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Cinderella Closet #2
Cinderella Closet Vol. 2
ENTANGLED IN YOUR OWN SPELL
Haruka has been taking advice from the cross-dressing fashionista Hikaru, who has promised to stay by her side as a friend. Thanks to Hikaru’s advice, she’s managed to get closer to her unrequited crush Hirotaki. But Hikaru appears to be developing feelings for the earnest and hard-working Haruka! Does Haruka think of Hikaru as anything but a friend?
Haruka has been taking advice from the cross-dressing fashionista Hikaru, who has promised to stay by her side as a friend. Thanks to Hikaru’s advice, she’s managed to get closer to her unrequited crush Hirotaki. But Hikaru appears to be developing feelings for the earnest and hard-working Haruka! Does Haruka think of Hikaru as anything but a friend?
176 pages, Paperback
First published February 25, 2020
9 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Wakana Yanai
12 books8 followersAssociated Names:
柳井若菜
Name (in native language): 柳井わかな
柳井若菜
Name (in native language): 柳井わかな
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
July 15, 2023
Why be honest when you can wear makeup? Hikaru is lying to at least two other people about their feelings, not counting themselves. Haruka is honest for a certain value of honesty, but her would-be boyfriend, Kurotaki, might be too honest for his own good. It’s gonna get messy. And campy.
I mean, there is no way the brilliant reveal of Hikaru being a cross-dressing male in the first volume was going to be topped this time around, so it just couldn’t be as strong. Instead it falls back on old-fashioned nonsense like good characterization and compelling storytelling.
It’s not hard to quickly get on Hikaru’s side from early on here, even if they are incredibly acidic a lot of the time. But, yeah, you try being in their position and see how life treats you. It’s so clearly armour that they wear - there’s a super telling throwaway by Haruka about how much fun Hikaru must have had in high school that’s just damning in how leaded the silent non-response is.
So Hikaru is a very knives out style of human being, for clear reasons, and they think they have the answer to everything. Which is true, provided they aren’t looking inward. Their burgeoning romantic interest in Haruka is essentially unacceptable to acknowledge, even after they go make-up shopping together.
It’s not hard to see why Hikaru likes Haruka so much - she sees them and does not care a thing about how they present themselves and loves, or something, them for who they are. Shame that Haruka can’t seem to have eyes for anybody but Kurotaki.
In that respect, Haruka is almost too earnest and straightforward. She’s definitely the type to try and make it in the big city and get eaten alive. She can’t even survive a makeup counter without Hikaru’s help. As a lead she might not be super nuanced, but it’s exactly that quality that makes her able to accept Hikaru.
As far as Kurotaki goes, she’s also shockingly direct about things related to him, which is a real nice change from dancing around the facts for many volumes. There are reasons certain things are being held back, but not Haruka’s interest in her coworker.
Of course, Kurotaki is his own bundle of issues, but the story doesn’t just let him be a thing to be dealt with - he gets some real development during a camping excursion (Haruka channels Mitsumi from Skip & Loafer real hard here) that brings our leads together in a bit of a jumble.
Kurotaki doesn’t feel like he’s much of anything, but he’s causing his own set of problems, including his irritating low-effort chauvinism that crops up again this time. He’s so traditional you could string tinsel on him for Christmas.
And he knows he’s not a good partner, but doesn’t seem interested in changing. Which is one way to do it, certainly. I like that he has the presence of mind to recognize that he’s not a good fit for Haruka right now, although that just encourages her more, but that’s totally not his fault.
This is one of the better love triangles I’ve seen of late, not because it doesn’t have a clearly superior choice, but just based on how flawed its players are. Hikaru in particular is just so bad at managing themselves without being snarky and yet so into Haruka, if they were to admit it, which they aren’t.
Everybody has something going on and that makes it interesting. You’d think that would be self-evident, but I have been to this rodeo enough times that I can assure you it is not.
It’s not perfect - Hikaru walks a pretty fine line that I personally think was really leavened by their circumstances, but they’ll still be a bit much for some, I suspect. And same for the other two; there’s a very fine line between complicated and aggravating here that you may fall on either side of.
4.5 stars - I mean, I almost want to give it 5 just because of the writing, but I can’t deny that it’s not as strong as the first time out and the way it dropped all the pieces into place with such elegance. Messy, but very good. Let’s see where things go from here.
