Manga: Soba ni Oitene

Soba ni Oitene has two love stories. It is written by Sakuragi Yaya, one of my fave mangakas. :D

The first love story "By Your Side" is about two high school students that grew up together. It's one of those stories that one boy is quite girly and the other is not. It has its funny moments that's why I want to share this to everyone. :D

Yuzu (Uke)

Yuzu (Shibata Yuzuru) transfered to Tokyo when he was a small kid. Because other kids bullied him, Icchan would come to his rescue. Eversince they were kids, he love Icchan and dreamed of being his "princess". But when they reach high school, he grew taller than him. He felt awkward about this. He thought that his dream of being Icchan's princess is destroyed. Still he tried harder to be suitable to him. He trained himself to be his future "bride" so he joined the Home Economics club to learn how to cook very well. Everyday, he prepares obento for Icchan and Icchan enjoys his company and the food. 

Yuzu has been asked by a karate captain who was a pervert to join the club because of his height. When Icchan learned about this, he got jealous. That jealousy arrive to Icchan's confession. Yuzu was surprised that Icchan thought thesame as he thought of him. Though the tallest, Yuzu is the Uke of this series. Not only was Yuzu pursued by a karate club because of his height, but also by a drama club leader where he acted as the "Prince." He asked Icchan to help him practice his lines. He adore Icchan so much because he can learn things easily. At thesame time, Yuzu was dieting because he was conscious that he gained weight so he wasn't eating very well for many days. On the day that the drama club had a performance, he fainted on stage. When he gained consciousness, Icchan was carrying him, like one would carry a sack of rice. Yuzu was so disappointed and told Icchan that it's not what he expected him to do. He admitted that he always dream being carried like a "princess" by Icchan. So Icchan gave him that. Whoa! Unbelievably he can carry Yuzu like a "princess" due to his daily activities where he acquired strength. I forgot to mention that he "K.O.-ed" the captain of the karate club because of his jealousy. Hehe. Then there's another person that pursued Yuzu. She fell in-love with the "fainted Yuzu" during the drama club presentation. She is a senpai and a former captain of the kendo club. She pushed herself on Yuzu by joining the home economics club, too. Although she doesn't know how to cook. She would tell him that she wants to protect him. But one day, while seducing Yuzu on a day off of the club, an accident occur in the kitchen where Yuzu protected her instead. She was so nervous and came along Icchan who stopped the fire. Icchan told her something that made her realize how she disrespected Yuzu. After this incident, along came the elder brother of Icchan where he made Yuzu do things so the two lovers won't be able to meet for a week. When are they going to have a peaceful and lovey-dovey relationship with all these weird people coming between them? *sighs*

Age: 
17

Citizenship:

Japanese

Hair: 

Short/Light Brown

Physical Attributes and Personality: 

Taller than anyone else in school (182cm), all he ever think about is how to please Icchan and become his future "bride" so he doesn't know that he's considered a "school's celebrity", friendly and quite popular with his home economics classmates and he acts like a girl with them. He can be insecure but definitely a hard-working and very understanding guy.

Activities/Hobbies:

He loves to cook! He does it so well so that Icchan will like him. (But he's already liked eversince primary school, hehe)

Icchan (Seme)

Icchan (Yogi Issei)  has been friends with Yuzu eversince they were young. He protects him from bullies. They grew up together but reaching high school, Yuzu became taller than him. He doesn't admit it at first, but he really loves Yuzu. He loves his childishness and naivety. Also Yuzu is quite hard-working, and he praises him so he will be less insecure. He also know that Yuzu is conscious with his height being taller than him. So he told him that one day he will grow taller. As his adam's apple hasn't developed yet. His parents are both tall, so as his older brother. 

When someone wants to go between them, he shows his feelings for Yuzu. Like for example, he got jealous of the karate club captain (Oosumi senpai) that kept pursuing Yuzu to be a member of his club, but it looks like that wasn't his attention. So Icchan gave him a warning not to touch Yuzu again. And when he wasn't listened to, he K.O.-ed that karate captain, taller and bigger than him! It was so cool... (now I look like Yuzu when admiring Icchan hahaha!)

Then came the female senpai from a kendo club that thought Yuzu is a weakling. He didn't like her for that reason. So on the day that he stopped the fire in the home economics club room, he told her that no matter what she does, she's just another girl who would get scared of accidents. While Yuzu will always be a man. Who's instinct will that be of a man and will find ways to protect women. Icchan also told her that she had disrespected Yuzu by treating him as a weakling. I think that this made her gave up on Yuzu. Yuzu was so flattered, he thinks Icchan is super cool! (me too!) After this incident, along came Icchan's elder brother who will work as a temporary librarian at their school. His brother realized that Yuzu has feelings for his little brother so he teased him. He made Yuzu help him out at the library. He used the reason that Icchan cannot walk very well (due to an accident where he caught Yuzu falling from the stairs, he sprained his foot) , so the two cannot be together even after school. After a week of exhaustion, Yuzu decided to visit Icchan at his house. Then the elder brother told him that Icchan is taking a bath. Yuzu left immediately then texted Icchan. They both realize that the reason they haven't seen each other for a week because of elder brother's doings. When they met at their usual meeting place (the park), the nii-san was dragged by the younger brother. He admitted that he was testing Yuzu's capability of loving Icchan. Icchan told his elder brother that he's the one who is madly in-love with Yuzu and there's nothing he can do about it. And so, the next school day, the 3 of them drive to school together. ^__^ 

Age: 
17

Citizenship:

Japanese

Hair: 

Short/Black

Physical Attributes and Personality: 

He is shorter than Yuzu (172cm) but he's the seme. He silently love and protected Yuzu. His character? serious, handsome (popular to girls but hard to be approached by), quiet-type and he loves to eat alot but dislike sweet things. Although he said he will only eat the sweets that Yuzu makes.

Activities/Hobbies:

He joins the archery club and quite good at it. Yuzu watches his practice from the home economics club window. 

Note: The couple of the 2nd story will be posted some other time. 

- E.N.D. -

Scanlated by Memory For You

Thank you so much!

(memoryforyou@gmail.com)