Corey is like my dream life, ngl. Androgynous but leaning towards masculine, but... I'm bi and i do consider myself nonbinary in a sense. Idk, i just wish i'd be more in between.
(why is she even in a boy's uniform? too convenient lmao but i also wished we were freeir to dress how we wanted or just make a standard unisex uniform)
Also, i bet Naomi liked Corey. I'm a little bummed that she wasn't mentioned after all that. I thought she'd stay in the circle longer coz they had that friendly yet also crush-level chemistry, she and Corey.
Anyway, it's weird how Dylan's character became more timid when Damien came and Corey became assertive. Also the whole drama llama of Sam's arc was a tad rushed. The father of the double Ds never showed up and I think I'd like to see the mom's turn around because her apology looked sudden. Like, the ending felt rushed. Nonetheless, I'm in love with this.
At first, i though Kei was manipulative then I realized that he did have the worst first impression. And slowly, but surely, he showed his resolve to make sure that Shoichi is comfortable with him (albeit assertive and left only a little room of rejection). If anything, I'm just raising my brows whenever he forces that he's straight. The moment he even considered to date Shoichi, he proves himself to be bi. Welp, heteronormative stubbornness at play I guess. (but OMG, they got MARRIED!)
Also... The author just had to go for the most convenient yet perverse method to get the kids together. Like, yeah, like the comments say, they couldve been friends and go to dorms together. Instead, they become brothers in order to cohabit earlier and be in each other's comfort zone. Regardless, did they just have sex by the front door? Talk abiut impatient anf highly risky. I was just waiting for the door to swing open because the parents forgot something and shit hits the fan. But nvm
I lovr how he addressed that a woman's role isn't demeaning at all and questioned Sakurai for even thinkinf about it like that.
I liked that too but at the same time I kept hoping they would stop referring to it as “the woman’s role”.. Hibiki doesn’t identify as a woman and no gay man should be referred to as taking the “woman’s” role if that’s not their gender identity, they’re taking on their role within the relationship and that should have nothing to do with gender roles
True! I mean from the few gay friends i have, they use "bottom" and "top" as a general term. I was too focused on the "woman's role" for women in general, that i didn't think about in Hibiki's usage as a gay (although, he was crossdressing or like being trans so it became easier to just relate it to a woman's perspective as well)
I've always found it weird as well, but it does seem slightly more natural when I'm reading in Japanese, so it could be that the terminology is less offensive by Japanese standards. Could also be that I simply read too much yaoi though, so I can't say for sure. ^^
And it's my lack of interest for how the story went. It began really well but when the smut and the complications were being "fleshed out", it felt half baked, like a plot for some porn where it doesnt even have to make sense. the uncle-nephew is being thrown out the window then conveniently used to add some drama. Like the uncle is so annoyingly imposing his whims, insensitive to the matter at hand while he loses his sanity in sex. Then the rape occured but make it dubcon cause the uncle wanted it (way to make a rapist out of your nephew and it's just so pitiful to watch the nephew internally hate it but encouraged to continue anyways) And then conveniently time skips to just a month coz all is well but never really addresses the "we're unCLe and nEPheW" until the very last side chapter (which is also a convenient time skip
Rather than being fleshed out, I think it was the pacing and the progress of the story. For starters, I assumed the story wasn't meant to be a "heavyweight" thus, the author wasn't being particular about being in depth about the supposed to be issue. And I believe the author's note was talking about his adventure on how he went from writing a good plot based story to how it ended up like this since this was an r-18+ entry submission. Plot wise, I do suppose it was intended to be quite "fleshed out" since Lezhin does keep a reader control on its stories, or so I've heard. Otherwise, this story would've become.much more emotional and quite angsty but with a happy ending. Tbh, I'm quite contended with the ending since I guess this is the author's first serialization, so there's much improvement necessary.
Thanks for the external context. It does affect the way I'd see the story now a little. I also understand that it isn't meant to be heavyweight, it's the explosive drama that made it too complicated and i think the author tried to patch it up. It just didn't work for me. Their next work looks promising tho :)
By ch25, I was able to match the pieces and understand the full picture. I might have a slow comprehension, but the beginning was almost too metaphorical or reflective of its original language, like... It wasn't interpreted well, rather only translated. Anyways, it got so deep that I felt so sorry for Ding Cheng but also rooted for him while Heyun began understanding just what is happening. (that box episode was really a claustrophobic representation of everything wrong with Ding Cheng's past)
Anyway, Heyun really spoke the words I rarely ever hear. Like, admitting that he has no right to preach on Ding Cheng but still giving him support. Or confronting Ding Cheng's lack of trust (although Cheng was still valid since trust seem to be unnatural for both of them then) because it was written so well in a way that he scolded Cheng but for the sake of communication and not blaming him. Anyway, that scene is just everything.
