#yamato kumai

[gabrielokun]

[annachu-cannot-write]

on the spur of the moment

[published on archive 7/11 2023]

[a restart after come back home fanfic, mitsuomi/yamato, 1293 words]

Two months after their trip to Tokyo, Mitsuomi and Yamato face a problem... coming out.

It happened on the spur of the moment. 

… Or maybe not exactly on the spur of the moment. 

Mitsuomi and Yamato had been dating for a little over two months and the subject of coming out had crept its way into both of their minds. 

While Yamato accepted the idea, saying he mostly wanted to let his grandpa know because he didn't think he could hide it for much longer, Mitsuomi dreaded it. His parents weren't exactly the most open minded people, and he didn't even want to begin to think of how his father would react. He just knew he might have to run off to Tokyo again if they ever found out. 

One afternoon, when they had just finished working in the greenhouses, Yamato took Mitsuomi aside with a concerned look on his face. 

"Hey Mitsuomi, I've been thinking - isn't it best if we just tell him soon?" 

Mitsuomi sighed and looked to the side. 

"I don't know… I've already told you I'm not comfortable with it yet."

"You don't have to worry, grandpa likes you! I'm sure he'll have a positive reaction."

"But what if he doesn't? I might never be able to step foot here again… And I'm worried about you, you know! What if he throws you out, where are you gonna go then?" 

Yamato seemed to hesitate a little before he said, quietly 

"He wouldn't." 

Mitsuomi sighed again, then grabbed Yamato's both arms. 

"I know you just want to let him know, and I wish I could tell you it's going to be alright - But truth be told, I'm scared… for the both of us."

Before Yamato could reply however, a voice called out to them from the distance. 

"What are you guys doing out in the cold still? Come in and have a bath!" 

~

A week later and they still hadn't told Yamato's grandpa. Mitsuomi watched as Yamato worked in the greenhouses, and noticed how he fidgeted with his overall, an anxious energy radiating from him, and Mitsuomi felt guilty. He knew that a part of it was his fault - if only he could just find some courage again… resigning from his old job had been one thing. 

Sighing, he looked away from Yamato, and continued on with his work. 

Later that same day, after Yamato had insisted on delivering the fresh produce to the local store on his own, Mitsuomi found himself sitting by the kotatsu with old Kumai, wondering what he would talk about. 

He didn't need to think on it very long though, before the old man looked at him with contemplating eyes. 

"Yamato has been acting a bit strange lately, hasn't he, Mitsuomi? It's not like him at all - I do wonder if anything has happened." 

Feeling a bit awkward, Mitsuomi fidgeted on the spot and looked down. What would he say? 

"He's probably still digesting everything he learnt in Tokyo." 

It wasn't a very good answer, Mitsuomi thought, so he looked down again, not wanting to meet the older man's eyes. 

"Hm, he seemed fine when you two came back…." 

That was true. Even though Yamato had had a rough time learning about his parents, the moment they had stepped on to the train station back home, it had been like Yamato could breath fresh air again. He had been more than fine at the time. 

But now… 

Perhaps it was best to let grandpa know, after all, Mitsuomi thought, as he watched the old man retire into his bedroom. 

With that thought still on his mind, he walked out of the house only to see Yamato pulling up. 

As soon as Yamato had jumped out of the car and closed the door shut, Mitsuomi walked up to him and gave him a hug. 

"Mitsuomi?" 

"Let's tell grandpa." 

~

The following day went by so fast, with everything that had to be done, that by the time they stopped working, both of them had forgotten all about what Mitsuomi had said the day before. 

Gathering the last of the boxes that would be washed, Mitsuomi and Yamato were just about to leave the greenhouses when grandpa came in, holding a broomstick in his hand. 

"Another hard day's work, huh."

He chuckled at the sight of the two men in front of him. 

"You two better hang in there though, you're the only one's I've got." 

Then he started to sweep the floor in front of them. 

Mitsuomi remembered then, very suddenly, what he wanted to do, and without thinking about it too much, he cleared his throat and said 

"Yamato and I are going out." 

Yamato turned to face Mitsuomi, his eyes wide. 

Old Kumai had stopped sweeping the floor, and was looking up at them with an expression Mitsuomi couldn't quite read. 

"We are dating." 

Mitsuomi grabbed Yamato's hand and smiled gently at him. Whatever was going to happen, they were going to go through it together. 

