I’ll be blunt: I felt pretty weird after reading the second volume of The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Seen. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen scenarios like this done better. Perhaps it’s because they drag out the school festival narrative storyline a bit too much. But the main reason I felt weird about mmk’s manga series is because, well, it was kind of gross. Either I’m growing out of these kinds of rom-coms, or maybe it’s time manga series stop depicting high schoolers this way.

The entirety of Volume Two is primarily about what happens before, during, and after the school cultural festival. Eguchi is forced to crossdress as a maid for his class, a sight that makes Ikezawa excited. As the two prep for the event, Ikezawa takes some detours with Eguchi around the shopping area. Cosplaying, using photo booths, and even grabbing a snack together. As usual, Ikezawa finds a way to add some sensuality to the moments, leaving Eguchi feeling flustered.

It’s when the school festival arrives when things get steamy between the two of them. Both find themselves in an area with no people around, with Ikezawa wanting to get touchy with Eguchi. Although he nods with consent, I can’t help but feel like this whole scenario was wrong to watch unfold. It gets worse when both of them have a mishap that will no doubt raise many readers’ eyebrows.

There is a very funny moment in The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Seen involving the haunted house. Both Eguchi and Ikezawa can’t handle anything too scary, but they help calm each other down by claiming that they’re going commando. It leads to a crawling mummy getting an eye-full up Eguchi’s skirt, with a reaction that I’ll admit got a big laugh out of me. Unfortunately, that was really the only time I found myself laughing out loud while reading this volume.

Moments involving the duo pigging out at another classroom’s café don’t hit the mark, and it feels more cruel than humorous that Eguchi is left behind from enjoying the victory dinner with his class. But when Ikezawa arrives to give him a helping hand, it shows that this series can have a sweet side to it when it wants to. Unfortunately, it would rather lean more into the smut than it would with the heartfelt moments. (Ikezawa’s reaction to her picture with Eguchi did make me smile, though.)

I really wanted more from The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Seen. However, if Volume Two is anything to go by, it’s looking more to be risqué without anything to balance it out. Why series like Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro, and Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! work is because there’s a perfect balance between the raunchy and the sweet. And right now, The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Seen needs to do something about finagling with the scales to equalize those two sides. As I see it now, there’s just way too much weight in the raunchy side to make this rom-com enjoyable.

Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.