BL Library - Senpai x Kouhai / Sunbae x Hoobae / Qianbei x Houbei

Manhwa Review | Anemone Theater by Zoy

80s Style and 80s Bigotry

Title: Anemone Theater

Author(s): Zoy

Artist(s): NOK_HAE

Title: Rix Vanus

Author(s): Chanseong

Artist(s): Chanseong

The royal family’s third child, second son, Rix Vanus, has just returned home after defeating the demon king, a monstrous demon who had been consuming human hearts to gain power. The people celebrate him as a hero, but those nobles who hoped he would die quietly return to plotting how best to remove him from power. Rix isn’t worried about trying to survive, though. After killing the demon king, Rix was cursed with dreams full of sexual assault and rape at the hands of his closest friends and family. He’s grown weak, trying his best to avoid sleep, and the dreams are beginning to mix with reality, causing him to avoid and rebuff any support from those he holds dear. Rix is ready to run off and either find a cure or die trying, but while sleeping in the woods, he encounters a glowing wolf that makes all terrible dreams disappear.

When he wakes up, he reencounters the wolf. The wolf explains that he is a divine beast named Nuah, and he has the ability to stave off the curse for a period of time. But the only way to do it is if Nuah has sex with Rix. Rix is not keen on that idea; sex is no longer a pleasurable experience after the endless nights of rape-filled dreams. Still, Rix is desperate, and he ends up agreeing. As Nuah promised, the dreams stop for a time, but only for a while. He still has to find a cure, and with Nuah by his side, it seems like it might be a real possibility. In exchange, all Nuah wants is to see a festival. Rix finds Nuah to be silly and not all that divine for a divine beast, but over time, those are the things he falls in love with.

But love could never happen between a divine beast and a human. At least, that’s what Rix believes. Nuah, though, is under no assumptions about who can or can’t fall in love.

Title: Subscribers Only

Author(s): Just / Junggak

Artist(s): Just / Junggak

1st Couple (Seasons 1 and 2)

Hanseok Choi is a workaholic. He spends every waking and even sleeping moment in the office, leaving him no time for his personal life. His friend, and coworker, is determined to help Hanseok relax a bit, so he shows him an anonymous online account that posts solo porn. The man is exactly Hanseok’s type, and soon, when he isn’t working, Hanseok finds himself checking up on the man known as mil_tea. But his attention is soon diverted elsewhere once more when a new hire, Doyoon, starts at work, and by happenstance, Hanseok catches sight of a tattoo that mil_tea also has.

2nd Couple (Seasons 3 and 4)

Chakyeong Shin is known as Valenti online, a popular cammer. While playing on camera, Valenti often listens to someone he calls Threesome, though whose actual username is Story Awesome. Story Awesome’s voice sends Chakyeong right into bliss, and many times, he hunts for partners solely based on how closely they can mimic his voice. But when he’s not having fun on camera, he’s renowned interior designer Chakyeong Shin, and for a time, he plans on teaching a class at his old college. While in the middle of class, he sees a beefcake. This man is exactly Chakyeong’s type, named Woojin, and judging by the books hanging out of his bag, he’s a big fan of Chakyeong’s work.

He’d love to leverage that and get the burly student into his bed, but he realizes this fan behavior is a two-way street when he hears him speak. Woojin is a fan of Chakyeong. But Chakyeong is also a fan of Woojin, who is none other than Story Awesome himself.

Title: Fox-Colored Jealousy

Author(s): Machi Suehiro

Artist(s): Machi Suehiro

Akiha has never been able to live the average life of a child, a teenager, and not even a college student. Unfortunately, his family line has been cursed by a fox spirit. The fox spirit waits until Akiha’s heart is weak, usually when he is scared, angry, or feeling some other intense emotion, and then takes over his body. This leads to many situations where Akiha “awakens” in a place he doesn’t recognize or outside, having ruined someone’s garden. Akiha is completely aware of what is happening when the fox takes over, but he has no control until the fox lets him go.

But maybe more troubling than the possession, the fox almost always manifests ears and a tail, which makes it impossible to go out in public without exposing his secret. As a last-ditch effort, Akiha signs up for a college in the city where his distant relatives live and manage a shrine. There, he hopes they will be able to help exorcise or at least put a leash on the fox spirit inside of him. On the way there, he ends up being groped on the train. Worried he might expose the fox if he reacts, Akiha is at a loss of what to do until an attractive stranger rescues him.

As it turns out, the stranger is his cousin, and while he isn’t the sibling who’s a priest, he does seem to have some control over animals. Perhaps he’ll be the one who can help Akiha control the beast inside him. Regardless, the fox does seem to be attracted to him for some reason.

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: 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: Change World

Author(s): Yuu Minaduki

Artist(s): Yuu Minaduki

The sequel to Sayonara Game.

Ito and Arimura are in love and happy together. Their work often keeps them apart, but they find even the briefest moments to meet up and enjoy each other’s company. Arimura wants more time with Ito and wants to move in together, but Ito isn’t ready. Secretly, Ito takes cooking classes, tries to get over his hatred for peppers, and just generally tries to better himself so he can be confident in his ability to be a good partner for Arimura before they move in together. Everything is going well for the most part except for one thing: Ito’s coworker.

