Drama Mitai na Koi Janakute mo – Suzuki Hako

Despite his popularity with guys, Sudou Ginji, a gay writer never had a serious partner and only has had ONSs and FWBs.Now that he is almost 30, he’s determined to retire from his playboy lifestyle and find someone to have a serious relationship. However, one night, his roommate Minamoto Chihiro, whom he thought to be straight asked advice on how to be skilled in gay s**?! Things should’ve gone well if he just gave what the other person expected from him, but somehow it didn’t go that smoothly.

A writer who wants to stop being a playboy x the older roommate who would like to give away his virginity. An awkward love story of a guy in his 30s with no skills when it comes to romance!

You know how sometimes an MM romance novel borrows from BL manga? Well, this BL manga felt a lot like a contemporary MM romance book.

Even If It’s Not a Dramatic Love is a younger seme, older uke, first-time gay romance between roommates Ginji, a writer, and the older Chihiro, currently on unpaid leave. After learning that Ginji is gay, Chihiro asked the more experienced younger man to teach him gay sex.

As these things usually go, the more they practice, the more their feelings start to become apparent. And so their relationship went from purely physical to complicated to desperate.

In keeping with the title, this manga is deeply rooted in everyday life. The vibe is serious, peppered with humor and derpy expressions. We see the usual BL tropes and stereotypical characters, but the execution felt somewhat realistic.

For one, Ginji is openly gay, and the opening scene is him in bed with one of his FWB. Then we see him pensively going about his life, tired of hookups and wanting a lasting relationship. He’s described by the mangaka as serious but flirty.

Chihiro is excitable and earnest, an older man who wants to explore his sexuality, but his initial forays were disasters. As a result, sex was a sensitive topic for him, so it was a relief to find an experienced partner patient enough to teach him.

The MCs talked about what sex and intimacy mean to them until miscommunication throws a wedge between them. We’re not without drama because we get a fabulous confession scene at the bar!

This is a story of two people figuring out what they want. It’s simple and low-key; its charm lies in the MCs’ dynamics, and the endearing way their connection evolved from practice to absolutely feeling it!

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