Volume 3 throws our leads into public chaos when a cooking demo turns team leader Makoto Takanashi into the national Dashing Zaddy. The viral glare is great for retail but brutal for Ren Hiwatari, the junior colleague guarding a not so secret crush. When Takanashi’s home address leaks and fans swarm his door, he decamps to Hiwatari’s apartment until the storm passes. The set up is classic romantic comedy but the execution is sparkling, with Fumito leaning into timing, banter, and mortifying near misses that keep the relationship simmering.
A perfectly paced slow burn
This volume confirms what readers suspected from the start. The series is a patient and playful slow burn. Fumito stacks the best manga clichés with a wink, from accidental overnights to elevator revelations. The shampoo scene where Nakaido innocently outs them by scent is pure sitcom gold, capped by a synchronized denial that convinces precisely no one. The humor lands because the staging is clean and the art flatters both leads. Takanashi’s mature charm meets Hiwatari’s cool exterior with electric chemistry on every page.
Vulnerability with bite
Under the jokes sits a thoughtful thread about masculinity and intimacy. Takanashi’s erectile dysfunction returns as an honest, human obstacle, handled with grace. His sudden silence during a radio question about love life hints at deeper uncertainty. He has been attentive in past relationships with women but something never clicked. Around Hiwatari, the problem eases and the conversation shifts from performance to connection. It feels earnest rather than gimmicky and gives their dynamic real emotional stakes.
Supporting cast and standout moments
Nakaido emerges as an agent of chaos with a warm core, lobbing innocent grenades that drive both plot and punchlines. Tokyo Tower also returns as a visual motif and literal location, mirroring shifts in Takanashi’s feelings with elegant restraint. The art remains crisp and attractive, with confident linework framing micro expressions that sell every tease, blush, and stolen glance.
Extras worth the ticket
Kodansha’s edition shines. The translation by Jacqueline Fung nails the racy humor and layered double meanings, while Nicole Roderick’s lettering keeps SFX energetic and readable. A two page primer with character profiles welcomes new readers, followed by a bonus chapter titled The Icy Prince’s Night, two four panel strips that spotlight Nakaido’s mischief, an illustrated afterword, and a preview for Volume 4. With the next volume slated for January 2026, the wait to see this slow burn edge closer to flame is mercifully short.
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