Anyway, Iwaki is at home, brooding over a magazine article in which Katou is ranked among the "Top 15 Most Beautiful Actors in Japan"--and Iwaki himself hasn't made the cut. He finds himself comparing his appearance to Katou's and worrying that Katou will leave him for a younger man. He knows that his worries are stupid and irrational, but still feels insecure in spite of himself. To comfort himself, he stares at the magazine photo of Katou and imagines that Katou is making love to him...

This was hot and lovely and a bit melancholy all at the same time. I thought that the author made good use of Iwaki's insecurities, as reflected in canon. Early in the manga, Iwaki worries about Katou leaving him someday, and there was that one chapter where Katou thinks that Iwaki is upset that Katou ranked above him in a magazine popularity poll. Of course it later turned out that wasn't what Iwaki was really upset about, but I liked how the author used a similar idea here and used it to fuel Iwaki's doubts.

Iwaki and Katou are older in this story--the author puts their ages at 35 and 30, and while I'm a little fuzzy on the Haru timeline, I believe that their relationship is firmly established by this point in canon. Still, I find it completely in character that Iwaki would have these brief moments of doubt and insecurity. He does brood quite a bit throughout the series--about his relationship with Katou, his family, and his career. Which is why they make such a good couple I suppose--Katou's more outgoing, upbeat personality balances out Iwaki's more serious, brooding nature and vice versa.

So please go over and check out the story, and leave a comment for the author if you liked it! ^_^