Again, Yuu was crushing on Hikari for years and wasn'r sure how she felt about him, so had very good reasons for not leading with "Soooo funny story, that girl in your class with the short hair? Me and her spent about 6 months fucking like rabbits in hotels all over city - all over the Prefecture, actually - doing the nasty in every position and place our hormone-fueled brains and bodies could dream up, until she ghosted me for reasons I don't know. Anyway, what I wanted to tell you is I love you so much, will you please go out with me?"
Yuu definitely didn’t need to go into the sordid details, but he did have opportunities to tell her something. In chapter 19, he could have said something like, “The thing is, my ex-girlfriend goes to the same school as you, and if we run into her, it could be kind of awkward.” Or in chapter 36, he could have said, “Sorry, I ran into someone and was talking to her. The truth is, the reason I was hesitant to come to your school is because I didn’t want to run into her and make things awkward—she’s my ex-girlfriend.” That way, he would be being honest while still keeping things tactful. It wouldn’t have solved everything, but it would’ve at least shown that he respected her enough to be upfront, instead of avoiding the issue until it exploded.
Also, after what Yami told Hikari during the sleepover party chapter, it really doesn’t take much for Hikari to put two and two together now. Here’s an excerpt from that chapter in the novel:
...
Ayami: "Seriously, you're all just way too goody-two-shoes. I'm surrounded by little kids."
Hikari: "Wait, Aya-chan, have you really stayed up all night before?"
Ayami: "Oh, plenty of times. I've had a guy keep me up until morning, you know~."
Hikari: "Ughhh, you just had to go there again~."
Even so, I couldn't deny that, just for tonight, Aya-chan's tales had come to my rescue.
If it weren't for her, Haru and Yuki's relentless curiosity about my next-door childhood friend would've exposed everything -- his name, his school, maybe even his life story.
When I was at my wits' end, it was Aya-chan's blunt and shockingly unfiltered anecdotes about her vast male experience that turned the tide.
Her stories left everyone else too flustered or stunned to respond, they were my saving grace.
Like the time she bailed on a paid dating meetup, or when she hit up a love hotel at the crack of dawn, or how she went to the beach with a guy but never made it outside their hotel room.
Tales like that... stories no one knew how to react to... came pouring out one after another.
Thanks to her oversharing, the others started talking less and less, until one by one, they finally drifted off to sleep.
And so, my innocence (?) was spared for another day.
...
I had a coworker who was due to be married to a lady he'd been dating for 5+ years, ever since college. Early in the relationship, while they were still in college, they had a fight and he had been angry, gone to a party, and cheated on her. With the wedding planned and booked, he had decided to come clean.
Her response was, in short, to call off the wedding, blame him for telling her to 'ease his own guilt about it', "If you were actually sorry you'd have just taken that to your grave", and cut him completely out of her life.
If she found out a different way, like one of their mutual friends told her that he cheated in college, I suspect telling her “I was taking the secret to my grave to protect your feelings” would have made her equally furious.
“You were keeping it secret to protect YOURSELF!” she would yell. “If you cared about my feelings you would have been honest with me!”
Because, in the end, she was mad about the cheating, not the way he kept or didn’t keep the secret.
Which is exactly why Hikari screaming at Yuu about being a liar is a deflection. She’s mad Yuu and Yami hooked up. Lying about it is a far milder crime.
Yuu definitely didn’t need to go into the sordid details, but he did have opportunities to tell her something. In chapter 19, he could have said something like, “The thing is, my ex-girlfriend goes to the same school as you, and if we run into her, it could be kind of awkward.” Or in chapter 36, he could have said, “Sorry, I ran into someone and was talking to her. The truth is, the reason I was hesitant to come to your school is because I didn’t want to run into her and make things awkward—she’s my ex-girlfriend.” That way, he would be being honest while still keeping things tactful. It wouldn’t have solved everything, but it would’ve at least shown that he respected her enough to be upfront, instead of avoiding the issue until it exploded.
