I don't get it, then do they expect wataru to still be the same person as he was in the first manga?? Bruh I know he isn't that good there, but it totally hinted he's not irredeemable, so why is it so surprising to see other good sides of him? He fell in love with his childhood friend and made a mistake of taking him for granted. As a result, his love didn't get anywhere and he got dumped. Why is it so shocking that he doesn't want a repeat of that when he found another man he liked when his words after getting rejected by his first love was something like "thank you for telling me before I get to hurt you more"???
I'd like people to realize (at least those who read miki's story first) that Wataru's character development did not start at the beginning of this spin-off. It already started in Sankaku Twilight.
I didn't remember that since I read Miki's story a while ago(I do now, thanks to you). I do agree, his redemption started in Sankaku Twilight. And the choice of words there, with Miki, shows that he had realized what he lost and that he was shitty, and also he didn't want to be that person anymore. Which, I also believe was shown in the desperation he shows to get Miki locked in a relationship with him as soon as possible. Also, in the rejection, he accepts the consequences of his actions, losing someone who loved him (& he loved back) to the person who treated him better and showed love for him in the right way.
AND very important to remember that they're just teenagers.
I was worried after reading some comments saying that the author just made Wataru's bad parts disappear. But I'm glad I still read this because people do change and it's more understandable for the change to happen right after something traumatic or just something serious. And it wasn't like he became a complete angel or something. He experienced a loss, he learnt from it which isn't easy so it must have left a lasting impression on him. And it isn't easy to showcase more of the struggles he might have faced because of it in a short manga. I feel like everything shown with the restraint of chapter numbers, was all in good quantity. I would've loved to read more but it is what it is and it was quite adorable.