Neither of them could have expected what actually happened however. There was no yelling or cursing or name calling, like in Mitsuomi's worst dreams, instead grandpa only started smiling widely at them, and was soon laughing heartily. 

"Is that why you have looked so anxious lately, Yamato? My dear boy, have you been worried about how I might react?" 

Mitsuomi and Yamato both let out a sigh of relief. 

"To be honest, grandpa- Mitsuomi started -it's me who's been more worried about your reaction. Yamato just wanted to tell you, but I think me being scared held him off." 

Yamato continued 

"The real reason why I've been so anxious is because I've been torn between wanting to tell you, and wanting to respect Mitsuomi. I didn't know for how much longer I could go on hiding this from you without accidentally saying something, and by doing so, risk hurting Mitsuomi."

Grandpa smiled once again, before bringing them both in for a big hug. 

"You two don't need to worry so much." 

After a little while he loosened his grip on them, but let his hands stay on their shoulders. 

"Besides,- he looked both of them in the eyes with a raised eyebrow -I started suspecting something was going on between you long ago."

Both Mitsuomi and Yamato's eyes widened, and in chorus, they exclaimed 

"EH?!" 

Old Kumai just started to laugh again, loudly. 

"You didn't think these eyes would miss the way you looked at each other, did you? No, I notice more than you think, I'll have you know!" 

Mitsuomi and Yamato couldn't help the chuckles that escaped them. 

"That being said, Mitsuomi,- grandpa suddenly stopped laughing and brought up his broomstick right in front of Mitsuomi -if you ever try and do anything to Yamato, I'll know, and!- grandpa brought the broomstick even closer to Mitsuomi's face -I won't go easy on you." 

Horrified, Yamato yelled at his grandpa to stop and to lower his broomstick, while Mitsuomi looked extremely offended. 

"I would never! - Hey, quit that!" 

Old Kumai had started hitting Mitsuomi on the head with the broomstick. 

Yamato cried out "Grandpa! Stop it!" 

He looked even more horrified than before, and he tried his best to take the broomstick away, but his grandpa's grip was firm. 

Then all of a sudden, the old man stopped beating Mitsuomi with his broomstick and said 

"I wasn't hitting you that hard, you beansprout." 

And just like that, he left the greenhouses, once more laughing very loudly and very heartily. 

"There he goes again, calling me beansprout… grandpa really is mean to me.- He brought up his hand to brush off dirt from his hair -and why was he hitting me for?!" 

Yamato tried to hold back his laughter at this, but failed. 

"It was a bit funny actually." 

Mitsuomi just gaped at him. 

[twig-tea]

10[ish] BL Boys People I Want Carnally

Tagged by @bengiyo who knows I am bad at short lists but also went over 10 on his own list, so everyone should just...not count as you scroll lol. Also warning that in the spirit of this tag game I am probably thirstier here than I've ever been on this site so if that isn't your jam, just scroll along!

BL characters who I absolutely Would, if given a chance (no homewrecking, we're playing by the rules of no-strings-no-relationship-just-getting-wrecked).

Mawin (Ingredients the Series)

Is it cheating to choose a character who basically is Jeff Satur? Maybe. But he's a musician with strong hands and emo hair and I am weak.

Dr. Jedi (Oxygen the Series)

I know we all blocked the doctor subplot from our minds. But this man was quiet, caring, and thirsting for years, he's got some pent-up aggression to get out and I volunteer as tribute. Also he's both extremely competent and a sad boi, two qualities I find very attractive. And that spiky hair is begging to be pulled.

Choi Yu Na (Semantic Error)

While the boys were running around being their messy selves, Yu Na was being a calm, competent, bisexual queen. The embodiment of "do I want to do her or be her", but in this case the answer is definitely both. Guh. I legitimately can't sentence when she's on the screen.

Gumpa (Not Me the series)

This show is of course filled with attractive men. But only one of them has built a found family and resistance group in his garage and was the only one who knew White wasn't Black, and look we've already established that competence is a kink of mine.

Namo (Not Me the series)

Ok but also Namo was smart enough to Not Get Involved, and she was artistic, and also gave off a kind of sad boi energy, and goddd her style in this. She wouldn't even need to do anything except let me worship her, I would do all the work.

Naruse Ryu (Ossan's Love: In the Sky)

Controversial but NGL one of the troubles I had with this AU S2 was that Naruse was so attractive I just wanted him to get laid and be happy. He's a competent, beautiful, confident, slightly bratty sad boi who isn't afraid to put you where he wants you; we could have fun.

