I normally have a soft spot for the free spirited wild types. But there's just... This weird vibe I get from ML.
Although, not gonna lie, the smut scenes are pretty well drawn.
Maybe .. just maybe it’s the fact that he’s a rude bum who forces himself on the mc
This author/artist is REALLY good at making chasing arcs. This one and the Third Ending may not be top notch in plot lines but character development and the way the characters interact with each other are perfection. Honestly, this and the Third Ending has MLs who beg for love and forgiveness much better than a lot honestly! Third Ending though was a bit too short for my liking but I did enjoy how pitiful the ML was there! Some chasing arcs are too lackluster, or too short. This one is just right!
There are stories that are outright cruel, gruesome, Gorey, and violent. So tragic and horrendous it makes a reader frustrated and angry. Then there are these types of stories, so mellow and normal and yet so raw and defining.
It doesn't take a complicated storyline, or an 80+ chapter hit, or shoujo manga level of rendering and beautiful art style, to make a story so, so moving and emotional. Not a single character felt like a filler. Every character here did it's part to add the emotional weight of each event.
I think the author has a knack for heartbreak, and I hope they can make more! I love how this twists my heart so much. They really know how to make a killer heartbreak story.
This is what I really love, like no words can express how much I love these types of stories of grief and hopelessness. Something where the characters feel like they've sunk rock bottom and helplessly try to mend the breakage they've done. The slow and painful realization that all he does is to make things worse. It's so so good, right up my alley!
Now to just talk about the general story. I love how important the family's roles are and hate how it impacted Luan so much. You can tell Luan has always been pure in heart, but the pressure has completely warped his mind. Mind you, he is someone who studies both politics, law, economics, religion, and all fields of study at an advanced level because he was pushed into that position despite knowingly there is someone else who should've been the successor. Shane's blatant negligence, laziness, audacity, and apathy is infuriating.
The fact that you know someone else should be in the suffocating position you're in makes you feel like you're being punished as a scapegoat. Shane willingly pushed his little brother into that position for his self interest. Is that something you call filial love? No. Shane has no care for his brother. Shane saw how it deteriorated his little brother, even though the comedic Chibis, he would have known a little boy like Luan who is so pure in heart would never have persevered so long. Especially not when Luan finally found a reason to live. Honestly, as much as I hate Shane, we do know there is the bigger villain.
The father. Like, that is absolute gaslight, manipulate king right there. I've always read about controlling fathers and all that crap, but the blatant facade of kindness that he shows is so infuriating it makes my blood boil. He narrates it as if he's always doted and was lenient on Luan, as if he doesn't know that he was the one who slowly ruined Luan. He was the one who allowed Luan to develop that strong emotions to take root in his heart, he knew what kind of effect it wouldve placed on Luan. But perhaps around the latter portion, he never expected the extent of Luan's breaking point. That man miscalculated on turning his son into a cold-hearted calculating Count. Of course Luan was never going to become one, he was pure in heart and full of love. And this kind and loving heart grew so well because of Clauden who became his childhood salvation and friend.
Even the mother players a critical role. Her absence is loud. She doesn't love her son, she just sees him as another noble. Luan has already expressed his hate to his family, but no one cares. No one bats an eye to it because they don't treat him as another human being necessary to be comforted. They just see him as an able-bodied person who needs to continuously repaired to fulfill his role as the successor.
His entire family plays the most significant role in shaping Luan's behavior. How controlling he is, is exactly because of how his family treated him. Luan only knows how to take advantage of his status because that's what his parents have always done to him. When Luan tries all his best to be sincere, it falls apart, it grows too obsessive and overbearing, Luan has never had a healthy outlet to express his feelings other than to Clauden.
I really love how this played out! I can't wait for more chapters and see how it ends. I wouldn't even mind if it was a bad ending because the writing and pacing was pretty good I'd even be happy enough if it was a bad ending all throughout. Honestly, realistically speaking, that kind of damage is really impossibly to recover.
The humiliation and shame, the disgust Clauden feels about himself, if I was dirt poor and a commoner to a boot like him, I wouldn't recover. Living each day knowing how different your life is with a noble who claims to love you, I would just sink further in despair. Like not everyone is such a. Hero to just accept love after getting targeted and treated like a money hungry liar. Love cannot feed you, love cannot give you a roof over your head. Luan's love could never be that much it would magically solve all of Clauden's problems in life.
If Clauden was just chased out quietly, maybe there could've been hope for them but being beaten up and showed to the plaza as an example? My entire pride and existence, my soul, my heart and my mind would be shattered. I'd feel so much hate for myself for being weak, naive, and hopeful. Honestly! And it's the medieval times too.
Agh, this is so good. I'm gonna keep rereading this when I need a good whump. I wish the author can make more of these .
This actually feels like dogshit.
I hope this dad gets mangled to death onscreen. I need his guts splayed across the floor.
I'll write a more comprehensive yap later on because this is an ok read if you don't think about it too much or too seriously, I just want to air out this chapter made me feel like dogshit honestly.
Woochan I know what you are!!
Other than that, this has got to be one of the more interesting idol regression manhwas I've seen so far. I needed to cope while waiting for Debut or Die updates and this is a gem.
Everyone is so handsome too!
Long words ahead with a bit of analysis and thoughts.
My previous comment was just a one-limer praise because it is interesting so far.
