@practicallyuseful Eh, knowing Jiho and reading the novel, his change definitely comes off as endearing rather than shallow or selfish.
Anyway. Man, some of you are too hard on him. The webtoon didn't mention it but the same scene in the novel has Jiho saying he didn't want to make things awkward between them and ruin their friendship so he rescinded his confession. Yes, he kind of sabotaged himself, but with Dani's bizarre reply, do you really think her mindset was going to change if he doubled down on his confession? She was terrified because she knew Jiho was being sincere. Dani's so entrenched in her mindset of the world being a novel that she truly believed she was going to be cannon fodder for Jiho's backstory because in her mind, Jiho is the male lead and meant to be with Yeoryeong - any girl before that is just a checkpoint on the way to the endgame in her eyes. Dani's reply is hilariously ridiculous but it was honestly kind of insensitive because she didn't think about Jiho's feelings at all. She only thought of herself in that situation - not that I blame her - but she really hurt him. Even rejection would've been kinder to him. He's just stuck in limbo as it is now.
Changing gears, I like how the webtoon added Jiho's inner monologue at the very beginning - that's something we didn't get in the novel. From what we've been shown, Dani easily (and uneventfully) got along with Eunhyung and Jooin at the beginning, and we got the whole bit about how Chunyoung befriended her not long after that as well even though he seemed cold at first.
But we have absolutely no idea how Jiho became friends with Dani - he's the only one who's a complete mystery at this point. Something significant had to have happened to change Jiho's mind about not getting close to Dani. His inner monologue sounds so solemn and empty. He was so sure he'd never have to or want to be close to her but now? He has to try so hard just to chip away at the iron walls she's put up. The angst, man. The angst.
Gotta say though, it's funny how Chunyoung approached Dani because she had no interest in him (or the others), but Jiho, noticing the same thing (even saying she looked at them like characters on a TV screen...), saw that as a reason to not get close to her. He even sounded like he looked down on her. He was such an ice king back then so what the hell did Dani do to change his mind? I want their friendship origin story! Preferably in Jiho's perspective!
From what he says here, and what Dani says a little later on in the novel, it's implied that Jiho changed the way he spoke because Dani was so stiff interacting with him before and she'd always push him away (she still kind of does, just not as much as before). That's why Jiho went the route of joking with her - so Dani could feel more comfortable talking to him and look at her now, she's ruthless with him. But she's also more honest with him and confides in him about certain things rather than the others (like how she fought with Chunyoung, or asking Jiho to act like strangers in high school - she was never able to ask the others but she was able to ask him). But Jiho never asks Dani for anything in return, least of all reciprocate his feelings. He's almost desperate just to be a little closer with her.
Anyway. Man, some of you are too hard on him. The webtoon didn't mention it but the same scene in the novel has Jiho saying he didn't want to make things awkward between them and ruin their friendship so he rescinded his confession. Yes, he kind of sabotaged himself, but with Dani's bizarre reply, do you really think her mindset was going to change if he doubled down on his confession? She was terrified because she knew Jiho was being sincere. Dani's so entrenched in her mindset of the world being a novel that she truly believed she was going to be cannon fodder for Jiho's backstory because in her mind, Jiho is the male lead and meant to be with Yeoryeong - any girl before that is just a checkpoint on the way to the endgame in her eyes. Dani's reply is hilariously ridiculous but it was honestly kind of insensitive because she didn't think about Jiho's feelings at all. She only thought of herself in that situation - not that I blame her - but she really hurt him. Even rejection would've been kinder to him. He's just stuck in limbo as it is now.
Changing gears, I like how the webtoon added Jiho's inner monologue at the very beginning - that's something we didn't get in the novel. From what we've been shown, Dani easily (and uneventfully) got along with Eunhyung and Jooin at the beginning, and we got the whole bit about how Chunyoung befriended her not long after that as well even though he seemed cold at first.
But we have absolutely no idea how Jiho became friends with Dani - he's the only one who's a complete mystery at this point. Something significant had to have happened to change Jiho's mind about not getting close to Dani. His inner monologue sounds so solemn and empty. He was so sure he'd never have to or want to be close to her but now? He has to try so hard just to chip away at the iron walls she's put up. The angst, man. The angst.
Gotta say though, it's funny how Chunyoung approached Dani because she had no interest in him (or the others), but Jiho, noticing the same thing (even saying she looked at them like characters on a TV screen...), saw that as a reason to not get close to her. He even sounded like he looked down on her. He was such an ice king back then so what the hell did Dani do to change his mind? I want their friendship origin story! Preferably in Jiho's perspective!