YoonWon (The Eighth Sense)

This woman holds together the whole swim club, casually drinks everyone under the table, and gets her man, all while taking absolutely nothing seriously for most of the show. She can get me first.

Tua Phee (Dear Doctor, I'm Coming For Soul)

Tall, brooding, competent, caring, sad boi....clearly I have a type. Plus, he literally disappears, guaranteeing no complications.

In (180 Degrees Longitude)

OK YES I SEE A THEME [Note: Wang could also get it but I don't know if I could match his energy. In, on the other hand, this man looks like he jackhammers until you're done and then stares at a wall].

Yamato Kumai (Restart Tadaima no Ato De)

Please, no wonder Mitsuomi saw him and immediately latched on like a limpet. He's just the right amount of listless that he'd be down for whatever, but not enough that he wouldn't get into it.

Maya (Laws of Attraction)

The choice between Rose and Maya was EXCRUCIATING but while both could step on me, Maya would also let me step on them and I am nothing if not verse. Also the tattoos! And again do I need to repeat: Musicians have strong fingers.

Sunny (Our Dating Sim)

Extremely queer-coded, quiet, competent, tall, sad boi energy, would definitely tell me what she wants and expect that I meet her standards.

Kim (Diary of Tootsies)

NGL I love Natty in this show but she got elbowed out of the way by this man. We know from the show he has game, and we've already established I'm here for verse behaviour. Let's all ignore that he also has floppy hair.

Jay (Discipline Z: Vampire)

This was a close call with Ji Han (tall, floppy dark hair, sad boi, competent, we all know the drill by now) but in my heart of hearts honesty, when I think of Jay in her giant boots and her hacking skills I drool a little.

Daisy (Secret Crush on You)

I admit I don't usually prefer the 'innocence ready to be moulded' as a thing, but Daisy walks that confident/lack of confidence line so well that I think once they were comfortable we'd have fun and they could use me for practice all they want. [This is one in particular where I would 100% be down for a threesome. These two would not let you feel like a third wheel!]

Nawin (Laws of Attraction)

This is the man who defies all my rules and in breaking them is extremely hot. He's unhinged. He's massively entitled. He's baby. He's exactly the type to get obsessed after a one night stand. He's not particularly effective. AND YET. When he runs on screen covered in blood, wearing bloody knuckles, with a massive dorky grin on his face? Everything in me said IN ME (at least he has floppy hair, I am still predictable in one way).

ALRIGHT I'M STOPPING THERE.

tagging @wen-kexing-apologist @sorry-bonebag; @sparklyeyedhimbo; @respectthepetty; @isaksbestpillow; @slayerkitty; @wanderlust-in-my-soul

[bl-bam-beyond]

RESTART AFTER COME BACK HOME (2020, JAPAN)

Kozuka Mitsuomi (FURUKAWA YUKI) comes homes after 10 years and quitting his job due to his a**hole boss and meets farmboy Kumai Yamato (RYUSEI RYO)

Becoming fast friends and working together bring the two closer and Mitsuomi develops feelings for Yamato. Confessing them while on a trip together to discover Yamato's beginnings as a child abandoned on a park bench.

Yamato at first seemingly afraid to love asks for time. But in a moment of happiness Yamato kisses Mitsuomi.

[benkyoutobentou]

What I’ve Been Enjoying Lately - Japanese Media Update

As I said in my last post, I started posting these because I was struggling to find something to watch, and I wanted to help others with similar problems by sharing a bit about the media I’ve been consuming. So let’s get into it!

📚 Books:

美少年探偵団　－　西尾維新: This novel follows Doujima Mayumi as she consults her middle school’s secretive club - the Pretty Boy Detective Club - to help her find something she lost in her childhood. For a book for and about middle schoolers, this one surprised me in lots of ways. Firstly with how difficult it was language-wise and secondly with how much I enjoyed it regardless. The characters are a hoot and the plot will certainly keep you guessing (especially if you’re like me, and struggled understanding everything). I would recommend this for more advanced learners or those who want a challenge, but it’s probably not the best confidence booster book.

コンビニ人間　ー　村田紗耶香: This novel is about a woman who works at a convenience store. Its a literary novel that deals a lot with what is expected from a working adult in Japan, especially when someone has no desire to climb the corporate ladder, so to speak. For such a simple premise, this book is massively intriguing. Also, for a book that doesn’t have (or need) a villain character, this has one of the most despicable characters I’ve ever read, and one thing that really makes this character so viscerally creepy is the fact that people like this exist.

