Handsome teenaged bodyguard Memori Fujieda has discovered his purpose in life – to salvage his friend Yuuki from his wayward life of crime as a self-proclaimed assassin, and to bring him into the fold (i.e. his brother's bodyguard agency) as the perfect partner to assist him in his work there.  The only problem with this plan is Yuuki himself, for the mysterious youth is bound and determined to resist Memori's efforts to reform him, and to continue in his lawless ways.  But what appears to be a simple issue of right versus wrong, good versus bad, becomes a great deal more in the second volume of Mizuho Kusanagi'sGamexrush, when half-remembered dreams, and a murky past come together with a painful clarity for these two boys, and the journey is a bumpy road indeed.

Highlights

As the second books opens, Memori is about to visit Yuuki in the hospital, and is debating the proper attitude to take – whether he should be scolding or nurturing or humorous –  but it becomes a moot point when he discovers the patient's bed empty,  quickly deducing that he is outside the window, attempting to fly the coop.  The attempt fails, as it becomes apparent that his wounds are too great to allow him to leave yet.  Memori literally ties Yuuki to his hospital bed in order to keep him there, and their adversarial relationship continues, the two youths "fighting like an old married couple" over anything and everything.  The more that Yuuki insists that he is an assassin, the more that Memori resists the idea, sure that there is more to him than that, that he is a good person inside.  But why does he hide it? To keep a vigil on Yuuki more easily once normal visiting hours are over, Memori disguises himself first as a nurse, than as a doctor, only to be dragged off by a friendly nurse, to his chagrin.  When he catches up with Yuuki, he finds him making a mysterious phone call to someone named Yuki-san, whom he jealously surmises to be a woman, a disturbing idea to Memori, who is determined to protect Yuuki no matter what, and to keep his attention on himself as well.  He insists on taking Yuuki home upon his discharge (curious to learn more about him, such as where he lives), and Yuuki surprisingly agrees but turns the tables on him by driving them himself, and blindfolding Memori for the journey.  They arrive at what Memori thinks is a resort, until everyone greets Yuuki familiarly and he realizes it is his palatial home, which only deepens the mystery surrounding him.  His brother Ken and Ken's longtime friend Himiko follow them there as well, and they both fall in love with the beautiful house and the cute maids which work there.  Yuuki allows them all to stay with him, and again the games begin between himself and Memori – have they ever stopped?  Yuuki manages to elude Memori's constant surveillance long enough to sneak away to another section of town where a woman awaits him, a woman who calls him son, but also calls him Memori.  The plot is getting thicker by the moment, for Yuuki knows things that Memori doesn't about a mutual past, explosive knowledge that if revealed would ruin the only life that Yuuki knows or wants, and yet Memori's persistence in knowing the truth is leading him just that way.  What is Yuuki to do?  It appears that only Memori's death can solve the problem, but can he take the other boy's life in order to assure his own happiness?  Aye, there's the rub.  And can Memori's adopted brother Ken save him from Yuuki's machinations?

Overview

Kusanagi has created two very interesting characters in Memori and Yuuki – apparent opposites in their personality and their life-choices, but with greater depths which he explores as their lives begin to unravel about them, which only goes to show that no one is either all good or all bad, there are always shades of grey in-between.  Their relationship, while adversarial on the surface, is deeper than that, and there is no denying the attraction between them, the spark that keeps them forever circling one another, as if they are wrestlers seeking a hold.  Continually playing games as they banter back and forth,  they are Japan's own version of Nick and Nora Charles, but with a twist in that they are on opposite sides of the law.  Memori and Yuuki are attractive bishounen – a Japanese term which literally means "beautiful youth", but the implications are much more.  I enjoyed reading this novel, getting to know the characters, and I was particularly fascinated by the emerging relationship between Memori and Yuuki (admittedly I am biased toward bishounen stories by nature).  It is funny, warm, and poignant – Kusanagi has a wicked sense of humor –  and although I was not entirely enamored by the way that the author brought the final volume of this two part series to a close, I can see it, for life is like that, and not everything can be tied up perfectly or to one's own satisfaction.  There is an OT rating, which I agree with, for it contains sexual innuendo, as well as mild violence and moderate gore.  On the whole, I recommend Gamexrush as a good read.

Comicsonline gives Gamexrush Volume 2 4 out of 5 awakening memories.