When a white lie tears apart two high school friends, the two boys will have to confront their past in order to repair their future in this moving, dramatic, BL one-shot, perfect for fans of My Summer of You, Seven Days, or I Hear the Sunspot.
Is it ever too late to make up for a lie? Or can the opportunity be swept away, like white clouds across a blue summer sky?
It’s been seven years since Hozumi left the island town he grew up on, leaving behind not only the seaside, but also Mishima–his close friend and first love from high school. The two haven’t spoken since Hozumi turned Mishima down when he rejected him and lied about his own feelings, so when Hozumi returns for his high school reunion, he wants nothing more than to make amends with Mishima–a task easier said than done. In their years apart, Mishima has distanced himself from not only Hozumi, but everyone in the entire town, choosing to live alone in the lighthouse his grandfather used to tend to. Will Hozumi finally be able to break down Mishima’s walls, clear the air between them, and finally confess his true feelings, or are the two fated to be separated from one another? Source
Thanks to Netgalley
I was granted access to this manga via Netgalley. There, I found it searching for a quick, enjoyable read and browsing through Graphic Novels and alike. The cover and the synopsis, as much as the tag LGBTQ+ intrigued me and I immediately started reading. I did not expect this story to go into depth as a manga can only convey that many pictures and emotions. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the story—especially the bonus material, which was less toxic than the main story.
Hozumi and Mishima have been befriended in high school—even more than that. But their relationship ended abruptly, when Hozumi told Mishima he lied about his feelings for him. Years later, he tries to make up for his lie about lying and wants to admit his feelings to the other. Unfortunately, Mishima does not want to listen. I enjoyed their reunion and their discussion of earlier events and conversations. Nonetheless, I found Hozumi’s actions rough and presumptuous. The story for me lacked from not including their backstory in the main part. Only with the bonus material could I grasp Mishima’s shyness and reserve, which I felt Hozumi to disrespect in the present.
The illustration of this story is beautiful and could convey the protagonists’ emotions. Solely the problems mentioned above could not be resolved for me through their portrayal on the page. The story is barely featuring any other characters than those two. Thus, we grow really close to them and their emotions and thoughts. I enjoyed spending a bit of time with them but would not unconditionally recommend this manga. Some interactions unfortunately seemed toxic to me and gave the final chapter (bonus) a bittersweet aftertaste.