Also, after what Yami told Hikari during the sleepover party chapter, it really doesn’t take much for Hikari to put two and two together now. Here’s an excerpt from that chapter in the novel:
I had forgotten about the sleepover party chapter where Yami regaled the girls with sordid tales of her fucking Yuu non-stop.
Can you even imagine the pain Hikari felt during the period of her witnessing the Yami/Yuu kiss and waiting for Yuu to finally show up? She's putting two and two together and realizing the boy Yami was talking about fucking non-stop is Yuu and now she's wondering if Yami knew Hikari liked Yuu and was laughing behind her back (we know that's not true but Hikari doesn't). She's probably also wondering if they've been hooking up the entire time she's been crushing on Yuu.
She's just standing there waiting for Yuu while her mind probably goes to every single worst case scenario.
Actually, after thinking, will the author be like "lol, he sad and Hikari hates him so Yami will show up and scoop him up and they belong together cause they both be fucked up hehehehe"
Author, buddy, pal, you sir are a freakin' genius.
I had forgotten about the sleepover party chapter where Yami regaled the girls with sordid tales of her fucking Yuu non-stop.
Can you even imagine the pain Hikari felt during the period of her witnessing the Yami/Yuu kiss and waiting for Yuu to finally show up? She's putting two and two together and realizing the boy Yami was talking about fucking non-stop is Yuu and now she's wondering if Yami knew Hikari liked Yuu and was laughing behind her back (we know that's not true but Hikari doesn't). She's probably also wondering if they've been hooking up the entire time she's been crushing on Yuu.
She's just standing there waiting for Yuu while her mind probably goes to every single worst case scenario.
I think "She's putting two and two together and realizing that one of the boys Yami kept talking about having sex with non-stop could be Yuu..." is more appropriate, since from Hikari's perspective, it probably wasn’t clear that Yami was referring to just one specific guy. But yeah, her mind likely jumped to every worst-case scenario imaginable.
Hikari choosing self respect and dignity over compromise was brilliant. I don't believe the story could justify her and Yuu getting together right now without it weakening her resolve. With time maybe they could be friends again and maybe more, I hope not, sometimes bittersweet is the right approach.
But yeah that's just my 2 cents I think most of your points and critisms of him are fair but disagree with the conclusion of deeming him "unforgivable"
The thing is, I've never been a very forgiving person—and that only got worse after I earned myself a pair of horns. (In my country, that's what we say when someone gets cheated on.) So yeah, I have a strong personal bias against any kind of betrayal, and that definitely shows in what I wrote in “My Verdict.” I get where you guys are coming from, but I think we'll just have to agree to disagree.
Chapter 38: It's a Little Late, but About My Childhood Friend...
A Saturday in late September.
A day I would never forget.
Yuu: "I... I've liked you for a long time, Hikari!"
Behind the stage in the gymnasium.
Two of my friends are hiding in the shadows, peeking out and silently freaking out in excitement.
And in front of me, standing stiff as a board, face beet red, my childhood friend struggles to force out his words.
Yuu: "It's true... since middle school... no, since we first became friends."
It was unmistakably my “childhood friend Ta-kun” that I knew.
A boy who was a little unreliable, shy, pure, and kind.
And now, he was squeezing out every last bit of courage he had to say these words to me.
More than the words themselves, it was his attitude that made it so incredibly convincing.
Yuu: "I'm not lying... I’ve never been able to give up."
It was exactly how I had always imagined it, ever since I first started noticing him—
"If Ta-kun ever confessed to me, I bet it would feel just like this."
Hikari: "Since... a long time ago?"
Yuu: "Since a long time ago."
Finally, I managed to find my voice.
But... it still wasn’t my answer to his confession.
Hikari: "Then, then... why did you always act like everything was normal...?"
Yuu:"Well... I was desperately trying to hold it back."
Hikari: "Why did you need to hold it back?"
Yuu:"Because we were close..."
I stood on tiptoe to get closer to his face, pouting as I pressed him for answers.
I mean, this confession was way overdue. Seriously, only now?
And even then, only after everyone else basically set the stage for him? Talk about being a massive chicken!
