Haru O Daiteita - Embracing Love Vol. 7 - Youka Nitta Upon returning home from their vacation aboard, they found their home was broken in. Although the culprit has been apprehended by the security team and nothing was missing, Iwaki was unsettled and having difficulty adjusting to the violation of their safe haven. Katou on the other hand remains unaffected.... or is he?Another chapter in this volume, Sawa san and his cousin aka young lover was in a misunderstanding that forced Sawa to reevaluation his approach to their incestuous taboo plagued relationship. It's not looking good when Sawa is years older than his still schooling age cousin. Sawa is fretting over losing his lover as he is now approaching self-dependency age and would not longer need him for support and would later just view him as a pathetic uncle. Sawa is also having a tough time adjusting and forcing himself to play the dominating role in the bedroom when he is an all out bottom and craves to be topped by his lover. Psstt... he is also quite a masochist too, to the extend of paying for SM sessions. Finally Winter Cicada - Fuyu no Semi (冬の蝉), casting has started and Iwaki was lucky enough to grab one of the lead role. He is of course going to be Akizuki Keiichirou. While, Katou has to fight tooth and nail for the second leading role of this epic historical movie due to some of his own slip-ups which had nearly ended his acting career. His challenge for role of Kusaka Touma had also put Iwaki at a very difficult position as a professional actor and as a lover. This movie holds a special place in the hearts of these two MCs although they themselves are quite clueless as to the reason of what makes them yearns so dearly to play the leading roles. That was because the two main characters in Winter Cicada are none other than their past selves. Akizuki and Kusaka met in 1862, second year of the Bunkyuu Era, during the Expulsion of Foreigners movement started by the Choushu clan of which Kusaka is a minor member. Akizuki was a Bakufu (Shogunate) samurai and son of a Town Magistrate. Both are on the opposite sides of the political parties. Winter Cicada is the Romeo and Juliet of the East that ends with bloodshed and tears. A tragedious tale of the pure love of two young men born into the wrong era, wrong place hence they have to choose the sleep of a Winter Cicada to await for a new beginning with a brighter future and more forgiving time. I am touched that they met again in this life as Iwaki and Katou and that for once, their love was not shun but embraced by the public - all due to the right timing and some other contributing factors. We have to thank Sawa san for that part tho. ;) There's a part where Katou has to snip his locks short and I am sadden by that for I love his longish wavy hair. There's a scene where Katou actually got jealous of himself just cause a sexually excited Iwaki commented that doing it with the him now feels like doing it with a stranger. I love that scene very much. Lol. Here's a cute scene...[ To enlarge picture,  click this link: http://i.imgur.com/wbVl7dr.jpg) ]I must say that Haru Wo Daiteita is not your usual yaoi manga. It has depth and was actually very meaningful and touching as well. I've learned much valuable lessons from it, especially on maintaining a healthy relationship and also the way of life.This manga series really have the winning combo... the beautiful artwork, amazing plot with a meaningful and thought-provoking story. No wonder it was much loved by all those who ever has the good fortune to come across it.