The story has ended, but many readers haven't realized that Joseph is the "endgame." Did people misunderstand the plot, or did they miss how the author chose to write after Chapter 98 and the hints? While it may look like Ian is breaking up with Joseph, they actually aren't. In his monologues, Ian explicitly states that he will return to where he is meant to be once he sorts out the "misfortune" haunting them both.
In Chapter 98, the author notes they lost a "lifetime opportunity," but the first half of Chapter 99 reveals this isn't true, as Ian is shown in Chicago—his true destination with Toby, having a short hair. Chicago is where Joseph is studying. Chapters 99, 100, and the epilogue actually take place in the past. There is a time shift in Chapter 99 signaled by those two sky panels. The author first shows that Ian reached his destination, then backtracks to show what he went through to get there. It can be difficult to grasp, but you really have to analyze Chapter 97 through the epilogue carefully to see the full picture.
I came to read this just so I could see how it played out, according to readers on Tt this ending didn’t make sense and Jo not being endgame didn’t make sense either. There’s no way we read the same story TJ was endgame from the start, even at the end when he agreed to leave with Jo it was to run away!! Like the whole point was for Ian to stop feeling guilty and to stop running away. Being with Jo would mean always feeling guilty and continuing to run away. Imo this was the best possible ending for everyone, in the long run Jo and Ian wouldn’t have worked out given how much he really loved TJ. I loved all three characters and I’m happy they got their happy ending