This manga is one the surface a pretty light hearted piece of work, but the rape aspect and Kousaka's apparent brush off of the event may bother some readers. However, it is not so much as a brush off, as his refusing to let someone feel empowered because of it, and refusing to be a victim. He does go to a doctor, has the evidence collected, and is prepared to press charges if another foot is put the wrong way forward. Why so seemingly generous though? It is not just male pride at being pushed down by another man, but his own unwitting interference that set the chain of events in motion that no doubt partly motivates him. Fumi was quite emotionally fragile and and his unthinking action by way of a deliberate one one-upmanship against the flirty pair caused the young man to break down emotionally. In this unpredictable state, he vanished, and a desperate Kanashiro cannot find him. Kanashiro is standing in the back, soaked to the skin and and obviously in an unfit mental state. He quite simply was not in his right mind, and his reaction is like a wild animal when the cause of their distress appears before his eyes. Kousaka is well aware of this, as he is the fact that when it was over, Kanashiro came to his senses and was aghast, and tried to take care of the wounded and unconscious Kousaka, fully prepared for the consequences. It is not an excuse, but the two men face the aftermath of the tragic events together, and forge ahead determined to not be victims, neither of each other nor of cruel former partners who used and left, and decide to heal each other and Fumi. The whole point of the story is actually about emotional loss. Kousaka's is emotional damage from his assault and the knowledge that he greatly wounded two people almost irreparably. Kanashiro's is the loss of his lover, his lover's lover and his current emotional support and friend (Fumi), and the knowledge that while lost in a maelstrom of emotion he did something unthinkable to someone he actually cares about a great deal (Kousaka). Fumi's loss is his illusion of having found a replica of his lost lover and the knowledge that his lover did not return his love as deeply as he gave it, and that he is not getting him back. It is a deep pit indeed, and only by crawling out of it and limping to this crossroads can the three men move forward in their lives. Kousaka to connect to the world about him and the people in it that he had not really noticed before, and for Fumi and Kousaka to let go of the past and find a new love that is theirs alone and not shared with one another. It forges a deeper bond between the three men, one that is literally forged with suffering, and it is no doubt one that will last a lifetime. It makes this not so much as a rom com as a serious comedy drama with thought provoking themes. It takes a look at the raw emotions that loving someone can bring out, down to the most animalistic levels, brings it back to the world of the rational, and settles to a comfortable place somewhere between the two. As for the sidecar, all I have to share is this: 2/4 brandy ¼ white curacao ¼ lemon juice Blend with a mixer.