Satomura, Kurofune x LINE Manga Official Art, Dekinai Futari, Libre.
Dekinai Futari – Information
Author of Story: Satomura
Chapter Count: 5 volumes, 28 chapters
Status: Completed
Content Warnings
These content warnings do not reflect the contents of the review below; only the literary work itself.
- Mature content
- Trauma
Spoiler Disclaimer
This recommendation post may contain small plot spoilers for review purposes. Any major spoilers are hidden by default and are able to be revealed via click or tap.
Dekinai Futari – Plot Summary
This story follows 25-year-old Shirafuji Nao as she navigates her place of work, which just so happens to also be the workplace of Kurose Takahito… her ex-boyfriend! These two dated in high school and were even friends from a young age.
However, a conflict in their relationship caused a rift between them, and now they dislike each other and frequently bicker in the office. However, there’s a lot more to these two than just workplace competition!
This short, completed romance has got a pretty decent pace and a cute story. This sort of enemies-to-lovers trope is so fun, and the characters have silly personalities that make Dekinai Futari an enjoyable read!
Why I Enjoyed Dekinai Futari
In this story, we have two adults with jobs in the same company, who simply need to resolve a conflict that haunts their past… but even that isn’t a simple task! Dekinai Futari is a fun and sort of silly romance between two people who are basically open books..and yet they can’t seem to be honest with each other.
The best part of this manga is the unique romance. The chemistry between the two main characters is obvious; it’s fun to watch them slowly rekindle an old flame. This sweet story helps highlight how important effective communication is in relationships; and these characters certainly begin to understand that.
It’s a fun perspective from two young adults who are still fresh in both their careers and love lives. We get to see the thoughts and the points of view from both characters, which is something I always love in manga.
It makes it so funny during some moments, and you get be in-the-know about everything rather than left to wonder! We, the readers, know how each side feels… but how will they conquer this silly conflict?
Overall, the romance is sweet and mature; sort of angsty at times, but satisfying in the end! This manga is completed and on the shorter side, but with 28 chapters there’s still a decent amount of story to enjoy. The ending of Dekinai Futari felt satisfying and brought the story to a cute and happy ending.
Satomura, Volume 2 Cover, Dekinai Futari, Kurofune x Line Manga, Libre.
While this manga does contain a small amount of mature content, it is portrayed so differently than most mangas I’ve read. It actually feels very mature, and pretty realistic in terms of the characters’ experiences. A lot of stories like to over-romanticize this aspect of relationships, but this manga does a great job! It also feels really sweet, even while being a bit spicier of a topic (haha).
Dekinai Futari is pretty easy to binge and enjoy, as it is written without any crazy dramatic conflicts or anything that halts the plot for too long.
There’s one main conflict, and so you sort of just root for the two main characters to solve that issue and then enjoy the rest of the plot afterwards. It’s an enemies-to-lovers plot, so readers who love angst and pining in romance will likely enjoy this short story!
I like that the characters have good designs and nice personalities. Nao is a mature and pretty woman who works very hard to succeed in the office. Then we have Takahito, a relatively normal-looking guy who’s actually a big marshmallow inside; who is also a top performer at work.
I especially enjoyed Takahito’s expressions throughout this manga! He gives off the doting boyfriend vibe, whereas Nao gives off the impression of a strong-willed woman. Both of these characters have pretty relaxed and reserved personalities overall, which fits the story’s more lighthearted vibe.
There’s also a lot of cute, short extra chapters that show little memories from these two characters’ past as high schoolers. This was a very nice touch to the story since you can see what their relationship was like when they were younger! They seem a little more innocent in some of these extra chapters, so it felt very sweet and wholesome to read.
Overall, this manga’s vibe is pretty wholesome! (If you like really sweet and wholesome mangas, check out A Sign of Affection, too!)
Any Cons?
I don’t have any serious qualms with Dekinai Futari. The story isn’t extremely long, so for the length I enjoyed the pace and plot. One con I want to mention is that second male lead seems a little unnecessary, since he doesn’t even play a huge role in the story.
He wasn’t super annoying or anything, but the story really didn’t need him to be completely honest.
I think he could’ve been written to be a more important character; I actually felt some potential from his character since he was interesting and had an attractive design. Not really a big con, just something I wanted to mention I guess!
Satomura, Volume 4 Cover, Dekinai Futari, Kurofune x Line Manga, Libre.
Also, I know some readers don’t like tropes where characters bicker over something that could be solved with some simple communication. However, I think this plot actually feels rather realistic, since it can often be difficult to be honest about your feelings.
Regardless, if the main conflict being a simple misunderstanding will bother you, you may not like this series. I will say though, that since this story is completed in 28 chapters, it isn’t drawn out forever and ever at least.
Final Thoughts
For readers looking for a cute and easy-to-read josei manga, Dekinai Futari is a great choice. It isn’t super complicated, long, or drawn out. The story and relationship progresses at a really comfortable pace, and the dynamic of the main characters is very enjoyable!
It is a satisfying and cute choice of manga to easily read in one sitting. With this story, you get to enjoy a fun enemies-to-lovers trope with a sweet, happy ending; so check it out!
Disclaimer: Any images used for this blog are for illustrative purposes only, are not owned by me, and are under ownership of the artist or publisher.
Images Credit: Satomura, Dekinai Futari. Kurofune x LINE Manga, Libre Inc., 2020.
