How did it actually go
the manhwa has this disease of trying to turn everything into a comedy, especially the scenes between yj and hyunjae. this particular scene should feel much more solemn because it’s such an important turning point in their relationship, one that fundamentally changes its trajectory, there’s no going back after this.
it’s kind of hard to explain because their dynamic is very nuanced, and you’d have to be prepared for a text wall, but i’ll try my best.
to begin with, there’s an inherent power imbalance between them. in the novel, the progression of their relationship is about them becoming partners who stand on equal footing. hyunjae goes from seeing yj as an interesting anomaly to someone he genuinely cares about, and yj undergoes a similar shift. he initially sees hyunjae as someone useful to have around in this timeline, but eventually comes to care about him as a person.
another important aspect of their relationship is that yj is one of the very few people who sees hyunjae as a person rather than just an s-class. yj even gives up the possibility of getting his dead brother’s body back in exchange for hyunjae’s life (something that will be explained later in the manhwa, i won’t spoil too much, it’s a bit complicated).
anyway, this is the point where hyunjae essentially puts yj at a crossroads and gives him the choice to decide what their relationship will look like going forward.
one option is to accept a guardian-like relationship, where hyunjae looks after yj and keeps him under his wing. it would be a comfortable arrangement, but the inherent power imbalance and emotional distance between them would remain.
the other option would involve much more friction, but it would also mean that they could stand on equal footing. yj would have to give up the security of being under hyunjae’s protection, but in return, their relationship could develop into something more equal.
this is ultimately one of the most important themes in their relationship. yj is surrounded by people who are far more powerful than him, yet they’re all, in a sense, his wards. he’s the one who has to be strong for them, especially emotionally. he’s the one who looks after them, and he can’t afford to let his guard down.
but with hyunjae, he can actually be himself. at the same time, he’s also the one person who worries about hyunjae, because everyone else tends to regard him as some untouchable god who doesn’t need anyone looking out for him.
i’ve left out a lot of details, and this is still a massive wall of text, but hopefully you get what i mean. this is why i really dislike the direction the manhwa is taking with all the comedy, and honestly, i don’t think i’ll ever like it bc they keep handling these scenes this way.
i’d really recommend reading the novel, though. their relationship is incredibly complex, and i the author wrote both yoohyun & hyunjae specifically for yoojin, if once you’ve read the novel, it would be clear.
Thank you for the insight and the explanation! I'd love to read the novel but I'm afraid I'd get even more frustrated about this not being BL
Thank you so much for this write up ヾ(❀╹◡╹)ﾉ~
waugh... this part has been flattened again in the manhwa sigh i should stop expecting & being disappointed