i’ve been pondering this too and i think it’s literally bc ml has been gone for most of season 2, so it seems jarring now that he’s actually like… doing things this chapter and not just making his mandatory one panel appearance.
season 1 showed sooo many interactions between the leads and their dynamic shifting as well. this season has been focused on mc learning more abt past life and family dynamics, as well as establishing the (terrible, disgusting, horrible, no-good, very bad) relationship between mc and 2ml. as such, we really kinda forget abt the true ml rip.
i’m happy to see he’s finally back tho! i’ve missed him quite badly and hoping that he takes a more active role in the story going forward :)
Maybe I need to go back and reread season 1 but the story just isn't hitting the same and I think it's because there's toany past life life chapters in between the present so all I can think when I see Jiwon finally realizing he's in love is "Why? Do they do anything of substance outside of smashing all the time?" ╮(￣へ￣)╭