Sophomore Yu Yang is a real treasure. He has a cheerful, easy-going, and emphatic personality. Seniors look up to him, and he knows how to stand up for himself. Freshman Li Huan is moody and taciturn, haughty and, at times, outright rude. How will these two manage to get along, and where will it lead them..?
By Djun
Series Here U Are
Volume 1
Release Date 01.07.2024
Genre Boys Love
Age Rating 16+
Publisher Aloha
CW Homophobia
Rating ★★★☆☆
My Review
I saw so many five-star reviews about this series that I couldn’t wait to dive in myself. With all the hype on social media, I’ll admit my expectations were a bit high. But honestly, when so many people are rating something that highly, it’s natural to get curious and your hopes up, right?
The story starts in a familiar college setting, where we meet Yu Yang—a confident, bubbly main character who seems to have it all together. Enter Li Huan, his complete opposite: quiet, withdrawn, and more likely to drop out than join. When he fails to show up to events and school several times, Yu Yang gets assigned to look after him, the two slowly start spending more time together.
One thing I did appreciate was how Yu Yang handles being outed by a mean classmate. Instead of letting them create drama, he just owns it—calm, cool, and self-assured. And when some guys try to pick a fight with him later at a bar, Li Huan steps up (after being asked).
The volume ended pretty abruptly, and I felt like I did read some things, but also not much. Especially not for the high price point it has here, around €26,-. Art-wise, I wasn’t blown away either. The print felt enlarged and a bit blurry, like it had been resized poorly. It gave off a slightly outdated vibe. I’ve heard the artwork improves in later chapters, but for now, I’m just reviewing volume one- and visually, it didn’t impress.
Overall? It’s a sweet, comforting read so far. The characters are likable, the vibes are wholesome, and their chemistry is cute. But innovative? Groundbreaking? Worth the massive hype? Not for me. That said, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this manhua. It just didn’t bring anything particularly new or exciting to the table.