They know what they actually want, however don't know how to reach it and how to gtfo from the things that tie them to their abysses. Both know their issues and share similar needs but seem to have lost the spark to do something. But Ishibashi's call made Reiji's spark at least be reignited. In the end, one will pull the other out of the fishtank, but it's up to Reiji.
Tbh, if it was up to Ryo, Yuko would have been kept in coma, Nagi would have ended up doing JAVs and Reiji would have kept waiting for Yuko and Gen-chan, while he ends up marrying Yuri
Kinda poetic, but the path towards the common light has another wilder obstacle. No matter if a new hope spot for Reiji has appeared in the shape of Yuko awakening, he has to assume Yuri will flip out and do something really bloody if Reiji acts his age and on his feelings and has the balls to call off the marriage.
I just hope that, with Yuko awakening and Reiji having his final reckoning with her (that can end with Yuko demanding Reiji to either bring Esemori or demand him to take Yuko to Tokyo), Gen-chan could be released and also give Reiji a reason to run from the town, even if xhe has to "free" xerself from the cage that is being a woman at heart inside the body of a man. If xhe finds out Yuko is alive and woken up, xhe'll have a flipout of collosal proportions.
Dunno if fellow users, but i have a feeling Chako isn't done for (there's a reason Reiji is gonna head to the hospital, besides, Chako didn't have her farewell panel like Gen) despite of being fished out of her abyss. She may be decided to face her abyss and put some trouble for Reiji if her issues were all about not realizing she liked Reiji. It's now up to Reiji to end some relationships in good terms (w/ mom and Chako) and act on his feelings instead of letting his abyss accept anyone who says i love you to him. Maybe his childhood friend will pull a past tense confession to make a clean break too.
See ya in a few days.
Went to read some japanese comments on X and some Yuri fans are basically recognizing Reiji and Nagi have better chemistry and wish for Yuri to find happiness far from Reiji or to stay away from him. It's like this chapter made an ironic effect. The JAV thing would have been the ultimate evidence to justify Reiji staying in The Town or healing himself with Chako, but the opposite happened.
They even think Nagi won't debut in the porn industry.