i should've let this marinate holy shiiiiit this was awesome HE'S HOT HE'S CUTE HE'S AAAAAA GIVE MORE PLEASE IM BEGGING FOR MORE
i've been really in this genre lately. AND THE AUTHOR HANDLED IT PERFECTLY FOR MY TASTE! the grovelling the trying to undo everything, the angst and yearning it's all perfect. some said it's too slow but the pacing is perfect for me, some story always rushed in the "second life" but this one shows how much kwon ido tried his best to keep sejin as safe and happy and free in this lifetime. it's beautifully executed for me, i do wish we get some sort of special chapters like a real wedding and their marriage life but well.... for now I am so happy with how this story concluded.
Yes! Totally agree, the pacing, plot, characters, their choices, the art, the ending… everything just hits right. The execution is chef’s kiss. The author nails that slow-burn buildup perfectly, and let us actually get to know and care about our leads before the big reveal drops. By the time we see their first life, we’re already so attached that the tragedy hurts even more.
(Spoilers ahead)
And the little details are top tier work, all those subtle hints about their past life, plus how sometimes Ido would ask about why Sejin would act in a certain way and become somewhat forlorn when hearing the reason (because he clearly misunderstood Sejin in their first life together). And that dinner scene right before Sejin gets his memories back is pure gold. Sejin mentioning he dreams about being assaulted and in the last dream was someone with Ido’s face, then dropping that he’s never been with anyone else… the absolute horror and shock on Ido’s face is just so well done. Such perfect setup for the bonding and the past memories flooding back.
Honestly I could rant about this story for hours and not get bored haha.
YES!!! i also love that! also the way that sejin's tendency as an avoidant is explained really well? i feel like most stories just brush off the "oh i don't ask questions because im just not that type of person" when sejin is extremely valid and well-explained. this one is perfectly explained and perfectly executed, even the blending of the past and present is nice. i usually get bored when i reach the flashback arc but here is just proportionally ideal lol im so happy i clicked on this story.
if you have more recommendations story like this i would love to hear it
I feel the exact same way. A lot of stories just go “this happened so the character is like this” and leave it at that, with zero depth into their actual thoughts or trauma. With Sejin though, the backstory was done so well that I couldn’t help but feel for him and genuinely hope he gets better (and that’s saying something, because conflict-avoidant characters usually annoy me a little).
Also… I sometimes pause right when a flashback starts because the excitement dips for a second, haha.
As for recs, nothing is quite like this one, but the closest in an ABO setting is Cozy Obsession.
If you want a top-tier story with past lives and memory stuff, go for Dawn of the Dragon. I love that one too.
And if you haven’t read it yet, I’d really recommend The Pizza Delivery Man and the Gold Palace. I think you’d like it.
poop on every rotten elders' face you see baby you got this i believe in you little soup
they're no longer emotionally constipated and have become so sweet PLEASE GIVE US MOREEEEE
i finished the anime and jumping here thinking it's a sweet, light-hearted, cute, comforting romance. BUT HERE I AM AT 6AM BAWLING MY EYES OUT AT HOW RELATABLE THIS IS TO MY LIFE. well i am healthy and but the way nakami's family dynamics played out makes me realise that maybe there's a certain part of my fear that is heavily caused by my past. love the story, it's good. still though i didn't expect to cried this hard i had to rant. anyway give this a read everyone!
is this arc like a tribute to king's warden or has it always been in the novel? just curious
it's always been in the novel
wow like predicting a trend in the future that's nice
it's not a trend, it's south korea's history
i know, what i mean is that it became a trend in a way it blew up again
he's always so adorable in chibis with his little fangs and his cute eyes ah eugene is just so adorableeeeee my pookie baby teeny weeny little fluffy
granny knew he'd be gay