THIS MADE ME WANT TO CRAWL ALL OVER MY WALLS AND BUNGEE JUMP OFF MY BED. I LOVE THEM TOO MUCH. I LOVE HOW THEY EQUALLY PUSH AND PULL UGGGGHG. I feel like the adjective realistic is vague and overused but this was so grounded!!!! Like yeah taehyun is a bully with a sad backstory BUT he's taking Dayeol's feelings into account and is aware of how much of a loser he is!!! I hate redemption arcs but I feel the author is realistic because the aurhor doesnt reward his lack of communication as Dayeol does reality check him. (Although I REALLLY wanted the scene of how Taehyun asked Dayeol out.) Its not like Taehyun is trying to grovel and beg, hes truly taking the steps to be better. Dayeols the typical "nice to everyone" guy but i respect that he stands up for himself and his feelings.
Codependent toxic yaoi checklist!
[ ] "Moral compass" "sole decisionmaker"
[ ] Dysfunction junction
[ ] Unequal power balance
[ ] "Im the only one who can handle him" stockholm ahh
[ ] Grew up together in some fucked up corrupt kindergarten
[ ] One is undeveloped in the brain region that controls emotions and empathy. (Psychopaths)
[ ] "living felt tolerable as long as i was with you"
[ ] self-lobotomizing urself for ur crush??
[ ] what happened to communication? What happened to simply saying "i like you. Do you like me too?"
[ ] threats to unalive oneself
[ ] reverse baby trapping?
[ ] chronic illness (mental and physical)
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I read this in Mangarock's prime era. The art was such an inspiration for me. Apparently younger me believed so hard that the main characters were in love because I remembered this as bl.