before my analysis, A special thank you to galaxy & soundofspace for bringing us this content. Despite what happened with Mangadex, you have no idea how deeply I appreciate your work. Reading this series has been a lifeline for me during a difficult personal situation.
This entire narrative phase, opening with the photography plot and the concept of Amayo no Tsuki, definitively sets the stage for the dramatic arc centered on the unresolved storyline with Saki. From the very beginning of the manga, hints of her loneliness and tendency to suppress her emotions—to avoid burdening others—have been present. We can even see this reflected in the narrative structure itself; in this latest chapter, she wasn’t shown directly. Kuzushiro is building suspense around the character, and I doubt it will be long before we return to her point of view.
Saki helped Kanon regain her vitality and charisma after losing her hearing, yet she herself represses her own emotions so intensely, with this a conflict is inevitable. The more spontaneous version of Kanon we saw this chapter—daring to inquire about the photoshoot, exploring her feelings, and talking with Hamaoka—brings her closer to understanding what she feels for Saki. The mystery now is: What’s happening from Saki’s pov? Let’s remember the work’s core principle: much goes unnoticed depending on one’s viewpoint. With the suspense Kuzushiro has created, with a hypothetical returning to Saki’s POV will be revelatory and might even hold surprises. We must recall that Saki likely perceives changes in Kanon, but doesn’t know their cause. Therefore, Kanon’s renewed attitude could be confusing the anxious Saki, perhaps even making her believe she’s being left behind, causing her to withdraw—despite Kanon’s genuine desire for connection and the special place Saki holds in her heart.
Because of her fears, Saki tends to suppress and hide her feelings to avoid revealing her love for Kanon. For example, while she enjoys spending time with her, Saki doesn’t visit spontaneously outside of piano lessons or direct invitations, even though Kanon made it clear when giving her the key that she wanted Saki to visit actively, even without lessons. This is a detail we’ve observed consistently in chapters after the recital.
This series of events in the manga, especially the photography plotline—where photography, as an art form, symbolizes revealing and showing—lays the groundwork for a role reversal. Now it will be Kanon who, firstly, confronts the emotional wall Saki has built (a development perfectly facilitated by the photography theme), uncovers the truth behind her past, and then helps her heal her emotional wounds. Moreover, in this process, Kanon discovering Saki’s vulnerable side might help her realize she has fallen in love with Saki.
I’ve always seen the final dialogue between Ayano and Kanon in Chapter 27 as foreshadowing. Through her conversations with Saki, Ayano managed to perceive some of that vulnerability. Precisely because of this, she advised Kanon to keep taking Saki’s hand, because Saki, too, will need someone to lovingly reach out to her.
