A workplace (convenience store ^_^;) romance, a playboy dealing with his new more bashful and reserved boyfriend, a man seeks out his former college boyfriend in the hopes of trying again, a couple amusing shorts, and a story of a bully falling for the bullied, but unable to accept his feelings or express them in a healthy way.

I don't even like anthologies. But the thing about something great is, a lot of times you'll still like it even if you usually like nothing of the sort. And wow, these are great. Some are better than others, but I really am surprised by how consistently GOOD every one manages to be.

And what makes them so good? The horrible thing about short stories is it gives me less time to watch what the author is doing so I can decide. One thing I might be able to say is, while all these stories are centered on romantic plots, all but the humorous short ones tie the romantic plot together with more understated ones about things like understanding yourself, having the bravery to rise above your insecurities, or not to live in fear of betrayal. (And the humorous ones, well, they're just funny ^_^)

The last story about bullying is definitely the strongest. Perhaps one of the most interesting things is, and I can't believe I'm saying this, that's its a story of he-liked-it-rape(?) actually done right. It knows how to play with power. The bullier is the one who hurts or protects and the one who takes sexual control. The bullied takes it all without fighting back, and yet he has the self-assuredness and greater acceptance of any feelings he may have that gives him a psychological upper hand against his bullier, who is a complete slave to his conflicting emotions. The relationship is far from healthy, but it does tug at the heart (while we aren't pushed in any way to believe that any drops of sweetness we may see cleanses it of all it's more worrisome points, like so many yaoi would have you believe). The bullied is young and confused, but he is strong, and I actually ended up pitying more his bullier, who tortures the other physically and the both of them mentally by his lack of ability to understand himself and his emotions. The name “Glass Sky” is appropriate, an ostensible protection that is in truth fragile, sure to break, and will be painful when it does.

Some of these stories are a little more usual. The convenience store story, for example, is your usual but-don't-you-have-a-girlfriend? stuff. But it all feels a little more real, a little more aware and mature. Sweet stories with frequent gentle humor and some very mild sex. Character designs for the ukes aren't as distinctive as they could be and even somewhat look alike sometimes, but I do find the art appealing. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to 'even people who don't have interest in yaoi,' but for those who do, and perhaps especially for those who think they might but find the usual offerings not to their taste, it's definitely worth a try. As for me, if the author's other works are anything like this, Yugi Yamada could easily become one of my favorite yaoi mangaka. ( )