Voiceless cries exchanged — “MODS” by Natsume Kazuki（ナツメカズキ）

I’d like to introduce “MODS” (MARBLE COMICS), published by Tokyo Mangasha!

The following is quoted from the back cover. This review does touch on the story’s content! If you just want a quick summary!! I’d be happy if you read only the red text and highlighted sections.

“Every time I wake up alone, I remember it—the warmth of being held by that person back then.”

In order to repay his younger sister’s debts, Nobutora ends up working as an attendant to Shiro, a highly popular escort at the gay delivery service “Rain”.

Although Nobutora maintained a clear line and focused strictly on his work with Shiro—who openly claimed to like Nobutora’s looks and body and constantly crossed boundaries with sexual harassment—one night, he found himself unable to forget the sight of Shiro injured from a client’s violence, along with a few words spoken in passing…

Deep within his fractured, frozen heart, there lay a desperate, aching cry for love.

The long-awaited comic release showcasing a bold new frontier from rising star Natsume Kazuki!

From “MODS” (MARBLE COMICS), published by Tokyo Mangasha

I first discovered Natsume Kazuki-sensei through “I HATE,” and this work—one that became the gateway for me to sink deep into the rabbit hole—is a story about bringing closure to the underworld and to Shiro-kun’s past as an escort. Trying desperately to repay his sister’s debts, Nobutora applies for a part-time job, only to find himself at the very escort agency where Shiro works. For Nobutora, it becomes a world that is a full 180 degrees removed from the normalcy he had known until then… and I could truly empathize with his instinctive decision that he needed to draw a clear line. Yet as he becomes more involved, that way of thinking slowly begins to change… and that process is just unbearably heartbreaking…!!

A carefree outward façade paired with a raw, emotionally exposed true self

From a young age, Shiro-kun was used as collateral for his parents’ debts and forced into “selling” himself, treated like a dog in the underworld. To be honest, the portrayal can be so harsh that it makes you want to avert your eyes (from the page), yet as you read, you can’t help but start searching—within that fragility—for some kind of hope or a way forward. Without even realizing it, that’s where you step right into the entrance to the abyss… (^^)

And then there’s Haru-san, the owner of “Rain,” where Shiro-kun works—a long-standing, inseparable connection dating back to Shiro’s childhood, and my personal favorite, by the way (a sudden declaration). The exchanges between Haru-san and Nobutora-kun feel so perfectly “on point” that they’re amusing, yet at the same time, you can see Haru-san’s guardian-like side as he worries about Shiro’s future, which is wonderful…! As the story moves into the latter half, it becomes increasingly heartbreaking to see that even the usually carefree Shiro-kun can let his guard down and be his true self in front of Haru-san… it’s just too painful.

A man named “Shigure” who exists within memories from the past

Why is it that the men who appear in memories from the past are always this heartbreaking…? Shigure-san is kindness itself, something that seeps straight into your soul. You almost start wondering if he really was former yakuza at all, given the warmth he shows as a person, and the consideration hidden even within his rough way of speaking. As someone who lives for happy endings, I can’t help but clasp my hands together and wish for his happiness—but then, suddenly, the story takes a sharp turn.

As Shiro-kun tries to break away from his past and move forward, Nobutora-kun desperately reaches out, grasping his hand and trying to support him. Please see for yourself where the path these two walk together ultimately leads (^^). Holding back unstoppable tears, you’ll find that by the end, your heart—down to its very corners—will be completely filled…!!