this was a very entertaining read. the first season was really well done. i think they really fleshed out the characters nicely. the pace was kind of slow, but it allowed us to dig deep into the characters. where everything started to fall on its face was around season two. apparently, the novel is very different from what we got in season two, and i think the novel probably fixes a lot of the issues i had with it. my main problem with season two is that it felt very rushed.
essentially, throughout all of season one and the first half of season two, we’re stuck with this horrible male lead who’s literally using the main character for his guiding ability. i don’t think i would’ve hated that if they had made the chasing arc more fulfilling. the chasing arc was super minimal, and although we got to see the male lead struggle, the conflict resolution after that part was where things really went downhill. it felt like there were a bunch of time skips where they didn’t see each other, and then suddenly they would. they kept going back and forth about whether or not the main character was capable of guiding him, but i feel like there were some plot holes there. like, if there was an amplifier to the guiding, why didn’t they just use it on him anyway? even if he could be guided without it, why wouldn’t you take the buff if it helps? i just don’t understand that logic.
another thing i didn’t get was why they decided to have them make up, get together, and basically get married all in the final chapter. it just felt very sudden, and i know a lot of other readers felt the same way — it kind of came out of nowhere. i think stories like this would be way better if there was more substance after the reunion. we need some happiness at the end. the finale can’t just be them reuniting because that’s not really satisfying, especially after spending almost the entire story watching the male lead be a horrible person. then, for like the last ten chapters, he regrets it, and suddenly in the final chapter they’re in a mutual relationship. it just doesn’t feel like enough payoff.
it’s disappointing, especially because the story was so captivating and entertaining. i don’t even mind obsessive, possessive male leads who are flawed — that’s not the problem. it’s just how the plot was handled. it had so much potential, and it was wasted. so yeah, it was mildly disappointing, but i’m still giving it a four out of five stars because it was entertaining enough that i don’t think it deserves three. honestly, it deserves a four, and it would’ve been a five if the ending was good. it just feels like there must’ve been some kind of contract or time constraint that forced them to rush the story. season one was definitely the best, and while season two kind of fell off, it was still a good read overall. if you want something entertaining with an ending that’s kind of rushed but still happy enough, this is fine for you. it’s just disappointing because i enjoyed it so much — if i hadn’t, i probably wouldn’t be as disappointed by the ending.
this was a very cute read. it didn’t take very long to finish since each chapter was very, very short. it’s kind of like when you wake up in the morning and see a small comic in the newspaper while sipping your coffee — that’s the happy-go-lucky vibe of this story. it has around 171 chapters, which might sound intimidating because it seems like a lot, but each one is actually short and easy to consume, like those cheerful little comics. what i find so enjoyable is that it’s super unserious in some ways yet surprisingly serious in others. it tackles real-world issues, but the characters’ names are literally their roles — one is a superstar named star, and the other is a fanboy named fanboy. it’s such a cute and clever setup. definitely read this if you’re looking for something light and fluffy.
it’s heavy on the shounen-ai side, and by that i mean we only see them kiss a handful of times. they don’t go beyond that — it’s very wholesome. honestly, if they didn’t kiss those few times, they’d just seem like really close friends who like each other. nonetheless, it was still a cute read. if you’re looking for something super romantic or intimate, this isn’t it. it’s a cute story, not a romantic one, if that makes sense — there’s romance, but it’s not romantic.
friedrich nietzsche: “whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster himself. and if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
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such a phenomenal read! genuinely one of a kind and interesting throughout. i love how they are toxic and don’t even “love” eachother but still are united.
the evilest people in this story didn’t lack emotions, rather, they were overcome and riddled by them.
i kind of hate how he ended up being the second choice anyway. i think the message would’ve been stronger if he had confessed his feelings before talking to his fated mate, and then had that later conversation just for closure. the way it played out made it really feel like he was only chosen by just because… （￣へ￣）
Yup
i know that he “repented” or whatever but what would even entice him into stealing his friends meds?? seems like such a weird roundabout way. they’re like super close. it was so weird in fact i couldn’t even believe he actually did it. i thought he was covering for someone or something. but, nope. he stole his friends meds so he could rape him?? so so so weird. made the story way less interesting. i don’t hate rape subplots as long as they add significant amounts to the actual character development or plot (some stories do it really well and show genuine victim reactions) but this was kinda hot garbage.
The way I understand it is that he wanted to “save” his friend because he thought his only worth was being better than other alphas. The plan was to come in and be the hero, but he underestimated how much the pheromones would affect him and ended up becoming the villain instead. It’s still a stupid plan but I do think he genuinely regretted the rape
some questions left unanswered: why does he smell nice? why did he get injured? backstory with him and the friend? why was he dead set on him being a batter? do they know how gay sex even works??????? the end was too rushed sadly. the slow burn was burning then caught on fire like tissue paper covered in alcohol.
“i’m not the man you used to know”. *proceeds to rape him* (memory intact btw)
season 1 bro literally raped him too.
you are the man you’ve always been, ai
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i really loved the parallel between baby and the seahorse. both of them were trapped in their environments—baby stuck in the junior position at his job and the seahorse trapped in that little glass cage. johnson gave them both life while they were confined, but in the end, neither could truly be free until they left. when baby kissed the seahorse tattoo on johnson’s back, it felt like the author’s way of directly acknowledging that parallel—showing how their stories mirrored each other perfectly. so cute & so well done. i wonder if anyone else noticed this ✧