the complexity of this manhwa's plot and just how intricate never ceases to amaze me. Love seeing Seoho for the first time and how he's basically the opposite of Minchan in a lot of behavior lol.
I also love the depth of feelings and three dimensionality of the characters like Bihwan is obviously still in love with seoho too i mean he's had feelings for him for 1000+ years of course that shit is not going away in a couple of months/weeks though it's also clear he's falling for Minchan and recognizing him as his own person (and im pretty sure Minchan's coldness towards Bihwan is also starting to thwart a bit and he's starting to genuinely care for him. I have some theories about the sealing of Bihwan and Seoho's betrayal as well considering the recent devolpments but I will keep it to myself till we got some more info lol.
This comment was so refreshing to read after reading some brainless takes a few comments down. I'm also curious about your theories lol.
hahaha yeah I mean it was one of those brainless comments that made me wield the keyboard so to speak. I fear media literacy is kinda dead to quite a few people and unless shit is straigthforward af or cliche it's not good and we jumping to weird conclusions lol. As for my theories I have honestly quite a few ranging in complexity hhhh. Most basic ofc is that Gwonryeom is the guy from the flashbacks and is also in love with seoho and is the one who tore up his soul.
Another one is that I think since Bihwan clearly trusts Gwonryeom who's apparently his brother/cousin he was duped into doing sth to "stop" death for seoho's sake (I'm pretty sure Bihwan says this early on in the manhwa) but ended up instead giving death's power to Gwonryeom who became some insane deity/highjacked death. I mean it is also implied that Bihwan was a regular human who was put in that jar as a kid in order to make him a goblin/dokkeabi but again not sure lol.
There's a lot more to it but again without knowing more I could be just talking outta my ass hhh.
Had the same take regarding how bihwan became a dokkaebi. Regarding the plot idk if he even loved seoho (the yellow eyes), I feel like the power was given to seoho, and that’s why his name was removed from the records, both birth and death, and the yellow eyes tried to steal the power, but he didn’t manage to completely do it or is still trying to, that’s why he needs seoho’s souls to be whole gain to do so. Idk this is my theories so I could me completely off
Nah that's actually intersting as a theory ngfl and I really love it. Like omg I didn't even think of that cuz Bihwan would do everything for Seoho wouldn't he? This is the most I've actually pondered over a plot in a BL manhwa ever lol.
But to volley back, honestly Gwonryeom loving/liking seoho is just sth I'm assuming based off of his weird touchy vibes with Minchan (who considers Gwronryeom like a big brother figure I guess?) and the popular trope of a group of 3 people being a love triangle kind of vibe that's why I said it varies in complexity this one is kind of a gimmick i've seen enough that I am always anxiously anticipating if that's the dynamics or not (and im using the common usage of love triangle btw where 2 people have feelings for the same person even tho yes it is not actual triangle hhhh)
'
Yeah there’s definitely a possibility for him to like the mc, the vibe I got from his face when he saw them going down and dirty was definitely something akin to jealousy
Really? I guess I'm the only one who got the impression that he just looked ominous like he's plotting something or whatever. He looked emotionless to me. He even told the MC he could bring his partners to his place for safety and that he'd leave to give them privacy so it doesn't make sense to me for him to like him or act jealous (unless he's a cuck) Love "triangles" are such a cliché though so I wouldn't be surprised it that's true. I love the theories about how Gwonryeom got his powers though I'm sure he did something shady to get his hands on them.
god i cannot wait to get the urge to re read this from the start again and get to this part again on a full read like this manhwa is just so fucking good. They're so perfect for each other cuz Luke puts his all into his partners (as seen with stacy where he'd go to her studio to take pics of her cuz she asked) amd Andrew is a full on simp who literally fell in love hard with Luke and is rational and level headed enough to be introspective and see his own flaws and his immense love for luke it's just so good. The way there's plenty of ground laid for drama too (with the taylors and Andrew's dad) that hopefully the author chooses to make them face together as a unit.
What a terrible (but also great) way to end the season fuck me. Like everything about this is just so nuanced and hard hitting and like fuck that situation is insane and to see how Brett basically went full self defense after thinking back to the moment his brother rejected his "gift" was so heartbreaking. Like it's obvious Brett does not have full range of emotions (I don't think i'd go so far as to call him a sociopath tho) and he's just preemptively dealing with the fallout/hurt he feels is imminent. Hayden's chock and emotions especially in the moment are definitely understandable too and I can't wait to see how they will bridge out this issue god i love them so much
letting this marinate and coming back to a whole stack of decensored chapters oh i see the author is staying true to their sexy ass smut love to see it
I said this before, but that cute little scene of Andrew following Luke around and then sitting on the bed sniffing his clothes kinda gave me an inkling this wasn’t gonna be some regular shmegular love story.
