Imasara desu ga, Osananajimi wo Suki ni Natte Shimaimashita - Ch. 38 - Happy End

[story645]

For one, Setsuna didn't dream up a version of Haruki that didn't exist and then proceed to blame him for not living up to her standard

Hikari's mad that Yuu is actively hiding the parts of himself that he thinks won't live up to her standards. When he does reveal a bit of the flawed insecure mess by telling her about taking the exam and failing, she tells him thanks for telling her and feels bad he felt that way. She doesn't pry or judge or ask for more, even though her internal narrative is that it's not what she'd wanted to hear.

Which really, the reason they are all in this mess in the first place is Yuu thought he wasn't up to the standards he imagined Hikari had and made goalposts instead of talking to her. (Hey Hikari, what kinda guys do you like? - might be in a flashback but I'm skeptical)

 

[ipmanvsthemask]

She asked about him having an ex back with the kohai

What chapter was this?

she asked point blank if/why he doesn't want to go to the festival and she asked where he was/what happened when they met up after the kiss.

Neither of those occasions required him to disclose his romantic experience. And it wasn't appropriate for him to just blurt it out there either.

What I meant was that she never explicitly asked him if he had ever dated anyone before. Unless she did, he had no obligation to tell her anything.

And what deflection are you talking about?

 

[ipmanvsthemask]

Hikari's mad that Yuu is actively hiding the parts of himself that he thinks won't live up to her standards. When he does reveal a bit of the flawed insecure mess by telling her about taking the exam and failing, she tells him thanks for telling her and feels bad he felt that way. She doesn't pry or judge or ask for more, even though her internal narrative is that it's not what she'd wanted to hear.

Which really, the reason they are all in this mess in the first place is Yuu thought he wasn't up to the standards he imagined Hikari had and made goalposts instead of talking to her. (Hey Hikari, what kinda guys do you like? - might be in a flashback but I'm skeptical)

He's a coward, so what? Like none of the actions that you're criticizing him for not taking are actions that he owes Hikari. He only owes it to himself to do those things. If Hikari wanted a relationship with him, why didn't she confess? She is in the exact same situation as he was and you're only clowning on him for it.

 

[CynicalPepper]

Thanks for the description. Also I heard the next chapter is gonna be released in a month. Is that true?

I really dislike yuu lol

 

[eviljackspicer]

I sincerely don't know how even Yuu's perspective is remotely going to salvage this trash heap of a story and it's characters. Honestly, the best scenario is Hikari just dumps Yuu right now and cut her losses.

 

[noleafclover75]

First, a small correction: Yami's mother didn't divorce her biological father—he died. Yami tells Yuu this in Chapter 24.

Second, it's understandable that Yami's past shapes her actions—trauma doesn't exist in a vacuum, and her behavior makes sense in context. But making sense isn't the same as being okay. Just because something is understandable doesn't mean it's justified, and it definitely doesn't erase the harm she's caused.

Some readers lean so hard into sympathy that they overlook the real harm Yami is causing—especially to Hikari. If Hikari truly is her best friend, then Yami’s choices, like hiding the truth about Yuu, aren’t just missteps; they're a failure of trust if you want to be generous, and outright betrayal if you don't. Either way, they call for accountability, not just explanations.

Sympathy and consequences aren’t opposites. You can both recognize Yami’s suffering and expect her to take responsibility for the pain she’s inflicting. Trauma might explain why she’s struggling, but it doesn’t absolve her. Real growth means facing what she’s done—not just benefiting from others’ forgiveness because she’s been through hell.

Well said

 

[CynicalPepper]

Btw, there is just one guy in this thread that i feel like it just doesn't matter if you debate or not, what they're saying is so insane that it's not worth it lol.

 

[Litreara]

All that being said, yeah, she absolutely should have pulled Hikari to the side after the amusement park date and been like...hey girl, you called your crush a different name. Is his name Yuu? You have a picture? Oh snap, I had no idea until this moment but I need to tell you that your crush and I dated a year ago and I ghosted him. Let me give you some space to process this.

I mean… Yami kind of did what you said in Chapter 13.5, but she skipped the part about telling Hikari she had a relationship with Yuu. And to make things worse, she reassured Hikari that the girl Yuu’s always liked is definitely her. Here are some excerpts from that chapter of the novel:

....

Ayami: "Hey, Hikari..."
Hikari: "Hmm? What's up, Aya-chan?"
Ayami: "Your boyfriend... his name's Yuu, right?"
Hikari: "Wha-...! H-he's not my boyfriend or anything yet...!"
Ayami: "Yeah, yeah, I'm not asking for the details. Just the name."
Hikari: "Oh, but wait! Aya-chan, listen to this, something happened the other day!"

