Rena and Tomoya, part two
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This a multi-part series of posts analyzing Fall in Love Like a Comic using Pamela Regis’s essential romance elements as a framework. Part One is here.
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FLLC: Chapter Two
Rena is working on her comic when Tomoya drops by. He teases her about the new kiss scene and she melts in his arms. A crowd gathers to watch them. Yamase and Sunahar, Tomoya’s friend, are there as well. Tomoya reveals to them that Rena is his girlfriend. An unnamed girl hears the news and fumes about it.
Rena and Tomoya go for lunch in street clothes, and Rena reiterates her purpose of learning about boys. At lunch, Rena explains her passion for creating comics. She asks Tomoya why he has rejected all the other girls who have approached him. He tells her they didn’t interest him. He kisses her on the cheek which puzzles her.
The next day, Rena’s editor compliments the new depth of emotion in her comics.
Rena and Tomoya are joining friends for dinner later that evening. Tomoya’s friends comment that he’s never brought a girl there before. Tomoya says he brought her because she’s his girlfriend. His friends quiz Rena on her relationship with Tomoya, and flustered she retreats to the bathroom. There, she encounters the unnamed rival girl and her three hired goons. The rival tells them to beat her up. Tomoya and his friends come to the rescue, and Tomoya threatens the rival girl.
Rena is so relieved and so tired from working all night on her comic that she falls asleep in Tomoya’s arms.
The next morning, Rena is shocked to wake up in Tomoya’s bed beside him.
FLLC: Chapter Three
Rena has woken up in bed with Tomoya and no recollection of how she got there. Tomoya teases her a bit and then admits they just slept. He tells her that he phoned her parents and breakfast is ready. Rena, moved by his behavior, blurts that he’s just like a boy in a manga. He flinches.
Later she discovers him in the arms of another, older woman. Although she says that it’s to be expected and she’s not at all upset, Rena bursts into tears. Later, she glares at a friendly Tomoya and runs away. She discovers that she has writer’s block that evening.
The next day at school, Tomoya corners her and demands to know why she’s avoiding him. He insists and she breaks down and confesses that she thought having a boyfriend would help her write better manga. But she won’t ever draw manga again and she loves him. A crowd gathers. He kisses her and the crowd gapes. She says he must stop kissing her because it’s not real. He brings up all the instances in which she said he was like a boy in a manga. He tells her he loves her and the other woman appears. She is Tomoya’s sister. Rena beams.
In Love Like a Comic (included in volume one)
All is well both professionally and personally in Rena’s life. A talent agent gives Tomoya her card, and she suggests that he could model. Rena feels distanced from him, and he comforts and scandalizes her by kissing her in public. But when a male lead is needed for the TV show based on her manga, Rena nominates Tomoya.
She doubts herself when he seems taken with his co-star Riko. During the shooting, Rena falls apart and screams. Tomoya takes her into another room and kisses her until she believes he cares only for her.
Unfortunately, journalists are determined to make Tomoya and Riko an item. Tomoya castigates the journalists and then kisses Rena on camera. Despite their consternation, the public approves of the match.
A Heartthrob Vacation (included in volume two)
Rena’s doing well with her comic series but her editor suggests that she make her new series more exciting. In Rena’s hormone-drenched estimation, this means she should have sex with Tomoya on the vacation they are going on with Yun and Tomoya’s two buds.
She attempts to heat things up but Tomoya just laughs at her. She screws up her courage and goes to him while he’s showering and tells him she wants him. He refuses and she runs to her room sobbing. He comes in and explains that he’s not ready yet to intensify their relationship. Rena is not perfectly happy with this but she agrees.
She does tease her editor that she had sex with Tomoya on vacation but she decides that just being with Tomoya is exciting enough. She also teases Tomoya that she might not wait for him. He is confident that she will because no one can make her feel like he does. Rena promptly melts.
NEXT: Love Triangles! Rena and Tomoya – all grown up.
