In middle school yoshino aoi (blondie) was asked out by a girl. Since he thought she was cute looking and he was going thru puberty he said sure, why not. He figured that he’d start to like her eventually. But, he ended up liking his friend from the same class, who is a guy. He was very confused and startled, but came to terms with it. He asked his gf to break up with him. She asked why. He responded, “It turns out I like guys”
Inevitably, she tells the whole school bc she was hurt that he said yes to going out even tho he didnt like girls (but he didnt know that he didnt like them like that so…). Everyone started to treat and look at him differently. He felt as if he was being punished for taking her feelings lightly. He swore then, that if both him and his partners would end up getting hurt—then it was better to not develop feelings for anyone at all. But for better or worse, girls always gravitated towards him. He was good looking and popular with them. Since he had a high sex drive..He felt that maybe it was better to be sex friends with girls. However, he always felt guilty and empty afterwards. But, instead if dealing with those emotions head-on, he continued to just play around. Bc what was the point? Its not like he could be in a relationship with a guy. His trauma from middle school made him feel that.
Then we begin with the beginning of the manga. We follow the glasses boy who is quiet and is by himself most of the time. He is content this way. Then, his flashy childhood friend approaches him and desperately asks for his help. Apparently, some playboy won’t quit bugging her and she tried to ward him off by saying she already had a boyfriend—and proceeded to show the playboy a pic of glasses boy. So she just needs him to pretend to be her bf long enough for the playboy to back off and leave her alone. Glasses boy reluctantly agrees but reaaallly doesnt want to.
Next day he is walking boy and the playboy, being clung into by girls, notices the glasses boy. He quickly comes up with a fake story/excuse using glasses boy in order to get away from the girls. They go into the cafeteria and talk. Playboy thanks glasses boy for walking by at the right moment bc he hates clingy women and they are bothersome when they want to pursue a relationship with him—since he only wants to play around. Glasses boy is stunned that the guy is like that. Playboy introduces himself, he is Yoshino! So this is how he gors thru life now, playing around sexually with women to keep his lípido in check. Yoshino asks Glasses some questions, to gauge if he’s really going out with the girl or not. Glasses boy gives vague-ish answers, but tries his best to make it believable that they are. Internally, Yoshino doubts him. He takes an interest in glasses boy and wants to tease him a little for fun. So he take him to the toilet and sexually harrasses him *-* Yoshino takes a strong liking to Glasses’ reactions to the touching and stimulating, so he asks for his line number afterwards lol.
And thus their relationship begins to grow as they get closer!
Yoshino initially wanted to tease Kota; like inviting him out to a gouken at someone’s house bc he thought it would be funny to see s girl pounce on him. But when she did, Kota made a cute sound and Yoshino (mid receiving BJ) changed his mind and took Kota away. He proceeds to tell Kota that he interrupted his BJ to save him, and that he has a great idea: Kora could finish the BJ lol. Kota being the nerdy pushover, reluctantly agrees. Yoshino enjoys it and realizes Kota looks very cute.
Yoshino continues to tease Kota and starts noticing Kota’s feelings towards him. Kota doesnt realize it himself but it’s definitely obvious. Not thinking too deeply about “If we stop being playmates” , Yoshino continues to tease Kota and even jerjers him. Kota, being unable to bear the heartache of liking someone who just sees you as a sex playmate, states he doesnt wanna do lewd stuff anymore since they should just be friends. Yoshino takes offense and says “I’m done.” But later Yoshino regrets this bc its kinda his fault anyway. He isnt blind he can see that Kota likes him yet he continues to push him for sex and tease him. he doesnt like that Kota decided to run away. Bc unbeknownst to him, he has also fallen for Kota. Meanwhile, Kota is on a shopping trip with his friend and a college friend spots them. Wanting to get his mini revenge on Yoshino for rejecting him, he calls Yoshino and tells him that Kota and his friend seem to be going out now since Kota is vulnerable after pushing Yoshino away (half a lie lol). Yoshino immediately doesnt like this and seeks Kota out. He finds Kota and stops him, asks him to please hear him out. Kota refuses bc of what Yoshino said earlier about being done. Yoshino apologizes and admits fault. He begs Kota to hear him out. Kota reluctantly agrees. They go to Yoshino’s place and talk. Yoshino reveals his past and the reason he became a playboy. He then asks Kota to please not leave him. Kota, unable to say no bc he loves Yoshino, agrees. Kota accepts that he should be a good friend to Yoshino, even tho he has feelings for him. Idk if Yoshino realized that Kota had that resolution. Anyways almost a year passes by and they stay close and hangout constantly as friends. Kota enjoys himself and the time he can spend with Yoshino. Yoshino, meanwhile, I am not sure what he is thinking exactly BUT we find out that he cuts off all ties with his sex friends. So it seems this entire time he was just trying to do things right by pursuing Kota organically as friends and then ask him to be his lover; bc he knows Kota would want that. But Kota meanwhile thinks Yoshino just wanted to be friends lol.
One day Kota overhears Yoshino asking some girls advice on how to ask out his love interest. Kota misunderstands and thinks Yoshino likes a girl. He gets upset and tears up. Yoshino spots him and asks him whats wrong. Kota asks that Yoshino breaks off ties with him bc if Yoshino goes out with a girl then Kota will only end up resenting her bc he likes Yoshino so much; Kota confesses here. Yoshino calms him down and also confesses. Kota announces that he will date Yoshino proudly (LGBT moment). They start going out and will happily ever after <3
Hetakuso Love Step