Novel - The Man Who Doesn't Take Off His Clothes
Author: Narise Konohara
Illustrator: Yuki Shimizu
ISBN-10: 1-56970-877-0
Publisher: Juné Manga
English Translator: Kelly Quine
Comments:
The Man Who Doesn't Take Off His Clothes is the second novel (series) I had purchased, so I was just simply thrilled at having been able to purchase it. My expectations weren't high or anything of the sort, but it was still a truly enjoyable novel. It had been quite a long while since I laughed as hard as I did while reading a novel. Anna Kaitani's character is thoroughly ordinary, which makes it all the more interesting to read as Fujiwara is almost his exact opposite. Their personality differences and the storyline itself just kept me laughing nonstop all throughout the novel. It's a wonderful read for a light and hearty comedy/romance series. Although I say that, there definitely is enough smut in this novel to go around.
Note: Within this novel, the character Yuuichi Higashiyama is the same as the Yuuichi Higashiyama from the novel Don't Worry Mama. He plays but a minor role in this novel only though, as Anna Kaitani's friend.
Summary
Anna Kaitani always felt lukewarm about work and nearly everything else about his life after baseball in high school. However, after reuniting with an old friend from his high school baseball team for a new product for men, Anna suddenly becomes fully motivated to do is best at work. Even so, Anna's chief, Fujiwara, doesn't seem to agree with anything Anna produces at all! When all else fails, Anna decides to dirty his hands by forcing Fujiwara to agree through blackmail!
Story Snippet
Snippet from Chapter 11 on Pages 129-130
Kaitani glanced over his shoulder, wondering who could be stopping by at this time of night. The doorbell rang again. "Coming, coming," he grumbled to his impatient visitor. He slipped into a pair of sandals and opened the front door. He took one look at the face of the man standing there and gulped. It was the face of the man he'd shoved away from the elevator doors several hours ago. Fujiwara was still in his suit, likely having come straight from the company.
Kaitani tried closing the door, but Fujiwara got his shoe in between the door and the jamb. As Fujiwara moved forward, Kaitani took a step back.
The man's eyes were filled with melancholy. He looked about ready to do a swan dive off the roof of a tall building. "Sorry for the late hour," he said, "but I simply had to see you today. I'd rather not stand here talking like this. Could I come in?"
There was no way Kaitani was letting him into his apartment. "Here's fine," he said.
The crease deepened between Fujiwara's eyebrows. He looked highly irritated, but at the same time seemed on the verge of tears. "Anybody could be listening to us." He definitely didn't want to be perched there in the doorway talking about his single testicle.
"Yeah, I get it," Kaitani conceded.
Holding the briefcase he always brought to work in one hand, Fujiwara slowly removed his shoes. He came as far as the doorway between the kitchen/dining room and the six-tatami-mat bedroom and stopped there. He showed no inclination to advance any further.
"You know why I'm here, so I'll get right to the point. I want to buy those photos."
Illustration Samples
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