Nothing brings people together quite like a shared interest in something. Sometimes all it takes is finding that one person who understands something you thought you had to enjoy alone.

And for Suzuki Hajime, that person turns out to be the last one he expects.

Adapted from Tsubaki Yuzu’s manga Yokya Shudan ni Iru Serizawa wa, Ore no Mae da to Yosu ga Okashii, the Japanese BL Popular Serizawa Acts Weird Around Me stars Koizumi Kosaku as Suzuki Hajime and Shisaka Ryoto as Serizawa Haruto.

Suzuki is a loner who secretly spends his time writing a BL novel, with one very familiar face inspiring his lead character: Serizawa, the popular and outgoing classmate who exists in an entirely different social world from his own. When Serizawa accidentally discovers Suzuki’s story, Suzuki naturally expects the worst. Instead of making fun of him, Serizawa loves what he’s written and reveals that he’s a BL fan himself. Suddenly, the hobby Suzuki kept hidden becomes the thing bringing them together.

From writing a BL novel on the sidelines to becoming the focus of the popular guy who inspired his lead character, Suzuki quickly finds himself becoming an integral part of Serizawa’s life.

And that’s quite literally the gist of the first two episodes of Popular Serizawa Acts Weird Around Me. Once Serizawa discovers Suzuki’s hidden hobby and shares that he loves reading BL himself, he pulls Suzuki into his life and seems determined to keep him there.

While that’s essentially all that happens in these initial episodes, the series also manages to weave in subtle details that will obviously make a bigger impact later.

The first, and my favorite, is how naturally Suzuki and Serizawa support each other. Serizawa gives Suzuki confidence in something he’s been afraid to openly share, while Suzuki offers Serizawa encouragement in return. They boost each other in ways neither seems to fully realize yet, and there’s no better foundation for a relationship than respect and encouragement.

There’s also something incredibly sweet about watching Suzuki realize that maybe Serizawa is spending time with him for more reasons than the novel he’s writing. For someone accustomed to existing outside the popular crowd, accepting Serizawa’s attention may prove as difficult as figuring out what it means.

The second is the small glimpse into Suzuki’s past and the suggestion that there’s a reason he’s so determined to keep his writing hidden. We don’t know much yet, but there’s clearly more to his story.

It’s going to be interesting to see how those elements come together and where the growing bond between Suzuki and Serizawa takes them. What began with a secret hobby has already given both of them someone they can encourage, confide in, and simply enjoy being around.

And considering how determined Serizawa seems to close the distance between them, Suzuki may not be standing on the sidelines for much longer.

For a series about two people brought together by a shared interest that somehow ignites an odd but adorable relationship, check out Popular Serizawa Acts Weird Around Me, now streaming on GagaOOLala.

Rating- 4 out of 5