Their anniversary

for real
i can sympathize with issues communicating even if it's not my fav form of conflict in romance. but expecting fancy anniversaries when he said he didn't want to celebrate them and not even listening to the other side when he gets upset just makes me feel bad for the bf

I think he’s valid for feeling that way. Everyone is different, and for him, anniversaries represent the moment they chose to be together and love each other. Naturally, he expected his partner to do something special, not necessarily something extravagant, but at least some kind of effort. Because anniversaries hold meaning for him, even if he downplayed it before. Even if he say that anniversaries didn't mean much to him then that mean anniversaries didn't mean much to the ml too.

Plus, they’ve been together for three years. That’s not a short time. Over those years, the MC think that one day he might get flowers. Flowers. It's a simple and easy gift and the fact that he hasn't received flowers from the ml at all show how much that mean to him. Even if their relationship was playful at first, the fact that they’ve been together for so long, sharing moments, having sex, and building a connection obviously means something.

Not to mention during their first date, the ML didn’t show up, not his fault, but it still hurt the MC’s feelings. Then, on their anniversary, the ML didn’t give him flowers, didn’t acknowledge the day, didn’t do anything the MC expected from a partner. And what did happen instead? They had sex. That’s probably the worst "gift" when what the MC really wanted was something meaningful and thoughtful.

They used to have breakfast together, but that stopped too. It’s not just about one anniversary, it’s the build-up of feeling unappreciated over time. I agree they need to talk it out, but the MC’s feelings are absolutely valid and yall make him seem ungrateful and spoiled when his feelings are understandable.

Girl, be fr. Going by BL logic, ML probably lied about the cake being a left over from the store and bought it for the anniversary, also lied about work being slow that's why he got home early. I'm gonna predict the reason why they haven't been sleeping together lately, and why ML was working overtime for the past few days was so that he can convince his boss to let him go home early on their anniversary.

Men have always said they were simple creatures, who's to say ML wasn't just respecting MCs 'wish' not to celebrate future anniversaries to not piss him off, but also doing special things on the down-low.

BTW doing something special for your partner goes both ways, MC was the one who said to stop celebrating anniversaries, so if he wanted to be treated special, why doesn't he start so that ML knows he was bullshiting the entire time. Did he even convey, gave hints, that he wanted flowers at some point in the relationship?

His feelings are valid, but come on, he absolutely did dig his own grave and both of them have communication issues.

Then again this is just a theory, a film theory, and I'm wrong till proven right.

I think it's totally valid to be upset if he had conveyed that he wanted anniversaries to be a big thing and for him to get flowers and stuff. Even if it was just that he hadn't said anything and his partner hadn't done anything- I still think that's a communication issue because different people have different ways they want to celebrate and if you're not getting what you want you gotta talk to your partner about what that is.

What I DO think makes him frustrating is that he got mad, told him that they shouldn't celebrate anniversaries at all, and THEN is upset that the boyfriend is... doing what he told him he wanted? It's not fair to expect your partner to read your mind or catch everything you think is a hint at all but especially not if you've outright told them you want the opposite. And at least as far as we've seen everything the mc wants is entirely internal dialogue that he's never mentioned to the bf. (and has actively contradicted even)

I don't think this is necessarily bad writing on the mangaka's part- him being scared of coming across as needy and therefore lying that he's super casual about romance is a consistent character trait. And I would be shocked if it doesn't turn out that the cake WAS meant to be for their anniversary but bf doesn't want to overstep and he's quitting his job specifically to have more time with mc. But it's very frustrating to see a character one-sidedly flip out over his partner acting the way he said he wanted and stomping off to bed before bf can even get in an explanation.

I get the theory, but even if the ML did all those things, buying the cake secretly, working overtime to go home early, the issue isn’t just about hidden gestures. The MC wasn’t upset because the ML did nothing, he was hurt because the visible, emotional effort wasn’t there. Romance isn’t just about doing things quietly in the background, it’s about making your partner feel seen and appreciated.

The "simple creatures" argument falls flat when you consider they’ve been together for three years. If the ML cared enough to work overtime for their anniversary, why couldn’t he also care enough to ask if the MC really meant it when he said not to celebrate? Respecting someone’s "wish" isn’t just taking their words at face value, it’s understanding the feelings behind them.

And saying the MC should’ve started doing something special first ignores the fact that relationships aren’t tit-for-tat. It’s not about "you didn’t do anything, so why should I?" it’s about both sides making an effort because they care. The ML didn’t have to plan something extravagant, but acknowledging the day or showing affection in a way the MC would appreciate would’ve meant a lot.

Yes, communication is a problem for both of them but let’s not act like the ML's subtle actions cancel out the MC’s valid disappointment. Relationships thrive on visible love and effort, not just quiet, unspoken acts.

I get where you're coming from, communication is definitely a huge issue here, and it’s fair to say the MC should’ve been more open about what he really wanted. No one can read minds, and saying one thing while feeling another definitely creates confusion. It’s also clear that the MC’s fear of being seen as "needy" has led him to act more casual about romance than he actually feels, which adds to the misunderstanding.

But here’s the thing: relationships aren’t always about taking words at face value they’re about knowing your partner, especially after three years together. The MC didn’t just flip out for no reason; his reaction came from a buildup of feeling overlooked and unappreciated, not just this one moment. When he said he didn’t want to celebrate anniversaries, it was clearly out of frustration, not because he genuinely didn’t care. People say things like that all the time when they’re hurt it doesn’t mean their feelings suddenly disappear.

It’s not about "reading minds," but about reading the room. If your partner suddenly claims not to care about something they clearly valued before, that’s usually a sign to dig deeper, not to take it literally and stop trying altogether. The MC’s sulking and contradictions aren't just him being immature; they’re a reflection of his emotional struggle and his fear of seeming too clingy.

And while it’s possible the cake was meant for the anniversary and the ML is quitting his job for more time together, the MC isn’t a mind reader either. Without clear communication, all he sees is a pattern of emotional neglect, missed anniversaries, broken routines (like not having breakfast together anymore), and surface-level affection (like sex instead of meaningful gestures).

At the end of the day, both of them are at fault for not communicating, but the MC’s feelings of hurt are valid. His outburst wasn’t about a single moment, it was about all the times he felt invisible in the relationship. Saying he "dug his own grave" overlooks the emotional depth of why he acted the way he did.

You're weirdly defensive over this. I hope you know this mid ass manga isn't worth getting our undies in a twist. Anyway my point still stands. He wanted flowers and anniversaries? Shouldn't have lied and made things more complicated then. Let's also not ignore the fact that MC needs to grow some balls and convey his feelings if he wants to save his relationship. Before you reply again, no I'm not saying ML is free of sin, just that MC is not the sad, mistake free, my-bf-doesnt love me boy that you think he is.

Why are you so weirdly pressed about me defending the MC? No one said the MC is some innocent, mistake-free victim. I literally acknowledged that both sides have communication issues. But acting like the MC deserves all the blame for "lying" about not wanting to celebrate is just shallow embarrassing how, no matter how many times I say it, the info just goes in one ear and out the other.

Damn that's crazy, anyway