When I Returned to My Hometown, My Childhood Friend was Broken - Ch. 31

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THEY DID WHAT?
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WHO ARE THEY?
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
 
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If you're the kind of person that doesn't go outside or talk to family a lot: old people are like this and they will definitely talk about sensitive topics with this much grace. It happens. Touma was already obviously a better person than the vast majority of people, but him not doing something, let's say, dramatic in response to some astonishing callousness about rape is almost worth canonizing him. I've seen 60+ year old dudes get socked in the jaw for less than this.
 
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Oh fuck. We got the confirmation I feared. I just thought it might have been self-loathing for being too long with the wrong crowd. I hope when this is further explored, it's done tastefully without undermining the topic at hand either
Considering how the author has handled other heavy topics on their other series, I don't think there's a need for worry. Though this is the heaviest so far.
 
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Was hoping it wasn't gonna be this (in spite of the author) but thems the breaks I suppose. Also what is up with all these weirdos moral grandstanding about people hoping the known smut drawing author draws the rape scene? Like do you not know whose work you are reading or something
 
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The fact that even the old people from her neighborhood even know her situation...and even talking about it without worries... that's kinda fucked up.
 
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Damn, it's either not making it at college or THIS, and we all knew it. I was hoping for the former being the lesser bad thing that could've happened to her, but yeah...

That effing old lady lol. It's kinda understandable that she might have assumed that he already knows with them being that far into their relationship. But saying "if something gets broken part"... WHEW. Dunno if any old Asian old ladies would be that blunt or something, they'll usually have more tact with the exception of people they hate, and I don't think she hates Kyouko or something. TBH, I'm finding it a little bit on the nose from the author, but eh, the impact of Kyoukou's reveal still hurts us so it's fine.
 
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Considering how some in society (across generations and cultures) view sexual assault victims, justice, and mental health, I'm not surprised by the old lady in this chapter and some of the comments here. While I don't condone some opinions, I also understand that some people's viewpoints are colored by whether they think other people are inherently good or bad. Too long of a discussion to get into here.

Part of why I enjoy reading Zyugoya's comics is because they focus on the recovery after some traumatic event. Starting a new life after an awful (abusive?) marriage leading to divorce. Sexual assault leading to isolation, but then a reunion. The bad thing in the past which unfairly affects your reputation, so you don't want others to know about it. The anxiety, the fear, the shame. Worry that Touma might be the type of person that might abandon or, worse, use their trauma against them. Because trust can be such a fragile thing. Or when others don't accept a part of us, we blame ourselves for not being some way or fitting into some box. Just as we start climbing out of this hole and we're in danger of falling back down. While grasping at the little bits of hope that come along the way. Somehow Zyugoya has been able to capture this sense of underlying uneasiness since the beginning.

I also think a lot of the anger we feel is because it was Kyouko's secret to tell Touma on her own timeline, and not to hear it from a gossipy neighbor, even if there was no malicious intent (at some level, the old lady seems to be concerned and care for Kyouko). Nonetheless, the old husband's realization that Touma might be hearing this for the first time is telling of this too.
 
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