I like a lot of questionable stories. I like a lot of plots that people say they hate. I like a lot of tropes that are concerning or upsetting to others. But I don't like moobs, and I don't like... whatever's happening here.
One thing I love is that Keith, who is comparatively tiny, weak to pleasure, not necessarily strong, and constantly yanked around by Della, is actually very smart and always secretly holding a few cards. He might fall prey to the craziness and whims of his psycho boyfriend, but he has his own agenda, too. For example, when he strategically drugged Della to look like he was dead and then planned an escape for both of them from prison together, even though he had been at Della's mercy until then. Most of the time it seems like Della has the upper hand, but Keith isn't helpless. And after they escape, he knows he's a bit crazy himself to choose a life with Della, even though he would still prefer Della not be so irrational and keep doing messed up things, yet Keith accepts it's what he signed up for. And now, he's taking a gamble at pulling strings behind the scenes to keep his lover out of trouble. He knows he's talented, and valuable for it, and using that leverage and his connections to get what he wants. Even though we know, and he probably does, too, that it might end up getting himself in a lot of trouble, and not with the crime bosses, but the very person he's trying to protect: his insane and insanely possessive boyfriend.
Alright Hardy, pop off (づ￣ ³￣)づ
(but please change first my god)
So is this gonna be like an Avengers Endgame scenario where the two of them are gonna legitimately fight each other to save the other one from being this old fuck's pawn? Like Geol is going to sign the contract that if he wins he stays on as their fighter and Yeesung retires, which would "save" him, and Yeesung doesn't want Geol to fall into the same situation he's in and will try to win to protect Geol from that?
"If so... Abel will lose his family once again!" says Oscar in fearful desperation.
Oh BOOHOO, literally all of you are manipulators, hypocrites, and toxic people to Hardy. This is just another instance of someone using Hardy for their own personal agenda. Despite Oscar and Abel being painted with some tragic backstory that shows they supposedly have good intentions (and are therefore redeemable), I don't care. Normally I don't hate red flag ml's as much as I probably should, and normally I don't want mc's to end up single outside of psychological genres, but I actually hate everyone in this story besides Hardy. I just want him to be free and happy and start his life over somewhere away from all these assholes. But I know he'll end up "happily ever after" with his husband and childhood friend like none of this happened, and that's what I'm upset about.
First of all I don't care if dude's mother was murdered in cold blood, I won't forgive him - or /anyone/ - for treating Hardy this way in an attempt to keep him by Abel's side. Abel fell in love with Hardy for no good reason other than "love at first sight", forcefully took his hand in marriage, obsessed over him, then assaulted and/or emotionally abused Hardy whenever he did anything Abel didn't like, and everyone around him just enabled that behavior. I love Hardy, even if he is too forgiving at times, but freakin everyone around him is just manipulating him for their own satisfaction.
Kim Dan getting stabbed was not on my bingo card...
But I suppose that's better than the SA I was expecting..??
Anyway, fuck 'em all up, JK! (╯°Д °)╯╧╧
Oh... OH. I never knew I needed this side of Yu. The end of that last chapter almost gave me shivers.
I love Hardy. He is one of the few characters I really like. But I do wish he wouldn't allow himself to be emotionally (and physically for a moment there) abused. I know his optimism and kindness is part of his charm (and story plot), and I appreciate that, and I like seeing a character that is trying to understand his partner's point of view - which is really important and a lot of people fail to do in real life! - but understanding does not mean accepting behavior. Abel is still responsible for his actions, tragic back story or not. Trauma doesn't excuse his abuse Still, I do enjoy Hardy's dimwitted and unrelenting happiness. I just hope Abel can really regret and atone for his actions properly even if Hardy isn't the one to make him understand how toxic he is.
And Grey: (︶︿︶)＝凸
PSA to my ladies out there: Similarly to Kim Dan, I'd encourage y'all to also look for an opportunity to learn some kind of physical self defense like this. My county sheriff's office runs a RAD (r@pe and defense) course for free to women, and it was so enlightening. One day, they, too, taught us how to throw off someone who has you pinned on the ground, and we paired up to try. I thought, I've got at least 50 lbs of muscle on this other girl, and I'm renowned for my strength and aggressiveness as a Varsity soccer starting defender; there's no way this will work. Lo and behold, despite my best efforts, she threw me right off. The course taught me a lot, and even had us fight in real simulations against police officers, which was super empowering for everyone.
Tbh I didn't expect much from this story when I picked it up originally, but it's made me laugh so many times. "This guy's MY clown!" is hilarious
Hot damn, the "pretty" version of Seonwoo has always been fine, but this chapter he's even more ლ(´ڡ`ლ)
Gotta love the little details of JK's elevated heartrate on his wristwatch after the rides and the changing expressions on the bear (●￣(ｴ)￣●)
................I know EXACTLY where this is going.
Side story more like sequel/continuation of main story (〜￣△￣)〜
Just wanted to make a quick comment that I really appreciate the little details in Mingwa's art that makes it so appealing to me. The very natural looking veins under taught skin, the subtle reflection of Dan in JK's eyes, the little mammory pooches on the mama dog (the puppies are back!!), the realistic wrinkles of elderly characters, the faint rainbow behind the plane, even the slight change of base coloring in different lighting. Those are just some examples of little things I notice that make the art extra impressive to me. And another way her stories are unique is that her ML's are perhaps the only buff, muscular men in yaoi I've seen that had to work for their physique through constant diet and strict exercise plans, and weren't magically gifted 6 packs (￣∇￣")