Just read the official korean ch 43 (on lezhin). Gyeol is stilllll acting a fool and using sex as an outlet for his frustration with yeseung. I dk guys I want to trust the author that there's some character growth/redemption at some point but we're on ch 43 and everyone is still broken and fucked up
Spoilers for the other korean raw chapters:
https://www.mangago.me/home/mangatopic/23564404/
This story has been stressful AF and honestly I get heartburn waiting for the new chapters. Posting the spoilers bc people were asking for them.
***SPOILERS OF THE KOREAN RAW CHAPTERS AHEAD. CHAPTERS WERE READ ON LEZHIN. ***
ch 39 -
Pedo boss is like Gyeol do you want to take Yeseung's place in the finals but Yeseung is kind of hesitant and is like "no..people are looking forward to me fight I can do it.." Gyeol gets mad AF at yeseung's response and they go back to yeseung's place and gyeol aggressively starts having sex with him. Ch ends with Gyeol asking him "Why are you doing this to me?!" (answer: bc gyeol is an idiottt and he doesn't understand this situation in it's entirety T.T)
ch 40 -
Gyeol is still veRYY aggressively having sex with yeseung and is mad bc he says he joined this fighting thing to save Yeseung but at the meal with the boss, Yeseung was prioritizing appeasing the boss. Yeseung is trying to apologize but Gyeol is basically not stopping. Yeseung keeps saying he's sorry and looks scared. Yeseung says can they use this (sex) as his punishment and Gyeol take out his frustrations and do whatever he wants to Yeseung in bed rn and then can they make up. Yeseung says "please don't hate me, I'm scared". Cut to - Gyeol still being really rough with yeseung. They finish and wash in the tub. Gyeol starts touching yeseung's stomach saying "I wish I could get you pregnant then you'd be mine" Yeseung reminds him to not leave any marks on his body that would show. Gyeol gets mad ~again~ at that and Gyeol starts fucking Yeseung in the tub. Gyeol is like "then i'll leave a bruise in your stomach...you know it takes a while for me to relieve my anger right?"
(can you tell I was fed up with gyeol this chapter -___-)
ch 41 -
Theyre cuddling in bed and Yeseung is being affectionate and still apologizing. Yeseung suggests that he be the one to lose the match and they're trying to figure out a strategy to deal with the fight. Yeseung asks Gyeol to kiss him and hold him. It cuts to one of those scary close ups of Gyeol's eyes looking intense AF.
Cut to the match getting ready to start - Gyeol is walking into the arena
We get a flashback of the night before when Gyeol + Yeseung are having sex after Gyeol wasn't angry anymore. They're talking through what to do in the match and Yeseung says Gyeol can even break his ankle if he needs to. Yeseung asks Gyeol how much he likes him. Gyeol says "I love you."
Cut back to the match starting, Gyeol and Yeseung are about to start when they overhead speaker announces the sponsor benefit drug is going to be given first. In a surprise - they bring out the needle and are going to give it to *Gyeol* instead of Yeseung. Yeseung's face looks shocked/devasted.
Ch 42 (today's most recent chapter) -
Yeseung is about to have a mental breakdown bc he wasn't chosen to receive the sponsor drug. Gyeol starts throwing hands and beating up the people trying to give him the drug. All hell breaks loose and then someone turns off the lights in the whole place. Gyeol takes the chance to grab Yeseung and try to escape (Yeseung is still shut down). Someone grab's Gyeol's hand to help him out - we don't see their face but they're wearing a suit. Gyeol's hyung is waiting outside and is the getaway car to get gyeol and yeseung out of there. They go to the hyung's family's house to hide out. Cut to - G+Y in a room sitting next to each other. Yeseung says he never wanted Gyeol to get the attention of the boss. Gyeol asks who is the boss to yeseung. Yeseung says he's someone he wished would be like a father figure..someone who gave a nobody like him a reason to exist. Gyeol asks if Yeseung was shut down bc he got scared that Gyeol got chosen for the sponsor drug by the boss so did gyeol take yeseung's "son" role. Yeseung says no..but that's not exactly wrong. Gyeol starts kissing Yeseung and asking him if he's so obsessed/worried about this boss/teacher, then why has he been seeing Gyeol and eating with him and having sex with him. Yeseung stops Gyeol and says "I don't know! ...I just..." and Gyeol grabs the back of Yeseung's neck and looks pissed saying you shouldn't answer like that, what are you hesitating for. *chapter end*
THOUGHTSSSS: I don't know if you could tell but we are upset at Gyeol! This boy is such a meathead and he is *not* handling the situation well. He aggressively sexually punishes Yeseung in ch 40 even though he knows Yeseung is a victim of sexual trauma (even though he doesn't know the details). The situation Yeseung is in is obviously reallyyy complicated and difficult and Yeseung isn't even ready to leave his abuser or even recognize that the boss is his groomer/abuser. Meanwhile Gyeol is out here being a dumb jock with a savior complex saying that he's done all this for Yeseung and is like "I love you. Say you like me!" ohh mannnn
I really love this story so far but on the topic of people being upset about ch 19 - I feel this author set the expectations of a certain level of noncon/boundary crossing from ch 1 and with that I don't think we'll get any significant apology/redemption/acknowledgement of the somnophilia in ch 19.
If the somno in ch 19 or the sexual harassment from ideum to jaeyi in the earlier chapters or even little dubcon things throughout the story bothers you, THAT'S OK!
But if it does trigger you as a reader, I feel reading this story probably isn't a safe read for you :( because I think Munkkwa isn't writing this level of dubcon into the story to treat it as bad behavior, but more just to introduce drama or move plot along in different ways.
Guys remember all this is fiction! And of course all art can be criticized and everyone can have an opinion. But read safely! If dubcon triggers you, I would probably avoid keeping up with this story.
And if you're disappointed in the dubcon/SA so far and hope it'll be addressed later...I would also say maybe drop this story because since ch 1, dub con to this level is basically being treated as normal :'/
Alright current running theories:
1) Dohu's diagnosis is going to be something like gastritis/stomach related and the doctor's going to say its because he's like been too stressed out so it's giving him ulcers. Aka something serious but fixable. And theyre going to be like your other bloodwork like the anemia/low blood pressure is because you're not taking care of yourself!
2) I think his regular meds are going to be maybe mental health related. Like maybe medication for anxiety or depression.
LOL the author said let me make SURE no one says there's no smut pay off after this long slow burn
LOLOL for anyone who hasn't read the novel, a very mild spoiler, but it's actually part of the plot that jaekyung is like insanely huge LOLLL
They did kinda go crazy with it in the manhwa lol
and ty translator~~