This is a slice of life and an age-gap romance (I'm talking HUGE age gap his 45 to her 17 years). It's quite clear that this relationship won't actually go anywhere but it's easy to see how a crush can develop at such a young age between two people who are just lonely and going through some hard times in life. I'm glad it wasn't taken further. However, there are more books in this series, and I think I feel safe ending my reading here. It's an interesting story nevertheless.

On a more positive note, the artwork is absolutely beautiful!

Thank you, Netgalley and Kodansha Comics, for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha/Vertical Comics for an e-arc of this book.

This is why I need to read the book or manga blurbs cause man did the age gap make me uncomfortable. It's cute I guess if you like these weird age gaps. I did like the story if I forget the huge age gap and that she is 17 and in school.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Summary: Akira Tachibana. 17 years old, high school junior.
Akira, awkward when it comes to expressing her feelings, finds herself secretly falling for the manager of the family restaurant where she works, one Masami Kondo, age 45. The curtain rises on the small love story that begins to unfold between Akira, stuck standing on the crossroads of adolescence, and Kondo, at the turning point of his own life...

4/5 stars
This infatuation story was cute. The artwork was very well done, and the color images with were beautiful. Akira is quirky and awkward just like a 17 year old, so it felt authentic. I think this will continue to be more of a companionship than romantic, even if the artwork and description hints otherwise.

🪻 ARC

Uhm. At first, I find this age gap kind of uncomfortable and I didn’t really liked it.

Somehow this Book didn't pick me up, i didn’t connected with it and that makes me sad, because i just loved the art style and the idea behind. And it was at some point very laborious.

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha/Vertical Comics for an e-arc of this book!

Reading this series after watching the anime was a delight. I remember watching the anime when it aired and enjoying its lighthearted and melancholic vibes. It remained the same in the manga as well. The series follows Akira Tachibana's everyday life after she is forced to leave track due to an injury. We see her go to school and work part-time at a diner. Throughout this volume, we get a sense of where Tachibana's head is as well as her feelings towards life and her boss. Overall, I enjoyed this and look forward to continuing with the series. I would recommend this to audiences of the anime as well as newcomers since the series takes a different turn than you would expect.

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics, Vertical Comics for giving me the opportunity to read this.

This is an age-gap romance about 17 year old named Akira Tachibana and her 45 year old manager at work, named Masami Kondō. Kondo is seen as a spineless person by his staff and lives an everyday normal work life as a restaurant manager. Akira Tachibana is a high school student who used to be a part of the track team. After working part-time at the restaurant, Akira soon sees Kondo's "spinelessness" as kindness and finds herself attracted to him.

Of course, there are so many uncomfortable elements to an age-gap romance but that's the point of a forbidden age gap romance. We have to think that things like this do happen in life. It is clear that the romance is doomed to fail but it also explores topics on youth, desire, dreams and kindness.

This was a nice read. I quite enjoyed the art style. I foresee the cook becoming an issue. I already want to smack him. I am interested in seeing where the story goes though.

Thank you for Netgalley and author for this e-arc in exchange of review.

I personally feel uncomfortable reading this manga even when i usually feels okay with age gap. So, if you’re not really comfortable with the age gap and the attraction between a high school girl and her 45 years old manager makes sure to skip it. But, if you were comfortable with that short of thing, go ahead and read it. Lots of the content pretty angst and kinda depressing in a way for me but it’s okay.

A story of Akira, a 17-year-old school girl who works part-time at a café. She belongs to the track team, but her ankle gives her trouble. She’s a bit straight-forward person, or maybe borderline autistic even, though that isn’t openly stated. Mostly, she comes across as annoying.

For some reason, the manager of the café, a divorced 45-year-old push-over of a man catches her romantic interest. He doesn’t quite know how to take it, and he fears legal ramifications if he responds to her interest. She’s not about to give up that easily though.

I found the story a bit gloomy with all the teenage angst, and a lot creepy. I don’t know if the romance would’ve been any easier to take if he had been a handsome, self-confident billionaire, but at least her interest would’ve made some sense. Now it was just bizarre, or a way to distract herself from her troubles, as one character suggests. It was far too long for the content, and it didn’t even end with the first volume: there’s nine more. The story left a bad taste in my mouth, even though nothing happened. I won’t be reading more.

Illustrations were black and white and they suited the story well.

2 🌟
This manga follows a high school student named Tachibana who has a crush on her 45 year old manager.... This story made me feel uncomfortable and hopefully they don't actually date cause that's illegal ☠️☠️☠️

This follows Akira Tachibana, a high school student who is in love with her manager. I, however, find this age gap kind of uncomfortable and personally, I do not support it. As people who are friends or co-workers, I think that type of relationship I would have liked to see more of but that's not the point for this manga.

They know it would be wrong for them to be in a relationship even if love has no age.

Moreover, what I like about this manga is how it explores youth and love. It reminds me of the youthful times back then. The art or illustration is also nice and the characters have their own distinct features and uniqueness to them.

This manga is kind of unpredictable and new in some way, because it kind of steers away from the very common cliches. How it is executed does make it interesting though.

I think anyone who is interested in age-gap stories or young adult reads that explores youth, this would be a manga to check out.

3.5/5