Kusunoki-san wa Koukou Debut ni Shippai Shite Iru - Ch. 41.1 - My relationship with Kusunoki might be changing

[UdenEmpati]

I hope he doesn't give up in asking her

I hope he does.

Stop with the "MC & FMC are destined" nonsense, don't be a coward, author

Kusunoki gets her high school debut.
Hebikawa gets Keisuke.
Everyone's happy.

Bold. Plot. Decisions.

 

[Obakami]

"ehh screw Kusunoki, Shizuki. Go claim Snake-chan with the ol' History Reversal and make her fall for you"

is what my petty side is saying, though I know that won't happen.

But just once I wanna see an author have the cajones to have the MC be snubbed by the FMC (intentionally or otherwise) and just go "welp fuck it" and pursue someone else, potentially showing the FMC what she missed out on because she just assumed MC would always be there (romantically or otherwise).

But, interested to see where it goes from here.
Thanks for the chapter, as always ~

This one does it pretty nicely :

Spoiler

https://mangadex.org/title/5e77d9e2...e55e/ookami-shounen-wa-kyou-mo-uso-o-kasaneru

 

[UdenEmpati]

This is very likely what will happen next going by the ending of this chap, with "boohoo woe is me" sad sack bitch Kei latching on to whoever comforts him, he is a perfect mouse to be eaten by a spiteful hungry snekysnek looking for a way to mess with Kusunoki.

Though I wonder if Kusunoki would even care at this point?

Truthfully for the sake of the story? I kinda hope Kusunoki doesn't care.

I'd have to go back and reread everything again - but the most she says to Shizuki on the matter is when she makes him promise her not to avoid/ghost her again like he did during the beach episode when he was trying to put distance after he realized he liked her.

So if he does start putting distance between them after deciding (correctly or otherwise) that he has no chance with her, and that being around her will only make it harder for him, and then Hebikawa grabs him and they have their Plot Development Phase....would Kusunoki notice he's suddenly not there anymore? Would she care? Would she be upset, hurt, jealous, ambivalent, etc?

The questions I need answers to

 

[UdenEmpati]

This one does it pretty nicely :

Spoiler

https://mangadex.org/title/5e77d9e2...e55e/ookami-shounen-wa-kyou-mo-uso-o-kasaneru

I'm getting so may new recc's today, it's not even my birthday.

 

[Mangamoz]

HOLD ON A FUCKING SECOND!
I just now realized THIS is the cover of vol 6, ah fuck we ARE going into a tanned girl arc to stall for time for what to do with Hebi and Kuzu aren't we?

 

[lightokamii]

Fuck it, Snake Girl route!

 

[Haze123553]

This guy is way too passive he's practically a doormat

I don't blame kuso for anything MC is more timid then a wallflower

 

[korhalchild]

But just once I wanna see an author have the cajones to have the MC be snubbed by the FMC (intentionally or otherwise)

I think you meant "cojones", cajones are just drawers xD

 

[UdenEmpati]

I think you meant "cojones", cajones are just drawers xD

he needs more cojones in his cajones, damnit

 

[leo12345]

well, Mei The Tomboy seems like she's falling a bit for Keisuke. She's obviously still beholden to Kusunoki, but there's definitely feelings there that she's realized.

But, I think part of the problem is Keisuke has painted himself into a corner by being nice to multiple potential heroines, but has only been focusing on Kusunoki. Maybe this part 1 is illustrating the turning point for him, where he's suddenly confronted with the fact that Kusunoki is moving further away from him, and he's in danger of being left behind.

Which, I personally hope that instead of trying to pursue after her anyway, he nopes out, sulks a bit, then gets picked up by Snake-chan. She can do it ostensibly to corrupt Kusunoki by proxy, but then she actually falls for him because "he's just such a kind thoughtful person in reality", and they get close and hit it off.