リスタートはただいまのあとで　ー　ココミ: This is a manga series with just two volumes that stole my heart. It follows 25 year old Kozuka Mitsuomi who has just returned home to his small town after losing his job in Tokyo. Back home, he meets Kumai Yamato, and their relationship blossoms from there. The sequel, リスタートはおなかをすかせて, revisits the two characters four years later. First of all, I always love seeing romance manga following characters older than high school age, but this series really shines even without that. It’s extremely sweet and I love the way it depicts an adult character who has failed and needs a reset. The characters also speak in a dialect in this one, but I find the language to be fairly middle-of-the-road for me personally, not a breeze to read but not frustratingly difficult.

光が死んだ夏　－　モクモクれん: This manga follows Yoshiki, a high school boy whose childhood friend, Hikaru, went missing in the woods six months prior. About a week after Hikaru goes missing, he returns. However, Yoshiki notices that the Hikaru who came back is not the same Hikaru that left. This manga is a horror BL that absolutely stole my heart, even though it only has two volumes out right now, it’s my favorite manga series! The atmosphere is fantastic, the characters are wonderful, and the relationship between Yoshiki and Hikaru is going in a completely different direction than I expected, but I adore the way it’s unfolding. The language in this one isn’t too difficult, but it takes place in the countryside, meaning that the characters do speak in dialect.

🎞️ Shows and Movies:

サイダーのように言葉が湧き上が���: This anime movie, available on Netflix, was a very cute watch. It follows an outgoing girl, Smile, who wears a mask to hide her teeth, and a shy boy, Cherry, who uses haiku to express himself, as they meet in a chance encounter and spend the summer together helping an old man find past memories. This is quite a simple movie that has very straight forward and easy to understand dialogue. Again, it’s cute, but that’s about it. The art is unique and very pretty, though!

プリンセスチュチュ: This is an older shoujo anime that follows a duck named Ahiru who wants to be human so that she can dance ballet. She is transformed into the magical Princess Tutu in order to collect pieces of a prince’s heart. I’ve been watching this without subtitles so it’s more difficult for me than if I just looked for some captions, but I’m challenging myself, and the language itself doesn’t seem to be all that difficult. This anime is super cute and the soundtrack is fantastic. I especially love it as a classically trained oboist, I’m sure any ballet or classical music fan could appreciate the ballet-inspired plot and soundtrack.

💻 YouTube channels:

【 公式】窪田等の世界 : A channel where classic short stories from Japanese literature are read aloud. I’ve been listening to these on my walks and loving it. My favorite so far has been 走れメロス！

茅ケ崎みなみ : A travel vlog type channel. I love her camping vlogs, they’re so relaxing to watch and make me want to get out in nature. She is also very upbeat and is always happy in her videos. I love this channel, it’s become one of my Japanese YouTube staples

梶裕貴 : Yep, the voice actor Kaji Yuki’s YouTube channel. Lots of his content is Let’s Play type videos, and his (hilarious) playthroughs of ときめきメモリアル get me through doing dishes.

🎧 Music:

グレープフルーツジュース - domico

サイダー - もさを

Habit - SEKAI NO OWARI

ロックスターの憧れて - cocoro auction

[aficionliteraria]

Restart After Coming Back Home por Cocomi (2021)

Sinopsis

El impetuoso Kozuka Mitsuomi dejó su hogar en el campo para llevar una vida sofisticada en Tokio. Desafortunadamente, a los 25 años, lo despiden de su trabajo y regresa a casa avergonzado. Mientras intenta rescubrirse a sí mismo, conoce a Kumai Yamato, un hombre de aproximadamente su edad que fue adoptado en su comunidad mientras Mitsuomi estaba fuera. El dulce y ecuánime Yamato oculta su propio dolor y, cuando los dos hombres se conectan, comienzan un viaje juntos.

Comentarios

Cuando me regalaron este libro me dijeron que era un Heartstopper Japonés pero con adultos y no se equivocaron. No diré más porque quiero que les tome por sorpresa igual que a mi. Así que si te gusta Heartstopper, Bloom o My Brothers Husband estoy segura de que te va a gustar.

Pd. Ya me compré el segundo volumen 😭♥...

