Kris at ManicAboutManga.com, describes Passion as "a gorgeous release" and gives the first two books a grade of A−, [8] however Johanna Draper Carlson at Manga Worth Reading, derided Passion as "everything bad about the yaoi genre". [9]

I'm just very disappointed because i thought this manhwa will be different. It really seemed to be kind of realistic, the characters had personalities and i don't know it seemed decent storywise also it was quite funny. Ah... What a shame. Why ruin such a good premise? Book Three [5] begins a year after the events of Book Two, and Hikaru and Shima are still "playing lovers". Hikaru now works at a cafe part-time and Shima is the chairperson of the school festival. Because they are both so busy, it's been a long time since they've seen each other, but Hikaru calls Shima everyday when he takes a break at the cafe. During one call, they make plans to meet at the high school festival, and afterwards spend the night together. Book Two [4] opens just prior to the second semester. Shima has bought a car and Hikaru and Shima go on a number of dates, including a trek to a mountain temple to make their New Year's prayers, where Hikaru fears it will be the last time he is able to be with Shima. Because he has to study for entrance exams, Shima refuses to see him for fear of disrupting his studying. Without ever going on another date with Shima, Hikaru graduates. The "play acting" quietly comes to an end. Hikaru asks Shima for his favorite watch as a graduation present, which Shima gives him, and after that they separate. Both become depressed. http://activeanime.com/html/2008/11/02/passion-forbidden-lovers-advance-review/ Rachel Bentham Review, Active Animethat laughter It was very similar to that smile. When our eyes met for the first time in Rahman's villa. A month or so later, Shima, Morikawa, and Amamiya come to visit Hikaru at his cafe to take him out to lunch. His coworkers, seeing him so flustered, all assume that Ms. Morikawa is the object of his affections, but she is clearly with Amamiya. They tell Hikaru that he doesn't have a chance with his "Madonna" because Amamiya is much better-looking. Hikaru believes they are talking about Amamiya and Shima, because they are ex-lovers. Nagisa also tells Hikaru that his "Madonna" is probably using him because he is so young and inexperienced, and that they are "ill matched". Hikaru's self-confidence suffers and he begins to wonder if Shima actually loves him, since he never shows any jealousy.

The four-book series follows the romantic entanglements between Shima, a male high school teacher, and a male student at his school, Hikaru Umino, as well as Shima's ex-lover, Amamiya, who also teaches at Shima and Hikaru's school. The first two books in the series detail Shima and Hikaru's relationship while Hikaru is still a high school student. In books three and four, Hikaru has graduated to university, and is struggling to juggle university, his part-time jobs, and his still-shaky relationship with Shima. Thinking it was time to talk to them when they were children, Jaeui and Taeui's father said he was actually a male where his body could not make babies. Stating he got them with uncle's help, he continued that later if Chang-in says anything they should go ahead and follow what he asks. Learning that both his children would be twins, even before they were born he told Chang-in that he will give him one of them.June Manga/DMP Yaoi 3: Our Kingdom, Desire, Passion» Manga Worth Reading". Archived from the original on 2014-07-14 . Retrieved 2015-10-25. Manga Worth Reading The story then skips to the high school festival, where Mami prepares to plainly confess her feelings to Hikaru. However, she runs into Nagisa first, who is also looking for Hikaru. Nagisa flirts with Mami, but she tells him they are rivals. Shima interrupts this, and Nagisa, unaware of Shima's identity as Hikaru's "Madonna", flirts with him and invites him to tea. Shima, curious about his rival, agrees.