Looking into the character dynamics and current direction of the story:
The Cop has full sense and motivations. What he is doing can be considered as somewhat independent justice. His method, however, says otherwise. Constant pestering of a victim and minor (because Korea's legality is 21, unless I am wrong) with no proper warrant nor document for interrogation, furthermore not adhering to the proper process of interrogating a minor which is to consult with the legal guardian first.
Considering the circumstances, the Cop believes ML to be the perpetrator which usually gives leeway when it comes to interrogating a minor without a Guardian's consent and consultation. HOWEVER, again, there are intricacies such as involving the right government agencies to intervene and protect minor victims. Which, again, the Cop did NOT present accordingly.
He may be pursuing Justice, but how he presents it and how the narrative presents his character to be is by being a conceited person chasing his own interests all for the sake of a criminal case he couldn't solve back then. Whether is is his moral compass or his pride wearing down due to that incident, it will not justify his actions now.
TLDR: The Cop may have his justified motivations, but it does not justify the way he operates so far.
Moving forward, PROTECTING THE VICTIM/SOLE SURVIVOR should be the priority. Aggravating the victim for answers is NOT how an unsolved mass murder case should be handled. Should Jeongin be in actual danger, he should be ISOLATED from the source of danger. By aggravating him and purposely resurfacing traumatic memories, it will only lead to the victim acting rashly that may even trigger the perpetrator.
Classic example is what we see now at CH18, because the Cop rashly aggravated Jeongin, now suspicion and anxiety have made him irrational. Jeongin may now end up facing stricter surveillance and even house arrest if thing go for worse. Jeongin was already aware of the surveillance around him (to an extent of course, he may not know of the cameras, but he knows of bodyguards and physical attendants). He CONSENTED to the majority he has now - it was literally stated at the start of the story that Jeongin is aware of how Beomyeong treats him, protects him, and spoils him. He even knows that Beomyeong has also resorted to some degree of violence due to the nature of his power and connections. Nonetheless, Jeongin has never questioned it.
It was only when the 'Monster' was brought up and the fact that the 'Monster' is being targeted to be Beomyeong that Jeongin started to doubt everything. It is exactly because he is so devoted and loyal to Beomyeong that his mind is even more irrational and agitated because every fiber of his being wants to reject that, but every inch of his psychological and physical existence was reborn with FEAR from that incident. He continuously lives in fear because of that trauma. The 2 major aspects of Jeongin's life are against each other. His Monster and his Savior, the fact that he was given the idea that those two are just one person is too much for any survivor to handle.
As for our ML, I don't exactly have words about his actions. The surveillance matter will prove to be an issue later on now that surveillance suspicion was brought up. The cameras will become the first thing that Jeongin uses as evidence to prove in his mind that Beomyeong is someone he can't trust. As for Beomyeong, I really cannot justify nor figure him out as we are extremely limited in terms of POV considering the story is focused on Jeongin's POV.
The possibilities are endless but the highly likely ones:
1. Beomyeong IS the Monster. And the reason for surveillance is to ensure the sole survivor never recovers the memory of that incident AND erase any suspicion off of him by having the sole survivor trust him.
2. Beomyeong IS NOT the Monster, BUT is affiliated with them. There are stories where the antagonists are a family member of the ML and they try to plan an outrageous crime and pin the blame on ML to be the scapegoat.
3. Beomyeong IS NOT the Monster, and he really is someone who is also a victim/target by the Monster (or the Monster's organization) and that Beomyeong is doing everything to take down that Monster as well as protect the one person who may be key to defeating the Monster.
There are definitely a lot more other possibilities, but those 3 are the common ones when it comes to this kind of storyline. It just boils down to if you are or you are not the perpetrator, and if you aren't, then are you directly affiliated or are you a victim as well?
Either way, there are technically a lot of things wrong in this story. Beomyeong's surveillance and wiretapping, Jeongin's complacency and dependency on his legal guardian, as well as the Cop's aggressive methods of controlling Jeongin, both Beomyeong and the Cop are no good to Jeongin but at least Beomyeong has never brought up the one thing Jeongin fears the most just to control him.
Anyways, good good read. Really nice so far. I feel like we don't get enough quiet obsessive older tops like classic yaoi. I feel like a nostalgic tradfujo. Like there are a lot of toxic obsessive tops but most of them are flat out immature and loud, this one is quiet and chilling. I also enjoy the age gap because it emphasizes the power imbalance with our couple. This is what classic yaoi feels like.
That said, of anyone has a link to the novel for this, I'd appreciate it!
Wow I loved all of your text, great explanation and reflections! (:
I wish I marinated it a bit but got too curious.
it's good. Can't wait to see how the story goes.
Does anyone have a link to the novel, and which chapter would it be according to the latest manhwa release?
Thank you.
staying here if someone drops the link
Someone pls drop :<
Kidding aside, is it just me or does it look like a knock off Zhenya/Taekjoo reincarnation type of thing? Not that I'm complaining, I find it kind of hilarious honestly.
I hope we see seme yearn, beg, and cry. It reminds me a lot of The Third Ending so I hope seme cries for that ukehole.
Also the kids have nothing to smile about like damn. Laugh, cartwheel, sneeze, do whatever and make those facial muscles move. Their nonchalance and aloofness is nonetheless cute.