the author is great at writing MCs who make devastating mistakes, then forcing them to earn every ounce of forgiveness, all at the great expense of our precious innocent ML whose only mistake was loving them ദദ╥ ᴗ ╥)
but i don't think this is your standard redemption arc. MC's initial groveling seems largely self-serving, driven by guilt and desperation to keep the ML by his side and be forgiven. this desperate need for control was softened by cute little chibis, duckies, and MC's pretty crying face (ngl i'm a fan!!!!), but we mustn't overlook the fact that it wasn't driven by a genuine understanding of what the ML actually needed to heal.
what finally had me in tears was when MC let the ML go from what was essentially confinement. these were tears of relief for the ML, grief for what could've been, and the heartache over everything the MC put him through. somehow, it felt freeing for me too. it also doesn't help that ML reminds me so much of jun from the third ending and i just wanna step in and protect him (˃ᯅ˂)
that 4-month separation arc gave both parties the time to process everything in a more meaningful way, and i'm glad it lasted longer than the one month the fortune teller predicted!!!! it gave so much more weight to the ML's decision to take the MC back by sneaking messages to MC's servants. even then, i'm glad they didn't jump straight into a relationship. the MC had to spend an extended period believing his feelings were no longer requited, and i think he needed that. it made the last two chapters of side 2 feel so earned when they finally came together in those fervent kisses (my favorite kinds of kisses are the ones where it looks physically painful for them to pull away from each other and this one was SO SO GOOD) (ㅅ´ ˘ `)♡
i also appreciated that the story understood forgiveness isn't something the MC gets to ask for on his own timeline. no matter how guilty he felt, the ML still deserved the time and space to process everything.
for a story that's barely 40 chapters long, i'm honestly amazed by how much emotional ground it covered without ever feeling rushed. love that the groveling never overshadowed the hurt and the reconciliation happened on the ML's terms ₍ᐢ. .ᐢ₎ ₊˚⊹♡
the author is great at writing MCs who make devastating mistakes, then forcing them to earn every ounce of forgiveness, all at the great expense of our precious innocent ML whose only mistake was loving them ദദ╥ ᴗ ╥)
but i don't think this is your standard redemption arc. MC's initial groveling seems largely self-serving, driven by guilt and desperation to keep the ML by his side and be forgiven. this desperate need for control was softened by cute little chibis, duckies, and MC's pretty crying face (ngl i'm a fan!!!!), but we mustn't overlook the fact that it wasn't driven by a genuine understanding of what the ML actually needed to heal.
what finally had me in tears was when MC let the ML go from what was essentially confinement. these were tears of relief for the ML, grief for what could've been, and the heartache over everything the MC put him through. somehow, it felt freeing for me too. it also doesn't help that ML reminds me so much of jun from the third ending and i just wanna step in and protect him (˃ᯅ˂)
that 4-month separation arc gave both parties the time to process everything in a more meaningful way, and i'm glad it lasted longer than the one month the fortune teller predicted!!!! it gave so much more weight to the ML's decision to take the MC back by sneaking messages to MC's servants. even then, i'm glad they didn't jump straight into a relationship. the MC had to spend an extended period believing his feelings were no longer requited, and i think he needed that. it made the last two chapters of side 2 feel so earned when they finally came together in those fervent kisses (my favorite kinds of kisses are the ones where it looks physically painful for them to pull away from each other and this one was SO SO GOOD) (ㅅ´ ˘ `)♡
i also appreciated that the story understood forgiveness isn't something the MC gets to ask for on his own timeline. no matter how guilty he felt, the ML still deserved the time and space to process everything.
for a story that's barely 40 chapters long, i'm honestly amazed by how much emotional ground it covered without ever feeling rushed. love that the groveling never overshadowed the hurt and the reconciliation happened on the ML's terms ₍ᐢ. .ᐢ₎ ₊˚⊹♡