If you actually paid attention Oliver talks about how Ethan always cheered him up when he was younger. Despite being heart broken he found a little piece of happiness in spending time with Ethan. The only reason Oliver tipped over the edge and tried to strangle Ethan was 'cause Ethan's father kept bringing up their past and apologizing for it. It was hard on Oliver and even tho he tried to hurt Ethan he was still saved by his smile.
The reason he cried upon seeing him all grown up was due to the fact that he knew he hurt Ethan deeply. I don't think he knew about the hypnosis tho which is why he panicked so hard when Ethan passed out after seeing him. Oliver lived with the guilt of what he had done and blamed himself for the way the young man had turned out.
Ethan saw through all this tho and still loved Oliver regardless of what happened. His feelings were genuine and in a sense Oliver's were as well. It might've started off as a familial love for Ethan since he took care of him as a child but there's nothing wrong with those feelings developing into something deeper.
Ya'll act like people can't get over past loves and move on or that people can't forgive others and actually have a wholesome relationship.
Your last statement made me chuckle. For anyone who has never actually experienced an adult love relationship, the concept of love is very black and white. Only after experiencing successes and failures in adult love relationships does the person mature enough to recognize just how full of gray areas love is. Remember, the average age for yaoi readers on this site is about 14 to 16 with far more being younger and far fewer being older. Most have only experienced love vicariously through manga, movies, books or anime and those with first hand experience, the number of experiences is severely limited. That said, a young person who is wise enough to carefully observe the relationships around them and learn from the experiences of others, can also recognize love's gray areas without having to have "been there done that".
So, I guess what I am trying to say is: Is it any wonder the readers here have a narrow interpretation of love? They are all, mostly, preteens. LOL
Wise and accurate analysis
wow! i liked your comeback. clap for you.
the 3rd story seems off for me. it's good yet cliche. oliver was trying to kill that kid (seme). oliver said he obsessed to his ex (seme's father) and he was blind until he saw a grown-up seme (which resembled his father a.k.a his ex). it feels like oliver just having thought the seme as a replacement of his ex since they are son/father, of course they look alike.