Right like why so negative, what we saw just from Teenager POV. Lol
But also dating culture is so different in the east. It’s very euro-ameri-centric to impose what you think is appropriate on an entirely different culture.
so true and very fair & spot on analysis bestie! however i do get where they're coming from since shoujo authors be Like That sometimes and in terms of themes, although it is about how to deal with unreciprocated feelings, the general expectation for readers coming in to read shoujo is that it will follow the standard formula of the main leads always getting together in the end which means the love isn't quite so unreciprocated after all. so we just gotta hope and pray this one truly isn't a weirdo and actually follows through on the central theming without making beni and gen get together in the end as a sort of "reward" for beni for being able to "handle" the "sufferings" of unrequited love (which is a typically theme & plot beat that shoujo manga tends to follow and enforce)
Omg you’re so spot on about it being a “reward” sometimes!
But given how this manga is written, I don’t think that’s how the author thinks. I really feel that Beni is either going to get outright rejected or will come to understand Gen doesn’t see her that way.
Have y’all never had a crush on an older person when you were a teen? Like, damn let the girl have feelings. Her having a crush does not mean they’ll absolutely get together in the end.
And also? Gen wasn’t trying making a move on Beni. He was being nice to a guest in “his” house, and any romantic vibes the readers pick up is because we’re seeing it from Beni’s point of view (and it’s a freaking romance manga, c’mon guys). Gen is not a creep just for being an older attractive man who interacts with a younger girl. He had no way of knowing that moment would cause Beni to catch feelings.
The author is also not a weirdo for writing this plotline. A central theme of this manga is dealing with romantic feelings that cannot be reciprocated. So it would be very in line with the rest of the story if Gen rejected Beni, and she had to grow as a person to handle her feelings. That’s a real thing that happens in the world and I personally am looking forward to how it plays out.