Yuu: "B-but if I had been all obvious about how much I liked you... and you didn’t feel the same way, the atmosphere would’ve gotten super awkward, right?"
Hikari: "Ugh..."
Yuu: "And then if you stopped coming around to my place... if we started drifting apart... I couldn’t handle that."
Hikari: "Wait, hold on a sec..."
When I was desperately pretending to act normal...
he was doing the exact same thing?
Hikari: "You thought I wasn’t thinking about you at all, Ta-kun?"
Yuu: "I didn’t think it was nothing, but... I wasn’t sure if it was that kind of feeling."
Hikari: "Come on! Ta-kun, seriously, you have no confidence!"
Yuu: "But it’s you, Hikari! Do you really think I'm good enough for you!?"
Hikari: "I do!"
Yuu: "That’s just you being mistaken! No one knows how amazing you are better than I do!"
I feel like a boomerang just keeps smacking me right in the head.
What is with this coward!
It’s so painful, like watching all my own embarrassing behavior from the past six months!
Hikari: "But, but! Lately I’ve been super obvious about how much I liked you, haven’t I?!"
Yuu: "How was I supposed to believe that! You’re naturally way too close to people! You’ve made me think the wrong thing so many times before!"
Hikari: "That's so mean!"
Seriously, Ta-kun...
I basically just confessed to you right now!
Why can’t you realize that!?
Yuu: "That's why I kept being so careful, watching for the right moment..."
You're telling me... you were that serious about confessing?
Yuu: "I wanted to wait until I was 100% sure... and then finally, with everything lined up, I could do it."
You're saying... my feelings mattered that much to you?
Hikari: "...Did you reach 100%?"
Yuu: "I’m not sure, but..."
Hikari: "But?"
Yuu: "But today... today, I just felt like I had to tell you."
Hikari: 'Why did you think it had to be today?'
I desperately held back the words that had been slipping out nonstop until now.
I pressed my lips tightly together, holding everything back.
One second, two seconds, three seconds...
Then, keeping that pressure, I forced the corners of my mouth up into a big smile.
Hikari: "So... that's how it is... huh..."
Still standing on tiptoe, right in front of his face,
I showed him a beaming smile.
Along with all the overwhelming feelings inside me.
Those were the honest words from the bottom of my heart—no lies, no exaggeration.
I was happy. Really, truly happy.
That he had been trapped in the same dilemma as me.
That he had been carrying the same feelings as me.
That he had been hiding the same feelings as me.
And that today, everything finally been resolved.
Hikari: "I love you too... I really, really love you!"
Yuu: "Hikari..."
...Everything?
Hikari: "Maybe... no, I'm sure I realized it after you did..."
No, it’s everything.
Everything has been resolved.
Hikari: "But my feelings now are the same as yours... no, even stronger than yours."
Yuu: "That's not true... I've been in love with you for ten years!"
Honestly, I was supposed to be the one to confess first.
The future I'd been dreaming of for so long was now right here in front of me.
How could I not accept such a wonderful, miraculous accident?
Hikari: "In other words, right now, I love you more than ten times as much as you love me!"
Yuu: "There's no way that's possible..."
Yeah...
I'm sure that "thing earlier" was just a small misunderstanding.
Something tiny.
If I don't say anything, this is a happy ending...
"Heh..."
"Haha..."
So I’ll laugh.
And I’ll accept it.
Accept his feelings.
So no Yuu POV—at least not in the next chapter. That one should be from Yami's perspective. Hopefully, we’ll finally get to see what happened when she and Yuu met at the school.
Third, since the chapter leaked last week, I’ve had time to write down my thoughts on the situation:
Yuu’s Lack of Honesty Was a Conscious Choice, and His Reasons Aren’t That Important
He knew Yami could be at the school.
He chose not to be honest with Hikari, even though he had multiple chances.
He lied about his phone dying and Hikari caught it immediately.
He still confessed after all this, fully aware he was hiding things from her.
This wasn’t a mistake — it was deception by omission. He had every opportunity to be honest and chose not to. I get it — he has his issues, and the situation is complicated. But at the end of the day, intent doesn't erase impact.