That was during lunch earlier.
The four of us were eating together, but I managed to catch a moment alone with Hikari and casually asked her. I worked up the courage and dropped the question, playing it cool.

The first clue came during Hikari's amusement park date with her childhood friend.
Our group of four friends was following along through LINE, hyping her upteasing her, when her boyfriend's real name just happened to slip out.

Hikari had always called him Ta~kun, so I never thought to ask.
It's not like I was ever that interested in other people's love stories.
No, actually, it's because I didn't have the strength to treat someone else's romantic drama as if it were my own.

That's why, even though the chances weren't exactly low, I'd completely missed it.
The not-so-funny truth that her newfound crush, her childhood friend, and the guy I left behind were one and the same.

Poor Hikari.
Twisted me.
What kind of sick joke is this, fate?

....
....

Ayami: "So, to sum it up, he's always liked someone, huh?"
Hikari: "W-well, at least since before he met that Seki girl..."
Ayami: "That's a sure thing, then."
Hikari: "You don't know that! I mean, yeah, I'm his childhood friend, but I've never really paid attention to his love life until recently!"
Ayami: "Then ask Haru or Yuki about it. They'll tell you the same thing, I guarantee it."
Hikari: "But if I bring it up with those two, they'll totally tease me about it after..."
Ayami: "Oh, so you've just noticed that pattern now?"

I mean, when your friend drops the kind of over-the-top, nauseatingly sweet love story that only they could be excited about, what are you supposed to do?
You roll your eyes, smirk, act like you're too cool to care.
But even then, you've got to give a proper answer, don't you?
...Right?

Ayami: "Don't worry. The person he likes is definitely you, Hikari."
Hikari: "Aya-chan..."
Ayami: "I can guarantee it."

Yes, I'm the only one who can guarantee that.
I'm the only one who's ever heard him talk endlessly about his feelings for his childhood friend.
There's no way it could be anyone else.

99.9% certainty, it's Hikari.
The chance it's not? Not even 0.1%.

....

 

[story645]

What chapter was this?

Neither of those occasions required him to disclose his romantic experience. And it wasn't appropriate for him to just blurt it out there either.

Chapter 18, she asked if the Kohai is his ex/he was going out w/ her and it's phrased in an open ended it doesn't have to apply to Kohai way and Hikari explicitly flags that he's brushing her off rather than answering (even though a No would have probably been the honest answer so it's double weird).

It would have absolutly been appropriate to say "I'm worried about running into my ex at your school festival" ("You and I are polar opposites" plays this straight b/c that manga is all about the healthy communication). And doubly appropriate to tell her now when not telling her is the thing she's mad about.
Which by deflection I mean he doesn't directly answer the questions (even with a none of your business/I don't want to talk about it) but just changes the subject.

Eta: Which for the folks saying she's mad cause he had an ex, like she may very well have suspected that he has an ex given they hung out all the time while he was dating Aya and that's kinda hard to fully hide.

Like none of the actions that you're criticizing him for not taking are actions that he owes Hikari. He only owes it to himself to do those things.

I was responding to your characterization of Hikari being mad he doesn't live up to the fantasy when it's the opposite - she's mad he won't open up about the ways he's not. He's the one that's hung up on a fantasy version he's constructed of Hikari's ideal.

 

[CulR]

Lmao I didn't notice the score is in 6.11 already

oh it went up a bit

 

[GennArc]

She asked about him having an ex back with the kohai

What she asked was if that kohai was his ex, not if he had any ex

"Oh, c'mon, tell me! Tell me everything!"
"Whoa! H-Hey!"
"So, what's your deal with her? You said new boyfriend, right? Is she... maybe your ex?"

But nope, he's not escaping this time. My curiosity (and, okay, maybe a touch of desperation) is way stronger right now.
I press right up against his back, making sure he knows I'm not letting this go.

"C'mon, spill it already~! You totally dated that junior, didn't you~?"
"Seriously, stop..."
"Ehhh? Why not? Why not?"

I push forward, playing the overly familiar childhood friend card just like usual.
If he really does get mad, I'll just brush it off with my usual Oh, come on, I was just kidding~! and laugh it off.

and she asked where he was/what happened when they met up after the kiss

She didn't ask that either, see the chapter 36 Novel post by Litreara

 

[story645]

What she asked was if that kohai was his ex, not if he had any ex

Maybe I'm reading too much into where to land the emphasis on "is she your ex" (which might be an English specific thing),but like even that question he chooses to deflect rather than just say no.

