Betting on love.
Creative Staff
Story: Venio Tachibana
Art: Rihito Takarai
Translation/Adaptation: Adrienne Beck
What They Say
The rules were clear: they could date for a week. But someone forgot to tell love!
On a whim, high school third-year Yuzuru Shino asks out first-year Toji Seryo, who is notorious for being a weeklong lover—he’ll date the first girl to ask him out Monday morning and then promptly dump her by the following Monday! The boys start dating, and by Tuesday, the first inklings of attraction hit. Can Seryo put words to his feelings before Monday comes, or are old dating habits too hard to break?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
A rumor has floated around school that Seryo will accept the first confession he receives on Monday. He’ll date that girl for only one week and dump her by the end of that week. Shino, curious about the rumor, randomly tries his luck with Seryo, and to his surprise, Seryo agreed to date him. When sparks to start, it turns out that Seryo has a convoluted relationship with his older brother’s girlfriend, whose name is also Shino. Feelings of jealousy and insecurity arise, which lends to kisses being shared and emotions heightened. Both are sure that their feelings will not be reciprocated at the end of the given time period. Love prevails and the Seryo no longer accepts any new confessions on Monday.
In Summary:
This BL story is a perfect story to introduce people to. Why? It’s a very simple, slice-of-life romance story. It has enough story turns and twists to create interest, but it isn’t so complicated that it would people who are not used to the genre be turned off. Of course, someone would have to be open to the genre before even reading the story, but for those that are willing, it’s a great gateway into the BL world.
Personally, I enjoy this story very much. I like how this coming-to-age story unfolds. The art is good, and the idea of a love born out of a whim grows and blossoms. I don’t ready many mangas repetitively, but this one I’ve picked up and enjoyed each time.
This manga was originally published in 2007, but it has been a fan favorite ever since. The first English release was by Juné in two volumes. Sublime picked up the license and did a beautiful job publishing the omnibus with color inserts at the beginning and creating a fresh and new package for collectors and both new and old fans alike. This is Rihito Takarai’s initial work, and she has since gone on to be most known for her series Ten Count. There is also a live-action adaptation of this manga.
Content Grade: A
Art Grade: B+
Packaging Grade: B+
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: Teen
Released By: Sublime (Viz Media)
Release Date: December 10, 2019
MSRP: $16.99
