I wrote this as a comment to my rating, but wanted to share my honest thoughts with the masses:
Honestly, my rating is more of a 4/5. But seeing the other comments made me have it as a 5/5. It's not for everyone, but it's terribly realistic. And if we were to just base it on the main characters and their pasts, I can't help but be sympathetic to the bottom. It was the hoobae's choice to pursue his sunbae and even after the sunbae ghosting him, he was still very hanged up and willing to do anything to get back together. The hoobae is a grown man, he can make his own choices, right or wrong to anyone reading. In the end he understands that he's willing to shoulder all the hurt the sunbae unknowingly (and he truly was unknowing in most cases, since the hoobae didn't tell him until literally this most recent chapter about the struggles in the relationship) pushed to his hoobae. Which is not right at all, but learning more of his past and how he's never had the space to breathe in the wake of his parents death and having to take care of his younger sibling since highschool... Well, It's understandable how his habits developed that way. In the end, he's only an idiot romantically (and a lil in the familial sense - but tbf, if you're only family left said something homophobic and you were gay, itd make you crash out a bit too (in fear)). You could tell the sunbae is a good person and has a nice personality, patient and understanding, but thinking about it, We barely get much else aside from his overwhelming burdens he constantly feels. Of course it would best if he could finally talk about it with his brother and his lover, but it's not easy y'all. When you carry such a crushing weight for so long, you end up being scared of even telling people. Like saying out loud makes it even more real than it is, despite it normally lifting your burdens. I've personally went through the same. I can only say this now after many years, but I never told anyone my mom had cancer, at school or to friends until I was 19. She was first diagnosed when I was 9, and it came back each two years like clockwork. I had a sick more more than half of my entire life, and she was our breadwinner. So my family suffered a lot financially and all of my scholarship money went into our family finance. I understand the seemingly unending struggle and it felt like if I told someone, it would not only burden them, but also make the ok invisible shackles completely tangible. It was terrifying and I cried a lot to my professor one day after school when she asked me if I was okay. It was the first time I shared anything personal. I entered a depression afterwards due to the aftershock of sharing. Trying to figure myself out and my own future which I couldn't even see before hand. I lived everyday just looking at the next. Now I'm in a better place mentally. It bothers me how many people dismissed the MC's mental burdens, because it's hard. While he did hurt his lover and is keeping secrets, it is also their choice to stay, to not badger him to open up and to view him as a 'perfect' person despite knowing better that no one is. I hope their relationship mends after this next chapter, but if not - that's just life. People learn and grow from each other, and no one should hate a party just for not knowing better. I hope they both find their happiness, whether with each other, or without. (This was written before the manhwa ended)
I wrote this as a comment to my rating, but wanted to share my honest thoughts with the masses:
Honestly, my rating is more of a 4/5. But seeing the other comments made me have it as a 5/5. It's not for everyone, but it's terribly realistic. And if we were to just base it on the main characters and their pasts, I can't help but be sympathetic to the bottom. It was the hoobae's choice to pursue his sunbae and even after the sunbae ghosting him, he was still very hanged up and willing to do anything to get back together. The hoobae is a grown man, he can make his own choices, right or wrong to anyone reading. In the end he understands that he's willing to shoulder all the hurt the sunbae unknowingly (and he truly was unknowing in most cases, since the hoobae didn't tell him until literally this most recent chapter about the struggles in the relationship) pushed to his hoobae. Which is not right at all, but learning more of his past and how he's never had the space to breathe in the wake of his parents death and having to take care of his younger sibling since highschool... Well, It's understandable how his habits developed that way. In the end, he's only an idiot romantically (and a lil in the familial sense - but tbf, if you're only family left said something homophobic and you were gay, itd make you crash out a bit too (in fear)). You could tell the sunbae is a good person and has a nice personality, patient and understanding, but thinking about it, We barely get much else aside from his overwhelming burdens he constantly feels. Of course it would best if he could finally talk about it with his brother and his lover, but it's not easy y'all. When you carry such a crushing weight for so long, you end up being scared of even telling people. Like saying out loud makes it even more real than it is, despite it normally lifting your burdens. I've personally went through the same. I can only say this now after many years, but I never told anyone my mom had cancer, at school or to friends until I was 19. She was first diagnosed when I was 9, and it came back each two years like clockwork. I had a sick more more than half of my entire life, and she was our breadwinner. So my family suffered a lot financially and all of my scholarship money went into our family finance. I understand the seemingly unending struggle and it felt like if I told someone, it would not only burden them, but also make the ok invisible shackles completely tangible. It was terrifying and I cried a lot to my professor one day after school when she asked me if I was okay. It was the first time I shared anything personal. I entered a depression afterwards due to the aftershock of sharing. Trying to figure myself out and my own future which I couldn't even see before hand. I lived everyday just looking at the next. Now I'm in a better place mentally. It bothers me how many people dismissed the MC's mental burdens, because it's hard. While he did hurt his lover and is keeping secrets, it is also their choice to stay, to not badger him to open up and to view him as a 'perfect' person despite knowing better that no one is. I hope their relationship mends after this next chapter, but if not - that's just life. People learn and grow from each other, and no one should hate a party just for not knowing better. I hope they both find their happiness, whether with each other, or without. (This was written before the manhwa ended)