I really like Hanse-nim's usage of parallels. Nearly every "incident" has an equivalent.
Uno grabbing Enzo's face after playing him with the microchip incident and basically warning him that "you shouldve thought of this/shouldnt have done that" (fountain incident) S1
Enzo grabbing Uno's face after playing him with the earring incident and then basically warning him in the same way "you should've thought of this/shouldnt have done that" (cock ring incident) S2
Enzo slapping Uno, Uno slapping Enzo (roofie incident)
Uno kicking an underling, Enzo kicking an underling (desert salon incident)
So many switched mirrored scenes of staring at each other...
I kept thinking this everytime people posted parallel pictures on twitter... so crazy good... and it feels like so much foreshadowing
I bought all the chapters on lezhin since I love bad apple so much Im mainly here for the comments Didn't expect the doodle translations, thank you so much translator-nim. This is really good to see it all consolidated together.
For the ones asking why people find this hot (or me personally): it's because this is a dynamic where they actually push each other's boundaries and test their limits, which is exactly what I'm looking for. (More explained below)
People were drawn in thinking they were "equals" but tbh this is a serious misreading. They never were. It has been imbalanced since the very beginning.
Uno literally only has himself and occasionally shadow. We see him complain all the time that he usually works alone and doesnt get any help anyway. He has what? 1 butler and 1 island. He's not specialized in close combat and his tools are primarily information gathering through seduction, and sometimes sniping from far away. His key skills are his people reading skills, and the way he can disarm people, making people vulnerable to his strategies with his charm. Without knowing any better, they allow him to steal information one way or another. He is primarily, an information thief, not a combat specialist.
Enzo on the other hand, has beyond far more assets. The Chicaro outfit. His own team. Businesses, land, entire organizations. People he can automatically call on to do his bidding. Not only that he is a very good combatant, extremely observant and especially versed in "traps". No one has ever stolen information from him that he did not already plan out himself to destroy or manipulate as pawns (see June). He traps people, and creates plays with very specific intentions, such as the murder of the organization members — this was already planned beforehand (see "merely their role"), even the "showing" of Umbra to the "connector" was also meant to be a trap.
They were never equals in the first place. But what intrigues Enzo to Uno is specifically because DESPITE all his machinations, Uno managed to slip through and take something that Enzo didn't expect. This is the precise moment when Enzo's "trigger" was flipped.
Enzo is a predator, and his primary instinct is to squish or kill. Which is why we see him TRY VERY HARD not to kill Uno (see when Uno gets roofied). He is giving Uno far more grace than he would any of his subordinates, who even despite working for him (see desert salon incident), he would kill, merely for getting his order slightly incorrect. We see this again when Arturo warns the squad chasing after Uno in the construction site, that if anyone makes an error on his order, it is them who will get a bullet in them. The restraint he shows when handling Uno is uniquely special. He even researches the dishes Uno likes to eat. He himself knows how dangerous he is. This is why he warns Uno repeatedly, over and over and over again (see trigger, cock usage, same "method", weapons warnings, etc). Honestly other people wouldn't even receive such a warning, they just get whacked with zero excuse (see June's information buyer).
Uno ignited a spark, and because Enzo's reservoir of gasoline was far greater than he had ever expected (see "we should have never touched them" vulture meeting). The team is caught off guard, Uno, especially. Yet DESPITE knowing this, he came back. Again and again and AGAIN. With his leash in his own hand, staying close to Enzo, precisely with the intention to fuck him over and get more information, instead of bailing like the rest of the team. This is honestly his own demise, he knew the gravity of it. Then to top it all off, he ignored Enzo's warning. That's why he is getting punished and being shown exactly what happens to those who ignore Enzo's command. Yet EVEN DESPITE THIS AND THEN, Enzo, yet again, gives him grace he would never do for anyone else (cock ring, instead of the grim alternative, that he would 100% have done given the authors confirmation of surgeons present).
The timeline of events was so:
Uno initiates (actor).
Enzo plays Uno (fountain incident)
Uno initiates again (connector)
Uno plays Enzo.
Enzo, baffled and surprised (trigger)
Enzo, plays Uno (information selling nullification)
Uno, yet knowing this, INITIATES AGAIN (leash)
Enzo, now interested, accepts the proposal.
Enzo warns Uno.
Uno ignores Enzo and does the one thing he asked not to do, simultaneously planning to use the information he has gathered to fuck over Enzo (video recordings of Via and consortium members)
Enzo, irate, traps Uno.
Uno weasles his way out of his getting his dick chopped, by acting subservient.
Enzo falls for it. Cock rings him instead.
Uno gets a lightened version of his punishment.
Based on these events, personally I think it's only a matter of time before, Uno once again weasles his way out of Enzo's machinations and steals something once more.
This is precisely the dynamic and tension I wanted, and why I love this series so much. Everytime Uno squirms and finds a way to sleaze through all of Enzo's traps, I get really giddy. And when Enzo does manage to catch Uno under his paws, well, you know, Uno actually does get a taste of getting devoured.
