babao's Topics (131)

Despite how bizarre the entire scenario is, Mikhail is somehow a lot better than the majority of modern semes. He just felt out said he likes a cotton doll while a lot of these modern semes have to go on a whole cycle of abusing and treating their uke like dogshit before they confess or something.

It makes sense in both a realistic psychological perspective as well as a fantasy perspective that this so-called "curse" drives the prince "mad" with obsession.

But it doesn't make sense that he was so shaken up by Radan's living conditions (chained and imprisoned by his family, treated like a tool/weapon by his family) and actually have the heart to treat Radan the same way as the abusive family did.

I just don't get why this had to be the direction of the story.

It would make sense for the prince to grow mad with obsession he locks up Radan but to just force himself onto Radan, to keep saying "I liked you better before" and all that bizarre dogshit, is just absolutely a waste of this story.

Does the curse gives him amnesia too? Like selective amnesia or something? Damn.

Anyways, looking forward to what happens next and how the prince recovers from his madness and if Radan ever gets cured of his curse or whatever.

Does he lose the baby?

Another one bites the dust ig

Rapists can never be forgiven.

One can feel pity for the desperate attempts a rapist does to redeem themselves, but it doesn't change the fact they were a rapist.

Just because Ido does everything in his power to change the trajectory of the second lifetime doesn't mean the first lifetime is just a dream we can forget, because the first lifetime was very real. Lives were abused, fidelity and trust was broken, purity was tainted, and autonomy withdrawn. Sejin lived through /all that/ and /died/, he /shot himself/.

It doesn't change anything and it never will because /Sejin is dead/.

This is why it's difficult to actually critically digest this story because it takes the consequence of rape and abuse literally. You see the trauma, you see the lifelong aftermath, in fact you see it affect even the regression timeline. Even after Sejin's death, Sejin's mind, body, and soul still recalls the trauma of things he knows and believes has never experienced.

At this point it isn't really about it you are Team A (Ido and Sejin should have a happy ending regardless of their past) or Team B (they are better off parting ways), because either way, it has always been about the personal journey and growth of overcoming the self-inflicted hatred and the lifetime worth of trauma.

Let's not forget that if this wasn't an omegaverse, Ido never would have found out Sejin's memories/emotions. He never would have understood the depth of self-loathing, the depression, and the anger that Sejin felt. Ido's guilt only began when he forced bonded with Sejin. Maybe his guilt would have started differently if it wasnt omegaverse, maybe it would've began after seeing Sejin's cold and dead body, but the point is - Ido only understood because of the rape-bonding.

The fact it took him raping Sejin to understand all that trauma is something far too despicable, far too inhumane, that it is genuinely unforgivable. That is beyond redemption.

We're here reading and witnessing the raw unraveling of two very broken people trying to navigate such a complicated relationship. Because, yes, they are fated and bonded together. Being bonded is something you can't reverse unless one dies.

Does Sejin want the bond? It's complicated. The trauma of Sejin#1 is too explosive it probably somehow overwrites Sejin#2 because if we only consider Sejin#2's emotions, he would have loved to keep the bond. He would do anything and everything to keep he bond because he loves Ido. He cares for him, worries about him, and wants to make the effort to keep the relationship strong and valid. But Sejin#1 makes that love broken.

Does Ido want the bond? Even more so. The reason he regressed and did all those things was to make sure Sejin lives a good life where he doesn't have to end up killing himself. But his own desires were also weaved into that plan. The slow descent to passion and desire, Ido couldn't help it. Sejin was so lovely, he wanted to relish the selfish second lifetime to use all his time to adore and worship the man he took for granted. But amidst all that, his sins weigh heavily on his head that keeps his gaze downcast. He can't look up, he couldn't dare to do so.

Ido can never be forgiven, but it doesn't mean their relationship has to end. It will just never be as happy and as pristine as it used to. They will have to bear the weigh of their first lives together if they choose to remain by each other's side, they will have to navigate the complex feelings of having been the abuser and having been once the abuser.

Sejin can never be that naive anymore. He'll just have to learn to love Ido again as both Sejin#1 and Sejin#2 while Ido will have to learn that his love cannot be weaved from guilt. His gifts, acts of service, and words of affirmation, cannot be remedies of his past wrong doings, he needs to somewhat properly compartmentalize his first life and second life's memories so he can actually love Sejin for who he is now. He cannot love him just because he was Ido's greatest regret in the first life. He has to see Sejin beyond the abuse and trauma.

That's just my two cents. I really love the slow burn it's so worth it and the expressions and everyhting in this manhwa is an absolute masterpiece.

... :(

Little prince, your heart sank and your face was crestfallen after seeing Radan's prison. That heavy metal helmet, the shackle and chains on the wall, the poor metal bed and some thin, brittle haystack. How could he even smile in relief while demanding the shackle...?

He'll just become the exact person Radan fears the most.

Lmfao it's like this story is trying hard to make prosecutor to be decent enough as a love rival. Where's the real baby daddy!

Honestly, I wouldn't mind the prosecutor if there was just a bit more slow burn or development between them. The direction of the story brought a lot of warmth and coziness between Heowoon and Yoonwoo so it was kind of a no-brainer that most readers would end up rooting for Heowoon and Yoonwoo instead of the other.

Not gonna lie, the second couple probably has more development than Prosecutor and Yoonwoo.

Anyways, so cute. Can't wait to see the babies! It's not always we see cute babies in a yaoi but this art style draws really cute babies!

