While objectively this author really messes up with the script, character development, and pacing, he does really new and clever things in this manga that I'm afraid may be copied in the future.
First, let me say that after reading this entirely (+raws) to the actual ending, I can tell you right now, this is not a romcom. this is not a romance. This was not haphazardly written. This was a preplanned intentional emotional NTR targeting the immersed romantic reader, so very cleverly disguised, that most readers are in denial that they just got ntr'ed.
most ntr's do very badly in sales. because ntr's are simply the opposite of romantic, and most people look to romcoms for romance (blooming and maturity of genuine love between main characters in spite of obstacles). The minute readers see ntr, you easily lose 90% of your reader base. They dont bother reading to the end. NTR is simply not satisfying entertainment.
So, as an author, how do you keep the veiwer reading every page to the end of your ntr? Simple. you lie to them. You promise them that inexplicably, everything will end in a romantically positive way for the main characters, just the way they like it.
For the record, ch 36 was not the end of the manga, Neither was it an alternate reality. Technically, ot never happened. The wedding between the MC and YJK only happened in the MC's mind (confirmed at the very end). The characters never come back together. The MC is cucked verbally, emotionally, and sexually and all the while he is visually miserable right to the very end, and cries many times over the loss of YJK including at the YJK's wedding to the new ikemen playboy boyfriend.
the inexplicable timeskip showing their fake imagined wedding was written for a specific reason. As a lie to keep you reading the emotionally horrific ntr to the the very end, holding on to a false hope. Ikemen playboy having ED is another fakeout to keep the romantic reader engaged and hoping the new relationship would fail as long as they couldnt be intimate. Wrong, the ED is just used as an opportunity to rub the ntr in. There was never any intention to bring them back together, because the goal was to keep the romantic reader's eyes on the ntr.
The first 3rd of the manga establishes a romantic connection between the MC and YJK. While the writing is poor and characters are written to be very flawed and annoying, it succeeds in conveying a deep sworn love between the MC and YJK, making a big deal about both giving each other their first times, swearing eternal love and exchanging rings. MC loses his job happily to stay with YJK. With the reader emotionally invested in thr relationship, the authors trap was set. sloppily, but effectively.
Then suddenly, inexplicably and to every reader's confusion, YJK does a complete 100% emotional dissociation from the MC, nullifying and denying all the relationship and emotion that was built up. And then slowly, painfully, we are forced to watch the YJK and the new playboy boyfriend NTR the MC verbally, emotionally, and sexually.
YJK is not the only one who NTRs the MC. The author ups his pathetic behavior and intentionally shows every member of his love interests moving on emotionally from him and getting on with other guys (even going as far as time skips to show their futures). Even the new gyaru girlfriend GJK (who is a sad carbon copy of YJK) joins in constantly reminding him of how inadequate he is and how she doesn't know why she's with him. And in the entire manga, their romance remains very shallow, and it is made clear at the end that he is not over YJK. When MC and GJK are pushed into an unromantic wedding (peer-pressured by YJK and playboy during their own wedding), GJK reminds him that its ok, if it doesn't work out, she can simply divorce, all the while YJK and ikemen playboy have a visual fairy tale wedding MC has to watch.
I'm not a fan of ntr's. I generally stay away from them same as most people. I really thought this was a romance/romcom, but boy howdy did I get got good. This made me feel worse that many other blatant NTRs I have been unfortunate to see. The betrayal was epic and cleverly disguised. I am o ly glad I read this because I learned that this was possible. Otherwisethis was a potentially flawed but satisfying romance turned into shit.
In conclusion, this is an emotional NTR. If you decide to stop at ch 36, you would be wise, though the chapter is a confirmed dream and nakes absolutely no sense on its own. The actual very last chapter is called author's decision. He knew what he was doing. There are no alternate paths, no character growth, no reconciliation, no MC genuinely healed, or genuinely getting over YJK, or getting back at YJK. After the fakeout on ch 36, its all NTR, all day, as planned. You were warned.
