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This manga starts out so promising, with Ayaka trying to show off to her senpai at work, Hiroko. As of chapter seven, though, I find myself quite displeased with the progress of the story.

Each chapter has Ayaka *flaunting* herself to Hiroko, and sometimes even drunkenly confessing to her. However, Hiroko, herself a lesbian, keeps turning her down because she believes Ayaka to be a "straight" girl. The first two times, it is kind of understandable, I suppose. After a certain karaoke incident and tearful confession on Ayaka's part, it really began to get old. I understand this may be a form of "comedy" or "gag," ... but it comes across as just painful.

The sad thing is, the characters and art are quite good!! Hiroko is so cool, and Ayaka is incredibly cute, especially when flustered!! Risa, Ayaka's coworker, is also quite interesting: in the seventh chapter admitting (to herself, at the least) that she holds an unrequited love for Ayaka, thus explaining some of her characterization earlier on. Yet I cannot forgive the flippancy toward Ayaka's love; perhaps if we did not have Ayaka's viewpoint, it would be easier to do so? Seeing everything from Hiroko's side, it may just come across as overly flirtatious with no backing.

So, I am a trans woman. I was interested in this because the synopsis made it seem as if Gin would come to terms with himself as trans after meeting many other LGBTQ+ people. That is not the case.

I shall start by making note of the author: a cishet man who had no experience with or knowledge about anything LGBTQ+ prior to this title (save for erotic works). For a manga that tries its hardest to be positive to the community, it really falls short. Half-baked explanations, negative character depictions, etc....it is quite obvious the author is out of his element.

The main plot point ... in this series is that Gin, a crossdressing man (who is so femme-passing that only the singular trans character clocks him), is found out by an upperclassman from college, who happens to be a lesbian. At that point, I still had hope...but then that upperclassman begins blackmailing Gin to get close to a guy, which all boils down to her resentment over the fact that her former lover is pining for that same guy.

Stories like this are all well and good, but of the five main characters — Gin, Seiji, Sumon, Nakamachi, and Ogura, four of who are self-styled "sexual minorities": Seiji is gay, Sumon is a trans man, Nakamachi (the previously mentioned blackmailer) is a lesbian, and though she never outright states it, Ogura is bi / pan — the only "good" people are Gin and Sumon. The other three are depicted as emotionally unstable and / or manipulative, along with committing some form of sexual harassment on Gin.

All that to say: in a story that fancies itself "pro-LGBTQ+", it is difficult to take seriously when the majority of the LGBTQ+ cast is written so horribly.

So, I am a gay woman. The series was just bad, but then we get the whole homophobia diatribe. Instantly dropped it to a one. Absolute garbage / a complete waste of time.

I mean, at this point, we should not be forgiving such blatantly homophobic media. It further reinforces the prejudice against those who identify with LGBTQ+ or any other non-cishet identity.

Seriously, "legalize gay marriage before you start coming after me," is as close as you can get to outright homophobia without incriminating yourself. Of course, it is presented as some centrist / moderate stance, but it really is not. After venting about ... gay people who claim discrimination not being discriminated against because...well, there really is no good reason.

AND that Yuri believes that, rather than gay people being minorities / discriminated against, it is HER being discriminated because she BELIEVES IN GOD!? Garbage beliefs and terrible storytelling, unless you WANT your characters to be hated.