Xia Yu, the most popular boy in school, was also the handsome and aloof art club president.
Universally recognized as good-looking, also recognized as cool, low-key, and difficult to get close to.
Zhou Ding: Hah, pretentious.
He had long since decided that Xia Yu was unlikable. As a man, the guy had awfully thin arms and legs, especially those hands, which were even more delicate than a woman’s. He was simply a white-faced pretty boy capable of doing nothing but holding a paintbrush.
Zhou Ding firmly believed that there would never be any crossroads between them.
Until one day, the pretty boy rested a hand on his shoulder and asked with a grin, “Want to date?”
Zhou Ding: “…Sure.”
In Nagi's "Shinai Virus/Deep Love Virus," love is likened to a virus, and here I find myself agreeing. Love is never simple, especially when the person you adore is your best friend. This is Mako's predicament. Labeled as the best friend, she's always there for Haruo whenever his relationships falter—a fate that seems inevitable for him. One spontaneous kiss led her to believe he reciprocated her feelings, but that illusion shattered the next day when she met his new girlfriend.
Not all aspects of her life are as disheartening as her love life. She still has Kendo club practices to look forward to, provided she can prevent the club from being disbanded. Devoting herself to helping her senpai save the club proves cathartic, and who knows? She might be just one sneeze away from catching his "virus."
Within this concise one-volume story, we experience the highs and lows of first love. One thing is certain about both love and viruses: if you survive one bout, your immune system grows stronger for the next. Because let's face it, while the heart may forget, the body remembers. Alright, I'll stop with the virus analogies. To be honest, this tale wasn't bad—it was merely predictable, which is often the case with romances.
The narrative revolves around two individuals who unknowingly became each other's anchors, possessions even. That's the essence of "Deep Love Virus." They failed to realize how significant someone was until that person was no longer present or willing to remain. Their relationship had been steady, unchanging, until an external force disrupted their equilibrium, altering their perspectives. Whether it's another person or simply a feeling, both wield immense power.
Personally, I wished the story had allocated more pages to Kendo and its competitions. Given its romantic focus and one-shot format, Kendo served only as a plot device this time. It's unfortunate because the club members could have easily expanded the manga's scope.
The artwork is clean and appealing. I appreciated the contrast between the main characters—dark-haired Haruo and light-haired Shun, whose appearances mirror their distinct personalities. Perhaps it was coincidental, but I found it ironic. The clothing styles suited each character perfectly, reflecting their individual traits.
While not flawless, this story surpasses average expectations by portraying first love for what it truly is: merely the beginning.
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