Unbreakable Bonds: Bond Mitsuya’s “He Calls Me Every Night”

Read on Renta!:
He Calls Me Every Night
by Bond Mitsuya

Japanese title:
よばうよもすがら
Yobau Yomosugara

Links:
Bond Mitsuya’s Twitter (author)
B.Pilz’s Twitter (publishing line)

This is one of those BL that’s stuck with me long after I first discovered it — not only because I have fond memories editing it, as it was one of the first longer-running BL series I was ever assigned to work on here at Renta!, but because the characters and storytelling have that lasting impact (and, well, it’s got the kind of smut scenes that just never get old). I’ve reread it a couple times now, and the attractive art and gripping story make it feel fresh every time.

I can strongly recommend this series to fans of fantasy BL, but also to anyone who enjoys hurt/comfort, excellent character writing, beautiful twinks, and very pretty smut scenes.

Our story begins when high schooler Sumito moves to the countryside to live with his grandma after his parents’ divorce. On top of the nervousness of starting a new life in a new town, Sumito’s got another concern weighing pretty heavily on his mind… lately, at night, a shadowy figure sneaks into his room through the window to fondle him to completion…! As terrifying as that sounds (and, keep in mind, this is a fantasy BL, after all), what’s perhaps more unsettling to Sumito is that he’s actually come to enjoy these nightly visits!

I’ve gotta point out from the get-go that Bond Mitsuya-sensei’s artwork does an incredible job making these scenes convincingly erotic, despite the creepy-sounding premise. I love the sharp, clean linework and the effective use of screentone and highlights (those nipples tho…🥴). The opening scenes of our protagonist getting felt up by a shadowy figure whose face we don’t even know yet are astoundingly sexy, all things considered.

One night, this mysterious man sneaks into Sumito’s room like clockwork, and the little ritual goes as usual… but this time, Sumito actually catches a glimpse of the culprit — and is surprised to see it’s a handsome young man! As Sumito’s mind is addled with pleasure, he barely registers his nightly visitor muttering something cryptic to suggest he knows Sumito from the past somehow before disappearing. Sumito doesn’t have much time to dwell on this, however, as the very next day happens to be his first day at his new school.

He’s in for another surprise, though, when he’s enthusiastically greeted by one of his new classmates — who he recognizes as the guy that’s been coming into his room every night! Not only that, but upon confronting him about it, the boy introduces himself as Gaku, the fabled “crow demon” that rules over the village… and claims that Sumito is his fiance! Poor Sumito just can’t catch a break.

Following this, Sumito starts to finally get to know the guy who’s been getting him off every night. But even if he can manage to believe the crow demon stuff, his supposed betrothal to Gaku is a different matter; he has no memory of making such a promise with Gaku, and he doesn’t see why the next head of the crow demons would even want to marry some random human dude. (Q: Doesn’t he need offspring? A: It’s all good because crow demons can apparently impregnate males too 😉)

Gaku, on the other hand, is determined to win Sumito’s heart whether he remembers their past together or not. At first, his main way of showing Sumito affection is through sex, since Sumito seemed to enjoy it when Gaku would touch him under the cover of night. Sumito can’t deny Gaku’s touch feels incredible for whatever reason, and he’s touched (hehe) by the tenderness Gaku shows him in bed once they begin a proper sexual relationship.

As wonderful as all the sex scenes are, what’s just as important to the story is how Sumito slowly falls for Gaku on an emotional level, and not just because they have excellent physical chemistry. Thanks to some demon magic shenanigans, Sumito ends up in a pretty difficult spot, and the way Gaku shows up — both figuratively and literally — proves the sincerity of his feelings and desire to be there for Sumito, no matter what. It’s sweet how Sumito gradually comes to develop feelings for Gaku, even before the truth behind their past together is revealed.

There are a few bumps along the road, but rest assured that a lovely ending is in store for our boys (it left me squealing and crying).

Sumito and Gaku’s story wraps up with chapter 8, so I was quite surprised when the next chapter of the series landed on my desk — turns out, there were 3 whole spankin’ chapters left! The series was originally published in two parts — one covering Sumito and Gaku’s story, and the latter part shifting the focus over to Gaku’s older brother Kaname and the “antagonist” early on in the series, Sho of the demon clan.

Sho’s first introduced in the story as Gaku’s actual fiance, and has all the markings of a bitter lover rival character — but don’t let that fool you. He’s a mysterious (and beautiful…!) guy who doesn’t make his feelings or intentions very obvious outright, which just adds to the intrigue of his character — and it all pays off when we finally get to explore his story in full in the final few installments of the series.

I’d advise readers that Sho’s story is much darker than the cute love story the series starts off with. You won’t find any of the comic relief moments or lightheartedness that were sprinkled in the first arc here. I’d say the story cranks the “hurt” part of “hurt/comfort” up to 11 right from the outset (major content warning for themes of rape, incest, and abuse in chapters 9 through 11). I don’t want to spoil anything, and this story arc is pretty fast-paced, so if you’re emotionally prepared for it, you should really experience it for yourself to see what I mean.

After reading the entire series (a few times over), I honestly can’t say which couple’s story from “He Calls Me Every Night” is my favorite. Of course, I appreciate the heartwarming romance that develops between Sumito and Gaku over the first 8 chapters of the series, but the sheer emotional intensity of the last few chapters covering Sho and Kaname’s story just hits so hard that it stands just as strong in my eyes. I highly recommend reading the series in its entirety so you can experience both sides of the coin, so to speak, and enjoy them both for their own unique qualities.

With this series, Bond Mitsuya’s skillfully combined fun, cute, and sexy BL with some deeper and darker themes to create a well-rounded story all wrapped up in gorgeous art. Please check out this series if you’re down to get emotionally invested in some birb boys and the loves of their lives. If you’re anything like me, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll be thinking about it long after you finish it — that, to me, is the mark of a great BL.