One reason why it doesn’t need drama is because the romance is so awkward yet I can see it happen in real life. They get flustered when something embarrassing comes up, have bad timing when it comes to saying things, and own weird sides that they’ve come to appreciate. The romance development is very abrupt most of the time but it plays on that awkward tone well enough to be forgivable. The pacing could’ve been done better though as it can get surprising when you realize that so much time has passed when a character mentions how many years or months has it been after a specific event that happened a few chapters ago.
The story does not delve into the heartbreak part at the beginning of the story and doesn’t get back to it, hence cutting off the main source of drama potential. Ozawa’s ex-boyfriend disappears immediately to irrelevance, making it easier to move forward to a hopeful tone. Breakups happen and sometimes you don’t know why it has led to that point but shit happens and we need to forget about it. Closure is not necessary as long as you’re happy with the present in this case. There is potential though as it can open up some skeletons in the closet but it’s impossible to fit it within the narrative without hurting its easy-going, blissful atmosphere.
The manga however makes up for the lack of drama through its often melancholic dialogue. The characters can get introspective at times, reflecting at the status of their relationship. Is this fine? Will things stay this way forever? There are doubts present but when the couple is at the presence of each other, they feel like everything is going to be alright. The story is self-aware when it comes to why are they such a perfect couple. They don’t fight at all and tease each other at times but it doesn’t end on a sour note. They complement each other’s personalities so much that anything that happens with them often leads to a lighthearted situation. Heck, they even make sex cute and innocent even though it never shies away from being expressed erotically.
I normally seek a solid character background when it comes to romance stories like this but for this specific manga, it made me not seek it at all. They are adults, and probably lived a normal life. No traumatic past events are used to propel further characterization. A character leading a completely normal life from childhood to present while still being wholesome can be possible. The manga plays its strengths at dealing with present situations. Ozawa works at the office, so the story occasionally deals with her frustrations which can get melancholic. Oyamada mostly spends time at his room since his job doesn’t require him to go outside, no deeper implications of a typical NEET shut-in at all. The story interweaves both of their daily lives in such a refreshing manner while having the romance at the forefront.
Overall this can be considered as a wish-fulfillment romance manga. Some will see it that way but personally I don’t care since it perfectly captures the life of a normal everyday adult. Circumstances brought the duo to a happy relationship, but the manga never coats it with too much sugar. It has a degree of realism to it and I applaud it for being such a realistic yet heartwarming tale of eccentric love.