1. Kazumi was in the right all along. He confronted Takafumi about it but was only told to trust him blindly. It wasn't about him not being able to express himself, but it was the absurdity of it all and Takafumi just wanted Kazumi to "understand".
2. Wow. I suppose the joke was meant to slap some sense into him when his lover finally "reacted", but what a jerk. His lover's tolerance is simply a miracle, a one in a million.
3. Aight, they totally hyped me up. The 180° change in personality, the confusion of Norihisa, and the turtle. Hahahaha
i really wanted the bottom on the 2nd to break up with the other, jokes like that arent funny
Truly. It's bullying and certainly manipulative. We see how hurt his partner is. What i did like is how his partner becomes forward in correcting him and making sure he knows when he takes it too far. In a way, their relationship matured because he realized his mistake and his partner held him responsible for taking it too far. (but yeah, totally irked me)
I honestly feel like none of them were in the right in that situation. Kazumi was already insecure to begin with, so thinking Takafumi was cheating on him would only feed onto that, meanwhile Takafumi can't really say anything as his agency or whatever it's called told him to be quiet about it. Takafumi was in a tight spot and all he could say at that situation was to "trust me".
I actually really like the obstacle that 'drama' presented, which was trust. Kazumi didn't trust Takafumi enough to understand that he isn't the type to cheat, all the while Takafumi didn't trust Kazumi enough to tell him the big secret even when knowing he probably won't tell it to others.
that's an enlightening perspective, and actually objective. thinking back, im personally biased to being expected to do something when one doesn't even know what's happening. i guess that's also because i rarely ever trust anyone... and consider that kind of trust to be blind, instead of trust being natural when you believe in someone.
I agree with them both having issues with trust but I still feel like Takafumi could have given a simple explanation that doesn't require him specifying the situation to help reassure his partner especially when Kazumi directly communicated what he felt about the situation. He didn't properly communicate back despite continuously messaging Kazumi.
1. Kubo sexually harasses Sugiura with leading questions then assaults him with a kiss. Nonetheless, they proceed in a dubcon moment where Kubo kept acting like a manipulative rapist and Sugiura simply concedes to the pleasure.
2. The only resistance occurs... AFTER sex since Sugiura basically lets Kubo run his mouth and force his way with him before sex.
3. Clarity occurs when Sugiura relents. At the same time, Kubo learns to restrain his stalker and manipulative-like behavior.
4. Just when the fluff and wholesomeness began... The story ended. Darn it.
But yeah, mixed feelings because as much as I do like imperfect characters, the execution made it feel like Kubo is the typical entitled macho man who can force himself on whoever he sets his eyes on. Meanwhile, Sugiura is the secretly slutty type who just wants to be pursued even if he says no (because he concedes or lets his partner continue anyway). Like, it has a negative aura which slowly depletes, but just when things get better, it stops
1.i like the dynamic. They couldn't communicate well during high school. Imai had his ideals imposed on Kounuso. Meanwhile, Kounuso tend to dive headfirst without thinking about the consequences. And Imai communicated more, not merely assuming anymore. Meanwhile, Kounuso became more considerate (albeit too much at times).
2. It was quietly dramatic, the sort that I can imagine being full of white noise, no backtrack whatsoever. It does feel static and with little yet steady progression.
3. I thought Imai would point out that he isn't
all that innocent about erotic novels since he already bragged having experience after Kounuso (and yeah, he was fingered by Kounuso already HAHAHA). And that's a weird play on "innocence" since lust is basically not so surprising for lovers or for adults at that. Which begs the question: Are they really adults? Like is the author sure? HAHAHA
1. The cable worker and the sculptor's interaction during the seclusion and after that is so refreshing and cute. Especially how the next morning progressed HAHAHA
2. I was a tad confused with how the council student responded to his classmate, whom he is very much conscious of. But, that instant recognition and little interactions like the candy is so wholesome yet borderline Pavlov's dog SKSKSK
3. Wow, this actually hurt and confused me the first time. Especially with how it jumped into the story during the rumors and I didn't fully understand their first meeting. Also, I'm glad that the uncle wrapped his around the tragedy after his wife explained the flowers. That's why fulfilling a dying wish is so damn complicated, it ends up backfiring on who fulfills that promise after their death.
Overall wholesome and really has a promising future for the family. Yuki's character is consistently improving and quite justified so he doesn't feel too irritating (but ngl, it was too dragged) . Nogi knows his boundaries.
BUT.
Did they just try to shag in the presence of a sleeping kid TWICE? The small bed and Tsumu is literally just THERE. They also left him at the living room the 2nd time to continue their love making in bed.