Deep Breath [Illustrated]
Name: Deep Breath (深呼吸)
Author: Konohara Narise (木原音瀬)
Synopsis: Kenji Yachi was laid off from the foreign company where he had worked for nearly 20 years. Now, over 40 years old, he started a part-time job at a bento shop. As he was healing from the shock of being laid off and living peacefully, Haruno suddenly appeared before him. Haruno was an elite who had graduated from an American graduate school and was the younger boss who had coldly informed Yachi of his dismissal. Although Yachi wished to never see him again because it reminded him of the feeling of being declared incompetent, Haruno came to the shop every weekend, bought a bento, and started talking to him. What are his true intentions...?
Publisher: Libre (リブレ)
Publication date: November 20, 2011
Illustration: Sakufu Ajimine (あじみね朔生)
Check the tags on Novel Update
Genre: Adult, Romance, Yaoi.
Status: Completed
Ah! This is interesting! This is the next novel? 😊 I’m really curious about this age gap and what Haruno could possible want after firing Kenji…
ReplyDeleteThe illustration is looking a bit outdated though 😭 it’s giving late 90’s yaoi 🤭
It is!! I'm one to judge a book by its cover and I don't really like this style, but the B&W illustrations inside are actually good, and the story even better if you like the straight seme trope 😁
DeleteYes!!! Straight seme trope!!!!! Now I’m really looking forward to it! 🥰
DeleteSince it's a Konohara work, I was expecting something mildly stressful again, but I was pleasantly surprised by how cute and lighthearted the story turned out to be (except for Haruno's internal drama and meltdown, lol). I love how Haruno, who's usually confident and straightforward, becomes a mess around Yachi and how deeply in love he is with him. I also appreciate Yachi's kindness. Even though he has his own insecurities, such as losing his job due to his lack of ambition/drive, I like that he didn’t have a sudden forced transformation at the end. It’s refreshing that he stays true to himself, content with drifting through life at his own pace. He realized that his relationship with Keiko wouldn’t have worked because she hoped he'd eventually become more goal-oriented like she was, and that together, they would inspire and push each other toward bigger goals. She wanted them to be partners who lifted each other up and pursued success side by side. But Yachi knew that wasn’t who he was, and he was content with a simpler life, moving at his own pace. It's interesting because this was something Haruno initially disliked about Yachi, but it’s also what made him fall in love in the end.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing your translation!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! I really appreciate the feedback. Like you, I was also surprised by how wholesome this novel felt—it was such a refreshing break from the usual angst we get with Konohara’s works. It’s definitely become one of my favorites for that reason.
DeleteAt first, I didn’t like Haruno much either, but I loved how Konohara made me sympathize with him by the end. And yes, I totally agree with you about Yachi staying true to himself. It was so nice to see a character just taking things at his own pace, without a forced transformation. I really enjoy stories like this, where the characters aren’t portrayed as perfect—it’s so relatable. Honestly, I sometimes feel down when reading about overly perfect characters because it makes me feel a bit inadequate too, even though I know it’s just fiction, haha.
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts! ❤️