都是一場不知道結果的試探，過於小心翼翼到難以啟齒或許不行，太直接我也作不到。大概就是這種面對人際關係永恆的緊張與不知所措，所以閱讀絵津鼓的時候我多少有一種被理解的釋然：無論是確實的心理疾病或者不清不楚的關係，原來大家都一樣緊張、一樣不知所措，而且沒有最正確的答案。
大概也是因此，故事線常常沒有前進的感覺，問題大概也不算「解決」，但不知道為什麼看到後來卻能感覺應該可以這樣生活下去吧
其他像是對待配角的視角和一些支線的處理方式都很中我。
比方木內本來對於家庭餐廳的大姊店員很兇，還有樓下的媽媽對小孩破口大罵這兩件事耿耿於懷，後來排解的方式也很好。和解有時候真的就是什麼事都一如往常，只是你看見了事情的另外一個角度。還有中城的母親無法接受他的性向，給了他很好的物質生活卻仍然覺得自己的兒子不幸福，中城選擇不改變母親，而想辦法改變環境這些描寫。
喜歡這段關係讓木內和中城都有點不同，雖然不是擁有情人或朋友就沒問題，但他們的存在確實可能推我們一把。
總之就是會繼續追下去的作者！
如果抱著一般商B的期待去讀絵津鼓可能會一頭霧水，不過看完哈密瓜又回頭重看 Joy 和 In the Apartment，還是很喜歡作者輕輕點出一些幽微細緻的感情。
木內對中城說：
「⋯可是你⋯沒有試圖把我從那種情緒拯救出來，對我是很大的幫助。」
「你沒有給我誇獎的鼓勵，什麼都不說地陪著我，讓我得到非常大的療癒。」
不管注意到身邊多少親友發生類似的情況，對我來說每次都是一場不知道結果的試探，過於小心翼翼到難以啟齒或許不行，太直接我也作不到。大概就是這種面對人際關係永恆的緊張與不知所措，所以閱讀絵津鼓的時候我多少有一種被理解的釋然：無論是確實的心理疾病或者不清不楚的關係，原來大家都一樣緊張、一樣不知所措，而且沒有最正確的答案。
大概也是因此，故事線常常沒有前進的感覺，問題大概也不算「解決」，但不知道為什麼看到後來卻能感覺應該可以這樣生活下去吧
其他像是對待配角的視角和一些支線的處理方式都很中我。
比方木內本來對於家庭餐廳的大姊店員很兇，還有樓下的媽媽對小孩破口大罵這兩件事耿耿於懷，後來排解的方式也很好。和解有時候真的就是什麼事都一如往常，只是你看見了事情的另外一個角度。還有中城的母親無法接受他的性向，給了他很好的物質生活卻仍然覺得自己的兒子不幸福，中城選擇不改變母親，而想辦法改變環境這些描寫。
喜歡這段關係讓木內和中城都有點不同，雖然不是擁有情人或朋友就沒問題，但他們的存在確實可能推我們一把。
總之就是會繼續追下去的作者！
December 10, 2023
Definitivament no és un manga que es pugui definir com a intens, però sí que en aquest segon volum les peces del trencaclosques cauen a lloc i tot pren sentit. La relació entre els protes és cada cop més íntima sense necessitat de definir res, simplement estan a gust l'un amb l'altre. El final es queda a mig camí d'ambigu i evident, cosa que em fa un pèl de ràbia, però vaja, jo interpreto que vivint a l'estranger les seves fantasies de ser una família, adoptar una criatura i un gos es faran realitat. M'hauria agradat veure-ho, això sí :')
December 9, 2023
Hermoso manga me ha dejado debil
November 17, 2025
Love it!! <3
December 25, 2025
I truly appreciate the themes and messages of this story, but I lack a sense of connection with these characters. I needed more development.
February 1, 2022
(上下巻通して)
まず絵がめちゃくちゃ好み。作品全体の空気感とか二人の関係とかとにかく全てが好きだった。
まず絵がめちゃくちゃ好み。作品全体の空気感とか二人の関係とかとにかく全てが好きだった。
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews