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Book Review: Your Honest Deceit, Vol 2 by Sakufu Ajimine

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Your Honest Deceit, Vol 2         

Author: Sakufu Ajimine

Publisher: DramaQueen LLC

American release date: April 1, 2000

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Yaoi/200 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

 

Just when Kuze thinks he can relax because he has Kitahara all for himself, another rival rears his ugly head!  Tsutsumi is a former classmate who invites Kitahara out, gets him drunk and takes him back to his hotel room. When Kuze calls to see where he is, Tsutsumi gives the appearance that something is going on, to Kuze’s intense dismay. When he does get home, Kitahara explains that Tsutsumi was only teasing, but Kuze doesn’t quite see it that way.  Things go from bad to worse when Tsutsumi decides to drop in to the law office because he just has to see what Kuze looks like. And then he drops a hint of something about Kuze’s father! Will this be the straw that breaks the camel’s back?

In a side story, Kurosawa is faced with a dilemma when a client dumps a cat at the office and won’t come back to claim it. Someone has to take it in, but that’s not in Kurosawa’s  temperament to do so… or is it?

In another side story, a young man shows up at the law office demanding to see Kitahara. When he does, he disdainfully calls him a bear, which provokes Kuze to anger while Kitahara is dumbfounded.  After he leaves, Kitahara calls Tsutsumi to substantiate the young man’s claim. Turns out to be true – Yuki is Tsutsumi’s nephew. And he came to face Kitahara because he is jealous of his uncle’s interest in him. Turns out he has a crush on his uncle!

The last side story is The Covetous Man. Naoto and his older brother Niichan are very close. While most people despise their siblings hand-me-downs, Naoto lovesto have things that belonged to Niichan. He becaomes interested in anything that Niichan expresses an interest in, including his girlfriends. Niichan would laugh and say Naoto could have whatever it was. But then comes something that Naoto cannot find an interest in, or rather someone – Akihiro! After expressing his hatred of Akihiro to Niichan, he is shocked to learn that his brother dumped the other boy! Akihiro approaches Naoto and wants to know why he hates him. Can Naoto remedy the situation, and will he want to?

I love Kuze and Kitihara as a couple but after a while the constant vying with other men because they are going after Kitihara gets old. I would rather see them in other situations, including more work situations. Maybe even the courtroom. I know the series is over, but one can dream, right? As for the side stories, they’re okay. Kurosawa’s story is cute. Be aware of the uncle/nephew dynamic in that one, if incest bothers you, you should probably skip it. The brothers’ story is okay too. I would have liked more Kuze and Kitihara, though. All in all, a worthwhile read.

 

 

Book Review: Your Honest Deceit, Vol 1 by Sakufu Ajimine

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Your Honest Deceit, Vol 1   

Author: Sakufu Ajimine

Publisher: DramaQueen LLC

American release date: April 1, 2000

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Yaoi/200 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

 

While a law student, Kuze crushed on guest lecturer Kitahara. But the man was married, so he saw no future and no reason to attempt anything. Fast forward seven years. Kuze ends up working in Kitahara’s law office. He can’t help but notice the wedding ring is gone. Dare he hope? Kuze grows jealous when a friend from college, Asso, barges in on Kitahara-sensei whenever he wants, even though Asso was the one who introduced Kuze to the office. Another former classmate, Kurosawa, also works at the office, and drops the bombshell that Kitahara is getting back together with his wife. Kuze is beyond crushed! When Kuze blurts out his feelings to Kitahara, the older man has a lot to think about. He invites Kuze to dinner. Is it possible he could feel the same way, even though he’s never been interested in men before?

They begin a relationship, but it has its ups and downs, its misunderstandings, which are exacerbated when someone from Kuze’s past shows up.  Can they be professional at work and steamy at home, or will people suspect they are together?

Yuu had a crush on Konno, who was a teacher when he was in high school. But only for a year. Now they live together, and Yuu still calls him sensei, which Konno finds strange. Konno makes sure Yuu adheres to a strict schedule, which he tolerates. But what he doesn’t like is Konno’s obsession with cute things, particularly the stuffed rabbit he cuddles when he sleeps!  Yuu wishes it were him, but he can’t seem to do anything to change that, no matter how hard he tries. He’s afraid Konno sees him only as another cute thing, and not for himself.  It’s Yuu’s twentieth birthday and he wants to celebrate with Konno, so he hurries to where he works, only to find him with another man.  Even though Konno leaves with him and not the other man, Yuu is unhappy and accidentally slips up and calls him by his first name -Toru.  Konno is delighted and finds Yuu utterly cute, as always. When a large stuffed rabbit arrives at the apartment, Yuu is dismayed to find it’s for Toru from an old classmate. Yuu follows Toru when he goes to have dinner with the man. Why a gay bar? What’s the story here, and does Yuu have anything to be worried about?

I  really love Kuze and Kitahara and I especially love that she didn’t draw Kuze to resemble a child, as too many yaoi artists do. I like May-December romances also, perhaps because my crushes have generally been on older men.  But after a while the jealousy storyline gets old, to be honest. I liked the second story  too, and I’m glad their romance didn ‘t begin while Yuu was still in high school.  Good first volume, look forward to the second.