【Countryside × Boy】 A Hot Topic Work That Lets You Savor a Summer Moment with a Charming Boy! A Vacation With the Ponytailed Tanning Boy!

At the start of summer vacation, the protagonist Kouhei heads to his father's rural hometown. There, every year, his cousin awaits to welcome him. As Kouhei arrives, his heart pounding with excitement at their long-awaited reunion, he sees a boy with lustrous black hair tied in a ponytail. His gestures, as delicate as a girl’s, and the contrast with his sun-tanned skin are strikingly memorable—
This story depicts a bittersweet yet tender summer memory where “the Ponytailed Tanning Boy” melts into everyday life. Every innocent, wavering gesture of the boy caught between childhood and adolescence gently seeps into the reader’s heart in this gem of a story.

First of all, the moment you see the title of this work, it strikes you with such impact that you're convinced, “This is definitely it.” Tan skin, ponytail, shota—this trio in the character design evokes an almost divine aura. Sun-tanned skin and an innocent smile. Slim, soft limbs peeking out from a tank top or oversized T-shirt. And a slightly unbalanced physique just before puberty. All of these elements combine in perfect harmony, enhancing the character's completeness.

Most of the work is composed of the daily life of the boy, showing carefree smiles and defenseless gestures. That simplicity is precisely this work’s greatest charm. Just his presence is picturesque; the days spent with him leave a definite warmth in the reader's heart. Moreover, he’s not just cute—there’s a subtle closeness, as he “clings on with desperate affection,” that is perfectly balanced. A comfortable lukewarm feeling, like something more than friends but not quite lovers, flows throughout the entire story.

In this work, there are moments when a vaguely erotic atmosphere peeks through, only to quickly shift into a pure, brotherly mood. The composition, which freely moves between sweet awkwardness and heartfelt purity, hits you with unexpected emotional impact. While it relentlessly pursues the cuteness of the shota character, it does not stop at mere moe; there is a delicate emotional fluctuation present here.

A soul-filled volume that conveys how the author confronted their own desires and fetishes without the slightest compromise. This is not just a character-moe work, but a gem of a story that realistically and lovingly captures a “summer miracle” everyone has felt at least once. After reading, this work will leave a gentle and warm afterglow deep in your heart—please pick it up and savor it.