[betterbooksandthings]

"Restart After Coming Back Home by Cocomi

I quickly fell in love with this soft, slow, and deeply sincere BL manga that contemplates how you can reorient your life in your early adulthood. Kozuka Mitsuomi returns to his countryside home after his Tokyo job fires him at 25. While rediscovering who he is and what he wants outside a big city life and the big salaried job to go with it, he meets his new neighbor Kumai Yamato. As the friendly golden retriever of a neighbor quickly enmeshes himself in surly Mitsuomi’s life, he begins to realize there is more to the adopted farmer, Yamato, than meets the eye. Together, they might just learn how to grow into adulthood. 

—R. Nassor"

[blmpff]

Hi, what's your 30 favorite Asian BL characters from dramas or series you've watched? (if you have that many)

Hi Nonnie, sorry it took 84 000 years. Idk if they are The Favoritest, I just selected them scrolling down my Watched tab on mdl:

Lee DoHan, Phee, Aob, Yai, Pasin, Sunshine, Chun SangWon, Park TaeWoo, Pennueng, Boston, Yoo JooHyuk, Im HanTae, Cha(r)n, Songpol, Saengthian, Tane, Pu YiYong, Uea, Kim DongHee, Shin KiTae, Moon DongEun, LiMing, Joe, Kim JunWan, Shen Yi, Han JiWoo, Milk, Chu SangWoo, Choi YuNa, Yeon ShiEun, Kumai Yamato, Nozue, Hsia YuHao, Amber, Sun, Hyeong DaUn, Seo MoonJo, Vee and Yok

[sachnow]

Khởi Đầu Mới Là Trở Về Nhà Sinh ra và lớn lên ở vùng quê nghèo hẻo lánh, Kozuka Mitsuomi sau đó đã lên Tokyo học cấp ba và làm việc tại nơi đây. Tuy nhiên cuộc sống đô thị chẳng dễ dàng chút nào. Cậu bị đuổi việc và đành quay trở về quê hương sau 10 năm xa cách. Mười năm, làng quê của cậu vẫn như xưa, thứ duy nhất thay đổi chính là cuộc gặp gỡ với Yamato, cậu bạn đồng niên và là con nuôi của ông Kumai hàng xóm. Một câu chuyện ấm áp giữa một chàng trai mang một mặc cảm khi bị đuổi việc và người bạn có nụ cười hồn nhiên, vô tư, giọng nói dịu dàng, tấm lòng nhân ái … “Nè … tại sao lúc ấy cậu lại hôn tui?”

[lyssafreyguy]

bl manga (these are gonna be less descriptive not because i don't like them but because it's been a good while since i read them. i've been on that yuri grind.):

Restart After Coming Back Home and its sequel Restart After Growing Hungry is about Kozuka Mitsuomi, who left his small country town to live out in Tokyo only for him to move back home after being fired from his job. there he meets Kumai Yamato, who was sort of adopted into the town's community in the meantime, and they form a bond and eventually fall in love.

i think if you've been on LGBT anime tumblr long enough then you probably already know about I Think My Son Is Gay, but in case you don't: this is a super cute slice of life manga about Tomoko, a mom and housewife who suspects her oldest son Hiroko is gay and ponders on how to best support him all without forcibly outing him to her before he feels ready. completed at 5 volumes all released in English.

I'm Kinda Chubby and I'm Your Hero is about Ponjirou, who deals with insecurity over his weight and how that could affect his dream to become a professional actor; and Konnosuke, a pastry chef who happened upon one of Ponjirou's plays by chance and ends up instantly becoming his biggest supporter. the two of them meet after Konnosuke sends him a fan package with some sweets and become close. very short at just 2 volumes released in English.

My Brother's Husband is about single father Yaichi, who takes in his recently deceased twin brother's husband Mike Flanagan into his home and their attempts to bond and understand each other. completed at 2 volumes released in English.

Until I Meet My Husband is the manga adaptation of an essay collection under the same name, originally written by gay activist Ryousuke Nanasaki, about the hardships he faced as a gay man in Japan leading up to him meeting his husband and becoming one of the first religiously recognized same-sex marriages in the country in October 2016. oneshot.

i've really been wanting to talk about the LGBT manga that i own and i was gonna wait until next June but honestly i really don't wanna so what if i just talked about them now? how do we feel about that?

