Kpop332's Things

I don’t think I’ve ever read a manga that stayed with me the way Dear Gene by Azuma Kaya has.

It’s not just the romance it’s how painfully human the characters are. Trevor’s story especially hurt in a way I wasn’t prepared for. The way he lies to himself about his attraction to men, the adoption trauma, that constant feeling of being an “outline” in his own family after their biological son was born it all felt so real. His fear of abandonment doesn’t come from nowhere; it quietly shapes every choice he makes, every denial, every hesitation. Nothing about it feels exaggerated.

And Gene… I don’t even know how to put his story into words without feeling emotional again. Giving up his Amish family and knowing he can never see them again just to have a chance at freedom that kind of loss is devastating because it’s not driven by hate, but by belief and doctrine. The spin-off Rumspringa made it hurt even more. Being allowed to taste the world, only to either return and give it up forever or leave and lose everything family, home, certainty is such a cruel kind of choice. The fact that Gene ends up homeless just because he wanted autonomy broke me.

This story made me cry more than once, and not in a dramatic way in that quiet, heavy way where you just sit there afterward feeling hollow. It’s beautifully written, emotionally honest, and deeply respectful of queer trauma, religious conflict, and love that doesn’t magically fix everything but still matters.

I genuinely don’t think anything I’ve read has topped this yet. If anyone else feels the same way or if you’ve read something that hit you just as hard please let me know. I’m desperately looking for a story that can stand next to Dear Gene, because right now it feels untouchable.

Guys, do you think I should start a Study With Me livestream YouTube channel where I study almost every day for at least 3–4 hours? I feel like it would really help me stay motivated and consistent. I’m a second year med student and I really want to lock in this year. Last year was really tough for me finals were crazy, and I even had to resit anatomy because I didn’t pass the first time. Thank God I passed in the end and made it to second year, but honestly I’m scared of going through that again. That’s why I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. I’ve actually been watching Study With Me videos since 2021 to motivate myself, and it’s always been kind of a fantasy to start my own study stream where I can motivate myself and maybe motivate others at the same time. I think having a little community and knowing people are studying along with me would really keep me in check and help me commit to my sessions. The only thing is, I have no idea how to livestream or even where to start, so I’d need to figure it out first. But my goal is to start at least next week if possible. What do you guys think , should I go for it? And would you subscribe or join my livestreams if I started?