Zenbu Kowashite Jigoku de Aishite - Vol. 7 Ch. 32 - Unravel

[Rezuo]

I think it depends if Mona picked up on the fact that Kurumi and Naoi are into each other. If she did, then she might partially be doing this to get to know her sister's future girlfriend better, since Mona clearly admires Naoi a lot, so of course would also think anyone her sister's in love with must be amazing as well. Also, Mona blushed similarly when pointing out that Kurumi liked Naoi last chapter, or in the flashback while holding Naoi's hand.

Though whether or not Mona did pick up on Kurumi's feelings for Naoi, she currently only has a very superficial understanding of Kurumi at this point. And likening her to an idol means her opinion of her has nowhere to go but down. Like for example, if she finds out about all the things that happened in volume 1. She might eventually deem Kurumi a bad influence on Naoi and want to separate them, thinking Kurumi brings out Naoi's violent side.

Though I wonder how this volume will play out, since with the school festival this weekend in the story, and Kurumi's mom now imminent, that seemingly leaves very little space for Mona's plot to really expand. And of course there's the fact that last chapter established much of Mona's behavior being due to trying to fix whatever her home situation is. Meaning anything she currently says or does likely has an ulterior motive with that goal in mind. She views Kurumi and Naoi as liferafts, even if she does genuinely like them.

Very good points

 

[Mistilteinn]

Very good points

Thanks. I also thought of something else. Kurumi might interpret the request as Mona trying to replace Naoi as her older sister with herself, which could actually make Kurumi angry. After all, it was Kurumi who was so optimistic about Mona having no ulterior motive and only wanting Naoi to live with her, but now it looks like she was being naive and Mona does indeed have an ulterior motive. While readers know enough to assume that the motive is at least sympathetic, Kurumi doesn't, meaning she could mistakenly think that Mona is just being spoiled.

Considering that Kurumi knows how much Naoi was hurt by her mom abandoning her and only taking Mona with her, which she thought back on last chapter while walking with Mona to her house, Kurumi might actually snap at Mona next chapter, thinking that her actions are very hurtful to Naoi, mistakenly thinking that Mona is wanting to just abandon Naoi again.

 

[Someonefrompluto]

I smell something fishy

 

[EasyMcgee]

Egg on my face for thinking we’d have a well adjusted character in this series

 

[gornimk]

thanks for tl

 

[Mistilteinn]

If Mona just wanted to hang out at Kurumi's house because her home life sucks and she wants to spend more time with Kurumi and/or Naoi then there would be no manipulation. Instead she has a strategy to get people to give her what she wants, which is a form of manipulation.

I think that Kurumi might've accidentally torpedoed Mona's plan right before Mona showed up to her house this chapter. If Kurumi's mom is coming back home, that means Mona won't be able to hang out there anymore. And this isn't something Mona can talk her way through. Would be funny if it's the case, since it would give Kurumi a perfectly valid reason to refuse to let Mona come over, since you wouldn't want a middle schooler near an unstable grownup.

Plus, while Kurumi skipped school to help with the Mona situation last chapter, volume 1 showed that Kurumi is typically super busy with school activities, student council work, and cram school. She barely had time to hang out with Kokoro in volume 1. And they're still busy with culture festival prep work right now on top of everything else. In addition, Kurumi having to deal with her mom when she sees her again. So, Mona is targeting someone who doesn't really have the bandwidth to deal with her issues, especially someone who's never had any siblings before, like Kurumi.

 

[sonorancomet]

It seems to me like Mona wants Naoi(or Manaka, I guess more accurately) to come home for different reasons than her mom does. Her mom might genuinely be doing it out of guilt, or because her boyfriend wants to, but Mona is clearly dealing with something and needs someone to protect her. I'm not sure its necessarily a home life thing, or at least not entirely, because the scene at the beginning of chapter 31 where Mona seems to be internally pleading for her sister to come back and protect her seems to show her terrified at school.) There's probably Something off about their home life, but I don't think Mona is lying about the boyfriend not being physically abusive, and the way the mom talks about conflicts makes it seem less likely that he has all the power.

 

[Mistilteinn]

because the scene at the beginning of chapter 31 where Mona seems to be internally pleading for her sister to come back and protect her seems to show her terrified at school.

She's waiting for Naoi at Naoi's school during that scene. The girls that pass by her are wearing Kurumi and Naoi's uniform.

 

[sonorancomet]

She's waiting for Naoi at Naoi's school during that scene. The girls that pass by her are wearing Kurumi and Naoi's uniform.

Oh lol I didn't realize that. In that case there's no reason to suspect the thing Mona is afraid of isn't a home life thing.

Also thinking about it more, from the limited information we posess, it seems likely that the mom isn't super concerned with having Manaka move in with them. She comments on Mona being out so late, but doesn't ask anything about Manaka(which she would if they were working together to convince Manaka to move in with them). Also it doesn't look great that the mom doesn't ask Mona what she was doing out so late. The new adoptive dad also has been kept vague in the story in a way that may be meant to build him up and/or create a sense of dread around him.

I think whatever problem Mona is having is a problem she alone is having. And she specifically thinks Manaka moving in with her will in some way alleviate that problem, and is desperate to have her move in, which may be a lot of why she's been so manipulative in this volume so far. I have a pretty sick foreboding feeling about whatever she's going through.