Asako and Koutarou are doing quite well as a couple, but Koutarou and his attractive junior Korisu are off on a business trip together for four days. Korisu clearly has feelings for Koutaro, so this is going to be the most predictable volume yet... right...?
What I love about this book is that it takes an obvious plot with an obvious outcome (this is my biggest beef with rivals - they often add minimal complications with no real stakes) and decides to tackle it in a uniquely satisfying way.
Korisu has a pretty standard path through this arc, but it’s smartly also about Koutaro’s romantic history (and how Asako sees it, in a solid cutaway section) and how your chances can evaporate when you least expect it. Korisu has seen Koutaro’s relationships implode over and over and thus nothing changes between the both of them.
She figured this meant she’d have all the time in the world to confess, but suddenly he’s no longer doing the playful karate chops he used to - out of respect for Asako - and Korisu realizes that this time Koutaro is actually, truly invested and she doesn’t take it well, understandably.
What this book does, to its credit, is put forward that Korisu has worth beyond dating Koutaro. Yeah, she got her heart broken, but she’s mature enough to recognize how happy her friend is and while it sucks for her, Koutaro still values her as a friend and coworker and always has. The way Korisu and Asako grow closer at the end of this section is icing on the cake - Korisu was a bit of a throwaway rival before all this, but she’s fantastic in this story.
The rest of this book is all about early stages of dating and figuring out such weighty topics as birthday gifts and when to tell other people and sharing your first trip. It’s also very charming - outside of his rather intense scent fetish, Koutaro clearly adores Asako and she’s very taken with him.
It’s really nice to see Asako’s shyness slowly going away as she realizes that she does have worth and is, yes, a desirable partner. Given her sweat issues, it’s no shock how easily embarrassed she is (the buying clothes section feels like it must ring so true for excessive sweaters) but she’s surprisingly strong and assertive when she needs to be (the way she’s begun shutting down some of Koutaro’s sweat seeking behaviour is great).
If I had to ding one thing about this volume, it’s that I do think this might get a little too indulgent with the fetish stuff during the vacation section. This book’s never been shy about sex or affection, in a healthy way, and I wouldn’t dream of kink shaming these two, but I think the author might be having too much fun with the lather at points, above and beyond the story being told.
It’s rather amusing that a book centred on a very specific fetish has one of the best overall relationships in any manga I’m reading. I’ve often noted that writing a functional couple dating feels a lot harder than the courtship, but this series makes it look easy.
I think the only book that I’ve read that tackles this nearly as well is ‘You Got Me, Sempai!’ and that had the more traditional school setting while this one is fresher by virtue of being in a workplace. You can’t go wrong with either though.