[theweebwithgoldenhands]

A beautiful love story to soften your heart (○｀ 3′○)

RESTART AFTER COMING BACK HOME (Romance/Slice of life) 2020 – Film

Japanese BL

Note: 10/10

At what point do we really question our lives? When do we really reconsider our choices even though we have held on to them for so long? At what point do we ask ourselves if we have not taken the wrong path all along? We are always surprised to find ourselves faced with all these questions and this seemingly unattainable quest, just as Mitsuomi was when he suddenly left his job in a regular office on a whim.

Having left for Tokyo ten years earlier, on bad terms with his parents, Mitsuomi finds it very difficult to come to terms with his sudden return to the countryside. His meeting with Yamato, the adopted son of a village grandfather, saves him from this state of uncertainty. Rediscovering the harshness of country life in a new light, the presence of the young boy with his cheerful and dynamic character will gradually help him to regain a taste for life.

Accompanying Mitsuomi in her rediscovery of the value of life and what really matters, of the meaning to be given to it, and of the link that unites her to the world, Yamato will also make his own internal journey to discover love. Deprived of parental love as a child, his meeting with the Tokyoite will confront him with difficulty he thought insurmountable: to love someone and to live this love fully. If the path is difficult, he will face it courageously, driven by his desire to share his life with Mistuomi.

A story that is both very gentle in its narration and very profound in its message, Restart after coming back home is a jewel box of tenderness consumed without moderation. It will make you navigate between forgiveness and learning about oneself, emotions, and others while rocking you with its pleasant implicity that makes you feel the emotions of its characters with intensity without ever really putting words to them. A flight above the clouds that we all need!

[gabrielokun]

[moedits]

✩ KUMAI YAMATO 𓂃 like or reblog if you use

[tanenigiri]

Review #18 - Restart After Growing Hungry

Japanese title: リスタートはおなかをすかせて (Restart wa Onaka o Sukasete)

Story and art: Cocomi

English publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment

Number of volumes: 2 (complete)

Highlighting the importance of clarity.

(This review contains story spoilers.)

There’s a certain charm to Restart After Coming Back Home that makes it such a good manga to reread. I think a lot of its appeal comes from its unique vibe, brought about by its rural setting and relatively older characters compared to most other series I’ve covered for this project - both leads are in their mid-20s. Sure, its plotline may not be groundbreaking, but it presents it in a very well-thought-out way that it’s still able to deliver something quite deep.

So I had high expectations going into Restart After Growing Hungry, which takes place around three years after the end of the first volume’s main story. While I do prefer the first volume, I do think this sequel maintains a lot of the unique charms of the series and manages to add even more depth to its two leads. It also unexpectedly builds on an almost offhand remark that Mitsuomi makes in the bonus chapter of Restart After Coming Back Home - he says that even if he and Yamato had been together for three years by that point, they haven’t actually put a label on their relationship, but they’ve managed to stay by each other’s side anyway.

This turns out to be one of the major running threads of this volume, with both Mitsuomi and Yamato being unsure of what exactly both of them share. It’s made complicated when Mitsuomi’s mother brings up the partnership system that would give their relationship a sense of formality, though it wouldn’t give them the same benefits as a marriage. This alludes to a real-life system for LGBT couples that’s become more common across Japan throughout the years - here’s the Wikipedia article on it if you want to find out more.

With this theme in play, it’s no accident that the volume begins with an actual marriage - that of Harada, Yamato’s high school friend, with his longtime girlfriend. I really like how this volume evolved Harada’s character, as right off the bat, Mitsuomi says that while they still get on each other’s nerves, Harada has become part of his and Yamato’s “support system.” And true enough, when someone at the wedding is about to bring up the rumors about Mitsuomi and Yamato that are circulating around the town, Harada is quick to divert the topic, as he knows that neither of his friends are quite ready to tackle those rumors just yet. (Mitsuomi does make a remark that if they do address it, it would’ve taken away the spotlight from Harada on his own wedding, but I think even he believes that Harada has less selfish reasons for doing what he did.)

But when Mitsuomi brings up the idea of the partnership system to Yamato later in the story, he’s surprised to hear that Yamato doesn’t think it’s necessary, but not in the sense that he was angry that he thought the idea was rubbish - Mitsuomi himself says right after that he had the same reaction as Yamato when his mother told him about the system. It’s not outright explained until much later on in the story, but I think as early as this point, he recognizes that Yamato has built yet another wall between them because of this, and it’s exacerbated by how Mitsuomi himself is confused about it. The partnership system would’ve given them something solid to define their relationship, and Yamato dismissing it gives Mitsuomi the impression that he didn’t want the relationship to be defined - and a confrontation later on gives Mitsuomi the worry that Yamato didn’t want the relationship, period.

