Ten
Count, Vol 5
Author: Rihito Takarai
Publisher: SuBLime Manga
American
release date: August 8, 2017
Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/mangaGLBT/162 pages
Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★
Shirotani and Kurose are rescued
from their elevator ordeal and emerge into falling rain. Cabs are scarce, so
Kurose says he’ll walk, but Shirotani speaks up and offers to share a cab with
him, which is a major step for him. Once inside the cab, Kurose prompts Shirotani
to continue with what he began to say earlier, but Shirotani claims not to
remember what that was, when the reality is he doesn’t feel comfortable
bringing it up in that place. A disappointed Kurose has the driver pull over
and gets out, since they are right by his apartment. As he waits for the elevator, he’s surprised
to hear his name and turns to find Shirotani there. Shirotani gives him an
obviously fake story as to why he’s there before finally making what is a major
admission for him, even if it’s phrased hypothetically. They go up to Kurose’s
apartment and Shirotani requests that Kurose “make him dirty inside”.
As a child, Kurose’s parents were
very busy, and he was left on his own most of the time. He strikes up an
acquaintance with an older man named Nishigaki, and begins to hang out with
him, even if the man claims Kurose is a pain. Kurose doesn’t understand
Nishigaki’s idiosyncrasies, why he makes Kurose follow certain rules. Too late,
he begins to understand what Nishigaki’s problem is. When Nishigaki disappears,
Kurose blames himself. He studies all he can about germophobes, and makes a
promise to himself to save the next Nishigaki.
Shirotani wakes the next morning
in a strange bed. Kurose is already up and is very attentive to him, anticipating
his every need. Shirotani tells Kurose he’s filled in number ten on his list
and wants him to guess what it is, so then Kurose has to tell him why he is
doing this. Kurose says he has feelings for Shirotani, but Shirotani knows
there is more to the story than that, that it has to do with his being a
germophobe. Will Kurose come clean with Shirotani?
The story is almost done, one more
volume to go, and it’s so good as Shirotani and Kurose’s relationship grows
stronger and stronger. Now we know more
about Kurose, and why he was initially drawn to
Shirotani. It almost feels like closure for him with regard to Nishigaki. But
he also says that Shirotani being a germophobe is not the only reason he is
drawn to him, that he would love him anyway. Shirotani hasn’t told Kurose about
his father, and what he witnessed that helped to make him the germophobe he is
now. Hopefully he’ll do it in the next volume.
Ideally, I would love to see them move in together, and have an open and
loving relationship. I think they can heal each other. I’m crossing my fingers
for them.
Only one more to go, can’t wait!
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