A star-crossed meet-cute between an ordinary man and an idol sparks a unique Boys’ Love romance!

After being dumped by his girlfriend and enduring a series of misfortunes, Chikayuki Murata thinks his day can’t get any worse—until he “saves” a young man on a bridge. The twist? Rei Aihara was just stargazing. To make up for the misunderstanding, Chikayuki takes Rei out for an unforgettable day filled with batting, bowling, and arcade games. When they part ways, Chikayuki casually invites Rei to visit his café, never expecting him to return so soon—or that Rei is actually an idol who sings his favorite song. But the real surprise comes when Rei decides to move in with him!

This was one of the more adorable BLs I’ve read lately, and I’m so glad I was given the chance to review it early!

I don’t want to repeat the summary again, but the moment Chikayuki sees Rei, there’s some magic there.

…Until Chikayuki ruins it by knocking both of them off the bridge and into the river. Anyway, it’s sort of a goofy way to get things started, but the scene where Rei wakes up in Chikayuki’s apartment is pretty funny.

Thus begins the cute and funny relationship between Chikayuki and Rei. Later the two go out at night and spend the time at batting cages, bowling, and the arcade, so Chikayuki can make things up to Rei. Rei has such a great time, he entertains a certain thought…

The thing is, besides having a magical night of fun together, one of the things that Rei finds so refreshing is that Chikayuki has no idea that Rei is an idol. Not only that, but Chikayuki’s favorite song is performed by Rei’s idol group, and he still doesn’t make that connection. Not even when Rei gives him a hint this huge:

Rei finds Chikayuki to be kind, a little bit on the quirky side, but overall a good person, so Rei drops living in his apartment with his idol group and impulsively moves in with Chikayuki. Chikayuki’s home is an apartment above his coffee shop that he inherited from his grandfather, who raised him after his parents died. This tragic turn of events never brought Chikayuki down, and Rei respects that. Plus, he loves Chikayuki’s coffee!

There’s a lot of fun to be had with this manga. Rei wears his heart on his sleeve and is very open about his feelings with Chikayuki. Rei’s group Clan hones in on Rei’s new home, and there’s a bit of jealousy and slow acceptance there. We learn of Rei’s past and struggle with his extremely cold, perfectionist father, and how Chikayuki supports him, no matter what he decides. This is a great pair because they encourage each other, and act as each other’s strength.

There is an interesting quandary that comes up that I’ve seen in similar idol/”commoner” love stories, where the ordinary partner starts to doubt his feelings and wonders if they are true, or if they’re simply dazzled due to his partner’s idol status. Chikayuki finds out pretty quickly that Rei is an idol, and starts seeing him everywhere–billboards, TV, magazines, etc. Chikayuki can’t help but let this affect him slightly, and in a bad way: instead of talking things out with Rei first, he finds information from magazines and other publications to learn more about Rei, and then brings it up. That’s not the best way to go about it, but Chikayuki makes up for it.

Rei and Chikayuki are absolutely an adorable couple. I love seeing how an idol dating an ordinary person keeps them refreshed and grounded. Meanwhile, I love seeing how an ordinary person feels lucky to have been chosen, and how they want to protect their idol.

What’s great about these two is that they help each other grow emotionally. Chikayuki, who’s always been pretty mellow or happy, has moments where he admits to feeling lonely, and cries. Rei is encouraged to be brave and resolve things with his father in his own way. Chikayuki and Rei clearly love each other, even when sometimes there are goofy misunderstandings (like a big one at the end that annoyed me *slightly*).

So, the story and characters have me sold. I really like the art style too. It reminds me a little of Meguru Hinohara’s character depictions, only the lines are a little more gentle, and the faces a little more subtle. The characters are certainly attractive (including the idol group!) and their beauty is fitting for a BL.

While I have been given the privilege to review a digital copy of the manga, I think, when it comes out in February, I’m going to nab myself a physical copy. This one’s a keeper.

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Destiny Paradise Night will release February 3, 2026. It will be available in print and digital. You can preorder now, or buy directly from the publisher on release to show your support, or purchase online from major booksellers everywhere.