This review is for Cherry Blossoms After Winter Volumes 1 & 2 and contains spoilers. Inklore provided a free copy of these books in exchange for a review.
Volumes 1 and 2 of Cherry Blossoms After Winter, written and illustrated by Bamwoo, cover thirty episodes, which span the first season of the webcomic. Inklore decided to forgo chapter breaks, making for a smooth reading experience. Because this wasn’t as long as Under the Oak Tree, I found it easier to read a volume in one sitting.
The first two volumes cover the high school arc where high school seniors Haebom and Taesung find themselves in the same class for the first time. Aside from being the primary target of the class bully and his lackey, Haebom has another reason to feel uncomfortable. Despite living in the same house for almost his entire life, Haebom and Taesung rarely ever talk. Haebom has always steered clear of Taesung; he knows that he’s intruded on his former childhood friend’s home life and that Taesung has never wanted a brother.
But now that they’re in the same class, Haebom realizes Taesung, maybe, doesn’t hate him like he thought.
If there was ever a BL that I would recommend as a starter for new fans, it might be the first two volumes of Cherry Blossoms. This has a great balance of sweetness with a light dose of angst. While it might feel like the relationship development went by in the blink of an eye, rest assured, this is only the beginning of Haebom and Taesung’s relationship.
It’s made pretty clear that Taesung’s vehement rejection of Haebom becoming his brother is because he wants to marry him, but the two volumes never explain one thing: why didn’t he at least make an effort to be friendly with Haebom? He doesn’t have to act brotherly or even buddy-buddy with him, but the poor kid was under the impression that Taesung not only didn’t like him but resented him. Even if Taesung was trying to draw a line between the two of them because of his feelings and because he didn’t want Haebom to misconstrue his actions as pity, he could at least try to be less cold towards him.
Then, Taesung saying that he thought Haebom hated him was frankly a little ridiculous; Haebom hasn’t done anything that even remotely resembled “hate.” This “misunderstanding” existed to generate unnecessary and short-lived drama that didn’t quite hit the mark.
In retrospect, it’s a little bit odd (in a good way) to see how quickly things get resolved in the high school arc (aforementioned quibble aside). There isn’t any unnecessary dragging out of drama. After the two become friends, Taesung immediately takes this as an opening to be more affectionate with Haebom—ruffling his hair, holding his face, teasing him about using saliva to heal his wound—which culminates into a spontaneous and tearful kiss that Haebom can’t remember.
Although a little hurt, Taesung doesn’t beat around the bush and immediately confesses to him, and very quickly, and accurately, guesses that Haebom’s rejection of him isn’t because he doesn’t like him but because he’s afraid of disappointing Ms. Ha. Since he sees himself as a “burden,” a relationship with Taesung would only complicate things further.
In his anger, Taesung accidentally hurts and scares Haebom, immediately regrets his actions, and gives Haebom space. That space was much needed because it allowed Haebom to notice the gap Taesung’s absence left in his life and realize he likes Taesung more than a friend. Even though Haebom doesn’t outright tell Taesung he loves him, his confession feels so much more vulnerable. The simple “I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do” conveys his longing, his fear, his anxiety, and the love and affection he has for Taesung that he can no longer restrain.
This reread also highlighted the parallels between the two boys as their relationship evolves. Haebom became Taesung’s first friend when he was a child, then later, Taesung became his first friend when they became seniors. Haebom vowed to stay out of Taesung’s way when he first went to live with them, then Taesung quietly promised Haebom that he would stay out of his way, out of fear that they were moving backward in their relationship.
When I first saw the cover previews, I was a little skeptical because in comparison to other Inklore titles I’ve seen, Cherry Blossoms is by far the most simplistic, displaying only one of the boys on each cover against a solid-color background. But I really liked the symmetry of the covers and how both boys are looking at each other. The printing quality is also excellent, and I love the glossy pages. I think it would’ve been better, especially for this series, if the high school arc were a single volume.
Overall, Cherry Blossoms After Winter is a lovely and fluffy read that works well enough as a standalone two-volume series but leaves enough room for Haebom and Taesung’s story to continue.