I think it’s a fantastic take on the “misunderstanding” plotline that seems to make its way in a lot of the series I’m covering for this project, as the misunderstanding runs a lot deeper than “they aren’t talking about it properly” because Mitsuomi and Yamato themselves haven’t really found the right words to voice out what it is they actually want to say. Mitsuomi wants to have a concrete definition of their relationship, but he doesn’t know what their relationship actually is - or, rather, what it means to him and Yamato both individually and as a couple.

Meanwhile, Yamato wants to tell Mitsuomi that he loves him, as he’s revealed to not have been able to vocalize that in the four years they’ve been together, but he’s not sure if he can actually back up the gravity of those words because of all the uncertainty in the air. And it’s exacerbated by the introduction of two minor characters from Mitsuomi’s past - Ochi, an old classmate who they run into in the wedding and again in Mitsuomi’s job, and Higuchi, a former workmate who’s introduced as a sort-of mentor figure for Mitsuomi in his previous job.

On my first read, I thought the story dwelled a bit too long on these two characters - though it did give us some really nice scenes - but after rereading it, I thought their own arcs made a lot more sense, as what they add to the main conflict is pretty important, especially in Yamato’s perspective. Here were two completely different sides of Mitsuomi’s life that Yamato knew nothing about and is seen to give his boyfriend a sense of fulfillment, and Yamato’s afraid that what he brings to the table won’t measure up. This definitely has a lot to do with his troubled past and how it’s affected his thinking of himself and his ability to love others, and I think it’s pretty realistic that it still clouds his judgment after all this time, as even with the sense of closure he got from the first volume, it’s something that he’ll always have to deal with.

The story wraps up this plotline with two contrasting events - a visit to one of Yamato’s old orphanages and an accident that brings him to the hospital. The latter event took me by surprise, but I’m glad that it ended up not being this whole life-changing event that would’ve dramatically changed their relationship - both Mitsuomi and Yamato actually come out of the hospital with a lot more clarity in terms of their issues, and it’s pushed by the former event.

At first, I was a bit confused about the inclusion of the orphanage visit (aside from being a really cute scene), but it hit me while rereading that this was building up to the idea of Yamato finally being able to see Mitsuomi as family. That’s obviously a huge deal for Yamato, whose sense of family has never been concrete, but it’s an equally enormous deal for Mitsuomi, as it finally gives him a definition of their relationship that both he and Yamato could agree on.

It’s no surprise, then, that this scene is followed by the resolution of both of their personal conflicts - Yamato gives Mitsuomi the first of many “I love you”s, and the two of them secure a partnership license. I do think it’s a happy ending that they’ve both worked hard to get, so I’m very satisfied with it. After all, they deserve to be formally recognized as partners, and Restart After Growing Hungry shows exactly why that is.

Random thoughts I couldn’t fit elsewhere:

There are actually two more scenes in the main story that happens after Mitsuomi and Yamato get their partnership license - a short celebration with their families and Harada, and a really cute scene where they’re spending time with Harada’s new baby girl. It’s definitely not lost on me that the main story is bookended by scenes involving Harada that allude to where Mitsuomi and Yamato want to go with their relationship, as it’s in this final scene where Yamato brings up the idea of raising a family with Mitsuomi. (I also have the same reaction as Harada’s wife throughout all this.)

I also really like how the story makes it a point to show that both Yamato and Mitsuomi are progressing with their professional lives. Yamato brings up the idea of selling produce online, and Kumai-Jiichan even says that this is one of the few times Yamato’s taken initiative with their farming business. Meanwhile, I mention them in passing above, but both Ochi and Higuchi drive home this point on Mitsuomi's side. Mitsuomi consoling Ochi about the death of a loved one earns him some unexpected praise from his father, while Higuchi himself recognizes that his old coworker is doing just fine after leaving their company. I think both cases are a great way to show that the two leads are moving forward on their own - though obviously with the help of the other - making it a nice parallel to their relationship.

One thing I’m still at a loss about is the title - why is it called Restart After Growing Hungry? At first, I thought this was gonna play on the literal and metaphorical meanings of hunger, and I was already preparing myself for this to be on the steamier side, but we only got a few bits of both sides of hunger throughout the story. I have a feeling there’s something lost in translation here, like a metaphorical meaning to hunger that’s specific to Japanese culture or something - let me know if you have an idea what’s going on!