Like, hear me out: Andrew has never been in a relationship. Not one where he was actually into the person. And he’s never had sex either. Luke is probably his first everything. First person to be genuinely kind to him (sure, yeah, it started with that dumb contract plan, but Luke is actually a sweet guy and it clearly turned real). First person he wanted to kiss. First person he fell in love with. First person he slept with. It’s all brand new to him.
And let’s not forget, Andrew’s been portrayed as a genius since he was a kid and it’s been heavily hinted he’s on the spectrum. We can’t expect him to magically know how relationships work, or what’s “normal” in terms of space, communication, etc. That’s just not where he’s coming from emotionally.
Also, someone mentioned this and I fully agree—this chapter is all from Malcolm’s POV so it's not exactly the most reliable narrator situation. We’re seeing Andrew through someone else’s lens, and it’s bound to come off a little skewed.
And Luke’s reaction? Honestly, he’s been nothing but accepting. Like yeah, Andrew’s a bit clingy and not super into Luke’s friends, but Luke’s just rolling with it. And considering Malcolm even said Luke was the one who liked Stacy more, it’s actually interesting seeing him be the one who’s being loved harder this time. I do think his feelings for Andrew are strong as hell though—he’s just not as intense with them.
So yeah, I’m fully here for this relationship. As long as the author handles it with care and doesn’t go for unnecessary drama, this could end up being really special. I’ll take this kind of realistic emotional messiness over some over-the-top nonsense any day
THANK YOU
people not really getting the nuance/appeal of Luke and Andrew's relationship I see and I wanna throw my two cents in, lmk if yall agree or feel free to add your own takeaways from it. Long paragraphs ahead lol.
From the start, Luke is shown to be a passionate, sweet, and deeply loyal lover. He’s incredibly attentive, sometimes to a fault, going along with even Stacy’s more unhinged demands without much resistance. He’s highly emotional, wearing his heart on his sleeve, and isn’t afraid to be vulnerable, often tearing up or openly expressing his feelings.
Andrew, on the other hand (who I personally believe is somewhere on the spectrum), had anything but an easy or loving upbringing. Pushed into the public eye at a young age and repeatedly exploited by his father, he naturally became wary of relationships and struggled with emotional intimacy.
Now, enter Luke with his ingenious plan to endear himself to Andrew so he can stay in the room. But what’s fascinating is that, without even trying, Luke starts breaking down Andrew’s walls just by being his natural, easygoing, and charming self. By the time they confront Stacy together, you can already see Andrew falling for him.
Meanwhile, Luke is just as obsessed with Andrew, he craves his validation, loves seeing him smile, and enjoys pulling him out of his rigid routine. He’s like a puppy desperately wanting Andrew’s attention. So when the kiss happens, it’s not random, Andrew is already completely thirsty for Luke at that point, and while Luke is a little naive, he’s also lowkey into it. His bi awakening unfolds in such a fun, organic way, they hang out, they make out, it’s hot, it’s playful.
What makes it even better is how Luke handles all the talk about Andy Young, he could have easily gossiped or pried, but instead, he’s incredibly respectful, refusing to engage in speculation and wanting to hear Andrew’s story directly from him. That level of consideration and care is just chef’s kiss.
And now in the recent chapter, Andrew is the puppy, he’s completely latched onto Luke, following him around, and Luke is just accepting it in the cutest way possible. Obsessed. But I do wonder if Andrew’s growing dependence on Luke could eventually cause some friction. He doesn’t seem all that interested in Luke’s friends, and I could see potential issues with jealousy or possessiveness down the line. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but I’d love to hear what y’all think.
You're in the right track! I think it started of with the kiss! He offered himself than the football and it was his first pang of jealousy in a way he acted it out as "practicing". I love the way its portrayed, the plot is plotting but I do personally think Malcolm won't cause any setbacks, Andrew's learning to love and so is Luke!
Girl, you're an angel, I'd totally forgotten the begging of the story, but now, not anymore keke
You explain so beautifully
wonderfully analyzed and explained ❣❣❣ perfect 100 no notes i mean i will still have notes i yap too much... id love to reciprocate your proper punctuation and capitalization but i'm on my phone .. i agree he's probably neurodivergent and i think andrew is still opposed to opening up in general (unnecessary, as he would likely put it) hence the reply to luke about getting along with malcolm being lukewarm. rather than him being jealous or petty about anything, i know andrew is a pretty self-confident man despite being very clingy which is part of what i love so much!
he's not insecure about luke being an actor or the thought of him having to kiss other people because he knows luke only turns into a mess when he's in His arms specifically :) the framing for the scene where he kisses judy is really great at showing this where the kiss is out of view and the mirror shows luke and andrew kissing. luke kissing for acting? cute (clingy andrew is still jealous as heck but he's not gonna be toxic or make an issue out of it). kissing andrew? luke is melting as we speak ... obviously jealousy could definitely still be written into the story in other ways in the future but so far i love how it's been handled so far!
