Encore! / Miles Toriko Burks.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

In this queer rom-com graphic novel for fans of Heartstopper and Bloom, two ex-best childhood friends reconnect again in high school only to discover they might be something more than friends. Based on the popular Webtoon of the same name!

Senior year is in full swing, and Clay's determined to have a good year filled with friends, theater dreams, and newfound confidence. But when his ex-best friend, Aron, suddenly reappears in his life--and his theater class--it throws a wrench in all of Clay's plans. Annoyingly, the two are paired up during an improv exercise, and being vulnerable together onstage swirls up all sorts of old, complicated feelings. Even more annoyingly, Aron is acting like there's nothing weird or confusing about being back in each other's orbits again. Which is ironic, since Aron was the one who ghosted Clay in the first place.

As their class assignment continues and they spend more and more time together, Clay isn't sure he can keep his old feelings buried. But can he trust Aron again, after everything they've been through?

Ex-Best Friends to Maybe Lovers : Once inseparable, now painfully awkward, Clay and Aron navigate what's changed--and what hasn't--between them. A Second Chance at a First Love : Years after things fell apart, reconnection brings back feelings neither of them every truly moved on from. Slow-Burn High School Romance : At the start of senior year, emotions feel bigger, riskier, and harder to ignore. Theater Kids : Onstage vulnerability encourages emotional honesty that seeps into their real lives.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

Gr 9 Up--In this sweet contemporary romance, Clay and Aron have gone from childhood best friends to strangers in the hallways of their high school. Clay has found his community with the theater kids, and Aron among the athletes. The two are forced back into each other's orbit when Aron is assigned to attend Clay's theater class to fulfill his graduation requirements. The book explores the pain of friendships growing and changing during adolescence, and the resentment that can simmer below the surface. Clay is portrayed with refreshing confidence, secure in his body and identity. In contrast, Aron struggles with quiet internal conflict as he grapples with the realization that his feelings for his former best friend have changed into something much deeper. This is a remarkably touching second-chance romance that chooses to focus on the authentic pain of losing and rediscovering a close childhood friend. Clay is Asian and white, Aron is depicted with tan skin. VERDICT A deeply satisfying read and a must-have book for high school libraries where realistic LGBTQIA+ fiction is in demand.--Elizabeth Gilbert

Booklist Review

Clay Noguchi's high-school life is super stressful. He's working on being comfortable using the boys' bathroom, his friends Hana and Alex are wooing girls, and his theater class is starting with improv. When ex-best friend Aaron shows up in class, Clay is thrown even further out of his comfort zone. Of course, they wind up partners and have to deal with the emotional fallout of their ruined friendship as well as the attraction neither of them is ready to face. The resultant turmoil threatens not just their reconciliation but Clay's other friendships and Aaron's entire social life. This webtoon-turned-graphic-novel shines when depicting the balance of imagination and embarrassment theater can bring out in Clay and Aaron, as well as the former's closed-off body language and the latter's boundless enthusiasm. Readers of Crystal Frasier and Val Wise's Cheer Up! Love and Pompoms looking for another pair of former friends rediscovering and expanding their relationship will want to check this out. A delightful slice of life story for fans of Heartstopper and other queer high-school romances.

Kirkus Book Review

Senior year should feel like a victory lap--but for Clay, it's about to get complicated. Clay Noguchi has great friends and confidence in his gender identity, and he's even ready to try using the boys' bathroom. But his hopes for a smooth school year unravel when his former best friend, Aron Santos--now a swaggering jock--lands in his theater class. Worse, they're paired for an improv project. Aron slips easily back into their old dynamic, acting as if the years (and the ghosting) never happened, but Clay still feels stung by the betrayal. As rehearsals blur into real life, complicated feelings resurface. Clay starts choosing Aron over his friends, alienating those who care about him most. Meanwhile, Aron wrestles with questions about his own sexuality. Together, the two must decide whether they can rebuild what was broken, and whether they're brave enough to be seen for who they truly are. Based on a WEBTOON, Burks' debut is a slow-burn graphic rom-com that features inviting digital linework and expressive, character-focused cartooning. The warm, muted palette and clean backgrounds keep the focus on gestures and facial expressions, which carry most of the narrative weight. The story radiates warmth and theater-kid friendship, with Clay's trans identity presented in a refreshingly matter-of-fact way. Most major characters read queer and Asian; Aron is cued Filipino American, and Clay presents Japanese American. Heartfelt, hopeful, and full of queer coming-of-age charm. (yearbook page, sketches)(Graphic romance. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.