I'll preface by saying this is my first foray into manga. Its the story of high school sweehearts Hozumi and Mishima. When Hozumi leaves for college, he breaks Mishima's heart by saying he's never really loved him. Seven years later, Hozumi is back in their small island home and is determined to reconnect with Mishima, who has reclused himself in his grandfather's lighthouse.
I found the artwork beautiful but the story was lacking drama and resolved fairly quickly. I enjoyed how it went back and forth between their high school years and the present. And while the characters lacked significant depth, I still found myself rooting for them to end up together. I also liked that their queerness was accepted and not a plot point in the book.
Overall, it was a fun, quick read to start my year.
*****
I received this eARC from @netgalley and publisher @Kodansha_Comics_usa in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly , it was cute bl romance . Dont regret reading it. Second chance romance after being seperated after seven years. I love it. But , would it was a bit longer so the characters can be more developed .

This was a really cute bl manga! It is a second chance romance, set seven years after a lie broke up the two boys in high school. The story was sweet, and it is a standalone, which means you can read the whole story in one sitting, which I did. I would have liked if the story was a little longer, so we could delve more into the two characters and their motivations. But overall, a sweet, charming love story.

Absolutely gorgeous cover!!!! And while I did like this manga, the ending felt a bit too soon for me. I wanted a bit more closure.

Hozumi and Mishima dated in secret in high school. Hozumi broke up with Mishima with a lie, when he returns seven years later he tries to heal their past. It’s only a few chapters and shows them returning to one another, healing from their past, communicating, and I loved that. But as I said above it just ended too abruptly for me. The ending was sweet though. Fans of mangas and second chance romances will undoubtedly like this one!!

Overall this was an okay story! I didn't expect this to be a Yaoi, I thought it was just a BL, so as an Ace that wasn't the best surprise. I enjoyed the parts of the story set when they're in high school, it is pretty wholesome, but the stuff set in the present just wasn't my cup of tea. If you are looking for a Yaoi with a wholesome story, this is for you, but unfortunately the story was not for me. Had the primary focus been on character development and the more emotional parts of the relationship and not the physical, I believe it could have improved the story significantly!