I was gonna reply directly to the people downplaying Hirano's feelings but im just gonna make it its own post:
Hirano IS in love with kagiura, this has already been established (since 29). Hirano doesn't feel just friendship for Kagiura—per Kagiura's own definition, it is love. Kagiura is and always has been special to Hirano in a way none of his other friends are. It is undeniably love. If it doesnt align with your own view of romantic love, so be it, but denying its presence because you yourself dont understand it is ridiculous. The whole theme of this manga is ABOUT love, how it can "look" different but is inevitably valid and REAL. Hirano didnt have that whole conversation with Ichinose just for yall to invalidate him AGAIN.
It is an incredibly reductive view on relationships and how people are different to say that because he doesnt like kissing, it isnt love or its gonna fail. The general consensus here is that Hirano is aroacespec, someone who does not have much romantic or sexual desire, and who also may be uncomfortable with certain kinds of touching to a degree, or who does not view them in romantic/sexual contexts as others do. CLEARLY though, Kagiura is special in this way too because he does desire to touch him in a way he doesnt for anyone else. Hes okay with hugging Kagiura but we never see him hug others OBVIOUSLY because it's an action hes specifically comfortable with with the guy he loves. Same with how he feels about Kagiura being new and unique. The desire to see him. The way Kagiura helps him focus. The way he feels at ease in his presence. Wants to make him happy etc. These things may not look like love the way you see it but undoubtedly are. Hirano loves Kagiura and believes so himself. Kisses be damned. Not to mention, sexuality, comfort levels and everything are fluid. He doesnt desire it and dislikes it now, he may warm up to it BUT even if he doesnt, that doesnt make his feelings any "lesser".
He just needs to navigate the overlap in their feelings, hes said that. The overlap is where they are the same. He already knows they are the same in that they love each other, and here some of yall are truly believing his doubt that they cant somehow make it work since he doesnt wanna kiss. REALLY? Like you cant tell me yall missed the point of 28-31, its been way too long for yall to be playing these games.
I'm sorry if im being aggressive but im truly tired of the way Hirano is being invalidated. He wants to be with Kagiura. He loves Kagiura. These are things he fully believes and wants. Whether that will "work" or not... theyre teenagers. I think, like any teenage relationship, it depends. But please dont just ignore what you dont understand. Its very important you at least acknowledge these things
Also, hirano is definitely attracted to kagiura in some way re: fixation on his body /physique even if he doesnt recognize it as such + desire to touch him + all the other unique feelings hes had toward kagiura from ch. 1 to now... I think we need to learn to separate romantic from sexual attraction tho and acting like one is necessary for the other. Another conversation
THANK YOU ILOVE THIS CAN WE PIN THIS PLS. omg these comments made me wanna pull out my hair in furstration
Your comment just made me cry ╥﹏╥ as its so spot on and as an aroacespec person i also feel seen
Thank you so much for standing up to this
KEEP SPEAKING YOUR TRUTH. This is so important to know before people make assumptions if they don't even fully AND properly understand the character, oh my glorious Hirano you deserve nothing but respect, validity and understanding. The same goes for people who are in the same sexual orientation, or feels the same way and thinks the same way Hirano does.
The author definitely loves slowburn as you can see in Sasaki to Miyano, this is going the same path. There are more to discover, more about self-learning, self-growth, relationship growth, character developments, and scenes of them loving and caring for each other. I'm so sure of that.
I trust them, and that time will come when they past the hurdles and completes a course in their relationship wherein they have already come to a mutual understanding about what they want, and how they will satisfy one another's needs without completely ignoring set boundaries. They love AND respect each other, I think the least readers could do is to do the same and believe that just because Hirano's way of loving isn't the same as theirs, it's still LOVE. Downplaying it is just an unfair move.
Keep spitting facts, this is literally SO important to mention.
