BL Library - College

Manga Review | Love Nest by Yuu Minaduki

Title: Love Nest

Author(s): Yuu Minaduki

Artist(s): Yuu Minaduki

This is the third series in a shared world created by Yuu Minaduki. It is recommended that you read the first and second entries before reading this one, as they share backgrounds and characters.

Masato treasures his days off, often working late hours during busy seasons at work. Unfortunately, the little peace he has at home is disrupted by his upstairs neighbors, who constantly stomp around and make noise. He escapes his home to drown his sorrows at his favorite bar, where he complains to one of his best friends, Naruse. Naruse pokes fun and comforts Masato at the same time but ultimately ends up making him an offer he can't refuse: to move into one of his houses. Masato is all about it and immediately cancels his lease.

Just as he expected, the house is phenomenal. It has the latest entertainment system, which tickles Masato's fancy. It's impeccably clean. But more important, there are no annoying neighbors. Masato is ready to enjoy his new digs when he's suddenly face-to-face with an unexpected person: Asahi. Asahi is an older man. He's dirty, inconsiderate, and constantly steals Masato's food. What Masato thought was heaven is suddenly hell. He has gone from shitty neighbors to a shitty roommate, and Masato can't wait to find another place so he can escape Asahi.

But as he compromises and grows to learn who Asahi truly is, he finds himself softening up to the older man. But Masato has been betrayed by a straight man before. Though his heart might want Asahi, Masato isn't so willing to let it guide him that way.

Title: Banana Scandal

Author(s): Dolsha

Artist(s): Dolsha

Dojin is a college student from Korea who is attending university in the States. He enjoys it, but it hasn't always been smooth sailing. Even though he's no longer in Korea, the experience of rumors and judgment is just as rampant in the tight-knit Korean community on his campus. Dojin does his best to stay out of the drama while still enjoying college life, but when his roommate Taehwan goes off to intern in Hong Kong, Dojin's peaceful college life is thrown into disarray as Taehee, Taehwan's younger brother, comes to stay in their apartment.

It's not so bad at first. Dojin has known Taehee since they were young, and despite being taller and a bit gloomier, he's still the introverted boy who loves cartoons for kids. Taehee, however, is no longer that innocent young boy. While Dojin is sleeping in their room, he happens to hear something odd. It doesn't take much to realize that Taehee is playing with himself behind Dojin's back. Dojin should be repulsed. He should get up and tell Taehee to get out.

But for some reason, all Dojin wants to do is see how Taehee looks in the throes of passion.

Title: OmegaComplex

Author(s): GHOST (Manhwa), Oneulbom

Artist(s): HAGONG

Yoonwoo Lee is your average, run-of-the-mill, beta college student… or so he's made everyone believe. Yoonwoo is actually an omega, and though there's nothing wrong with being an omega, Yoonwoo's first love and childhood friend, Taegyeom, was once assaulted by an omega during their time in grade school. As such, he ended up with an intense hatred for omegas. Thankfully, in their youth, Yoonwoo hadn't manifested yet, and he could be there for Taegyeom. But it wasn't long after that he ultimately manifested as an omega, and Yoonwoo made the painful decision to leave Taegyeom behind, pretending to be a beta so he never had to see Taegyeom hate him for something he couldn't control.

It's been years since they ran into one another, though not without great effort on Yoonwoo's side. Though they go to the same university, they've never met, as Yoonwoo even decided on a different major to ensure they never encountered one another. Unfortunately, despite Yoonwoo's careful planning, Taegyeom's department also shows up during a department meetup. Thankfully, Yoonwoo has done some additional planning. To hide his pheromones, he smokes pheromone cigarettes, which are made for betas who want to put out pheromones like alphas and omegas. This does seem to fool Taegyeom, but for how long? It seems Taegyeom has no intention of letting Yoonwoo escape him again.

However, while Yoonwoo's cigarettes might fool Taegyeom, they haven't fooled Yoonwoo's hoobae Dohyun, another alpha. Thankfully, Dohyun is willing to keep Yoonwoo's secret, but he wants Yoonwoo just as much as Taegyeom. Pitted between two alphas, can Yoonwoo keep his identity a secret? Or will he succumb to all the alpha pheromones surrounding him?

Title: Lover Boy

Author(s): ZEC

Artist(s): ZEC

Eunho has loved Jaeha since he was a child. They've known each other for the majority of Eunho's life, but Jaeha, being so much older, moves forward in life, leaving Eunho behind. Yet, no matter how far Jaeha goes, he always seems to find his way back to Eunho. Unfortunately, that changes when Jaeha announces he's getting married. As much as Eunho loves Jaeha, he accepts that they will never be together in the way he wants. So, he swallows his love and sadness and congratulates Jaeha.

Years later, Eunho is now in college, and though he's dated someone else, he still longs for the love that could never be with his childhood friend, Jaeha. By seemingly fate, they happen to run into each other. Jaeha is now running his own art studio, providing classes open to the public. But more importantly, he's now divorced. Eunho had to let Jaeha go before, but with this new opportunity before him, he has no intention of letting Jaeha pass him by. Jaeha, however, has had a turbulent past, and though he cares for Eunho, that care and love he has makes him afraid.

He's afraid of hurting the one most precious to him. Will Jaeha be able to find happiness? And can Eunho break through the cold walls Jaeha has built around himself?

Title: The Sweet Swindler

Author(s): Pppallet

Artist(s): Pppallet

Unyul, also known as Yul, is known as a standoffish asshole on campus. And this is not without purpose. Yul has experienced painful betrayal from his closest friends and confidants in the past, so much so that he was forced to drop out of his old college and transfer to his current one. So, to avoid getting too close to anyone, he acts in such a way that everyone despises him, and that works just fine for him. His only true friend is his roommate and fucky buddy Gongju. Unfortunately, Gongju is also a bit of an insufferable asshole, but that's why they get along so well. Plus, Gongju is very talented in bed, so they have a perfectly balanced relationship.

But while attending Gongju's gardening club, he meets a freshman named Seoha. Yul is instantly attracted to him, and though he knows this will likely end up in him getting hurt, he can't help trying to forge at least a friendship with the young man. It's a big surprise for Yul when Seoha begins to reciprocate his feelings. Yul sees this as his chance to finally be in a relationship with a kind and honest guy. But Gongju doesn't seem to be willing to end their situationship. Stuck between the man he's in love with and the man he loves to bed, Yul isn't sure he can choose.

And what Yul doesn't realize is that beneath all of the sweetness, there can be a sour center, just as there can be a sweet middle to a bitter treat.

Title: Love at First Bite

Author(s): Sakana Tojo

Artist(s): Sakana Tojo

Makoto just wants someone to love. As a closeted gay man, terrified to put himself out there, that seems like an impossibility. Still, he can't help but continue to want and dream. Makoto finds himself practicing saying ‘I love you' whenever he's alone to prepare himself for the day he meets the one. It's just another night in the park when he decides to practice again. Alone, he says the words out loud, but a small boy appears out of nowhere, silently watching. Embarrassed, Makoto is just about to question the boy, only for him to pass out.

In a panic, he takes the child home and nurses him back to health. But when the child finally wakes up, rather than answering any of Makoto's questions, the child's first words are ‘I love you.' And from there, the child tells Makoto to say the words again. A week passes by, and it's clear the child Makoto ‘saved' is not a human child. Really, he isn't a child at all anymore. He's now a full-grown man named Shiro — instead, he's a full-grown demon. Shiro is a demon who feeds on words, and his favorites are the happy and loving ones from Makoto. The two live together, with Shiro feeding on Makoto's words, often begging him to say his favorites, while Makoto tries his best to keep his distance.

Makoto isn't annoyed or disturbed by Shiro. It's quite the contrary. Makoto finds himself intensely attracted to the demon, and though the demon seems attracted to him in return, he just can't work up the nerve to confess his feelings.

Title: Business as Unusual

Author(s): LHYEON, Moscareto

Artist(s): DG

Minjun's life revolves around his office job. Even when he's off, he's often on the phone fielding inquiries and dealing with issues related to his job. All while he's working, though he puts on a pleasant and helpful front, he's constantly cursing and bemoaning his life. He longs to travel. He longs to do more. He longs to break out of this chaotic and busy hum-drum of a life. But right in the middle of his daily venting and daydreaming, he hears a strangely familiar voice nearby. As he nears, the voice reminds him of someone.

But it couldn't be, could it?

Minjun wanted a change in his life, but this was not what he was expecting.

As it turns out, the person he heard speaking was none other than his college ex-boyfriend Jinhwan. Seeing him again brings back so many sweet memories, but those memories are tainted by the cruel way Jinhwan indirectly ended things all those years ago. While Minjun is more than willing to ignore the past and do the bare minimum to keep the peace at work, Jinhwan doesn't seem to have the same plan. It looks like, just like in college, Jinhwan is all too happy to pursue Minjun despite their rocky past.

Their romance was snuffed out before it could really begin in their early twenties. What are the odds that they could do any better in their thirties?

Title: Shoot My Shot

Author(s): Solanine, Suhyeol

Artist(s): Hyangseol

Officer Jaehui Yoo lives in an extremely small town. While that means his work is relatively peaceful and easy, it has the negative effect of making it nearly impossible to find other gay men. Jaehui would love to get off with someone, but no matter how often he checks his dating apps, there just aren't any options in his small town. He's bemoaning his unfortunate situation when a whiny man is brought into the station. The man throws an absolute tantrum, claiming he doesn't remember where he lives as he's just moved into town. Jaehui approaches to help when the man stops, stunned. Instantly, the man claims Jaehui is the one for him.

The young man's name is Hoon Dokgo. And though Jaehui would love a bedmate, Hoon is a bit too obsessive for Jaehui's taste. But Hoon isn't dissuaded in the least. Every moment of every day, Hoon hunts Jaehui down, hangs around the police station, and declares that Jaehui is his. Unfortunately for Jaehui, this leads to multiple unwanted sexual encounters that he ends up enjoying. Hoon is packing, and while Jaehui may not be interested in the man, he's interested in what the man has to offer. Jaehui is determined to shake off this annoying fly of a man until it's revealed his father is none other than Police Commissioner Youngsik Dokgo.

He doesn't believe Hoon at first, but when they head to his father's house, he encounters not only the commissioner but also his own father. If things weren't already bad enough, it turns out Jaehui's father, Taeha, and Youngsik were lovers in college, and they've now found their way back to each other. So, now he's being pursued by what is the equivalent of his stepbrother? Will Jaehui ever find peace, or is he destined for this chaos for the rest of his life?

Title: Living With Him

Author(s): Toworu Miyata

Artist(s): Toworu Miyata

This review includes the bonus story Living With Him: Heating Up.

Ryota Natsukawa, now in college, is ready to start his new life of independence. Well, really, he's always been independent. While his mother often worked, Ryota, the oldest child, took on many home responsibilities, including caring for his younger sister. This has inadvertently made him the ideal homemaker, and while he doesn't have a problem taking care of the house and others around him, he's ready to focus on himself. Unfortunately, due to pressure from his mother, Ryota loses his chance to live alone and is forced to move in with his old childhood friend, Kazuhito Tanaka.

Ryota isn't looking forward to caring for someone else again but quickly falls into his homemaker and parental role. As they interact with each other in close quarters, Ryota realizes that Kazuhito is more than capable of taking care of himself and seems to want to take care of Ryota. Maybe this living arrangement isn't so bad? Even though Kazuhito is a great roommate and seemingly perfect in every way, he can't seem to keep a girlfriend. Thankful for how great of a roommate Kazuhito is, Ryota offers to fake date him to identify the issue. As expected, Kazuhito is an excellent partner, and Ryota finds himself falling for him.

They're great roommates. They're great fake boyfriends. But what if they were real boyfriends?

Title: Unromantic Romance

Author(s): Jeong Seokchan

Artist(s): Jeong Seokchan

In a world where omegas rule, Oh Hyeon-oh is a lowly alpha. He is a college student who often freelances as a reporter in his free time to pay his rent. Unfortunately, his articles are often overlooked, as he focuses heavily on small local news rather than news on the wealthy. His current article is on a cat killer, who he happened to get a picture of. Once again, his article is criticized for being far too local and small. Hyeon-oh is, of course, deflated. His sunbae at the news feels bad for him, and to help him catch some big fish, he gives Hyeon-oh his membership card to a famous lounge where the wealthy are known to let loose.

Hyeon-oh still isn't interested in the rich and famous, but he decides to check it out out of curiosity. Once there, he ends up alone with someone at the top of the food chain. It's none other than the CEO of Seonghwa, one of the most powerful omega in the country, Chu Ga-in. Ga-in is intrigued by Hyeon-oh, especially since the membership card is from one of Ga-in's closest associates. To Hyeon-oh's surprise, Ga-in ends up inviting him up to a hotel room, and Hyeon-oh, hopelessly smitten, agrees. But once they're in the room, Hyeon-oh is tied up and patted down, suspected of being someone trying to take down Ga-in and, in turn, Seonghwa.

All of the romance and attraction Hyeon-oh has for Ga-in evaporates, and he's instead in what he perceives as a fight for his life. Thankfully, Ga-in and his men don't find anything suspicious, but instead of being let go, Ga-in fully intends on still bedding the young alpha. This leads to one of the most intense and pleasurable sexual experiences either party has ever had. But when Hyeon-oh wakes up the next day to a pile of cash and no Ga-in in sight, he intends to take revenge for the slight (though he's also still intensely attracted to the aloof omega). All while Hyeon-oh is hunting down Ga-in, and Ga-in is failing to shake off Hyeon-oh's romantic and vengeful advances, Hyeon-oh's cat killer article is picking up steam.

And the killer is now hunting Hyeon-oh.

College

Manga Review | Love Nest by Yuu Minaduki

Manhwa Review | Banana Scandal by Dolsha

Manhwa Review | OmegaComplex by Oneulbom

Manhwa Review | Lover Boy by ZEC

Manhwa Review | The Sweet Swindler by Pppallet

Manga Review | Love at First Bite by Sakana Tojo

Manhwa Review | Business as Unusual by Moscareto

Manhwa Review | Shoot My Shot by Solanine and Suhyeol

Manga Review | Living With Him by Toworu Miyata

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