Hozumi is way more touchy-feely than Ito would prefer, and he seems to have an intense fixation on him. Thankfully, Ito can ignore him for the most part until he and Arimura run into him outside of work. As it turns out, Hozumi knew Arimura in college, and after seeing Arimura and Ito interacting (and specifically seeing how Ito lends his precious engraved pen to Arimura), Hozumi puts two and two together. He knows Ito and Arimura are an item. When he’s alone with Ito next, he lets Ito know that he is gay, too, and though he’s sure Arimura and Ito are happy right now, he has no doubt that Arimura will leave Ito for a woman sooner or later. So, he feels that Ito should be with him instead.

Ito is sure Arimura wouldn’t do that to him, but when Hozumi tells Arimura what he told Ito, Arimura begins to spiral. Arimura is terrified that Ito will believe Hozumi, and he feels he might be unable to prove his love to Ito. This insecurity builds and builds to the point that their once peaceful relationship threatens to crumble. Meanwhile, Ito is presented with an opportunity to work in the United States for a few years. So, even if they survive this tumultuous time, could their relationship survive the long distance?

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: Sayonara Game

Author(s): Yuu Minaduki

Artist(s): Yuu Minaduki

This is the 1st entry in a shared world created by Yuu Minaduki. Each entry or series is self-contained but it’s recommended to be read in order for the best experience.

Arimura Ikuo adores his younger sister and wants what’s best for her. As the college exams near, he’s determined to ensure she has the best chance at getting into the college of her dreams. Unfortunately, his plans go awry when his high school kohai, who has been tutoring his sister, has to bow out. Thankfully, the friend has another mutual classmate he offers to tutor her in his stead. He is Yosuke Ito, another of Arimura’s kohai who also played on their high school baseball team. While Arimura fondly recalls much of his high school baseball career, he doesn’t remember Yosuke, but that doesn’t matter all that much. As long as Yosuke can help his sister study, he’s happy with almost anyone.

Yosuke is a bit standoffish and quiet but is otherwise acceptable. With his sister squared away, Arimura can focus on his own issue: his work crush. Arimura is popular and successful at his job, but he’s not all that confident when it comes to romance. So, when he finds out the object of his affection is being pursued by the chief at work, he encourages her to be with his rival rather than try and fight for her. Though it was his decision, he’s heartbroken and bemoans his poor luck in finding love. As it turns out, Yosuke happens to be at his house, and he has been most days as he helps Arimura’s sister prep for exams. But Arimura also notices Yosuke’s attention is often on Arimura himself. And, in turn, Arimura finds himself watching Yosuke. The tension is high, and Arimura soon realizes this is another crush.

Unfortunately, his rival in love this time is his very own sister. His sister has been doing her best to seduce Yosuke, and though Arimura isn’t willing to give his sister over to someone, he also finds himself not wanting to give Yosuke up to anyone, either. Can Arimura stop his self-sabotaging ways, or will he say ‘sayonara’ to another potential partner?

Title: Your Eyes, My Words

Author(s): Morphish

Artist(s): Morphish

Hwane has lived his whole life quietly, following what was expected of him. In high school, he was exceedingly studious and a thorough monitor for rule breakers. He never spoke out or shared much about himself, even to those he considered his closest friends. That is until he met Jinha. Jinha, a troublemaker and Hwane’s underclassman did everything he could to evade Hwane, but Hwane, the ever-diligent monitor, did everything he could to catch him. One of Jinha’s best methods was suddenly kissing Hwane, leaving him stunned just long enough for Jinha to get away.

This game of cat and mouse goes on for days. Hwane catches up to Jinha, only for Jinha to kiss him. Then, the day comes when Hwane corners Jinha in the stairwell. Jinha goes in to kiss him, and Hwane closes his eyes, only for the kiss to never come. When Hwane opens his eyes, he finds Jinha staring at him. It’s then they both realize that they enjoy the kissing more than the chase, and so begins a ritual of meeting before class, kissing, and then going their separate ways. This went on and on all the way until Jinha found a girlfriend, and Hwane graduated.

It was a time of fleeting moments, but Hwane never forgot Jinha. No matter how many partners he had after, none of them could compare to his first tenuous romance. All of these memories and feelings come rushing back up to the surface as, while getting fitted for a custom suit, he runs into Jinha once again. They’re both adults. They never really had a relationship. Yet, the moment they meet again, they are drawn to one another, both seeking to relive that youthful attraction from their pasts.

Senpai x Kouhai / Sunbae x Hoobae / Qianbei x Houbei

Manhwa Review | Rix Vanus by Chanseong

Manhwa Review | Subscribers Only by Just

Manga Review | Fox-Colored Jealousy by Machi Suehiro

Manhwa Review | OmegaComplex by Oneulbom

Manhwa Review | The Sweet Swindler by Pppallet

Manga Review | Change World by Yuu Minaduki

Manhwa Review | Shoot My Shot by Solanine and Suhyeol

Manga Review | Sayonara Game by Yuu Minaduki

Manhwa Review | Your Eyes, My Words by Morphish

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