what an interesting take! I didn't even realise the books "hikaru" was reading in the library could be foreshadows
Wow. Thank you for this amazing comment! I did not notice it and would never but you’ve just blown my mind. The huge sacrifice is paralleled twice, once with human Hikaru’s dying wish and demon Hikaru with the part of himself. Two mythical creatures transforming themselves into humans for the person they love. I don’t think it’s a coincidence at all.
Sounds like the author is hinting towards the sacrifice harming both of them and Hikaru will have to leave or Yoshiki might be the final sacrifice.
Regarding the Frankenstein story, I just read a summary of the ending and wtf? I feel like I have to read the book now, it’s nothing like I assumed it would be. Anyway, this one feels particularly foreshadowy. Especially Yoshiki’s fate.
Again, thank you for this brilliant comment. I’m fairly sure you’ve just spotted a huge clue. If I was th author, I’d be so pleased and maybe a little mad haha.
Ooooh I wonder if the books were just the author pointing out their inspirations or foreshadowing the rest of the story.
Tsuru no Ongaeshi is about a poor man who saves a crane that had been shot by hunters. Later, a woman comes to him, claiming to be his wife and helps him make money and he doesn't blink an eye cuz it's a fairy tale. The only caveat is that he is not allowed to watch her weave the cloths she gives him to sell. One day, he peeks in and discovers that she's the crane he saved and she's using her own feathers to weave the cloths. But now that he knows her secret, she has to fly away.
I'm gonna assume most of you are familiar with The Little Mermaid so I'll just point out that in this story, she makes a huge sacrifice (her voice) to be able to transform into a human. And in the original version, walking on legs is painful for her and she doesn't even get the guy in the end.
These two mythical creatures are very obvious allusions for Hikaru, an demonic(?) entity who has taken over a boy's body/identity. Although he didn't do it for the love of a human at first, I think at this point we can all agree Demon Hikaru has feelings for Yoshiki, whether those are his own feelings or a testament to how strong Human Hikaru's unrequited love was. I wonder if the sacrifice was just Human Hikaru's death or is Demon Hikaru gonna make an even bigger sacrifice for Yoshiki.
Now the Frankenstein connection is interesting. If Hikaru is the lonely monster yearning for companionship, then Yoshiki is probably Dr Frankenstein who struggles between fear/disgust and responsibility for the monster. None of these have happy endings, with Frankenstein having the most tragic one, so I'm even more nervous now.
Also, I wonder if the author knew or even considered the theory that The Little Mermaid was a metaphor for unrequited queer love (Hans Christen Anderson was working on it around the time his bff, who he was one-sdiely in love with, got married).