I agree. But I'm not torn about it. If it was me, of course I would want my lover to love me more than anyone else that has come before, why wouldn't I? I cannot imagine anyone saying it's okay for their lover to love someone else more.
Pretty sure Reiji loves Naoya a lot more than he did Shiki tho. I mean, he did love Shiki and it was probably his first real love, but Naoya is so very special to him, while Shiki was a very short lived romance. What I believe is that Aoe holds Shiki dearly bot because he loved hik so much, but because he made him “feel” again, and taught him to be happy.
I still feel angry and sad when I think about what happened with Shiki but I think if he were still there Naoya would not be with Aoe and he really needs Aoe so I feel really really bad for Aoe but is good he is there for Naoya
In Aoe's case, his former lover is deceased. I have a deceased lover so let me explain the difference between the one you love now and someone whom you loved but has passed on. The person I love now, our love is a combination of our feelings in the present, our feelings of the past and our hopes and dreams for our future together. The love I feel for my deceased lover is only memories and feelings from the past. We have no hopes or dreams to share for the future, nor do we have feelings in the present. Comparing the two types of love is like comparing apples and oranges. They share one similarity, they are both fruit/love, but the similarities end there. You love your siblings and parents, yet it is not the same love you feel for a partner. You will love your children, but the love is nothing like that which you share with a partner. Sadly, the English language only has one word for attachment and affection, regardless of its type or degree. Love. But love takes many shapes for a multitude of people in your life. Distinguishing between the different types is an important aspect of maturity.
Then please let me tell you that I simply love this piece of yours! This is beautiful. Thank you for putting into words the thoughts that I'm sure many of us are thinking.
I get what you want to say but I think you're wrong in thinking that Reiji loves Shiki more than he does Naoya. For one thing, didn't Reiji say that it was his first time saying "I love you"? I don't know if I'm right in this but I think he's saying it's his first time confessing his love to anyone. I have read Love Mode and on Shiki's story, volume 11, Reiji's love for Shiki and his regret over how Shiki died was certainly displayed in very obvious ways but I don't recall him telling Shiki the words "I love you." For that matter, they never exchanged words of love when Shiki was still alive. That such a serious and stubborn man as Reiji would willingly say "I love you", shouldn't we take this as an indication that Naoya is more loved than anyone else now? As a personal opinion, I think Shiki died before Reiji could ever give him the same amount of love Reiji is now giving Naoya.
Oh don’t fret! You’re not the only who feels this way, I certainly do too! I was actually going to comment the same thing but then I saw your comment and thought ‘whoa that’s exactly my thought’ aha ╮(￣▽￣)╭
I always find myself thinking of this every time I read a manga, yaoi or otherwise where the seme or uke has had previous lovers before alive or otherwise. And I’m usually more open minded but there’s just...somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind there’s that certain nagging feeling and thought (it’s like being pricked by a thorn though small you still feel that nagging prickling feeling) of ‘oh I wish the mangaka would show the readers that the seme or uke loves their current lovers more than their previous ones, despite we readers already know about how love comes in different forms and shapes etc’ or I’ll even think like ‘oh if only their previous lovers were still alive yet the seme or uke still chooses their current lover because their love for them is far more greater’ like in this case with Aoe and Naoya (￣∇￣") my twisted mindset would imagine that Shiki was still alive and would suddenly appear after a few months of naoya and aoe of being together, so that it can really be determined who aoe loves more. But then I also wouldn’t want aoe to just choose naoya because he feels a certain responsibility towards naoya and sees naoya as being dependent on him, no! I want aoe to choose naoya on his own accord purely because of his love for him is insurmountable and incomparable (true love ya know) whilst Shiki is also happy for aoe and finds his own true love and becomes happy too. It’s like whilst Shiki is Aoe’s first love (I can live with that) I want Naoya to be his one true and great love. Meyn, see my mind is just...it’s hopeless (￣∇￣") oh well I can only hope I’m more forgiving in my real life romances aha ╮(￣▽￣)╭
I always feel somewhat torn when the seme or uke had previous lovers where they actually loved their ex so much more than they currently love their present lover. I know people will disagree with me and be like love isn't about that or love is this or love grows with time etc. And I do agree. But still there's a dark twisted emotion in me that wants the seme or uke to love their current lovers more than anyone and certainly more than their ex. Gosh I'm awful