Nov 21, 2025
Houtai Gokko is a story I can only describe as deeply bittersweet. It begins with Itsuki forming an unexpected bond with Hino, a former basketball prodigy forced to quit after a career-ending knee injury. While studying together, they grow close enough for him to call her by her first name — something that means more to her than she initially understands. She eventually realizes she’s fallen for him, yet she has never been viewed “as a girl,” often being teased with the nickname “Monkey.” When she overhears Hino admitting he could never see her romantically, the impact is devastating. She retreats, hides her feelings, and
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distances herself, leaving Hino hurt and confused.
Their lives separate until she enters medical university and—by pure coincidence—encounters the very person she hoped to avoid. Hino’s sudden coldness cuts even deeper, and the emotional distance they create only grows during the three silent years that follow. When they reunite again as interns, all the unresolved pain between them resurfaces.
From here, the story shifts into a series of tense, tender, and sometimes frustrating moments that eventually lead them into a relationship. And this is where the “bitter” part of the story truly begins. Hino is handsome, confident, and widely admired; Itsuki is quiet, self-doubting, and shaped by years of feeling overlooked. Their personalities and life experiences stand in stark contrast, creating a fragile dynamic. Itsuki’s insecurities are not exaggerated or dramatic — they are grounded, logical, and painfully human. She trusts Hino, yet she cannot help fearing that someone more beautiful, more fitting for him, will eventually take her place. These fears don’t make her possessive; they make her honest.
The story complicates their relationship further when chapter 24 ends with a cliffhanger implying that another girl may have kissed Hino. Whether or not anything truly happened becomes almost irrelevant — the damage to Itsuki’s sense of security is already done. Because they keep their relationship secret out of compassion, misunderstandings bloom easily. Itsuki is not the type to confront or accuse, so she internalizes her hurt, and Hino cannot shield her from situations that trigger her fears. Even if he reassures her, even if he loves her sincerely, each new incident risks reopening old wounds. It becomes like loving coffee: the taste is comforting, energizing, something you genuinely enjoy… but the more you drink it, the more you’re affected by the side effects. Eventually, you have to face the possibility that even something you love may be hurting you, and that someone else might be able to handle it without the same pain.
It’s the kind of dynamic where love exists, but pain grows in its shadow.
I don’t think Their relationship is doomed, but it is delicate. For it to survive, Hino needs to understand the depth of Itsuki’s fears, and Itsuki needs the space to express her emotions without believing they’re unreasonable. If they can meet each other with clarity and compassion, their relationship has a chance to stabilize. If not, the story quietly suggests that loving someone isn’t always the same as being good for them.
Despite this heaviness, I genuinely hope they find a way to remain together — not out of fantasy, but because both characters deserve to be understood and loved in a way that heals rather than harms.
Houtai Gokko captures those quiet emotional aches that linger long after you turn the page, and that’s exactly what makes it so compelling.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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