Yesss all of this
100%! This type of storytelling is not common in webtoons nowadays, so I feel like some people are baffled by it. It gives of a kind of mysterious and melancholic vibe that suits the slice of life genre pretty well.
RIGHT i wrote my comment at 6am as well bec of how dumbfounded i was at the topics here. didnt realize it was such a hard ask to read between the lines. i love stories where words are unnecessary and its up to me to feel and interpret it based on their actions
Truly not being a hater but I was surprised about the number of comments :
- disliking the storytelling (non linear storytelling actually really lends itself to more grounded / non-fantasy stories like this — not everything needs to be spoon fed or spelled out imo)
- Complaining about the characters - I think the author did an incredible job portraying naguru as extremely depressed, homesick/lonely and spiraling, kind of self destructing through the gang. He is not a perfect person, and that’s actually why I thought this manga hit home emotionally significantly more than if it was two perfect people. If you were stuck in a bad situation like that and your boyfriend who you barely know tried to FORCE you to leave based on a stupid comment about fighting, it would feel EXTREMELY patronizing even if BF was right, especially if he couldn’t even follow through and throw even a single punch .
It may not be everyone’s favorite but “baby giving someone a reason to live” is pretty a commonly explored trope in media. Naguru even *says* that he’ll live for them (which does kind of confirm he was spiraling/living to die essentially). He clearly loved babies and I can’t really blame him for finding such comfort in towa (even the scent of baby powder previously left him comfortable and nostalgic). The concept of someone finding solace in the softness and innocence of a child is not new at all. Am I upset that love “wasnt enough”? No, because I actually think it would be stupider if just having a boyfriend “cured” him. Instead, it was almost like he realized that the hope of a domestic life, which he had somehow abandoned yet yearned for (as demonstrated by his reaction to his friend saying he was having a kid), wasn’t out of the picture for him, and it emboldened him to take a huge step up and brave enough to leave the comfort of his misery/self loathing (because objectively, agreeing to help someone raise a kid is a giant commitment).
- the issue of towa’s mother - I don’t think it’s a plot hole because it is exceedingly obvious that the author is omitting it on purpose. If this took place in a world without women, yes it would be a plot hole, but the author simply not divulging his mother does not make it world breaking or an inconsistency in the narrative (the definition of a plot hole). It simply means that the author is emphasizing that it *doesnt matter* who his mother is, because those are his dads. Arguably it’s a bit unrealistic because irl, the issue of birth parents isn’t nearly as straightforward or uncomplicated, but it’s definitely not a plot hole.
Sorry for the essay, I’m surprised too (6am here…uh oh…) but I was surprised at how moved I was when most domestic childbearing BL is a lot more straightforwardly fluffy (not that this isn’t fluffy) and I was surprised that so many people are confused or dissatisfied