Title: High Clear
Author: Yun-Byeol
Artist: Yun-Byeol
Status: Complete
Smut Level: Everything's all there except the light-sabers.
Rating: ★★★★★
Summary [MangaUpdates]: Han Ju-Won has the worst habit ever. He's an average guy with an average college life, but his facial expression and words become terrifying the second he feels shy. Although he's trying his best to fix it, Ju-Won realizes he messed up yet again when he says something rude to his hoobae, Park Jeong-Min. And not only that, but he also keeps unintentionally touching Jeong-Min's chest every time they meet! Ju-Won knows he has to find a way to apologize to Jeong-Min, but even while he feels guilty, he can't stop thinking of what he accidentally discovered about Jeong-Min's chest ... turns out Ju-Won's soft-hearted interior and gruff exterior aren't the only things that are completely inverted ...
Below may contain spoilers.
Got lazy typing up a summary because I want to quickly get to the part where I can talk about why this manhwa is one of the best.
Initially, I was apprehensive about reading athlete BL. Couldn't tell you why but I decided to give this a go as the reviews were really selling it and I'm glad I gave it a go.
Han Ju-Won initially gives off this "gangster" vibe because of his terrifying facial expressions when he's shy. He accidentally touches Park Jeong-Min's chest multiple times in the early chapter and he wants to apologize but he's so shy (and with his terrifying expression) that it didn't quite get there.
Both of them somehow awkwardly manage to have dinner together and on one of those dates where Ju-Won said it was his treat, he got super drunk (he's a light-weight). So Jeong-Min ends up paying for everything, carries Ju-Won back to his apartment, cleans up his vomit and gets him to bed. Ju-Won wakes up in the middle of the night thinking it's another one of his wet dreams with Jeong-Min in it and decides to tap. that. a*s. It was hot. (*/▽＼*)
Then Ju-Won wakes up in the morning, got embarrassed that he got really drunk, but forgetting he did the tango with Jeong-Min, and makes a very quick exit. I was screaming on behalf of Jeong-Min. How dare you do that to my boy, Jeong-Min?
Things work out for the better and that wraps up Season 1. The next (and final) season introduces another misunderstanding. Jeong-Min himself doesn't really speak a lot throughout this whole series and so Ju-Won has a major misunderstanding in S2. I really like how we finally see Jeong-Min's side in the latter half of S2 - when he first saw Ju-Won and came to like him, what he thought about the many accidental chest-groping from Ju-Won in early S1 ... all of that.
This whole manhwa made me want to go back to high school and experience those first loves (but with hope this time) again. The story it tells is quite realistic about awkward interactions with your crush and juggling relationship with studies and their relevant sports.
If I could go back and read this again, forgetting it the first time, I would. The feeling it brings is just very real. I'd recommend this for anyone who wants a slice-of-life, easy to read BL manhwa.
