Imasara desu ga, Osananajimi wo Suki ni Natte Shimaimashita - Ch. 26.5 - My Happy Date ("Wholesome" Version)

[story645]

Do you mean chapter 26.5, chapter 30 or both?

In 30, Yuu suggests an intimate version of the fireworks date - the one at the internet cafe. That's when Aya says he's wrong/misunderstanding her & talks about how she'd go anywhere with him and lists outdoor activities in crowded places.

It would've been a parallel if Hikari did watch fireworks with him.

But as you pointed out, what Aya is picturing is the walking around at the festival part. And that's the part that Aya says Yuu's wrong, she'd walk around in a crowd for him.

she feels guilty that such a kind and honest person has to lie for her sake.

That's the thing though, he doesn't. There's nothing about Yuu's relationship with Aya that dictates that he has to lie to his parents about its very existence. I wish it was translated in English already, but in 26.6 his plan had been to go home (so no reason to lie about being on a date) but then he calls to make up an excuse to stay out later and is telling his parents that the "friend" he was w/ got sick. Yuu is making a very clear choice here to hide Aya's existence from his parents, and yeah being honest with them would likely alleviate some of her guilt.

And that's when Yuu would be able to introduce her to his parents - when she stops making a bad impression on everyone, like what Haru and Yuki say about her in 32.

What they say there is that she was still making a terrible impression and they would have never been her friend and Hikari just didn't care and made friends with her anyway. Yuu could have done that too. Nothing was stopping him from trying to do the things Aya is putting on hold b/c she thinks she doesn't deserve them until she becomes "normal". ETA: The reason I bring up this parallel is b/c when Aya meets Hikari, she's still mired in "I don't deserve nice things" (This life we're living... it's supposed to be a punishment. If I start feeling comfortable in it, then what's the point?) guilt b/c Aya moved the goalposts from her parents divorce to her mother's loneliness. Which is what Yuzuka is picking up on w/ Aya's "person like me".

this relationship is portrayed in a negative way because it doesn't follow the rules of a conventionally good manga couple"

Aya desires normal and her conceptualization of normal is the conventional - shopping/dates/festivals.

I think the relationship in this manga is portrayed in a negative way b/c Aya thinks of her behavior as putting on a character, is disappointed that Yuu can't read her mind, and thinks she doesn't measure up to Yuu's "dream girl". Because Aya is going through a really harsh and traumatic period in her life and puts up all the walls instead of seeking support from her partner, when Aya's been shown to share deeply personal things w/ folks she trusts - wanting to be in class w/ Hikari the following year (which Hikari then supports), her feelings for Yuu w/ Yazuka. Because Yuu is written as the type of eager earnest good boy who wouldn't intentionally keep his girlfriend a secret and keeping Aya a secret reinforces Aya's feelings of inadequacy. Because Aya is still resentful a year after she ended the relationship - most people aren't yelling at an ex they were truly happy with, especially if the relationship really ended due to circumstances.

Yuu's level of commitment (this is not about the seriousness of relationship, but it's related).

This feels almost pedantic - Aya feels Yuu isn't as serious about the relationship as she is because he's not as committed and that he's not as committed because he's not as serious. Some folks seem to delineate it as commitment = action and seriousness= intent & then sure that's basically what I've been arguing about Yuu not "reaching out his hand".

 

[GennArc]

In 30, Yuu suggests an intimate version of the fireworks date - the one at the internet cafe. That's when Aya says he's wrong/misunderstanding her & talks about how she'd go anywhere with him and lists outdoor activities in crowded places.

The one we've been discussing though is Yami is rejecting his intimate date suggestion - the one that suggests he does know her - by saying that she'd do the first crowded public one.