Thanks for reading! You can read my review of Restart After Coming Back Home here. While I still like the first volume more, I thought Restart After Growing Hungry was a great sequel, as it tied up some loose ends and added even more depth to Yamato and Mitsuomi’s relationship. Like I said above, I came out of it very satisfied with where they ended up, and the story does a good job of making you want to root for them. It’s a great series, and I definitely recommend it!

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I recently watched a video that made me think of how in BL Tops often have more “masculine” stereotype traits ex. Shirtless scene, plays sport, strong, the chaser, etc. While the Bottom has more “feminine” stereotype traits ex. Cute, likes cooking, resist the relationship, less muscular, etc.

Do you know any shows where the Top has more “feminine” traits or where it’s flipped so the Top is more “feminine” and the bottom more “masculine”?

I prefer the terms seme/uke. 

But yeah I hear ya, here’s an absolutely typical example: 

Any BLs where the seme has more feminine traits?

No, not really. We are getting more of this in m/m romance now that gay romance novels are becoming actually more queer but BL isn't there yet. BL is very heterosexually dysmorphic, especially from Thailand. In short, since the seme is “the man” he is not allowed to be feminine by the conceits of the narrative. (I should say this is also true in het romances out of Asia. Heroes are required to be REAL MEN, so to speak.) 

Anygay, I talk about this kind of thing here:

Defining and analyzing seme/uke in BL (and why I use these terms and not top/bottom or Dom/sub) Be Loved In House: I Do made me do it. 

How do they determine who will be in what role?

So there are visual BL tropes associated with the two roles that are pretty established as belonging to either one or the other. You named many of them. But here's a full list: Tropes that are seme/uke dysmorphic. This makes BL, which is defined by its tropes, particularly vested in maintaining a heterosexually dysmorphic seme/uke. 

If you want softer semes then you'll need to look for BLs with no (or weak) seme/uke dynamics. This often also translates to no real top/bottom impression given to watchers. 

The two are not the same though. Top/bottom/verse are terms from the gay community that have to do with sexual preference and have nothing to do with personality, and SHOULD have NOTHING to do with characterization. Seme/uke are narrative archetypes and have to do with storytelling and the yaoi tradition upon which most BL is based. 

I'll give an example: FighterTutor in Why R U? are clearly verse in the sack, but Fighter is the seme character. 

BL couples where there is no seme/uke 

There are a few instances of Aggressive & Autonomous Ukes in BL where the uke forced by the narrative to undertake the seme role. Those are kind of fun. But the seme usually maintains his "masculine" association. And often these are sided characters. 

This all has to do with the fact that most BL is produced with a het not a queer lens. In other words it is assumed audiences can only comprehend romance if it is based on a chassis of man/woman. One of the biggest damages BL does to the queer community is perpetuate this stereotype. 

There are instances of feminine gay men being predatory and active pursuers of relationships, but in Thai BL they are usually clown archetypes, comic relief, and plot devices played for laughs (punching down humor). Yes, I am thinking of Green in 2gether. 

If a BL ever does do what you are asking for: give us a seme who is out gay and somewhat soft and feminine I WILL LOSE MY MIND. 

Meanwhile, here are a few you might want to check out that almost get there:

Hsia YuHao & Qiu ZiXuan in HIStory 2: Crossing the Line - Taiwan likes to futz with seme/uke 

Du & Phuc in Hay Rival, I LOVE YOU - Vietnam 

Win & Tops in Ingredients - Thai 

Ace & Sky in My Day - Pinoy 

Tee & Mork in My Tee - Thai 

Mitsuomi Kozuka & Yamato Kumai in Restart After Come Back Home - Japan

In Soo & Min Sung in Wish You - Korea 

TangYi & ShaoFei in History 3: Trapped - Taiwan 

Paper & Fah in Close Friend - Thai 

Seryou & Yuzuru in Seven Days - Japan 

YuZhen & ShiLei in Be Loved In House: I Do - Taiwan (My original blog post on seme/uke was spawned because of these two) 

(source) 

[nonician225]

Restart After Come Back Home (2020)

Japanese BL Movie

Cast:

Yuki Furukawa as Mitsuomi Kozuka

Ryo Ryusei as Yamato Kumai

Based on manga "Restart wa Tadaima no Atode" by Cocomi