beta
I'm so hooked like for all the MC's professed love for plants, it's based off of the fact that they are not a threat to her. She doesn't hesitate to use nature as a tool to satisfy her desires and in that context I love Daun being the representative of the manner in which nature exists as is- outside of human imagination and cultural associations. The terror that Arum suffers because of her guilt and her fright towards Daun - who is otherwise still following her will - has nice existential undertones I feel where her value systems are falling apart and the way in which she perceives the world around her itself is undergoing a massive shift. (Raskolnikov who? lmao).
Also love the fact that the Arum is a girl, lowkey a v v cool subversion of the whole woman-nature association where both are equated to being beautiful and under patriarchal control. In this sense, Daun appearing as a man is also interesting. The gender performance of a man who is being implemented as a tool, as opposed to the guiding reason behind the action of the story is aaaaaah I love love LOVE this comic so so much, I can't wait to see how this unfolds.
It felt so weirdly unfinished so I decided to check out the LN this manga is literally just half of the story. Like sure murakami is still pretty ass but it's so good and angsty, and it feels more narratively resolved.
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/expired-first-love/