Rouge Noir



When Ayane Tezuka was 19, she was a cute college student aiming to be a piano player. In these days she also was the private tutor of a young rich boy, Kou Narumiya, and sparks simply flew between them! However, not only Kou was from one of the richest families in Japan but he was only 14, despite being much Younger Than They Look. Once Kou's mother noticed and harshly warned Ayane to not get too close to Kou, such an attraction ended up in... well, not good terms.

Flashforward to six years. 25-year-old Ayane is now a beautiful school teacher in an all-girls school and her life seems to be placid and perfect, but she hasn't really forgotten Kou. All of a sudden, while attending a jazz-piano audition, she finds the now older Kou again. Old feelings sort-of return, and Ayane's heart is a mess from then on...

Rouge Noir is a short jousei manga by Kyouko Mizutani, spanning two volumes. If you wish, you can read it here.

"" (...) Even I think there's something wrong with me. (...) That sound, despite the calamitous past that we have, are drawing me in.""
 * Alpha Bitch - Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Rena Morikawa, the star of the school chorus that Ayane directs. Not only she, but she also
 * Big Fancy House: Kou's.
 * Broken Bird: Ayane has more issues than you'd think.
 * Chekhov's Gun: Ayane once plays the piano for Kou while tutoring him.
 * Chekhov's Gunman: Sorta: two of Ayane's coworkers, Shibasaki and Okamura, are featured in another short story from Mizutani.
 * Don't You Dare Pity Me!: Ayane, when she leans that
 * Elegant Classical Musician: Both Kou and Ayane, in different degrees. Both are talented pianists, and Ayane is also a pretty decent singer.
 * Expository Hairstyle Change: Ayane used to have Rapunzel Hair at age 19. At age 25 she has a much shorter cut.
 * Green-Eyed Monster:
 * Grey Rain of Depression: When, she does it via a cell call under the rain.
 * He's All Grown Up: Kou, and how.
 * And his pup Ryuunosuke, too. Ayane met her when she was a puppy, then as a big Shiba dog.
 * Heroic BSOD:
 * Hot for Student: Played with. When Ayane was Kou's tutor, there was UST between them but nothing came out of it.  Six years later, when they meet again, he still calls her "sensei".
 * Hot Teacher: Ayane and her boyfriend Naoto.
 * Josei
 * Just a Kid: Kou has big problems with that, to the point of a Berserk Button.
 * Love Hurts
 * May-December Romance: May September (five years), and unusually the woman is the older one.
 * Meganekko: Ayane
 * Modesty Bedsheet:
 * Discussed.
 * Discussed.

""What a pitiful ! Are you only capable of finding happiness through the misfortune of others?!""
 * And later
 * Rescue Romance: Kou helps Ayane when she's harrassed by a drunkard.
 * Romantic False Lead: Naoto
 * Sensei-chan: "Ayane-cchi", though not as much as others.
 * Shower of Angst:
 * Sugar and Ice Guy: Ayane thinks Kou is this.
 * Tomboyish Name: Ryuunosuke is actually a girl puppy.
 * Unwitting Instigator of Doom:
 * What the Hell, Hero?:  towards , when
 * What the Hell, Hero?:  towards , when


 * The White Prince: Kou, son of a VERY wealthy tycoon from the aviation business
 * Wounded Gazelle Gambit:
 * Yonkoma: The Wanderful Life omakes featuring Ryuunosuke.