First love’s fruits don’t come easy because you’re scared.
Konoe in the west and Kazuki in the east, both separated from each other by a river. The two families are in the real estate business, making them rivals, with Masaya and Yuma the third generation of this rivalry. This being BL, I’m sure it’s rather obvious where this rivalry is headed.
The back of the book said a little something about Romeo and Juliet, so I was a bit disappointed when I realized that this story was nowhere near that level of drama. (It’s not the publisher’s fault, though; Romeo and Juliet are actually mentioned within the story as part of a comparison.) Just because it doesn’t have deadly feuding doesn’t mean that it’s a lighthearted schoolboy story, however. Masaya continually angsts over his relationship with Yuma, as well he should seeing as how Yuma does almost nothing to alleviate his fears. Yuma isn’t a complete ass, though. He does have his sweet moments; they just seem to pale in comparison to all the moments when he acts like an unfeeling jerk.
“You Can’t Call it Love”, the second and shorter story of this graphic novel features a teenage boy turned stalker. It’s not a sweet BL story about a pretty boy too shy to confess his feelings to another pretty boy and so he follows him instead; it’s about a pretty boy with an unhealthy obsession, a genuine stalker. As the title says, it’s not love, so if it’s a love story fantasy you’re after, this isn’t it. If it’s smut you’re after, this isn’t it either. If a slightly disturbing story about how a boy can take admiration a bit too far is what you’re after, though, you’ve found it.
Makoto Tateno draws some of the prettiest BL, and even though this is one of her earliest works, it’s no exception. The chins are a little too long and pointy, but hair flows beautifully, the eyes are full of different lights and shades, the faces show great levels of emotion, and soft screen tones on every page add to the atmosphere.