Why Forgiveness Feels Impossible (And Might Stay That Way)
Yuu’s actions create a triple betrayal for Hikari:
The Kiss: Witnessing Yami kiss Yuu is a soul-crushing moment.
The Lie: Yuu’s flimsy excuse about his phone compounds the hurt, making it clear he’s hiding things.
The Hidden Past: The fact that Yuu's ex-girlfriend goes to the same school as her—and he never told Hikari—undermines years of trust.
Hikari’s rejection isn’t just anger. Her rejection comes from a place of deep emotional pain. She was prepared to confess her feelings, to open her heart, and in return, she witnessed a moment that shattered her world. She tried to force herself to accept his confession, but her emotions screamed "This isn’t right."
Why Yuu’s Confession May Feel Hollow to Hikari
“I’ve liked you for 10 years” clashes with “You’re hiding things from me and kissed my ‘best friend.’”
His words don’t match his actions. If he truly loved her for so long, why the secrecy? Why not just be honest?
For someone like Hikari, trust is everything. Yuu didn’t just break it—he shattered it in the moment she was most vulnerable (her planned confession).
Could Yuu Ever Be Forgiven? Realistically, It’s Unlikely
The Foundation Is Already Cracked: Yuu chose to hide his past, meaning their childhood friend bond was never fully honest. Hikari might wonder: What else hasn’t he told me?
Yuu’s Lack of Honesty Shows He Doesn’t Trust Her: If Yuu couldn’t be honest after multiple opportunities, how could Hikari ever trust him in the future?
Yami’s Role Makes It Messier: This isn’t just about Yuu; Hikari’s “best friend” betrayed her too. Even if Yuu tries to fix things, Yami’s presence will always haunt their dynamic.
Even if Yuu were to explain everything now, it wouldn’t undo what happened. He let Hikari walk into a painful situation blind, lied to her face afterward, and made his confession without giving her the full picture. Hikari’s pain came not only from the betrayal itself, but from being denied the agency to make informed choices. That’s a deep wound, and it may never fully heal.
The Possible Path to Forgiveness (If It Exists)
For Hikari to even consider forgiving him, Yuu would need to:
Be fully transparent—no excuses, no omissions—about his past and his lack of honesty.
Prove he’s changed—not just apologize, but show through actions that he won’t hide things again.
Give Hikari space—if reconciliation ever happens, it has to be her choice, in her own time.
But even then? The trust is gone. And what’s the value of honesty after the fact? Close to none. Some wounds don’t heal, especially when the betrayal involves multiple layers of secrets and lies.
My Verdict: Yuu Doesn’t Deserve Forgiveness
Yuu’s actions weren’t just small mistakes—they were a chain of deliberate deceptions that led to Hikari’s heartbreak at the worst possible moment. He broke her trust, ignored her emotional well-being, and acted only when it served him.
Yuu may have had fears, insecurities, or even reasons he thought were justified—but none of that changes the fact that he broke her trust. And without trust, even the most heartfelt love can fall apart. Forgiveness isn’t owed just because someone feels regret. Yuu had every chance to do right by Hikari and chose not to. He doesn’t deserve her forgiveness.
Disclaimer
Yuu bros, before you jump in to defend him, I want you to think about this: impact > intent.
Yuu definitely didn’t need to go into the sordid details, but he did have opportunities to tell her something. In chapter 19, he could have said something like, “The thing is, my ex-girlfriend goes to the same school as you, and if we run into her, it could be kind of awkward.” Or in chapter 36, he could have said, “Sorry, I ran into someone and was talking to her. The truth is, the reason I was hesitant to come to your school is because I didn’t want to run into her and make things awkward—she’s my ex-girlfriend.” That way, he would be being honest while still keeping things tactful. It wouldn’t have solved everything, but it would’ve at least shown that he respected her enough to be upfront, instead of avoiding the issue until it exploded.
Yuu was having self worth issues. Hell he still has them and stated as such just this chapter.