I mean, there is no way the brilliant reveal of Hikaru being a cross-dressing male in the first volume was going to be topped this time around, so it just couldn’t be as strong. Instead it falls back on old-fashioned nonsense like good characterization and compelling storytelling.
It’s not hard to quickly get on Hikaru’s side from early on here, even if they are incredibly acidic a lot of the time. But, yeah, you try being in their position and see how life treats you. It’s so clearly armour that they wear - there’s a super telling throwaway by Haruka about how much fun Hikaru must have had in high school that’s just damning in how leaded the silent non-response is.
So Hikaru is a very knives out style of human being, for clear reasons, and they think they have the answer to everything. Which is true, provided they aren’t looking inward. Their burgeoning romantic interest in Haruka is essentially unacceptable to acknowledge, even after they go make-up shopping together.
It’s not hard to see why Hikaru likes Haruka so much - she sees them and does not care a thing about how they present themselves and loves, or something, them for who they are. Shame that Haruka can’t seem to have eyes for anybody but Kurotaki.
In that respect, Haruka is almost too earnest and straightforward. She’s definitely the type to try and make it in the big city and get eaten alive. She can’t even survive a makeup counter without Hikaru’s help. As a lead she might not be super nuanced, but it’s exactly that quality that makes her able to accept Hikaru.
As far as Kurotaki goes, she’s also shockingly direct about things related to him, which is a real nice change from dancing around the facts for many volumes. There are reasons certain things are being held back, but not Haruka’s interest in her coworker.
Of course, Kurotaki is his own bundle of issues, but the story doesn’t just let him be a thing to be dealt with - he gets some real development during a camping excursion (Haruka channels Mitsumi from Skip & Loafer real hard here) that brings our leads together in a bit of a jumble.
Kurotaki doesn’t feel like he’s much of anything, but he’s causing his own set of problems, including his irritating low-effort chauvinism that crops up again this time. He’s so traditional you could string tinsel on him for Christmas.
And he knows he’s not a good partner, but doesn’t seem interested in changing. Which is one way to do it, certainly. I like that he has the presence of mind to recognize that he’s not a good fit for Haruka right now, although that just encourages her more, but that’s totally not his fault.
This is one of the better love triangles I’ve seen of late, not because it doesn’t have a clearly superior choice, but just based on how flawed its players are. Hikaru in particular is just so bad at managing themselves without being snarky and yet so into Haruka, if they were to admit it, which they aren’t.
Everybody has something going on and that makes it interesting. You’d think that would be self-evident, but I have been to this rodeo enough times that I can assure you it is not.
It’s not perfect - Hikaru walks a pretty fine line that I personally think was really leavened by their circumstances, but they’ll still be a bit much for some, I suspect. And same for the other two; there’s a very fine line between complicated and aggravating here that you may fall on either side of.
4.5 stars - I mean, I almost want to give it 5 just because of the writing, but I can’t deny that it’s not as strong as the first time out and the way it dropped all the pieces into place with such elegance. Messy, but very good. Let’s see where things go from here.
February 20, 2024
3.5 stars
Unfortunately, this didn't work for me as well as volume one. Whereas that volume used some common tropes in a clever way, this one leaned into those tropes too much. I'm still going to stick with this series for at least another volume.
Unfortunately, this didn't work for me as well as volume one. Whereas that volume used some common tropes in a clever way, this one leaned into those tropes too much. I'm still going to stick with this series for at least another volume.
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July 24, 2023No rating for this one because I just couldn't seem to connect with this volume the same way I did volume one, which makes me really sad as I LOVED volume one! (One of my favorite reads this year!)
I definitely think it was a me issue and not a story issue! When I read this, I wasn't feeling well and felt pretty wiped out, but I had been SO excited for this volume that I wanted to try and give it a read anyway.
I like to come back to this volume again sometime and give it another go because I think I'll enjoy it more when I read it the second time!
I definitely think it was a me issue and not a story issue! When I read this, I wasn't feeling well and felt pretty wiped out, but I had been SO excited for this volume that I wanted to try and give it a read anyway.
I like to come back to this volume again sometime and give it another go because I think I'll enjoy it more when I read it the second time!
November 11, 2025
Vol. 1 ★★★☆☆
Not as good as the first volume, but I still enjoyed it. It's both funny and sad that Hikaru is so down bad for Haruka while she's entirely clueless. However, I'm not feeling any chemistry between them so it's hard to say if I actually want to see them together. Previously, I was put off by Kurotaki because of his attitude towards Haruka, but the mangaka backtracked and made him a nuanced character instead so I'm curious as to how the story will unfold from now on.
