Barairo no wana written by Yoshiduki Shouko and illustrated by Nara Chiharu

[insaneneko]

Barairo no wana written by Yoshiduki Shouko and illustrated by Nara Chiharu is a very cliched and conventional story with gorgeous pictures. Akiyoshi Yoshitaka is a hard-working member of the family that owns a big hotel company. He is charged with opening a new bar in a hotel, and he wants a particular bartender to run it. Unfortunately the bartender, Isoya Reishi, isn't very interested in working at a different bar. When Akiyoshi pushes, Isoya proposes a deal. He'll work at Akiyoshi's bar if Akiyoshi gives him his body. At first Akiyoshi thinks Isoya is messing with him to get rid of him, but he decides to hold Isoya to his deal...

Yes, it's that kind of story. There are two details that get me to reread this one. First, that they both act like adults (most of the time). Second, what happens at the end. Silly, but fun. XD;





Akiyoshi comes by the bar Isoya works at several times to have some drinks before asking him to join the bar he's working on opening.




After initially rejecting Isoya's proposed deal, Isoya working at the new bar on weekends (and helping bring the new bar to life) for Akiyoshi's ass, Akiyoshi decides to do whatever it takes to get Isoya. Isoya is perfectly matched for the new bar's image.

He's uncomfortable when their first time consists of Isoya pleasuring him. He'd thought he'd just be used for Isoya's own pleasure...




Of course they have anal sex (the only "real" sex in BL?) the next time....




Very intense sex that blows Akiyoshi's mind. He'd always had satisfying but not wild sex with the women he'd gone out with...It freaks him out, but Isoya reads his fear and gets him to say he won't "run away." Ah, the machismo....




Akiyoshi with the owner of the bar Isoya works at, at the new bar's opening celebration. The bar owner and his lover have their own book, of which this is a spin-off.




Isoya calls for Akiyoshi less and less, and when he does they meet in hotel rooms instead of Isoya's place. Akiyoshi feels like crap when Isoya treats him so badly...Even though he'd initially expected such treatment from the beginning.




Isoya kisses Akiyoshi in the hotel service elevator. When Akiyoshi gets mad that Isoya had kissed him in a public place, Isoya suggests they take it to a more private place...Like Akiyoshi's office. Akiyoshi storms off.

Akiyoshi finds out that Isoya has a cute boyfriend, and is even shoved that boyfriend in front of his face so that Isoya can relish his reaction. Akiyoshi decides that it might be a good time to give in to his female relations and get married (to the daughter of a former prime minister!). But Isoya tells Akiyoshi that it isn't his problem if Akiyoshi is married--he plans on having Akiyoshi even after his marriage. Finally, Akiyoshi goes to Isoya's apartment and tells him that he won't sleep with him anymore. He's proud of what they'd built up (the bar) but he needs to end things. He doesn't give in to the typical "just one more time" sex pressure and leaves.

Contrary to Akiyoshi's expectations, Isoya doesn't quit the hotel bar. They interact in business but not in the personal. In the meantime, the talk of marriage is moving forward. The day of the official engagement comes. Akiyoshi arrives at the hotel but is surprised to be led into a room with Isoya waiting. He tries to leave but is locked in. Turns out that hotel is owned by Isoya's family and he'd arranged for Akiyoshi to be brought to him instead of to the engagement party.

Isoya confesses that he'd thought long and hard after Akiyoshi had dumped him. He came to the realization that he wanted Akiyoshi for himself. He didn't quit the hotel bar because he wanted to continue having some kind of relationship with Akiyoshi. He also didn't want to abandon the bar they'd developed together...

So Isoya had wrecked Akiyoshi's engagement by having a guy good in bed go after Akiyoshi's intended fiancee. When Akiyoshi calls his mother to apologize for being late, he's told that she's run off with another guy.




Of course they have sex. There's lots of really sappy lovey-dovey talk that made them seem like totally different characters to me. What, the love switch turned them into dopey love-birds after a whole book that pushed how "cool" and "mature" they were? We learn the cute boyfriend was actually just a fuck buddy. Isoya is totally cool with dumping the sex buddy if Akiyoshi wants him to (as if Akiyoshi wouldn't?). Isoya does ask that the workaholic Akiyoshi make time on the weekends or else he'll track Akiyoshi down and fuck him wherever. Akiyoshi can't even hide the fact that he's turned on by Isoya's talk of bending him over his desk in his office. Or over the bar...

Comments

[hpstrangelove.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the summary and the pictures. I always enjoy your posts. It sounds like a fun little book, even with the change in personalities at the end.

[insaneneko.livejournal.com]

It *is* a fun book, even the change in personalities at the end is fun. XD