It cannot be just me who thinks this is unexpectedly well-written? I honestly didn't have much expections but there were far too many instances of Chekhov's Gun being used. Each little symbolism was actually used as a plot device in a later event, I kept thinking about the part where he shouldn't ever cut his hair and, well, lo and behold he did and not soon after he lost his life from a series of unfortunate events. To be honest the haircut isn't even the only thing, there were a lot of foreshadowing and I'm really impressed by the way how each arc were written so cleanly executed.

Yes, the storyline/plot may not be anything revolutionary, it's another class divide seme/uke, another forceful seme/pliant uke relationship, and whatsoever. But I must give credit that the build up of everything was actually good. Not to mention, every character was well-integrated. No one felt forced, and no one felt too lacking. They all served their parts whether minor or major and I appreciated that a lot because it deepened the loneliess our protagonist began to feel. The more heartwarming it was at first, the harder the heartbreak would be when it falls apart.

Anyways, I did expect them to die. The haircut was just one of the blaring red flag symbolisms. I also expected some sort of reincarnation element because Ms Granny kept emphasizing that Ahjin should be "someone so well-loved" and that "he could've been a noble", indicating that in the next life Ahjin should be well-loved and well-off.

I just didn't expect that it had to be Ahjin remembering everything honestly. I don't think Ahjin has anything to do because he was the one wronged, he was the one kidnapped and tortured, and he was the one killed in their previous life - all because of that damned Kang (damn it to the Kangs!). I'd expect Kang to be the one remembering and doing everything to beg for Ahjin's affection and forgiveness honestly, but we'll see.

The fact there's a class swap means that Kang must be living kind of middle class or lower if ever. So he's definitely had quite the rough upbringing. Still, I don't think that kind of weighs the same as the time Kang blamed, imprisoned, drugged, and raped Ahjin in their past life. I'm curious how Kang right now is going to develop feelings for Ahjin, or if there are, how will he act upon them?

Because Ahjin is very self aware now. He has feelings for Kang, complicated yes, but still romantic feelings with sexual attachment. I hope Ahjin isn't the one trying to get Kang's attention... Ahjin was the one who bore the brunt of the pain, nothing could genuinely heal that.

Or maybe Kang actually recalls everything? He's just never acting on anything as his repentance? Kind of a Beyond Memories moment where it was the Seme who remembered everything and does everything to look after Uke, and he Uke only recalls midway. For this one, we started all from the past then went to the modern which I also have to comment about.

Most transmigration stories actually begin at the transmigrated life with only bits and pieces of the past elaborated. A few popular ones are different such as Beyond Memories and Eternal Covenant where a whole season was dedicated to the past After the Modern. It really depends on the author on how you want to narrate and lead the build up of your story, and either way are risky.

For example: Eternal Covenant has had backlash from the SUPER long backstory. The number of chapters was literally so much for a backstory it's probably a record breaking for manhwas (hyperbole intended). That kind of story has it spurpose but still draws a lot of critiscm on your writing management and pacing management. Furthermore, Eternal Covenant established the Modern So Well that the past, being too flesh out, almost overshadowed the main timeline. It's a tough thing for writers in my opinion, sometimes you want to detail and explain every little thing in the past and sometimes it ends up dragging out. In my opinion, I also have some criticism against that long backstory - in a way it was too much that it overshadowed our protagonist leaving his "past self" becoming a whole different identity. When you make a protagonist, you ensure that they are the sole star of the show. By weaving a "past life" version, you take full responsibility in ensuring that the past self supports the protagonist in shining even brighter.

Next example: Beyond Memories, it's another popular one regarding past lives and reincarnating/regressing to the start. I'm not gonna lie, I'm actually surprised that the entire "past" wasn't like 30+ chapters. It genuinely felt longer than that. I mean it in a good way, not bad at all, it was so well written. In a few amount of chapters, the depth and the sheer gravity of trauma and helplessness in that past arc was so well-written. The small details that was left as a question at the start of the story slowly unraveled itself there. For this kind of story, there were also risks on the imbalance of relationship. At the start, people would really root for the main couple, but with the revelation of everything, it feels difficult to root for the couple. When you place the past arc in the middle of a segmented modern timeline, the author has to make the extra effort in making the second half to be fulfilling, cleanly executed, absent of loopholes, and crisp development of relationship and a clear-cut redemption arc. Because, obviously, the point of such stories is for the 2 characters to end up together in the end. The author just has to make sure all the puzzle pieces fit together at the right moment.

Now back to this story, I liked that the "past" isn't actually too historical. It was just vintage era. It might be because of that it was a lot easier to digest the modern era. But also it felt sort of off that their deaths were just so close. It wasn't even a whole 100+ years and yet they already reincarnated. My one small weird feeling is that the transition felt a bit lackluster. Almost like the rollercoaster of emotions in the past life just came crashing down to a lukewarm temperature.

I heard that there is a novel for this, I assume it's a lot more detail and well-written there. The transition and the rise to the climax of the modern life. This kind of plot is a bit more straight forward because the past is where all the emotional weight is so there has to be some sort of anchor to ensure that the depth of the relationship still floats and sails.

Anyways, overall it was an unexpectedly good read! I can't wait how we see how Kang actually remembers everything. If he does or doesn't or whatever. I just hope Ahjin just won't beg for Kang's affection (please).

They were chasing the car :(

I cannot be the only one who is more interested in the fictional cartoon show of Yopi and Dodo right? I think it looks cute. I wish it existed.