Not as good as the first volume, but I still enjoyed it. It's both funny and sad that Hikaru is so down bad for Haruka while she's entirely clueless. However, I'm not feeling any chemistry between them so it's hard to say if I actually want to see them together. Previously, I was put off by Kurotaki because of his attitude towards Haruka, but the mangaka backtracked and made him a nuanced character instead so I'm curious as to how the story will unfold from now on.
July 12, 2025
Siento que progresa muy deprisa para lo que pide la historia pero estoy bastante picada así que seguiré leyendo
December 16, 2023
Rating: 4/5
So glad I came back for Volume 2! I adore the dynamic between Haruka and Hikaru (Nana vibes meets Princess Jellyfish). If they don't get together by the end, it'll be a wasted opportunity. A really sweet tribute to the process of discovering a love of fashion and makeup (the fear of a intense lipstick was so real).
So glad I came back for Volume 2! I adore the dynamic between Haruka and Hikaru (Nana vibes meets Princess Jellyfish). If they don't get together by the end, it'll be a wasted opportunity. A really sweet tribute to the process of discovering a love of fashion and makeup (the fear of a intense lipstick was so real).
July 27, 2023
4.5. Read Mark's review. 👍 Pretty much nails most of what I think.
This series has the best spin to it because you don't know who the lead male is supposed to be. Is it going to be a typical Shojo or Josei or whatever...no, we've already seen that in volume 1...but even if it follows that recipe, we don't know if it's co-workers to lovers or friends to lovers or...? After developments in this volume, one could question if Haruka is even the central lead. It might be Hikaru! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
But it is sweet and cute and these people mostly talk to each other and are honest with themselves. Mostly. Obviously there are secrets. Where else would the drama be? They're innocent, snarky, funny, and the life between the lines feels very true and real.
My only complaint is that the same voice is used for almost every character. 'Scuse me? Excuse you? Etc... I'd like for each character to have their own voice vs all talking the same. It seemed like Hikaru had a distinctive voice in volume 1 that gets splintered and shared here. Haruka's voice comes through her actions, which helps her own it better than the others.
This series has the best spin to it because you don't know who the lead male is supposed to be. Is it going to be a typical Shojo or Josei or whatever...no, we've already seen that in volume 1...but even if it follows that recipe, we don't know if it's co-workers to lovers or friends to lovers or...? After developments in this volume, one could question if Haruka is even the central lead. It might be Hikaru! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
But it is sweet and cute and these people mostly talk to each other and are honest with themselves. Mostly. Obviously there are secrets. Where else would the drama be? They're innocent, snarky, funny, and the life between the lines feels very true and real.
My only complaint is that the same voice is used for almost every character. 'Scuse me? Excuse you? Etc... I'd like for each character to have their own voice vs all talking the same. It seemed like Hikaru had a distinctive voice in volume 1 that gets splintered and shared here. Haruka's voice comes through her actions, which helps her own it better than the others.
July 11, 2025
4 stars. This one had my heart thumping a bit.
September 20, 2025
At this point I just want to make Hikaru, Haruka, and Kurotaki all sit down to watch Challengers together.
This one felt like filler, so we're staying with three stars. I did appreciate more of the delving into HIkaru and Kurotaki as they get more and more interested in Haruka, and how that interacted with their roles as men in romantic relationships. Hikaru stressing out about how their (mostly female! but there was that .5 dude! Hikaru confirmed bisexual? hey, it's enough to retain the tag) partners didn't outright share their unhappy feelings with them (very appropriate feminine behavior, in Japan) and so they felt like it was better to be solo, but then we see how openly and honestly Haruka communicates with them. I even liked the moment of insight into Kurotaki, who's mostly been a cipher at this point, and the way he turned down Haruka's confession "for now" because he's used to his looks and gregariousness giving an impression he can't live up to in a girl's mind, so he wants them to actually be friends first. It would feel like a brush-off with a lesser writer, but this mangaka excels in nuances.
It's interesting to see a shoujo title so invested in feminine performance also give some time to how men are expected to "perform," and allowing the male characters grace (). It's still not gripping me, per se, but these are quick reads and I like enough of what they're doing -- thus far -- to believe they might start wading into even deeper waters.