Okay, now I got it.
She is not rejecting his intimate suggestion at all (that's why I didn't get what you were trying to say at first), she is saying that those words

[ Yuu: The fireworks festival is tomorrow. Got any plans? ]
[ Yuu: I mean, you probably hate crowds, so... we could watch it on the TV at a net café or something. ]

mean that he is having the same misconception as before. He thinks there are some activities she wouldn't do with him or that she might get bored if they are just staying cooped up in a manga cafe. But the most important thing to her is just being with him, the setting doesn't matter. Remember that the first time she went "He doesn't get it" right after he invited her out, supposing that she might not enjoy spending the whole date in that manga cafe.

There's nothing about Yuu's relationship with Aya that dictates that he has to lie to his parents about its very existence. I wish it was translated in English already, but in 26.6 his plan had been to go home (so no reason to lie about being on a date) but then he calls to make up an excuse to stay out later and is telling his parents that the "friend" he was w/ got sick. Yuu is making a very clear choice here to hide Aya's existence from his parents, and yeah being honest with them would likely alleviate some of her guilt.

I mean, there certainly is a lot to hide and lie about - it started with him lying to his mother after the exam, it involves a lot of love hotels and teen sex. Even 26.6 starts with her suggesting the hotel. That's why her words make it clear that she's feeling guilty towards Yuu first and foremost.
On another note, I feel awkward reminding EijiRin about 26.6 since I've been bothering him/her a lot already. And it's Christmas time anyway, everyone probably has better things to do.

What they say there is that she was still making a terrible impression and they would have never been her friend and Hikari just didn't care and made friends with her anyway. Yuu could have done that too. Nothing was stopping him from trying to do the things Aya is putting on hold b/c she thinks she doesn't deserve them until she becomes "normal".

1. It's not like she was planning to break up with Yuu or like she knew her mother would attempt suicide. That was just her idea on how to become more like a normal person, little did she know how badly it would go.
2. Hikari isn't really risking anything by trying to befriend her. Yuu would risk everything, since there is a significant chance his parents would disapprove of their relationship.
3. For introducing her to parents, both Yuu and Yami need to agree to do it. And I'd assume there's no way Yami would've agreed to it. You will probably say that Yuu didn't even propose it, and I will say that her attitude could've made it obvious she wasn't ready for it.

Aya desires normal and her conceptualization of normal is the conventional - shopping/dates/festivals.

She wants to be Yuu's normal girlfriend, but she doesn't desire shopping and festivals, she is saying she's okay with anything as long as it's with him.

I think the relationship in this manga is portrayed in a negative way b/c Aya thinks of her behavior as putting on a character, is disappointed that Yuu can't read her mind, and thinks she doesn't measure up to Yuu's "dream girl". Because Aya is going through a really harsh and traumatic period in her life and puts up all the walls instead of seeking support from her partner, when Aya's been shown to share deeply personal things w/ folks she trusts - wanting to be in class w/ Hikari the following year (which Hikari then supports), her feelings for Yuu w/ Yazuka. Because Yuu is written as the type of eager earnest good boy who wouldn't intentionally keep his girlfriend a secret and keeping Aya a secret reinforces Aya's feelings of inadequacy.

Yeah, I'm totally fine with points like this and I can see why you think this way, even though I mostly disagree. What I want to avoid is judging it by comparing with other manga.

most people aren't yelling at an ex they were truly happy with, especially if the relationship really ended due to circumstances.

Let's be honest, this situation is far from ordinary, most people break up "normally".

This feels almost pedantic - Aya feels Yuu isn't as serious about the relationship as she is because he's not as committed and that he's not as committed because he's not as serious. Some folks seem to delineate it as commitment = action and seriousness= intent & then sure that's basically what I've been arguing about Yuu not "reaching out his hand".

Maybe I just got confused by the word "casual". For me, a "casual relationship" means something you can let go of easily. Like, "we tried dating, it didn't work out", this kind of thing. And it wasn't the case here.
As for the "commitment vs seriousness" thing, I mostly agree with orange (although I'd say commitment isn't just action but also how important the relationship is to you), but I think Yuu was quite serious about their relationship (as in viewing it as "love", not just "dating", staying with her forever etc.), just wasn't treating it as something so important that everything else pales in comparison.