Omg don't worry about it that comment took me like 30 minutes to write and edit lmao. I don't usually write like that unless it's for work of a thesis or sth lol. But yeah I agree with your points. I think the last part came off a bit from what I intended/meant. Nerd project has so far strayed from angst/miscommunication between Andrew and Luke and I hope it stays that way and that any "issue" that might arise gets dealt with promptly and doesn't get dragged out and that the angst/hurdles they have to overcome are all external and they both face em together, if that makes sense. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
True true, I also don't think Malcolm or any of Luke's friends will have any issue with it. The story is set in the US and while it's currently becoming a cesspool of intolerance again, most college students are not homophobic. I will say tho I need Stacy's reaction to them like wanna see her realize how badly she fumbled lmao.
a huge thank you to the translator you're truly doing god's work, sending you lots of love and I hope you find someone to help you with this!! The notification is not sth I mind either, like someone said rereading nerd project is never a chore especially since we get to actually understand what they're saying unlike with the machine translations.
Also Puppy Andrew thooo
wow i have been keeping this on the back-burner for years now, for some reason I was not vibing with the whole pet thing and I had just come here from ouroborous plus it was still at around 10 chapters but im so fucking glad i gave it a chance again and read it without bias or anything cuz it's possibly one of my favorite stories now my god.
One thing i love about this author is how real and three dimensional the main characters feel and i was rooting for everyone (yes even the younger brother) and im so happy i powered through it this weekend.
I was rooting for everyone as well! I truly feel the only villains in this story was the black hair’s mom and their dad
Brace yourselves for a long one folks cuz I gotta a lot on my mind hhh but first just wanna say this manhwa just stays being 10/10 my god. Muyeol is just such a great antagonist, and it was amazing seeing it being exposed and that Bihwan was quick witted and smart enough to see through his bullshit.
Now let me put my thinking hat and see if I can make sense of this.
Seoho's sould is supposedly fractured like a tea cup (idk if i was the only one who was reminded of Hannibal and Will and the teacup lol) and is probably not all in one place, Muyeol wants to put it back together in order to save Seoho who had sacrificed himself to save Bihwan, this would mean that the sealing on Bihwan was for his own good and not a betrayal from Seoho. These are facts that may or may not be the full truth depending on how genuine Muyeol is being.
Now Muyeol spent years mourning Seoho and probably gathering whatever fractured pieces of his sould he could find, for the purpose of putting it back together. Then in the 2000s he comes across this boy who looks exactly like Seoho (minchan) and here he either already found him post accident or actually caused the accident that killed his parents.
Now here there are two possibilities (maybe more) in my head now, either Minchan was dead after the accident and so was just an empty vessel that Muyeol decided to safekeep and put Seoho's fractured souls into, which would explain why Bihwan recognized Minchan's sould as that of Seoho. Or somehow Minchan's soul absorbed Seoho's fractured soul and became both Minchan and Seoho's souls mixed together. In any case the reason Minchan has so much positive energy life energy is probably due to whatever Muyeol did that would keep him always self healing but the negative effect is that it's too much for his body to handle so he needs the negative energy from ghosts/Bihwan in order to stabilize.
Finally this brings us to the reason why Muyeol (aka Gwonryeom) asked Minchan to release Bihwan: now here there's a lot of motives ofc, my first thought is that releasing Bihwan means whatever curse was put on Seoho would be lifted (maybe reversing his blasphemous actions of using that cursed object) and was an integral part of getting Seoho back.
But yeah this long ass comment was just sth i needed to get out my chest I love this manhwa so much and I've never been this invested in the plot of one lol.
these theories are so good and totally made me understand the new chapter lol! Thanks i always appreciate long comments like this
Hmm I don’t think Minchan has any of Seoho’s soul. Because Minchan’s soul is whole and healthy, we know that from the start when Bihwan bound himself to it. I think Minchan also appears in the births and deaths registry that the grim reapers have, but Seoho doesn’t (the registry is based on souls). Basically, there’s been moments to see the state of Minchan’s soul and nothing has indicated that his soul is altered yet. So I really think the plot twist here is as Muyeol says, Minchan and Seoho are completely different entities that just happen to look the exact same, in body and soul. Muyeol is grooming Minchan to be the vessel for Seoho’s (not yet) reconstructed soul
I don't think this fully explains why Bihwan was so insistent on Minchan being Seoho tho bc it was v clearly based on more than just looks. iirc he found his literal soul familiar in a way, which means that if Minchan isn't actually a reincarnation Muyeol would have had to do smth to him to make him appear that way, no?