And also Kusunoki doesn't catch onto this happening for aWHILE, because she's got tons of people around her all the time. By the time she realizes Keisuke "broke the promise not to avoid her that she foisted upon him", he's already in deep with Hebikawa, and then we get to see what Kusunoki does in response when "the boy she might have assumed would always be by her side", suddenly isn't.

This would be the much more interesting route for the series to take, but i doubt it's gonna happen, which is a shame. If this were a VN i'd be doing snake girl's route from day 1 lmao

 

[UdenEmpati]

This would be the much more interesting route for the series to take, but i doubt it's gonna happen, which is a shame. If this were a VN i'd be doing snake girl's route from day 1 lmao

I definitely have the "if I was writing this," plot all fleshed out for at least the next bit, yeah. Not saying it'd be good, or that the average reader would even like it, but -

Keisuke feels like he is being left behind by Kusunoki, which he kicks himself over because her whole goal was "my Debut!" - and it's definitely successful thus far, and he doesn't want to take that away from her just because he likes her and wants more of her to himself.

So, he refrains from asking her to go around the festival, and also from joining her and Irie, and just fades into the background and sulks by himself in self-pity. He gets noticed by Hebikawa, who maybe strikes up a conversation, where she susses out that he's feeling dejected over Kusunoki. Hebikawa clocks this, thinks "oh....I can use him to strip off her mask, at last" because I think she suspects that Kusunoki likes Keisuke, without really realizing it herself. So she hangs out with him a bit for the rest of the festival, then parts ways.
Over the next weeks, Kusunoki sees her popularity soar following the festival play performance, and Keisuke slowly fades more and more into the background without her noticing because of all the new people around her all the time. Keisuke starts going home on his own, eating lunch on his own, etc - and Hebikawa moves in, spending time with him, teasing him, working her hooks in and feeding his insecurities and playing to his ego, making him lean on her more and more as his walls come down.
But along the way, Keisuke's general thoughtfulness and earnest demeanor work on Hebikawa as well. She complains about things or lets slip a worry or two, and he genuinely helps her out because that's just how he is, and she starts to fall a bit for him, for real. They spend more time together, maybe further figuring out how to navigate her family situation, working on grades, getting lunch on weekends. Keisuke realizes Hebikawa is actually quite nice once you get past the thorny exterior, and the two grow close. Maybe romantically? Definitely close friendship/confidant-level.
Suddenly, they're out on what might as well be a date--Hebikawa actually dresses up, Keisuke stressed over what to wear, whether to say "you look nice", the usual nonsense. While they're out, maybe he grabs her hand when she trips. And that is when Mei spots them, and freaks out realizing he hadn't been around Kusunoki for...how long, now????

[[Spoiler alert - Hebikawa sees Mei running off, and infers what's happening, and starts planning for Kusunoki, even as her feelings toward Keisuke have started to shift.]]

So Mei runs to ask Kusunoki about Kuisuke's absense, and that's when she realizes she hasn't seen him for weeks at this point. She remembers that she made him promise her that he wouldn't disappear on her during the Beach Trip, and gets upset, both at him, but possibly at herself for "forgetting my first friend". But when she goes to try and find Keisuke during lunch at school one day....she comes across him and Hebikawa, either alone on a bench outside, or up on the roof - and Hebikawa sees her coming and kisses Keisuke in front of her before he notices Kusunoki is there.

Dunno what would happen at that point, but...to me, that feels like a sufficiently dramatic / "high school romance angst" setup for the end of the current arc, before delving into whatever results from that sequence of events.

- -

Anyway TL;DR I have my own thoughts about how it should go, though I bet I'm in the minority.

 

[Warsky]

Irie your cool and all so it sucks to say this but FUCK OFF THIS AINT ABOUT YOU DAWG ITS A ROMANCE GENRE!!!!!!

 

[UdenEmpati]

Irie your cool and all so it sucks to say this but FUCK OFF THIS AINT ABOUT YOU DAWG ITS A ROMANCE GENRE!!!!!!

yeah! a romance genre story between Shizuki and Hebikawa!!

