This was honestly Yami's last chance at redemption. One could consider this a character's "eleventh hour" and it signals time for one to make up/"repent" in a sense. (IE from Yami's perspective, this could be the moment she loses her friendship with Hikari).
THIS was the moment for Yami to repent and show outright remorse for her actions.
But no.
She had to double down and try to drag Hikari down to her level, ie, "Do what I did and just manipulate Yu into a relationship just by sex alone", thinking that that everyone, is like her.
She had to double down and try to drag Hikari down to her level, ie, "Do what I did and just manipulate Yu into a relationship just by sex alone", thinking that that everyone, is like her.
I read her as being a passive aggressive brat here. Like she's taunting Hikari to "bind him w/ her body" b/c Aya is resentful that it didn't work and that Hikari doesn't have to resort to sex to have Yuu care for her.
I read her as being a passive aggressive brat here. Like she's taunting Hikari to "bind him w/ her body" b/c Aya is resentful that it didn't work and that Hikari doesn't have to resort to sex to have Yuu care for her.
Yeah I've said that for quiet a while. While I personally do not really like the story, I've praised Maruto's ability to write. The fact that we can have 20 page discussions on what I think is a bad story and what I think has pacing issues, is credited to his ability to write something that gets people to talk about it. And of course Yom's art is fantastic.
So while I don't particularly like it, I understand its appeal and how other people could love it as well. My favorite part is the discussion back and forth. I probably won't ever go back and read it again after it ends but the way it has actually brought people together to discuss it has been very well done.
honestly i'm just surprised she even forgave her for basically trying to pimp her out/prostitute her but the manga kinda glossed over it as...comic relief? i think that's way more messed up than just 'stealing a crush' considering irl a guy like that who'd use a service to date underage JKs prolly wouldn't have backed up unless a public scene was made i suppose
at this point i'd be like 'fuck it i'm not dating /dealing with romance ever again'
So I was bored and realized I hadn't read the novelization for the earlier chapters and in one of them (where Hikari is moving back into the room across from Yuu's) it's mentioned that Hikari has an older sister (6 years older so she's 22) that moved out to live with her boyfriend.
You want to talk about soap opera developments? How crazy would it be if Hikari's older sister is one of Yami's stepdad's mistresses and is the one that helped cause the divorce?
Agree, redemption would require her to take accountability for how her actions have hurt Hikari and Yuu. Am skeptical this will go that route b/c this conversation seems so heavily focused on Aya's feelings towards Yuu.
OHHH WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT? yuu vindicated?? yami SIMPS need to stay in their own lanes. "but hikari! just be a whole like me! teehee" even fucking hikari knows she fucking broke yuus heart. yami is just a walking woman moment.
Also it's now bouncing around in my head that the "Yuu did nothing wrong" argument feels like every think piece I've read lately on young (American?) men. I'm probably being unfair here, and making some broad generalizations, but it seems to me a mix of:
1. Yuu has no agency and therefore no accountability
2. A really lonely view of friendship where friends don't share important information with each, trust or respect each other, and therefore have no obligations with each other
2A. Yuu stopped being Hikari's close friend when she didn't fall for him at the same time he fell for her.
Also it's now bouncing around in my head that the "Yuu did nothing wrong" argument feels like every think piece I've read lately on young (American?) men. I'm probably being unfair here, and making some broad generalizations, but it seems to me a mix of:
1. Yuu has no agency and therefore no accountability
2. A really lonely view of friendship where friends don't share important information with each, trust or respect each other, and therefore have no obligations with each other
2A. Yuu stopped being Hikari's close friend when she didn't fall for him at the same time he fell for her.
What I find even more interesting is how people react to this manga based on where they're posting. The vibe here is different than on reddit and much, MUCH different than 4chan.
What's funny is apparently the people posting here on Mangadex are considered the lowest if you read what they say about us on reddit and we're sub human trash according to 4chan.
I made the mistake of reading the thread on 4chan for this chapter and they attack each other non-stop, blame everything Yami does on "woman moment", think we're a bunch of normie weirdos, etc. They love to call each other slurs and it generally feels like I'm back in the late 80s/early 90s based on the amount of f*gs and r*tards being thrown around...and yes I just aged myself there lol.
On reddit we got such gems as "Mangadex is extremely pretentious and finds ways to be offended." and "Yeah, I tend to avoid mangadex. Something about the comments always rub me the wrong way, add that its harder to keep track of a convo unlike Reddit"
I posted a few times on reddit for Chapter 39 in response to someone and you'd have thought I killed their entire family with how they responded.
I made the mistake of reading the thread on 4chan for this chapter and they attack each other non-stop, blame everything Yami does on "woman moment", think we're a bunch of normie weirdos, etc.
I think hanging around a forum arguing about a manga, especially this deeply, almost by definition means you're not a normie.
There are also some biohazard comment sections on here but they tend to get more normal over time as the haters stop reading (or commenting b/c most folks don't agree with them).
But also, I have been curious about the demographics on Mangadex, especially compared to other sites.
Thanks for indirectly confirming that I'm not the oldest person here b/c I know sometimes my posts get eyerolly and I think that's more okay to inflict on adults than kids, mostly cause I used to be the kid fighting w/ adults about niche fandom stuff.
So it was the Chapter 39 discussion and someone asked "Yami simps, please hit me with your essays defending this DUMPSTER FIRE of a human being. Yuu was there looking for Hikari; and Yami knew she shouldn’t have gone to the festival. Just like everyone with a brain already knew. What you got now. Also, why is this chapter so short FUCK."