Again, we might not get there! I am a little too anti-capitalist for the "makeup makes everyone feel wonderful, it's all about loving yourself after all!!" aside to go down like anything but a ton of bricks, but that minor eyeroll aside... Again, I'm down for the celebration of performance, but please don't ask me to celebrate a billion-dollar industry that specifically encourages and then exploits unrealistic standards for profit. It works in the context of hearts-and-flowers-showers Shoujo World, but stuff like that makes me a little nervous for how this will evolve.
This one felt like filler, so we're staying with three stars. I did appreciate more of the delving into HIkaru and Kurotaki as they get more and more interested in Haruka, and how that interacted with their roles as men in romantic relationships. Hikaru stressing out about how their (mostly female! but there was that .5 dude! Hikaru confirmed bisexual? hey, it's enough to retain the tag) partners didn't outright share their unhappy feelings with them (very appropriate feminine behavior, in Japan) and so they felt like it was better to be solo, but then we see how openly and honestly Haruka communicates with them. I even liked the moment of insight into Kurotaki, who's mostly been a cipher at this point, and the way he turned down Haruka's confession "for now" because he's used to his looks and gregariousness giving an impression he can't live up to in a girl's mind, so he wants them to actually be friends first. It would feel like a brush-off with a lesser writer, but this mangaka excels in nuances.
It's interesting to see a shoujo title so invested in feminine performance also give some time to how men are expected to "perform," and allowing the male characters grace (). It's still not gripping me, per se, but these are quick reads and I like enough of what they're doing -- thus far -- to believe they might start wading into even deeper waters.
Again, we might not get there! I am a little too anti-capitalist for the "makeup makes everyone feel wonderful, it's all about loving yourself after all!!" aside to go down like anything but a ton of bricks, but that minor eyeroll aside... Again, I'm down for the celebration of performance, but please don't ask me to celebrate a billion-dollar industry that specifically encourages and then exploits unrealistic standards for profit. It works in the context of hearts-and-flowers-showers Shoujo World, but stuff like that makes me a little nervous for how this will evolve.
Read
June 14, 2025"Makeup, fashion.. I thought you used those to look prettier for others. That they were only good for getting praise. But that's not it at all, is it? You do it to build confidence. To show how brave you are. You do it to lift your own spirits. And I bet everyone does it to learn to love themselves."
Modern style Cinderella with zero royalty
Countryside girl in the big city
Hopes, dreams don't meet up with reality
Overwhelmed, lonely, overworked, homesick
Can't keep up with fashion, life cost, self-care (honestly, tho, if I'm working to sweat or end my shift smelling like food, I'm not wearing my nice clothes going to work)
College aged characters + part-time jobs
Hikaru, the tsundere cross-dressing fairy godmother
Disaster naive mc
Fashion & makeup
Haruka keeps being a mess and needing grumpy sharp-tongued Hikaru's help. Now I'm on Vol 2, I can say that I love how open-minded Haruka is. She accepts both the female-presenting and male-presenting versions of Hikaru without much fuss.
She really values his friendship and expertise, so much so she has come to rely on him for several things. To make it worse, Haruka's sincerity and liveliness is really getting to him and making him fall for her! She needs to stop saying such sweet things, because what is a fashionista fairy godmother about to do when he falls for Cinderella??
Kurotaki, the current love interest, just can't seem to win me over. He seems like a nice, friendly, laid back guy with a good disposition who comes of as honest due to how straightforward he is. But he also comes off as unreliable (being carefree may lead to that) and someone who is too friendly to everyone, without it meaning much. The kind of guy who's popular, but makes one question who does he truly cherish, and if can he be counted on to be there when needed—to remain constant? Only the future will tell.
Loveable art. I cannot emphasize enough how much joy looking at this book has brought me!! I was taken back to reading Marmalade Boy, and just looking at not only Wataru Yoshizumi's pretty art, but indulging in all the outfits! Hikaru's style is a feast for the eyes!
April 25, 2024
Thanks to Hikaru’s help in the first volume, Haruka is now prepared to confess her feelings to her crush Kurotaki… but that’s just the beginning of the fairytale, right? Because now there’s dating and getting to know each other and all the cute little things like remembering to do your makeup and learning to cook dinner for your boyfriend. All of that is part of the fairytale, so everything is going right for Haruka…
Read the full review at Well, Are They? A Queer Review Blog
https://wellarethey.blogspot.com/2024...
Read the full review at Well, Are They? A Queer Review Blog
https://wellarethey.blogspot.com/2024...