That's really hot. Especially the obsession.
I have never ever thought this was going to be a cozy little story where everyone is consensual and in love with each other. If it was, I probably would not have been as interested because it doesnt have this complex dynamic I was looking for. I read red candy, but it was a bit too ideal for me. Agent tries to get information from a dude, but turns out theyre childhood friends and they love each other <3 The end
Erm, sorry it's not AS interesting to me as Enzo and Uno's little game of tag. In this case Enzo being the big cat and Uno is a bunny who is surprisingly adept at getting away. How it develops from here and how much they can possess of each other, whether by trapping or stealing... that is what Im excited for and looking forward to.
Plus, Uno's little brat taming really tickles me (laugh)
Ok, I have an analysis for those who have been freaked out by this chapter, just like me. Now, after some overthinking, lol, I believe this might actually work! There are some points in this chapter, and I think I get the author’s plot somehow… I hope I’m right.
1. “Dumbass”, I wondered why it was made to sound so significant, but I remembered that Rian said that exact thing through the camera, when he first fooled Enzo. It’s not just Enzo’s possessiveness and libido that’s driving him; it’s also his petty revenge.
2. Then comes the second point. “I’m watching”, that goes back to the bar scene when Rian told him that if he wants a show, he should keep his eyes on him. He’s even holding a grudge over that, but it’s also like a promise between them: he’s paying attention.
3. The last point would be “If you did (know), you would’ve been extra careful not to let this body of yours go to waste.” Well, it’s not exactly the first time Enzo has called Rian a whore. There was that scene when Rian snaps at him that he’s not a whore to be paid for sex, and Enzo dismisses him by saying that ‘is there any difference’. Which obviously means, after the chip, Rian has gained Enzo’s attention/obsession, but not his respect. Enzo said mockingly that I should respect you as my partner, but the first part was that I should be able to trust you, which he already knows he can’t. So no, he doesn’t respect Rian… yet.
Now, my guesswork: Rian’s gonna earn his respect the second time he fools him, and it might not even happen that soon. I guess he might fool Enzo by playing along as if he has all the cards and can control every aspect of their relationship, and then he’s gonna take/use the info to make him bleed again, well, according to the weird definition of worthy gems in Enzo’s head. And that’s probably when we’re gonna have our separation arc, after Rian has gained Enzo’s respect and not just his obsession.
If I wanted to read about a nice shy bottom and a secretly nice guy, I wouldnt be reading love/hate, enemies to loves, dark romance LMFAOO.
THEY ARE PERFECT AS IT IS. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. S2 just started and Enzo has the upper hand right now. Why can't people be more patient we're literally just starting. You expect them to be equals from the start??
i actually like how more fleshed out the discomfort is. If I everyone was comfortable its not dark romance LMAOOOOO. Why can we not have it exactly how this is? That's where the spice is. That's where the character growth is.. from the flaws and the imperfections. From everything that is "not quite right yet" and how they go from there.
I'm tired of seeing stories where the characters fall in love with absolutely no clash and are "immediately perfect for each other". Finally I can have some good food and some real tension.
Thank you, Hanse-nim.
Once again thinking about how these authors are so overworked... hope jakpil gets well soon...
I really can't stop rereading this series, something about it just hits all the right spots for me. It was made for melee. I also really like that theres peeps on Twitter microanalyzing the two I am in love with all the parallels and mirrors Hanse keeps doing
Its so funny that enzo warned him not to pique his interest and now hes piqued and uno is on total lockdown... the fact that uno could have turned awat in the beginning too, but he crawled back and even tried showing off, off of spite... and thats how it triggered enzo's obsession... im laughing, you did this to yourself bud
Author confirmed doctor's at the parking lot was real LMFAOOO ENZO WASNT BLUFFING
Ngl reading all three scans, mythtoons one is the more tonally accurate/nuanced one (cause ive been reading the novel).
FYI its accurate to the novel, for spoilers there is a resolution
Likely scenario is they probably didnt have enough funding and the artists health was deteriorating... its what happens
Just FYI if you guys liked this story the novel has several books after the events of the webtoon... their story doesnt end here.
Payback, payoff, paid payback, etc
Everytime I see people complaining about hiatus and how they'll **** themselves i think about how artists aren't human and aren't allowed breaks or vacation and that this is the reason nobody wants to go into the webtoon industry and the overall amount of webtoons and quality will be stretched thin... not like people even remember to pay them considering we are 'here'... sigh
Least people can do is give them well wishes and grace
I hope the authors and publishers get some rest and are able to spend time doing some stabilizing and whatever else they need to do
Ngl I really get it, the feelings that were there will never truly be gone, but hes trying to move on... i love Brett and want them to get back together but I wonder why Brett changed his mind... he rejected Hayden so fully last time, what changed?
The writing is so beautiful and realistic... its really rare and I cherish this story sm
