I dont usually mind age gaps, I'm actually a sucker for younger top x older bottom, but this feels strange to me?
Tennessee met Amber when he was like 10/11, returned to the US and met Amber again when he was 13/14, then proceeded to occasionally share his living space with him for a few years. They say 2 years had passed since Tennessee returned to Chicago, so that would make Amber 15/16, but in that same chapter he says he's a few months away from turning 18? Which wouldn't be right either way, I think its just a simple mistake since schooling grades are different in the US than Korea. Maybe mentioning that Amber was in 8th grade was a blip.
Either way, Amber confesses as a teenager and says he'll try to give up. All fine and dandy, but then Tennessee provokes him and says he was supposed to refuse? No? Thats the adult's job. I get he probably felt bad for Amber to some degree, and didn't want to abandon him, but that was weird.
I see face blindness will be used as the scapegoat to push things forward, but I just feel like its all unnecessary. As I mentioned I don't mind age gaps, and the whole, "we met when I was a kid but now I'm an adult so it's different" trope, but usually it works because they spend all those years apart before reuniting.
I feel it was largely unnecessary to have Tennessee and Amber reunite so quickly, and then have them cohabit the same space for 2 years, even if it was only temporary and occasionally. We could have seen Tennessee struggle overseas with his job, and how Amber was dealing with his longing being apart for so long in a sort of montage moment. His self harm could have also been showcased quite easily. Then have the reunion once Amber was an adult, and the whole "no I still see you as a kid" trope.
I don't think the story is garbage or anything (the subversion of Amber's self harm was very well done) and I already know its not grooming. I just feel like there's deliberate odd choices made in these very beginning chapters that aren't really necessary. Because reading it, all I could think was: "Well any reasonable person would distance themselves from Amber if they knew or suspected how he felt." Especially since Tennessee yells at Amber for doing a piss poor job at hiding how he felt.
Apart from this I think the story devices are good, the inclusion of sh is direct and doesn't shy away, which is nice, and the art style is really nice! But is what I mentioned ever brought up into question? Or is it just glossed over as "whatever" with whatever face blindness Tennessee will get in the upcoming chapters after chapter 5? I'd just like to know before deciding whether or not to continue with this strange feeling or not!
I dont usually mind age gaps, I'm actually a sucker for younger top x older bottom, but this feels strange to me?
Tennessee met Amber when he was like 10/11, returned to the US and met Amber again when he was 13/14, then proceeded to occasionally share his living space with him for a few years. They say 2 years had passed since Tennessee returned to Chicago, so that would make Amber 15/16, but in that same chapter he says he's a few months away from turning 18? Which wouldn't be right either way, I think its just a simple mistake since schooling grades are different in the US than Korea. Maybe mentioning that Amber was in 8th grade was a blip.
Either way, Amber confesses as a teenager and says he'll try to give up. All fine and dandy, but then Tennessee provokes him and says he was supposed to refuse? No? Thats the adult's job. I get he probably felt bad for Amber to some degree, and didn't want to abandon him, but that was weird.
I see face blindness will be used as the scapegoat to push things forward, but I just feel like its all unnecessary. As I mentioned I don't mind age gaps, and the whole, "we met when I was a kid but now I'm an adult so it's different" trope, but usually it works because they spend all those years apart before reuniting.
I feel it was largely unnecessary to have Tennessee and Amber reunite so quickly, and then have them cohabit the same space for 2 years, even if it was only temporary and occasionally. We could have seen Tennessee struggle overseas with his job, and how Amber was dealing with his longing being apart for so long in a sort of montage moment. His self harm could have also been showcased quite easily. Then have the reunion once Amber was an adult, and the whole "no I still see you as a kid" trope.
I don't think the story is garbage or anything (the subversion of Amber's self harm was very well done) and I already know its not grooming. I just feel like there's deliberate odd choices made in these very beginning chapters that aren't really necessary. Because reading it, all I could think was: "Well any reasonable person would distance themselves from Amber if they knew or suspected how he felt." Especially since Tennessee yells at Amber for doing a piss poor job at hiding how he felt.
Apart from this I think the story devices are good, the inclusion of sh is direct and doesn't shy away, which is nice, and the art style is really nice! But is what I mentioned ever brought up into question? Or is it just glossed over as "whatever" with whatever face blindness Tennessee will get in the upcoming chapters after chapter 5? I'd just like to know before deciding whether or not to continue with this strange feeling or not!