Thank you for leaving this comment :) I feel like the aroace community doesn't get much representation—at least from what I've read—so a lot of people are unaware of us. It kinda makes me sad to see people say their relationship won't hold just bcs Hirano isn't open to the idea of more intimate acts TT we can't say for sure just yet whether this feeling will stay or if Hirano will eventually develop the desire but even if he didn't, I think they'll still be fine. Kagi seems to be very accommodating to Hirano and vice versa. Besides, the aroace spectrum encompasses way more than just a black and white idea of having romantic or sexual attraction. Anyways, I think it's nice to see some form of aroace tendencies to shine through a bit in Hirano's character.
THISSS!!!!!! AROACE ARISEE
I dont wanna clog up the stream by replying to everyone but im so glad you all agree and understand what I was saying ╥﹏╥ I'm acespec myself and these comments were increasingly irritating and dull I was really disheartened by it. Glad it could resonate with you all!
Yeah, people think too lowly of aroace representation. They always want to stereotype it as "you can't feel love for someone so why would you need to have relationship?" They misunderstood aroace people so bad, they even forget that it's part of lgbtqa+ community as well as aroace can have preference to pursue relationship or not.
I do love your explanation, anyone can show and think about love differently—soulmate, platonic, romantic, or whatsoever—it's still love.
That was so so good. We got to get into both of their heads, why haneul jumped the gun to break up and what dajeong's reaction was, and I think both were very real. Sometimes we dont understand how others think or feel, even if they explain it and even if theyre very close to us, but instead of pushing or belittling or anything, dajeong was intentionally calm and reassured him. Perfect blend of comedy and drama. He didnt let his confusion take over how he spoke to haneul in the moment. Aghh that was so cute. I love their relationship so so much
The author is very excited for ch. 31, i don't think things are gonna go badly at all yall can chill
Oh thank god. I would've been so mad if Hirano got angry or smth
Highly doubt he'll get angry, and if he does it'll be short-lived this is a very long awaited chapter I doubt it'll go like ch. 14
wait where do u get updates from the author?
I believe she mentioned it on her BlueSky first and then her Twitter (harusono_org)
tysm!!
I think Uyun and Jinhyeong should switch... just once
I think they have ion if I’m trippin though…
You trippin...pretty bad actually
Eunoh is such a case study bc he actually does have play bc he's attractive and humorous but hes fucking stupid and weird and not in a likeable way so no one wants his ass. Get it together
The "person x in a relationship makes a decision
that defines person y in a relationsip without their input" trope ALWAYS pisses me off regardless of its justification or reasoning as a plotline. Idk how to describe this trope but here its like. Doyeon is deciding and summing up how she thinks Jinjoo has lived and is therefore deciding to act thinking that she knows whats best for her, without actually communicating this or letting Jinjoo decide for herself. I dont think shes necessarily wrong so I dont blame her, but its like. She could've said what she said to that guy, to Jinjoo. "I'm worried that a relationship with me will make you suffer. I have things I need to work out on my own (very depressed and barely scraping by) and so do you." Instead she chooses to be condescending and harsh. Telling the woman who thinks shes finally found solace of some kind, something to live for, that love is disappointing. In a way, she undermined Jinjoo's autonomy by thinking she can define Jinjoo, how their relationship always was, and how it will be and end on her own (obviously anyone can end a relationship for any reason at any time but I mean her justification for it).
Don't get me wrong at all, i think it makes SENSE that Doyeon did it this way. She is currently emotionally empty. Regardless of how she truly feels about Jinjoo, she is traumatized (from everything that happened and her childhood still) and (mentally) ill. I dont expect her to have a heart to heart conversation with Jinjoo about the past what. Year or whatever idk. She decided that shes not worthy of Jinjoo's affection, and that Jinjoo needs to experience independence, and her way of making Jinjoo see that was to, well, break her heart. Because it's easy. Because that'll make her give up on me. But it wasnt until reading this that I realized this is a trope that exists and im like, wow