Read on Renta!:
The Coffee Shop Owner Knows Nothing About Love
Japanese title:
マスターは恋を知らない
Master Ha Koi wo shiranai
Author:
Io Amaki (Twitter:@io_amaki)
It’s officially (almost) fall, and you know what that means — time to whip out the comfy sweaters, don the snazzy scarves, and (if you’re anything like me) inject pumpkin spice latte directly into your veins! 
…That’s what I keep telling myself, anyway, in my feeble attempt to convince myself that summer is truly behind us despite the enduring heat and humidity here in Tokyo.
Regardless of the climate you currently find yourself in, the period between the height of summer and Spooky Season™ is a great time to relax with some comforting BL.
In the spirit of flavorful fall-themed drinks, today I’ve got a sweet manga recommendation for you involving a pure-hearted coffee shop owner, a hot guy in a suit, and a pinch of commentary on the effects of gentrification. And, unlike the tragically short limited-time run of the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks Japan, this offering’s available year-round!
The Coffee Shop Owner Knows Nothing About Love is about Natsuki, a cafe owner whose shop is at risk of being displaced by an area redevelopment plan, and Akutsu, a realtor who is involved in said project. For whatever reason, Akutsu likes to frequent the cafe, much to Natsuki’s dismay.
One night, Akutsu finds Natsuki hanging outside a gay club; after being saved from a dodgy situation, Natsuki reveals to Akutsu that he’d only gone out of curiosity. Akutsu catches on that Natsuki must be inexperienced, and offers him the chance to “experiment” with him…
And, well, you can imagine how the story develops from there.
Despite his qualms about quite literally jumping into bed with the enemy, sure enough, Natsuki gives in to Akutsu’s Sexy Man Charms, rationalizing it in his mind by saying it’s nothing more than a whim and has no deeper meaning. Sure. Right…
The rest of the series mostly focuses on Natsuki coming to terms with his feelings toward Akutsu, and understanding how his new “fuck buddy” actually views him — having never been in love before, Natsuki isn’t sure whether his attraction to Akutsu is strictly physical or rooted in something deeper, let alone what Akutsu’s true intentions are. On top of that, there’s still the fact that Akutsu’s company is trying to uproot the businesses in the neighborhood, including Natsuki’s cafe. Can Natsuki protect his heart and his family business at the same time? Or will he end up getting burned?
Bad coffee puns aside, this is a short and sweet story that really knows how to turn up the heat.
The way Io Amaki draws men’s bodies — slim yet toned — is precisely to my tastes, so needless to say the spicier parts of the manga had plenty of eye candy for me.
Even outside the ero scenes, though, Amaki-sensei’s skillful use of screentone gives everything a rich, warm feeling — which perfectly suits the overall atmosphere of the manga.
I found the characters plenty endearing too. Akutsu may seem like an arrogant dude who gets a kick out of teasing Natsuki, but it never feels malicious, and it’s easy to tell from early on that he sees Natsuki as more than just a plaything. On the other hand, Natsuki could come off as a bit of a tsundere, but never to the point that it feels grating — he’s just understandably wary of Akutsu and wants to protect what he’s worked so hard for.
It’s nice to see the two of them grow closer emotionally as the story progresses. Also, many of the chapters end in cliffhangers where you just have to read more. Luckily, all the chapters are available right now on Renta!, so you can binge the whole series at once!
If you’re looking for something touching but not overly complex, with hot ero scenes, cute characters, and a satisfying ending, I recommend getting cozy with your favorite autumn beverage and giving this series a try.
Speaking of which, it’s about time for me to hunt down some PSL.
rentaBLog 