August 2, 2023
this is such a solid volume? i read the back cover and was like kurotaki who?? bc obviously when i am presented a crossdressing king i assume he will be the romantic lead and like. forget everyone else lolol but i legit like how haruka and kurotaki's relationship is being handled! they're refreshingly honest with each other. good people for hikaru to know given that he is taking the overcomplication route to this wonderful world we call feelings
4 stars
4 stars
March 5, 2024
I have a tendency to either binge manga or start and then never continue it. Moderation does not exist here.
Putting that aside, Haruka and Haruki have me smiling like a schoolgirl discovering a fandom for the first time. There is something so lovely and fun about this series. I also appreciate that they seem to actually act their age (well Haruka is an exception since she hasnt really experienced relationships much). As per usual, im a sucker for stories where the guy falls first 🥰🥰
Putting that aside, Haruka and Haruki have me smiling like a schoolgirl discovering a fandom for the first time. There is something so lovely and fun about this series. I also appreciate that they seem to actually act their age (well Haruka is an exception since she hasnt really experienced relationships much). As per usual, im a sucker for stories where the guy falls first 🥰🥰
July 15, 2025
It's interesting how much they're trying to set Kurotaki up as a good guy. I'm actually unsure if Hikaru even remotely has a chance here. FMC's personality traits still seem to be earnestness and low self esteem. I'm hoping, the more she learns from Hikaru, the more she grows in general. I'm rooting for Hikaru because I find him much more interesting than Mr. Plain Guy, but I'm not sure where this is going.
I love Hikaru though.
I love Hikaru though.
September 2, 2023
3/5 stars
Alright, unless next volume gets at least a 3.5, I'm dropping this one. I like that it has cross-dressing, and that the characters are college-aged, but the main character feels inauthentic/has her character traits overly forced, and the art is mediocre/inconsistent.
Alright, unless next volume gets at least a 3.5, I'm dropping this one. I like that it has cross-dressing, and that the characters are college-aged, but the main character feels inauthentic/has her character traits overly forced, and the art is mediocre/inconsistent.
September 14, 2023
"People who hurt others without meaning it are the worst." All of the characters in this series are so dumb! Even Hikaru only seems smart when he is a she. But I kind of can't wait to see what happens next. When does volume 3 come out?
July 14, 2024
Another great volume by Wakana Yanai! The art is so beautiful, and paired with a great story, it really shines! I read this one a while ago, but I still really like Hikaru's character in the story, and how much care is put into treating them as a person rather than a plot point or stereotype.
January 6, 2025
5/5 stars
Oh this got so much better this volume!! You can tell Hikaru is falling hard for Haruka and he really doesn't know what to do ♥️ the drunk scene while they were camping killed me! Love, love, love this series, will be buying the rest to binge read since it's completed
Oh this got so much better this volume!! You can tell Hikaru is falling hard for Haruka and he really doesn't know what to do ♥️ the drunk scene while they were camping killed me! Love, love, love this series, will be buying the rest to binge read since it's completed
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2023
Abandono, les il·lustracions molen, però els personatges i la història són un cagarro, un clixé infumable. El personatge del Hikaru tenia potencial si fos coherent amb ell mateix...
July 27, 2023
Another perfect volume! I literally can’t get enough of this series!
Read
August 22, 2023I know this won't end in a threesome, but I really wish it would.
September 18, 2023
The lack of direction is what made me rate it a 4 instead of a 5.
February 20, 2024
I didn’t think i would like this series so much!!
And still team Hikaru
And still team Hikaru
March 15, 2024
4.5 stars
Really loved this and the camping trip was really funny - especially that Kurotaki did not recongise Hikaru :D
Really loved this and the camping trip was really funny - especially that Kurotaki did not recongise Hikaru :D
April 22, 2024
this was cute
August 19, 2024
when a man tells you he's trash at relationships but doesn't say he has intention of fixing it? girl haruka you RUN. anyways still stanning hikaru, still finding this lovely
December 23, 2024
There are so many important points being made and discussed this volume and I'm really beginning to adore each character.
March 29, 2025
Loving the drama and deep life lessons. Wasn't sure about this series at first, much too shojo for my tastes .. but it's got me hooked now!
April 18, 2025
This is taking the expected turns, but I really enjoy the two leads so I'm continuing it!
June 13, 2025
great messaging, but I’m not feeling any sparks or flutters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews