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Novel Review | Limerence by Jiang Zi Bei

Title: Limerence

Author(s): Jiang Zi Bei

Pei Ran and Luo Qingshan have been together since high school, three years and counting. Luo Qingshan is extroverted and overly affectionate, while Pei Ran is the opposite, more shy and reserved, and has mysophobia, making him averse to most of Luo Qingshan’s affections. This often leads to them disagreeing or Luo Qingshan pleading and begging Pei Ran to relent, but they are otherwise comfortable. However, Pei Ran will give in as much as possible when Luo Qingshan’s birthday comes around.

As much as he hates it, he goes out to a karaoke place with Luo Qingshan, along with a group of his friends. Everyone is drinking and smoking, two things Pei Ran has trouble being around. Another person who happens to be there is Su Nian, Luo Qingshan’s close friend, who is more forward and affectionate with Luo Qingshan than Pei Ran would like. After a lot of drinking, Luo Qingshan heads to the bathroom. After a while, Pei Ran checks on him, only to find him and Su Nian kissing outside the bathroom.

Stunned, Pei Ran isn’t sure what to do until Luo Qingshan’s roommate Yan Zhun comes by and gets Pei Ran out of there. Comforted by Yan Zhun, Pei Ran spares no time to gather all of Luo Qingshan’s things and break up with him the next time they meet. Luo Qingshan isn’t ready to give up just yet, going out of his way to get close to Pei Ran and beg for his forgiveness. Pei Ran holds firm, thanks in part to the friendship he’s found in Yan Zhun, but it isn’t long before Yan Zhun makes it clear: he likes Pei Ran more than a friend.

Fresh out of a painful breakup, with an ex still hot on his heels and a love rival in Su Nian who bad-mouthes him any chance he gets, can Pei Ran find it in himself to fall for someone else? Or has the well of love been poisoned for good?

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Manga Review | Discover My Secret by Gesshi Natsumura

Title: Discover My Secret

Author(s): Gesshi Natsumura

Artist(s): Gesshi Natsumura

Takumi and Akihiro (Aki, for short) have been good friends for a long time. When they found out they would go to the same college following high school, it was an easy decision for them to move in together. As they expected, their lives as roommates go super smoothly. They share responsibilities, take turns fixing dinner for each other, and are just overall glad to spend time together. Aki loves this setup, though it is a bit painful, as it’s a stark reminder that this is as far as their relationship can go. Aki has been secretly harboring an unrequited love for Takumi for as long as he can remember. Aki is supposedly fine with their friendship, happy to just be close to Takumi and live this platonic domestic lifestyle with his best friend.

That is until his birthday. Aki has finally reached the age where he can drink, and his friends, Takumi included, take him to a bar where he tries as many drinks as possible. By the time the day is done and they’ve opened all the gifts, Aki is completely sloshed. Takumi takes Aki home and tries to put him to bed, but in his drunken state, Aki can’t hold back his feelings anymore. As Takumi gets close, Aki kisses Takumi, leaving him stunned. Will their relationship be able to survive this sudden revelation? Or has Aki’s drunken honesty ruined their friendship forever?

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Manhwa Review | Wonna Do It?! by Cho Sangduck

Title: Wonna Do It?!

Author(s): Cho Sangduck

Artist(s): Cho Sangduck

Won is going to a gay bar, but not because he’s gay. One of his gay friends has been harassed by another patron, one that many refer to as “wacko” due to his aggressive attempts at seduction and his strange eyes. Won is going as a sort of bodyguard, though he hopes to maybe pick up any women hanging around there, too. That quickly goes out the window when he meets the person he is supposed to guard against: Hong Yun.

Unfortunately for Won, Hong Yun’s attention goes from the friend he was meant to protect to Won himself. Yun wants to bed Won, and he refuses to take no for an answer. Won would love nothing more than to just leave the bar and never look back, but he made a promise to his friend that he intends to keep. Yun takes full advantage, talking Won into drink after drink until Won blacks out.

Much to his horror, by the time Won comes to, he’s in bed with none other than Yun. Won has no intention of going along with Yun and intends to leave, but Won is much stronger than Yun. What’s worse is Yun’s way with words, which tear down Won until he can’t help but prove Yun wrong, even if that means playing right into Yun’s hands.

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Manga Review | Anti-Platonic by Yupopo Orishima

Title: Anti-Platonic

Author(s): Yupopo Orishima

Artist(s): Yupopo Orishima

Anti-Platonic

Ryoya is a player, and that is putting it mildly. He lives his life by the crotch of his pants, jumping from bed to bed and, in turn, wallet to wallet to keep himself fed and housed. His current favorite is his roommate Io, this cold and quiet guy with a strange fetish: for scent. Io likes Ryoya’s scent, and he presumably likes Ryoya’s body, which leads to Io allowing Ryoya to move in with him. They spend their nights romping around in bed before going their separate ways in the morning; Ryoya often goes to his other lovers while Io goes to class.

It’s a playboy’s dream, but for some reason, Ryoya can’t shake his discomfort over Io’s lack of interest in him. With so many other lovers clambering for Ryoya’s attention, why can’t he get Io’s? More importantly, why does Ryoya care so much about the introverted Io?

The Demon’s Definitely Lovesick

Rintaro is a sixteen-year-old boy with the weight of his family on his shoulders. Unfortunately, after his father passed, his mother was left to feed herself and Rintaro alone. Then, she fell sick, leaving Rintaro to take on the mantle of the breadwinner for his small family. Rintaro doesn’t complain, fishing every day to feed his mother and get money from the market in his village. Things are going well, but he hears whispers of bigger and better fish to be found in the forest, but there are legends of a fox demon in those woods who eats those that dare travel into his territory.

While Rintaro is just as frightened as everyone else, the chance at a large haul is just too alluring. Of course, while fishing, Rintaro comes face to face with the fox demon, Shiranui. Rather than eating him up, Shiranui gives Rintaro a fish and asks the boy to never return. Rather than heed the fox demon’s warning, Rintaro is only encouraged to return, determined to return Shiranui’s kindness. All the while, whispers continue to swirl, with the village prepared to rid themselves of the demon altogether if need be.

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Manhwa Review | Placebo – Short Story Edition by Cuke Soap

Title: Placebo - Short Story Edition

Author(s): Cuke Soap

Artist(s): Cuke Soap

Woo-yeon and Woo-jin are step-brothers and have been since they were young. For the same length of time, they have also had a vitriolic relationship, with Woo-yeon vehemently bullying and mocking Woo-jin any chance he gets. This never dissuaded Woo-jin, who stayed right by Woo-yeon’s side, no matter how cruel he might be. Woo-yeon revels in Woo-jin’s loyalty, taking every opportunity to pick on Woo-jin.

Woo-yeon doesn’t realize that Woo-jin has developed the power of hypnosis and has been using his power to control and dominate Woo-yeon. When Woo-jin finally holds the reins, Woo-yeon will receive every ounce of punishment he has earned over the years. But it isn’t in private. It will be in front of the two people he would never want to be seen by: their parents.

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Manhwa Review | Love for Sale by Dal HyeonJi

Title: Love for Sale

Author(s): Dal HyeonJi

Artist(s): Dal HyeonJi

Namwoo is struggling. He’s broke 90% of the time, working all day every day when he isn’t in class, and trying to keep it all under wraps from his sister, who desperately wants to help, but who he doesn’t want to burden if he can help it. So he suffers in silence, living day by day as best he can on convenience store food in his shoebox apartment. The silence doesn’t last for long, though, when all of his stress and desperation come to a head after a night of drinking. While trying to treat his coworker to a coffee for covering for him at work, he can’t even afford the coffee. He breaks down right on the spot, crying and wailing no matter who might hear.

As it happens, a kind older man passes by, helps pay for Namwoo’s goods, and tries to slip away, only for a drunken Namwoo to follow him out. That man feels compelled to help Namwoo get home, but in Namwoo’s drunken stupor, he demands money from the older man. The man placates Namwoo, withdrawing that money, which is hardly enough to cover a month of Namwoo’s expenses, and Namwoo, forgetting he had even asked for it, assumes that the man is giving him money for sex. So the moment they get back to Namwoo’s apartment, he jumps on the man.

The following day, horrified by his actions and the fact that he’s essentially stolen money from a stranger, Namwoo is prepared to go to jail when he meets the stranger. As it turns out, the man is Si-eon, CEO of a publishing company, and rather than being disturbed or offended by Namwoo’s drunken antics, he’s intrigued. Still, Namwoo wants to pay the man back, but Si-eon refuses, offering a different solution. Si-eon wants to date Namwoo and shower him with all the money he can desire.

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Manga Review | I Found A Cute Earthling So I Asked Him To Mate With Me by Takashi Takahashi

Title: I Found A Cute Earthling So I Asked Him To Mate With Me

Author(s): Takashi Takahashi

Artist(s): Takashi Takahashi

Sora is a college student. He desperately wants to get a job involving astronomy, but he finds that no one takes astronomy as seriously as he does, isolating him from his peers on campus. He’s lonely but not lonely enough to align himself with people who aren’t as serious as he is. He’s bemoaning his solitary life away from family and with no friends in a park when an odd man suddenly approaches him. He’s not just odd, but he’s also completely nude. He introduces himself as Regulus, an alien prince, and he has come to Earth with the intention of mating with Sora.

Sora is flabbergasted and just looking for any way to escape. But, unfortunately, he doesn’t get the chance. As soon as he goes to make a run for it, some questionably located tentacles shoot out from Regulus and capture Sora. From there, Sora is mercilessly fondled and assaulted until he passes out from pleasure. The next time he wakes up, Sora finds himself back at home with a now-clothed Regulus having moved himself in. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that Regulus intends to give up, and Sora, a virgin, isn’t sure how he feels about all of Regulus’s poking and prodding.

While he’s sure now that Regulus isn’t from Earth, that doesn’t make Sora any more willing to carry a child for him. Can Regulus change Sora’s mind? Or will his perceived romance remain among the stars?

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Manga Review | I Love my Best Friend by Washio Tobi

Title: I Love my Best Friend

Author(s): Washio Tobi

Artist(s): Washio Tobi

Yoichi has been in love with Shige for as long as he can remember. Shige was the first person he came out to in high school, and though Shige was accepting and Yoichi also planned on confessing his feelings at the same time, Shige also made it clear he didn’t understand why a man would love another man. Knowing that confessing to Shige would probably mean the end of their relationship, Yoichi buries his love. If he can’t be with Shige romantically, he at least wants to maintain their friendship. It’s painful, but being with Shige any way Yoichi can is worth it.

But his efforts are dashed when Shige approaches him with an odd request: “Let me eat your dick.” Apparently, after suddenly noticing the man in the porn he was watching, he wondered if the woman actually enjoyed giving oral sex or not. Wanting to see for himself if it’s as enjoyable as it seems, Shige wants to try it out on the only person he believes he can trust and who might enjoy it: Yoichi. To say Yoichi is shocked would be an understatement. He’s so shocked that he can’t resist when Shige goes on with his plan.

After all is said and done, can Yoichi continue to be friends with Shige? Or has this physical relationship gone one step too far? One thing’s for sure: No matter how hard he’s tried, his love for Shige has never been buried.

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Manga Review | Stained with Snow White’s Poison by Ship Hita

Title: Stained with Snow White's Poison

Author(s): Ship Hita

Artist(s): Ship Hita

Takumi is a college student. He hasn’t had much success with dating, often putting his partner’s wants above his own, only for them to assume he doesn’t care for them since he isn’t jealous and doesn’t ask anything of them. Disillusioned with what love means, he settles into the monotony of college life and hopes to one day understand. He has the perfect opportunity when he catches sight of the famous Mimori twins on campus, a set of fraternal boy and girl twins that look nearly identical. The sister is adorable, of course, but Takumi is drawn to the brother, Yukiya.

Yukiya is cold and gloomy, but Takumi can’t help but be interested in him. After being paired up to work on a project in their class, Takumi finally has the opportunity to get closer to the cold Yukiya. But, as it turns out, Yukiya isn’t cold or gloomy but shy, considerate, and kind, with a deep love for his sister. Unfortunately, it also turns out that Yukiya has a crush on an older man with whom he has a physical relationship, but nothing official. Takumi longs to take that man’s place in Yukiya’s life, but Takumi worries he won’t be able to show him the love and care he needs.

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Manhwa Review | Tiger Lily by Nire

Title: Tiger Lily

Author(s): Nire

Artist(s): Nire

Yoon lives a hard life. His mother despises his existence after his father died in a car accident while getting his birthday cake when Yoon was a child. His brother mercilessly bullied him before going missing, which their mother blames Yoon for since it occurred when he moved out. Plus, he has to take a leave of absence from college to work, save up, and pay his tuition. Yeah, life can’t get much worse. He thinks so until he encounters a mysterious man named Jay.

As it turns out, Jay is a tiger goblin. This creature hunts humans, stealing their vitality until they are no more. Once consumed, their souls become tied to the tiger goblin, enslaved, and forced to bring new sacrifices in exchange for their freedom to the afterlife. As it turns out, Yoon’s missing brother was Jay’s previous victim, and the person his brother chose for his freedom is Yoon. He thought he could escape his brother’s torment when he left home, but even in the afterlife, his brother wants nothing more than to torture Yoon.

The only thing keeping Yoon alive is that humans are best consumed at the peak of happiness. While Yoon is anything but happy, Jay is determined to make him the most delectable prey possible before consuming him whole. Unfortunately, it seems Yoon doesn’t have a single wish in the world, and as such, Jay can’t make Yoon happy. So, without any other course of action, Jay decides to go down the one path he thinks can brighten up Yoon’s lonely life: pretend to love him.

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