Butterflies, Flowers



Butterflies, Flowers (Chou yo Hana yo) is a Josei Manga series by Yuki Yoshihara, running in the magazine Petit Comic. The English version is licensed by Viz.

Choko, the daughter of a formerly wealthy family fallen on hard times, is an entry-level administrative worker at her first job. She ends up under the thumb of hot but tyrannical Administrative Department Director Domoto ("say it with ♥!"), who turns out to be one of her family's former servants - one on whom she had a pretty obvious puppy crush as a girl. Despite being a dictatorial, slave-driving and borderline sexually harassing boss at work, Domoto turns into Choko's devoted servant off-hours. Romantic comedy ensues.


 * Bunny Ears Lawyer: Wholesome Crossdresser is... very effective and highly respected, dress or no dress.
 * Contrived Coincidence: The only company hiring is the one where the heroine's ex-servant has become director of the department she is applying to...
 * Not contrived; other companies are hiring. Choko applies to them, but none of them come back with an offer. Since the person authorizing hire offers from Benten Estates would be Domoto, the reason why she got an offer from them is obvious.
 * Homoerotic Subtext: Wholesome Crossdresser is very touchy-feely with Domoto. Even when he's not in a dress.
 * Insistent Terminology: It's "Director Domoto ♥." No substitutes.
 * I Want My Beloved to Be Fashionable: Kind of; Domoto browbeats Choko to upgrade her behavior and appearance, partly for the job, partly because of her noble lineage, and maybe for some other reason...
 * May-December Romance: Borderline; ages aren't specified but Domoto is old enough to have been in high school when Choko was still a small child.
 * Choko calls Domoto a 30-year old; he invariably retorts that he's still in his twenties. Choko herself is presumably about 22, since she appears to be getting her first job after graduating from college.
 * Mean Boss: Director Domoto. Not mean so much, but tyrannical, dictatorial, and demanding.
 * Office Lady: The heroine, Choko.
 * Puppy Love: Choko as a tot was very attached to "Cha-chan".
 * Say It with Hearts: Domoto insists that Choko address him as "Director Domoto ♥" when on the job.
 * Tyrant With A Heart Of Gold: Domoto
 * Wholesome Crossdresser: Domoto's co-worker and very close friend, until she realizes he's a he.
 * Yaoi Fangirls: The fellow office minions who know about the Wholesome Crossdresser.