And while I do not consider myself a Yami simp at all and actually quite dislike her, I do like to reason why she does what she does so I tend to make excuses for her. Though my desire to defend her pretty much went out the window when we found out she kissed Yuu knowing Hikari was watching. That's just low.
In my response to their request I mentioned that Yami had changed for the better which set him off. But, objectively, Yami (before the Yuu classroom scene) was WAY better than before she met Hikari. Hanging out with Hikari and the two others (I never remember their names) had caused Yami to be better.
I'll post the full conversation in a spoiler tag for anyone interested - it's not spoilers it's just that both of us typed a lot and I don't want to spam y'all with it. So if y'all click on this don't come complaining to me that I talk too much. I already know I do.
notabear87: "Yami simps, please hit me with your essays defending this DUMPSTER FIRE of a human being. Yuu was there looking for Hikari; and Yami knew she shouldn’t have gone to the festival. Just like everyone with a brain already knew. What you got now. Also, why is this chapter so short FUCK."
HellJester: "I'm not a Yami simp but I will say that even if she never showed up to the festival, it has to come out eventually that Yami dated Yuu in the past. Hikari is going to find out eventually and that's why Yami is scared because she values her friendship with Hikari and the two others. Yami has changed for the better and now she's in a situation where telling Hikari the truth could destroy that friendship the same way that telling her mother the truth about her stepdad destroyed her relationship with her mom.
I'm not saying Yami did nothing wrong, it's more like she's had a ton of shitty things happen to her and made some poor decisions. I don't blame her for hesitating to tell Hikari because 1) she doesn't want to blow up Hikari's fairy tale idea of romance and 2) the last time she was in this situation her mom tried to kill herself and Yami's relationship with Yuu (which she valued) was thrown away as Yami felt she didn't deserve a companion when she took away her mom's.
Finally, we know there's a kiss and we're most likely going to get the background of it next chapter. All I ask is that y'all calm down a bit until we see exactly what went down. If next chapter we get Yami proclaiming her undying love for Yuu and trying to win him back despite knowing Hikari loves that doofus then I'll be up front handing out pitchforks for y'all."
notabear87: "...she's changed for the better? The fuck are you even saying? Her default behavior is self destructive and selfish; hasn't changed at all. I swear you people drive me insane; nothing but excuses while stating "I'm not a Yami simp; btw here's an essay defending her."
Please read that drivel you just typed out loud, record it and then play it back. Try not to cringe.
Everything good that's happened to her since ghosting Yuu has been because of....Hikari. She knows Hikari's in love with Yuu and she's going to confess to him that evening. Would it have come out eventually? Absolutely; she should've waited until Hikari shot her shot at least before telling her....you have enough common sense to admit that yes?
With ALL of that in mind....she should've skipped the festival. The author even has her say that twice; just to reiterate what a fucking moron she was for showing up. She clearly already senses she won't be able to stop herself from interfering; Yuu just happened to bump into her first.
Honestly I kind of hope author does something crazy next. As much as I want Hikari and Yuu to be happy; I also want drama! Have Yuu surprise us all and confess he still loves Yami or something, Yami kisses him but then tells him she can't be with him for reasons she can't tell him. Yuu decides Hikari is a fine 2nd choice. Idk how it'd actually work in practice; but I'd love to see something spicy."
HellJester: "She absolutely has changed from the person she was before she met Yuu to the person she was after ghosting Yuu and finally to the person she's become after meeting Hikari and allowing her into her safe space. When she first met Hikari she constantly lashed out but after (a year? 8 months? I forget the exact timeline) befriending Hikari and her two friends, Yami has mellowed out and (up until the kiss which we still haven't had full context for) has stopped the self destructive and selfish behavior.
Yami is attending school again, maintaining friendships, she's even attempted to reconcile with her mother (didn't go well). I don't think she's a "fucking moron" for wanting to go to the festival though I agree with you 100% that she shouldn't have gone. She realized immediately it was the wrong choice which is why she hid the whole time. However, I think it was unselfish of her to go to the classroom to help with clean up. She felt guilty for leaving her friends and classmates to do all the work. If you read the novel chapter it's revealed that her friends texted her and so she thought Hikari and Yuu were at the dance or making their way there which is why she felt it was safe to go to the classroom.
Everything the author has shown us is designed to cause people to assume the worst of the character. It's then revealed (VERY SLOWLY unfortunately) that there are almost always extenuating circumstances. I remember getting into debates chapters ago where everyone assumed Yuu immediately ditched Hikari to seek out Yami and that they were in the classroom for hours making out/having sex/whatever. People were jumping to massive conclusions.
As much as I want the story to come out, I enjoy chapters like this because they provide necessary information such as neither Yuu nor Yami were seeking each other out. I get to sit here and wonder what in the world is going to take us from this to the kiss and the fallout. Past chapters make it look like Yami initiated the kiss. I wonder how we can get from Yami declaring she wants nothing but Hikari to be happy (in this chapter of the novel) to kissing Yuu which is certainly nowhere near wanting Hikari to be happy.
To answer your question - yes I have common sense and I agree with you that Yami should have told Hikari but I disagree on the timing. You mentioned that Yami should've waiting until Hikari shot her shot, I think Yami should have immediately told Hikari something like "OMG, this whole time I thought your crushes name was Ta-kun and now I realize it's Yuu. I don't know how to tell you this but he and I dated a year ago." Yami should have ripped that bandaid off.
Part of what makes me enjoy this manga so much is that I get to discuss it with people who have all sorts of different takes on what's going on. Thanks for the interaction."
