the author had to be on some type of crack while writing this because wtf is this plot /pos
this manhwa is really one of a kind like i don't think i'll ever find another with a similar story!!!! and i genuinely love all the characters except mf daewoo ofc
THAT CONFESSION SCENE WAS TOO CUTEEEE I NEED A RELATIONSHIP LIKE THEIRS
also mc should just carry around an umbrella on his dates like is it really that deep
the unrequited love trope really has a chokehold on this author/artist istg
sooo basically the mc, asami is extremely selfless due to his trauma, he believes that he needs to be useful to people by granting their requests in order to be liked by others. that's why he's been searching for the male lead's, chiaki's 'desires' because he wants to fulfill them in order to become needed by him.
BUT in actual fact chiaki has sincerely liked him from the start, and he's upset that asami believes he has to be useful by cooking, doing his chores etc. in order to get chiaki to like him back. when all chiaki wants is for asami to learn to be selfish!! while asami is looking for ways to be needed by chiaki, chiaki only wants asami to be able to selfishly ask for something instead
meanwhile, takara has been exploiting asami by constantly asking him for help knowing that he wouldn't be able to refuse, and his longtime request was for a 'dolphin's earbone' hence the title!
chiaki found out that takara was one of the 'shackles' of the complex asami has, so he decided to 'take over' takara's wish and settle it once and for all so that asami wouldn't keep on tirelessly searching for the bone. but asami misunderstands and thinks that chiaki was looking for the bone because he was interested in takara... he thought chiaki went away to search for the bone for takara's sake but he actually just went to take driving lessons so that they could go on a trip together T_T
but in the end, once chiaki buys the earbone online (lol) he helps asami settle things with takara and they talk things out. i loved the ending where asami finally gets the courage to say HIS wants instead of just fulfilling others, and that's why it's very significant that he asked for a kiss at the beach! and chiaki is more than happy to grant all of asami's wishes :) overall the story is about chiaki helping asami get over his trauma and making him realise that he loves him not because he's useful, but because he's himself and i think that's beautiful