madd's manga / #great plot(152)

I just want to say every... literally, EVERY adult aside from the police inspector sucks. The priest took advantage of Alan, gets no repercussions for it, and gets to continue to live his life AND was going to SA him all over again instead of apologizing when he sees him again. Maria was initially a source of healing for Alan, but she couldn't heal and got too attached to him and was willing to take her and him out against his will. The parents neglected Alan and got mad at HIM for being R-worded WHEN HE WAS A CHILD. Hayden's mom also neglected him and left him with her death. And the police didn't bother to take them into custody before pulling a gun on them. If they did, they would have realized they were both innocent; Alan went with Hayden willingly, and they planned it so it wasn't a kidnapping; Maria only died because she jumped in the way. It was not their fault, and it was not intentional. They could only get charged with involuntary manslaughter, but they most likely could get off; The second h*micide could count as self-defense as the man was about to SA him again, and his parents spurred on Alan, so he most likely could get off with probation, meaning they both could've got free and finally live their life on their terms. This was just an egregious error by the police. This story is almost like a cautionary tale of what happens when bad adults are in power and how the children suffer due to their sins. But ofc the mangaka has to make it look so gorgeous. My god, every panel is like a painting. I love it. I could stare at the backgrounds for hours. I usually hate tragedies because you invest all this energy into the characters, and then they end up splitting up or dying, but I think it made sense in this case. There was nowhere else to go. They were cornered, had nowhere to run to, and everyone was against them. If they weren't going to die together, they probably would on their own. Alan and Hayden were both dealt the worst cards in the world. It's really heartbreaking. It sucks how the world can do this to innocent people and create broken adults. 10 out of 10. I'm gonna go cry now.

This is definitely one of the greats. It's a lovely hidden gem that deserves more attention. The art is gorgeous, the story is fantastic, and the relationship dynamic is just *chef's kiss*. I have no complaints, just pure 10 out of 10 goodness. I love how they each ended up indirectly making each others' lives better. And in the end, Shiro is rewarded with his soul after going through so much. Perfect ending. (┳◡┳)

1. 10 out of 10 It is an excellent but heartbreaking story about how internalized homophobia can damage people and others. Sadly, we live in a world where queer people are still unaccepted and feel ashamed for something they can't control, which is entirely normal. There are so many people, not just LGBTQ+ people, who can't yet accept themselves because they are terrified of how they'll be treated and by the fact they are considered abnormal to everyone else, so they are forced to hide who they are so they won't be ostracized. Although the story establishes that Katsumi is cruel, it also makes a point to make you pity him because he seeks out penance for what he did by self-harming. I like that Maki was able to heal himself and relieve himself of any resentment before meeting Katsumi so that he could help him; it was more about Katsumi learning to forgive himself and allowing himself to be forgiven rather than Maki having to forgive him. And in the end, the reveal that Katsumi liked him too was awesome. It really drove the point home. I'm glad they were both able to heal and are still healing. 2. 8.5 out of 10 Although it was super short, I think it shone as well. I almost wish it was a separate story so we could see a more in-depth view of how their friendship developed and how Yusuke fell for Daiya and vice versa rather than the whole plot kickstarting because of drunken shenanigans. Also, I would have liked to see more time with Yusuke's reaction to Daiya leaving, but the author did the best they could with a one-shot. Those are my only gripes, but other than that, I loved it. Strangers to friends to lovers is my favorite trope. But still, props to the author for creating two excellent stories, and it goes without saying the art is absolutely gorgeous. So overall, it's a 9 out of 10. I would definitely reread this.