The couple returns from Singapore only for Yae to suddenly rush to a friend’s party and bump into an ex from 10 years ago, Kyohei. Later, he manages to arrange some alone time with Yae — and proposes!
Yes, that’s really fast, and just as quick is how much he goes from 0 to 60 on pressuring Yae. Takumi was already ticked off by the fact Kyohei has been with Yae, and seeing this really makes him mad. It does seem a bit hypocritical of him to be upset by Kyohei’s aggressiveness when he’s been doing the same thing, but that’s manga romance I guess. At least Takumi puts his breaks on right after, saying he’s not like Kyohei. Regardless, for the rest of the volume, Takumi continues to seduce Yae, whose heart and body keeps racing whenever they’re together — especially when he keeps making comments that fluster her even further.
Takumi…Takumi continues to be a confusing character for me. On the surface, it seems obvious: he had a crush on her as a child, but he was too immature to express it properly and caused Yae to think he was messing with her. I still think that’s true, but I have been wondering why a man like him, who is generally an alpha male to Yae, would have let her get away for so long when he had chances to interact with her. I guess I haven’t been the only one questioning all this, as the author includes a very short story from Takumi’s perspective at the end of the volume. But it’s what comes after it that made a bigger impression on me.
So…while I thought it was already pretty clear that young Takumi had feelings for Yae, it’s not? I don’t doubt that some of Takumi’s wanting of Yae is to soothe the bruised ego of his 11-year-old self, but I think in an effort to explain Takumi more, Tokina just made him more confusing. Like, he always loved her, but not really since he asked for a fake marriage? Huh?
Otherwise, My Fake Marriage volume 3 continues down the same path as the previous volumes. I still do like how Tokina is showing Yae still searching for work. Yes, Yae still is expecting her current “job” to end, but she also seems to want to be established. She gets a one-week gig, but with Takumi offering Yae a “promotion”, I hope the rest of the series isn’t just a bodice ripper with their activities constantly being stopped for some reason. Yae isn’t as weak or in love as most heroines in those types, and I’d rather Tokina keep her as an ordinary spendthrift looking for her place in the world.
There were also some instances of awkward art. It’s just here and there, but with the art bright and the young-looking leads, it’s hard to ignore: dressed-up Yae with some awkward curves, an image of Takumi scowling with an old man’s hand…a few touch-ups there, and maybe the translation would have been nice. (Has anyone heard “drives me outta my head” outside of song lyrics?)
My Fake Marriage volume 3 continues the series’ mediocrity, and while Tokina wants to leave some things to reader’s imaginations, I’d rather one of those not be the main male lead’s motivations! Tokina has those 10 years mapped out, and perhaps the future volumes will do a better job of explaining than her notes here.