Responses
For real! But I think that’s also what makes Yuri so unique. It feels like the author wanted to show us a rare and beautiful character like Yuri, someone who sees love as something that doesn’t have to involve romance, sex, or the desire to possess someone
yuri calling xinlu his first love isn’t the correct word to use here at all since he never once saw xinlu romantically or even as anything further until adult xinlu began making moves on him. i guess since yuri is sort of “oblivious” he’s just attaching that word to this since it vaguely fits, but the better way to describe his “feelings” towards xinlu at that age would be love in the same way as when you find a piece of art that you truly cannot take your mind off of and admire, possibly even wanting to protect?? another example would be like how regular people feel about their favourite idol. you love them, cherish them, find them objectively beautiful but you perceive them like a piece of art that exists, not a romantic or sexual prospect…that’s how i see it at least.
i do get that love is an abstract concept which is why i’ve describe it like this, but it doesn’t take away from that fact that i’m still extremely uncomfortable with the usage of “first love” here, since generally speaking it IS mainly only used for a romantic attraction rather than admiration