I Shaved. Then I Brought a High School Girl Home. - Vol. 5 Ch. 23

[akira899]

For me, the issue with this story is that while the characters are "developing", they aren't developing outside of their tropes. In fact, those character traits have only been dialed up, which is not only making the story and the characters more unrelatable, it's also making the characters kind of unlikable. Lets take a look:

MC: The selfless, self-sacrificial, overly nice guy. Not only did he take on a burden, that burden also carries risk. We already know that she is a burden on his social life, romantic life, and financials (assuming), but he's also risking his career, legal trouble, social status, essentially his entire future. While its easy to understand and even agree with his initial motives to take in Sayu, as the baggage piles up, the MCs selflessness starts to become bizarre, unrelatable, and at times frustrating to read. How much is he willing to sacrifice? How much is he willing to risk? Why go so far? Being self-sacrificial to the point of borderline masochism isn't an endearing quality for a character IMO.

SAYU: The damaged flower, lost puppy, damsel in distress. While it's easy to feel sorry for her and her past, her actions only keep making things harder for the MC. Yes she's emotionally damaged, but she's still old enough to be held accountable for her actions. This recent arc really destroyed her development. All her feelings of guilt, appreciation, and compensation went flying right out the window with minimal coaxing from her "ex". Not only did she disrespect MC's home and kindness by bringing a guy there to have sex, she completely threw the MC under the bus by letting her ex know about everything regarding their situation. Now this sleezeball knows MC's living situation, where he lives, has seen his face, and probably picked up his name somewhere. What's worse is that this major(IMO) breach of respect, privacy, and trust, is completely glossed over because of her "development". Being emotionally damaged shouldn't absolve her of any accountability of her actions, especially when MC is the one at most risk. It feels like the "lost, inncocent, puppy" trope is being forcefed to the readers.

I hope this story changes directions soon, because if it's just going to be a cycle of "selfless MC saves damsel in distress", I'm probably going to drop it.

 

[DrHizzle]

@akira899 Bruh, MC is in no way unrelatable though? The reason he continues to help her even at his own risk is because he keeps getting constant reminders about the shit she's gone through. He wants to do anything he can to allow her to live happily, and in the best case scenario, be able to live how a normal teenager would. How is that unrelatable? I'd do the same thing in a heartbeat. Not doing something that you know is the right thing to do simply because it could have consequences is just pathetic and cowardly.

Edit: Also, she's like, what, 16? A 16 year old who is an emotional wreck suddenly being confronted and blackmailed by the person who hurt them is going to cause them to make a bad decision.
16 year olds are right in the middle of an age range where we as humans use our amygdala for decision making, which is the part of the brain that handles emotion. That doesn't lend well to considering the possible consequences of a decision when forced to come to one quickly. Combine that with her trauma and obvious self loathing, and it's easy to see how she would consider sleeping with him again in order to hide the things she hates about herself from being shared with her friend. She probably believes that if what she did comes to light, she'd lose the only friend she has, the only person that's 100% on her side other than the MC.
It's pretty easy to understand that in the heat of the moment she might not even think about everything that could come from her abuser knowing where she's currently living, and the possibility of him meeting the MC. That's not malicious or even particularly careless on her part, at least not to the point that she should be reprimanded when she's already dealing with so much shit.

 

[JKTV]

@DrHizzle AGREED!

 

[critico]

@akira899 totally agree

 

[AmmarAli_5]

@DrHizzle yep I'm with you on this one.

 

[Tamerlane]

Last two chapters still feel like a downgrade to me, not gonna lie. Like last chapter removed some of the nuance from the antagonist and this chapter feels very drawn out. We needed their reactions, sure, but I wish it hadn't progressed in such a bog-standard way

 

[Raknasuu]

@DrHizzle

16 year olds are right in the middle of an age range where we as humans use our amygdala for decision making

LOL. That explains a lot of stuff.

I don't have amygdala since 7 years old. Yes, I'm still socially awkward.

 

[Flashplayer0CD]

@Raknasuu bruh dating finna be mad hard for you b shiiiittttt

 

[ArisenDresden]

@Raknasuu welcome brother

 

[Raknasuu]

@Flashplayer0CD

BUT DON'T EXPOSE ME LIKE THAT, BRUH.

Like, I don't think my lack of empathy or will to give affection comes from there. Does it?

Spoiler

Btw. In some languages they call the tonsils "amygdalae" and to refer to the actual amygdala you gotta specify by saying "Cerebral amygdala".

Yes, the plot twist here is that I also don't have tonsils since 7 years old LOL.

 

[catislong]

Fucking simp

 

[Dekunator]

I like how this manga acts like genuinely good people that just want to help others don't exist.

 

[Omnicloudx13]

So the guy who attempted to rape her gets off scott-free?
Just wow..

 

[Eplayer]

thanks for the chapter

 

[gagegageha]

Ye dude we know you want to do it but its not have to be like that, red light district is there for a reason.
You want to do it for free?? with underage even? lol can I stab you with a knife or just cut 'it' instead?

 

[Kaizeel]

Just tip him off to the police as a rapist as an anonymous caller.

Ez


I know it’s not that easy. It’s a joke

 

[Rhin]

You guys seem to be forgetting that his helping could have very severe legal consecuences. Im not saying he should have just ignored her, or kicked her out, that would be beyond inhuman (and probably also a crime to some degree). And i do ge that Sayu is mentally scarred and emotionally unstable, but at some point, once she has calmed down a bit and is no longer spooked by her own shadow, you need to sit her, and have a good long talk about the situation.
We STILL dont know why she left her home, it could be an abusive family, could be drug or alcohol related, in which case sending her back home would be a real risk to her life, or maybe she just ran away cause shes a kid, and kids do stupid stuff all the time.
The proper way to handle this is to sit with her, and try to talk things out, after that, accompany her to the police to explain the situation, and let them take it from there.
She isnt an adult, so she cant legally make her own decisions, but shes not a child either, so a judge would most likely listen to her imput in an audience, so maybe she could ask to make MC her legal guardian in the case her home is dangerous.

Otherwise, once shit hits the fan you are gonna be in a world of hurt. People wont care that you helped a child off the street, you will be seen as a creep who kidnapped a young girl and abused her, no matter what you say in your defense, and no matter what the very own kid says in your defense, especially if her sleeping with guys to get shelter comes to light.

 

[musicfreak12]

Wouldn't it be funny if it progress into "She ran away because she feel guilty" arc? Because I sure would be laughing if it did

 

[pip25]

I find it disconcerting how hard the manga tries to hammer in that "Yoshida is being too nice for his own good". The asshole last chapter was, like, the third person to say this in quick succession.
He's in an apparent no-win scenario. Kicking Sayu out would be immoral, but the longer she stays the greater the risks become. She does not want to talk about her motives either, and at the same time he doesn't want to push her because it is quite apparent that whatever her problem is at home, it's serious. This, on the other hand rules out asking help from the authorities, since it may simply end up with Sayu being sent back home.
So yeah, it's a tough situation to be in. But what is Yoshida supposed to do, if he wants to keep a clear conscience?
Wait until Sayu is ready to talk. That's pretty much it.
I don't see much of an alternative, and the story beating him up about this feels forced, disingenuous and somewhat ridiculous.

 

[agustD]

Another post-coitus NTR doujin chapter...