Shiro doesn't deserve Kenji tbh, it feels like he's with him just because he's scared of b...

i just need you to know that ever since you posted this comment, it’s been living inside my head and you enrage me all the time. have you changed user kii…? do you still see their relationship in this light…? Please. Please user kii. Say No *sobs*

Unfortunately, I still do, sorry! :(( I feel like Shiro and Kenji have a relationship built on convenience more than anything else tbh. I understand that the point of this manga is to showcase a “realistic” gay relationship and I actually feel like it is realistic because most irl romantic relationships are shallow and lack true emotional intimacy. It’s even more complicated when someone is queer and has more limited options due to their sexual orientation. I definitely feel like Shiro’s love for Kenji isn’t the same as Kenji’s love for Shiro because Shiro “settled” but Kenji didn’t. I would love to hear your thoughts on this though, even if you disagree with me!

HELP YOU ACTUALLY RESPONDED??!? my shock was so immense i forgot to respond for several days… i appreciate the fact you went more in depth into why you think this way instead of telling me to piss off lol i was quite histrionic in my reply.
i can see why you think Shiro doesn’t like Kenji the same way Kenji does, because i agree! though, i don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. i do not think that just because Shiro doesn’t treat Kenji the same as his exes or “settled” for Kenji (which i believe is what you meant, sorry if it isn’t), that it means Shiro doesnt deserve Kenji…
when they talk about Shiro’s relationship with his exes, it’s never in a positive light and shows that Shiro & Kenji’s relationship is WAY more healthy than whatever he had with Nobu, even if he was “nicer” (doormat behavior).
when it comes to “settling” for Kenji, i really don’t see that as the case. if Shiro actually settled for Kenji because he didn’t think anyone would like him, i really don’t think Shiro would’ve invited Kenji to live with him so early into their relationship or cooked up an large meal in order to impress Kenji if he didn’t already like him beforehand. when they met, Shiro HAD a boyfriend… it wasn’t like he thought no one would date him because he wasn’t a bear.
i see Shiro as kind of an unreliable narrator, he very much downplays his feeling and actions towards Kenji. Like when Kayoko mentions that Shiro does a lot of Kenji and he starts going off about he only does things because he doesn’t want to deal with a breakup… that’s so silly i think. he mentions he’s always wondered why Kenji chose him since they started dating and when Shiro brings Kenji to met his parents… i just don’t think that’s the behavior you show to someone you just. Settle with…. idk though maybe that’s just me!
when i say i agree with Shiro not loving Kenji the same way, i don’t mean i think Shiro & Kenji is shallow and lack emotional intimacy because i think that’s very far from the truth. they’re quite important to each other i believe. i think their love for each other is different because they’re quite different in personality. i don’t think Shiro is gonna experience the overly romantic feelings of love that Kenji does, while Kenji isn’t gonna feel that quiet feeling of love and affection that Shiro does. which i think suit them both perfectly… to keep them balanced. i might be a little biased in all this though because i relate a lot to Shiro and i frankly quite love their relationship.
Your view is quite pessimistic i think, but it is your own experience so i don’t want to dismiss it and say it’s automatically wrong. thanks for giving me the time of day, especially since i was rude in my first message… i hope you are in good health :33 (sorry this is so long. I really. Love. Shiro & Kenji. A lot)

I have to agree to this one:( some parts are not communicated properly and their dynamics can came off as one-sided at times. Like I love the story but I feel that their relationship could be put to work┗( T﹏T )┛

Woah I was just about to write a long essay defending Shiro but you beat me to it ahahaha. Ken and Shiro are just so sweet to me, I feel bad whenever people come away thinking that their relationship is one-sided or unromantic.

I'd just like to add that from Kenji's POV, he definitely doesn't view his relationship with Shiro as one-sided or stale. This is from one of the recent chapters, I'm not gonna say much about it since spoilers, but basically, Kenji acknowledged that Shiro cooking everyday for him, for 20 years, was an incredible act of love. This hits hard when you remember that in the earlier volumes, it's mentioned that Shiro makes an attempt to finish work early just so he can come home and cook dinner before Kenji comes back. Yes it's also because he likes cooking, but this most likely grew to mean something more to him, the more time he spent living and eating with Kenji. Like, it's become a highlight of his day to see Kenji enjoying the meal he cooked for him ;-;;; (and Kenji absolutely looks forward to coming home to Shiro's cooking, he brags about it to his co-workers all the time!!! hes such a sweetie ;u;;)

I personally think that Shiro does have overly romantic feelings towards Kenji. He's not gonna admit it to himself or Kenji. Instead he's going to routinely show it, the only way he knew how. Anyway, he gets better in the later volumes (and the doujins.... oml shiro is just crazy about him...). Everytime I re-read nanitabe, I get a little emotional from seeing how different 40 year old Shiro is from 60.

I'm soooo happy for Kenji, he's been eating good these 20 years (꒦꒳꒦).....