She didn't ask that either, see the chapter 36 Novel post by Litreara

Yeah my mistake, I thought she had explicitly asked before he came out w/ the line of excuses, which he saw she wasn't buying.

 

[GennArc]

If Hikari truly is her best friend, then Yami’s choices, like hiding the truth about Yuu, aren’t just missteps; they're a failure of trust if you want to be generous, and outright betrayal if you don't. Either way, they call for accountability, not just explanations.

She had two alternatives:
1. Hide it and let Hikari's first love play out perfectly as she imagined and be happy with Yuu.
2. Tell her "Hey, that pure childhood friend of yours that you love so much? We dated for half a year, took each other's firsts, and all the crazy sex stories I told you were actually about him" to forever ruin Hikari's first love, her image of Yuu, and their friendship too.
I mean, people who think truth is the absolute will choose the latter. But I personally think that sometimes truths are better left untold for everyone's sake.

 

[noleafclover75]

oh it went up a bit

To be fair, I've been enjoying the story more lately. Probably because the flashbacks are finally over. The last two chapters have actually been really good.

 

[GennArc]

Maybe I'm reading too much into where to land the emphasis on "is she your ex"

Nah, in this context it's pretty clear she was asking about Seki/Kan specifically because she saw them before and heard about their "date".

 

[story645]

Btw, there is just one guy in this thread that i feel like it just doesn't matter if you debate or not, what they're saying is so insane that it's not worth it lol.

Feel like this could apply to multiple folks (myself included).

Nah, in this context it's pretty clear she was asking about Seki/Kan specifically because she saw them before and heard about their "date".

I figured it was the topic opener but also extra weird that he's deflecting if it's explicitly just about Kan.

 

[story645]

2. Tell her "Hey, that pure childhood friend of yours that you love so much? We dated for half a year, took each other's firsts, and all the crazy sex stories I told you were actually about him" to forever ruin Hikari's first love, her image of Yuu, and their friendship too.

I mean, people who think truth is the absolute will choose the latter. But I personally think that sometimes truths are better left untold for everyone's sake.

Like I get Aya's motivation for not saying anything but 2. is what's playing out right now, in a way that's causing more harm than being open would have.

 

[ipmanvsthemask]

it's phrased in an open ended it doesn't have to apply to Kohai way

In the raws? Because "Is she you ex?" doesn't leave that kinda room open.

It would have absolutly been appropriate to say "I'm worried about running into my ex at your school festival"

Sure. But it wasn't necessary either.

And doubly appropriate to tell her now when not telling her is the thing she's mad about.

When her getting mad was literally the last thing in the chapter? His time to speak on the matter comes next chapter. It wasn't anywhere before this.

I was responding to your characterization of Hikari being mad

Agree to disagree. Not enough info for conclusions yet.

 

[GennArc]

Like I get Aya's motivation for not saying anything but 2. is what's playing out right now, in a way that's causing more harm than being open would have.

Yes, but this was not set in stone. Unlike choice 2 which practically guaranteed unhappiness for everyone.

 

[Litreara]

She had two alternatives:
1. Hide it and let Hikari's first love play out perfectly as she imagined and be happy with Yuu.
2. Tell her "Hey, that pure childhood friend of yours that you love so much? We dated for half a year, took each other's firsts, and all the crazy sex stories I told you were actually about him" to forever ruin Hikari's first love, her image of Yuu, and their friendship too.
I mean, people who think truth is the absolute will choose the latter. But I personally think that sometimes truths are better left untold for everyone's sake.

Man, I really don’t get why everyone who defends the idea that it’s fine for Yami or Yuu not to be honest with Hikari—and not tell her they had a relationship—always imagines the wildest, most over-the-top version of how that conversation would go. It’s mind-boggling. Like… do you guys actually talk to people that way in real life when you need to bring up something difficult? Have you ever heard of a tactful approach?

Given the situation Yami’s in now, wouldn’t it have been better if she had just said something like:
"Hey, Hikari… there’s something I need to tell you. Last year, I dated a guy named Yuu, and there’s a good chance he’s the same Yuu you’re in love with now. But don’t worry—there’s nothing between us anymore. In fact, I haven’t spoken to him in over a year."

It seems far better for Yami to face the consequences of telling Hikari something like that directly, rather than dealing with the fallout of the situation she’s in now, where Hikari found out in the worst possible way.