In the pages of romance mangas, protagonists and their love interests often meet in uniquely mundane circumstances. Yet from those ordinary interactions blossoms a journey—one they jump in and out of—until their paths finally align, allowing them to walk forward together. Sure, that journey may be filled with quips, halts, and doubts, but it mirrors what many people experience in real life as they navigate the complexities of love.
However, in reality, love isn’t always as turbulent as it’s made out to be. For many, it simply appears—no drawn-out “will they, won’t they,” no years of agonizing longing. Sometimes, love arrives quietly, in the least expected moment, without any dramatic buildup—just a coincidental, mundane interaction that connects two people and sets them on a shared path.
While I understand why writers often shy away from that kind of normalcy—it may lack an immediate hook—author Kintetsu Yamada proves that the quiet simplicity of romance can still be engaging with his short-run manga Home Office Romance, which showed that even the most unremarkable beginnings can blossom into something endearing and entertaining.
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In Home Office Romance, we follow Nokoru Mitsuhashi, a corporate man stuck in the mundanities of his job. Due to the pandemic (which doesn’t play a major role in the story but serves more as a vessel to move the plot forward), he's forced to work from his apartment. It’s here that he encounters Natsu Izumi, a graduate student living next door.
From the start, we’re introduced to these characters in a way that makes their roles and personal situations instantly clear. The story hooks you with its seemingly mundane yet captivating approach—focusing on the slow-blossoming romance and meaningful connection that forms between Noroku and Natsu through the quiet rhythms of adulthood. Whether it’s conversations about futon brands, gardening, furniture building, venting about work, sharing passions, or something as simple as overseeing each other’s schedules, each moment feels endearing and sincere.
The manga also thoughtfully explores the different stages of romance, particularly through Noroku’s internal struggles—his worries about where their relationship stands, especially when things haven’t been made official. His inner monologues and careful consideration of Natsu’s feelings are heartwarming, and the story never drags these moments out to the point of repetition or annoyance. Natsu, on the other hand, contrasts Noroku with her warm presence and forward-spirited mindset. The blend of their energies makes this series overwhelmingly sweet, all within the intimacy of its compact setting.
Noroku and Natsu’s relationship is one of the most engaging romantic couples we've seen in fiction—not because of the earth-shattering events that lead them to where they are, or how tragic their backstories are that paid off once they're together, but rather, these are just normal people living through normal lives in this normal world. In the billions of people with different professions, circumstances, and passions, somehow, there will be someone out there that completes you in ways you've never foreseen. Noroku and Natsu’s relationship proves that love will always come to people—whether we ask for it or not, whether we think about it or not.
The down-to-earth, realistic setting of the manga makes you feel like romance is an essential part of what makes humans human, reading their interactions toward each other as if you're reading a biography of their earliest years together—seeing Natsu taking a couple of moves toward Noroku in the blink of our eyes, while Noroku flimsy figures out the signs—to a couple where they both satisfied their wants and needs, and their yearns in their lives. It's a romance that works because they feel like real people.
Though, to put it to note, the author has made a similar yet longer series titled Sweat and Soap. Both this and Sweat and Soap are among the most essential romance mangas to read—not because they portray romance as something we chase, nor as something cynical where there can only be one winner amidst losers, but because they offer a hopeful perspective on love. This is especially true for their target audience: adults who are simply getting by in life.
This series clearly reflects the wants and needs of 21st-century working-class individuals who will—one day—have their own sort of romance story to cherish. If there is a propaganda for romance, this is the poster child for it.
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Home Office Romance feels like a warm hug when reading it—a hopeful display of romance that everyone can enjoy. With its stripped-down, less-stimulating, less-trope-y formula, it focuses only on the essential bits: endearing and sweet characters that truly tingle the heart. I highly recommend this to everyone, with the added bonus that you can easily finish it in under an hour—perfect for a quick commute read. ***