Meguro and Akino Just Don't Realize (Meguro to Akino wa Kizukanai) is a 2019 one-shot Yaoi manga by Yukue Moegi.
Meguro and Akino are in love and, frankly speaking, it's painfully obvious to everyone else who just wants them to date and be done with it. But there's just one problem: they're absolutely unaware of these feelings for one another and themselves.
Why would they be? Is it because every time Akino gets dumped, he'll always hang out and be most at home in Meguro's place despite knowing he's gay? Or perhaps it's Akino's girlfriends becoming sick and tired of being compared to Meguro's superior cooking, cleaning and pampering that he subconsciously brags about? Or maybe, it's the countless times Akino had groped Meguro's hard, well-toned muscles who in turn kissed him and they jerk off together?
...Yup, Meguro and Akino just don't realize.
Contains the following tropes:
- Bait-and-Switch: After barring Akino from his apartment, Meguro was informed by his friend that Akino has been seen together with men even though he's straight, infuriating him. However, the next chapter clarifies that Akino was platonically hanging out at his other guy friends' places as a replacement for Meguro's which isn't as bad but still infuriating.
- Bookends: The manga begins and ends with Akino feeling up Meguro's well-toned abs, the first when he was drunk and the second when he fell asleep groping them.
- Cross-Referenced Titles: The manga is called Meguro And Akino Just Don't Realize, describing how the two leads are oblivious to their own feelings for each other. The last chapter is titled "Do Meguro And Akino Finally Realize?" to mark the point where it dawned on the both of them at last like what everybody has said from the start.
- Delayed Reaction: After denying it throughout the entire manga, Akino and Meguro having a typical domestic conversation left them both beet-red and collapsing to the floor in embarrassment upon finally realizing they really are a couple.Meguro: "You've been restless since you woke up."Akino: "I forgot that I have to turn in this paper first thing. Do you have work today?"Meguro: "I don't. I'm spending the entire day on my report."Akino: "Then as soon as classes finish, I'll come."Meguro: "Okay, buy some ketchup on your way over."[Both give each other a goodbye kiss]Meguro: "Take care."Akino: "Yeah."[Beat]Meguro: [Crouching down with hands in his face] "This didn't happen..."Akino: [Similarily slumped over] "Yeah... That didn't happen!!!"
- Everyone Can See It: The sexual tension between Akino and Meguro is so blatant that everyone and their Mama (The bartender that is) thinks they are going out already. Even after their 24-hour sex marathon they still didn't get it through their thick skulls much to Mama's frustration.Mama: Don't tell me that after all this, the two of you are still not going out?Akino: [Stroking Meguro's back] Eh...no.Mama: Allow me to confirm. You had sex. You kissed. You always want to be together. And your heart says...?Akino & Meguro: [Looks at each other] ... I don't hate you.Mama: GO TO THE HOTEL ONE MORE TIME!!
- Really Gets Around: Akino has dated more than thirteen women in the past three years, the longest being less than six months and the shortest lasting a single week, and has plenty of experience being the top. When he finally had his go with Meguro, he really had his go with Meguro.
- Wrong-Name Outburst: The reason why Akino can never keep a girlfriend for long was that he was subconsciously saying Meguro's name out loud while comparing them to him in terms of cooking, cleaning, and basically everything and they evidently become sick and tired of it. Meguro likewise slips up, saying Akino's name while climaxing at a one-night stand. These incidences led to both realising they have repressed feelings for one another.