Talking about his fuckbuddy was not going to elevate his standing.
I'm just holding judgement until we see he is reaction (because we're likely to get another 20 chapter flashback arc)
because "Hikari has every right to be angry and stand up for herself" is not the same as "Yuu is unforgiveable scum with not justified reason for his actions".
I know this is so far off topic but she's absolutely right - telling her once the wedding is booked was basically hoping she'd sweep it under the rug cause of sunk cost fallacy. It's a way for him to have come clean but hopefully backed her into a corner where he won't suffer the consequences. Like she would have been more likely to forgive him if he'd have told her like a year in or immediately.
If she found out a different way, like one of their mutual friends told her that he cheated in college, I suspect telling her “I was taking the secret to my grave to protect your feelings” would have made her equally furious.
Her reasoning, from what he got from her screaming and from (previously) mutual friends, was that if he told her about it that was because he felt guilty over it, and if he still felt guilty about it that meant it wasn't just a one time dumb college mistake. It was just a stupid thing you did when you were young and dumb, he'd obviously not have dwelt on it.
It has been a number of years since I worked with the guy and I have forgotten the details of exactly how he told her. She was talking about her friend who was in a similar situation to what they had been in, and he picked that moment to come clean.
The take away was he definitely could have picked a better time, place, and context to let that little factoid out if he was determined to do so.
Anyway the point being maybe, sometimes, honesty isn't always the best policy.
(I mean, maybe. Personally I thought she sounded sort of crazy and I think he dodged a bullet and her line of thinking made me think she'd cheated on him but it was fine because she "didn't dwell on it". But I didn't tell him that because he was still a little tore up about it. A time and place for honesty and all that.)
I am ever bewildered by how judgemental people can be of a bunch of insecure, flawed kids.
Yami is a child with a long history of abuse, but she did a bad thing, so she should burn in hell. Even though she literally hates herself and that makes her self-sabotage, she deserves no compassion or forgiveness.
Yuu had a relationship with a girl while still harboring feelings for his childhood friend, which is either impossible or "cheating" apparently, and he also didn't tell his childhood friend whom he loves about it even though it is literally none of her business and should have no bearing on their relationship, so he should burn in hell too.
Oh, he lied to her about his phone? Are you all saints who have never once lied in your lives? Never once made an excuse to get out of a messy situation? Yes, it was not right of him to lie, but he is also not required to tell her about the Yami situation, irrespective of his feelings for her, especially since far as I'm aware he doesn't know the two are friends, and the only way that would be wrong would be if he initiated that kiss, which I do not believe he did.
Hikari ended up seeing the kiss, which complicates things, and she has the right to feel upset about it and demand answers before entering a relationship, but that doesn't somehow make Yuu be in the wrong for not explaining his entire dating history to her beforehand, nor is it anywhere near the level of "betrayal" some of you folks pretend it is.
I agree and understand it but I'm also borderline traumatized by a couple of bosses who strongly believed in hiding things that would invariably blow up, cause everyone talks to each other, in ways where the most new to the situation people would get hit with the most shrapnel.
Which is to say I'm not actually hating on Yuu for something grown adults do all the time & also that this can be a good learning/growing experience and that may be the direction this manga is going in. (Like Aya is much happier and healthier once she starts opening up to friends).
I mean shit considering hikari is the one getting hit with the most sharpnel right now, i guess that situation could also apply here lol
Nah but seriously tho yeah i agree this NEEDS to be the moment Yuu learn/grow and he need to realise telling the truth is the way forward
Eta: but also Yuu not telling Hikari about his ship b/c it'd kill his chances with Hikari is not trusting her w/ the info. Like if they do start dating then it's likely to come out, especially when they start getting physical.
So you've got my sympathy & I've got a similar personal bias. A relative got cheated on & her husband's excuse was that she made him feel small while the other woman made him feel big.
Which, yes no relationship here so no cheating. But also given insecurity is what got in the way of a relationship in the first place, it's fair for Hikari (and readers) to want to see Yuu work through that and that includes being open about things he hid (and did) out of insecurity.