/s

 

[AbuHajaar]

New coverpage with tomboy in maid outfit is peak

 

[ShionVaynex]

"ehh screw Kusunoki, Shizuki. Go claim Snake-chan with the ol' History Reversal and make her fall for you"

is what my petty side is saying, though I know that won't happen.

But just once I wanna see an author have the *cojones to have the MC be snubbed by the FMC (intentionally or otherwise) and just go "welp fuck it" and pursue someone else, potentially showing the FMC what she missed out on because she just assumed MC would always be there (romantically or otherwise).

But, interested to see where it goes from here.
Thanks for the chapter, as always ~

That's a hypocritical way to see it.

So instead of the girl who just happened to get invited by someone else before your invitation. You want him to go after the girl who snubbed him before.

Because the fmc in a way technically snubbed him??

 

[UdenEmpati]

That's a hypocritical way to see it.

So instead of the girl who just happened to get invited by someone else before your invitation. You want him to go after the girl who snubbed him before.

Because the fmc in a way technically snubbed him??

I did say "intentionally or otherwise", regarding the "snub" phrasing. I realize I should have maybe worded my pithy comment slightly differently, looking back, but "oh well".

But I seriously think Keisuke is better served letting go of his feelings for Kusunoki and working on his own debut path independent of her. She made it clear to Hebikawa that she "definitely doesn't" have any romantic feelings for Keisuke, so I think he should take this opportunity to try and forget going after her.

I also want him to get entangled with Hebikawa because 1) I personally ship them because I find Hebikawa more interesting than the FMC who was literally designed to be perfect, and 2) I think they actually stand to benefit and grow from improving their relationship, whether it becomes romantic or not.

So many manga follow a certain formula for their romance arcs, and I just have a bit of wishful thinking that it won't happen here. Kusunoki can have her desired HS Debut with lots of friends and popularity. Let Keisuke resolve his issues with Hebikawa, become good friends (or more) with her, and just move away from the Perfect FMC.

 

[mgRdr]

So instead of the girl who just happened to get invited by someone else before your invitation

Because the fmc in a way technically snubbed him??

The fmc has all but friendzoned him, this episode is just one another excuse for why he's probably better off looking for love somewhere else. Shizuki's friendship with Kusunoki has better chances of survival this way, and they are good friends all things considered, they both would regret having to end it, which is very likely to happen if Shizuki continues pursuing Kusunoki romantically

 

[UdenEmpati]

The fmc has all but friendzoned him, this episode is just one another excuse for why he's probably better off looking for love somewhere else. Shizuki's friendship with Kusunoki has better chances of survival this way, and they are good friends all things considered, they both would regret having to end it, which is very likely to happen if Shizuki continues pursuing Kusunoki romantically

I hope Keisuke is better written than high school me was

because if I were in his shoes in that situation I'd self-isolate and just soft-ghost Kusunoki as she got more popular, convinced that I was doing her a favor by not getting in her way and also to protect myself from heartbreak over realizing I didn't actually have a chance.

And then I'd run crying aaaaalllll the way into Snake-sama's open arms for some toxic comfort.

 

[MiguelH224]

I hope this FMC gets NTR'd. She is such a loser and uninteresting at all. I wouldn't mind Hebi winning with some more development. She is the only reason this series is still getting attention.

This is some incel shit dude

 

[MiguelH224]

wth is with these comments as if fmc intentionally snubbed the mc?

it wasnt intentional and fmc didn't even have a hint that he was going for her, altho she may or may be unconsciously running away from her feelings.

still its his fault for not asking her regardless or not joining them.

also did yall forget that they are trying to have her make more friends? that was the original premise so her getting a new friend is good and is not to be treated a hinder to their supposed romance.

there seems to be a part 2 and I hope he doesn't give up in asking her. but there's a hint seems to highlight the other girl so my expectations are low.

Readers like you that actually pay attention to what they're reading and give valid inputs on what they read are great in my book 👏🏾


I honestly don't understand how people seriously forgot about all of that, they seem to act on emotions and not common sense