Funny and nice, but I hope there's some progression in the story later. For now, it's just two lovers getting to know each others.

Love is a battlefield, isn't it?

Thank you for posting the link Trafi! and halmoni, geez, you're just building a legion of followers here haha.

side note on the whole realistic debate: the same thing literally happened to me before. I heard an asshat discussing how he was going to nail a former-friend [he didn't know we knew each other], how he was going to lose his virginity, and where/how he was going to get condoms and high-fiving his friends and all that shite. It was disgusting.

The big difference was that I didn't say anything, like a twit [the only other difference was that he was actually her boyfriend at the time]. At least it seems like No-rae's a much better person than me.

I agree guys are often disguting when they come in group. Groups of girls can be scary too though.

But since I suppose you didn't harbor romantic feelings for said friend, I don't see why you should have been involved. It doesn't make you a bad person to not meddle in someone else's life.

The incident with the ex is believable. It's even the starting point of their lives crossing each other's. I have no qualms about it.

The present "problem" in the story, is that No-rae feels something was not quite the same when she got skinship with Seol-a than when she got skinship with the other guy. So she "retreats" because she's trying to sort out her feelings. That much I understood. So we watch them grow a little apart because of this. That's the current state of affairs. I'm okay with it.

Now, we all know where it's heading : the author has to find a way for them to get close again, with a little bit of drama.

But over-hearing a conversation at the vending machine about precisely the person that's on your mind and what she's doing right now and with who, completely by sheer dumb luck is bit too much for me. It advances the story, okay, but it seems artificial to me.

And I'd rather take the wikipedia definition : a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly and abruptly resolved by the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability or object. Depending on how it is done, it can be intended to move the story forward when the writer has "painted himself into a corner" and sees no other way out, to surprise the audience, to bring the tale to a happy ending, or as a comedic device.

It's not the event in itself I criticize. It's the way No-rae is involved in that event.

Ssamba didn't have to do it that way, in my opinion.

It really is a minor point, but it ticked me off

But, who am I anyway ? The author does what she wants.

Rhetorical statement but...: I don't mean to be rude but... why the hell are you even reading fiction if these are problems you have with a story like this? O_o

I believe I explained myself just above. Just a pet peeve of mine. I didn't say that I hate FF, or that's it's bad fiction. I will keep on reading, because I want to know what follows. And isn't it the sign of a good story if people want to know what comes next ?

It's just that some things interfere, for ME, with the overall experience. Just like some people here frown if there's some het involved (not my case), or some kind of service.

I don't want to be rude to the author or to the people who enjoy her work without reservations. But I don't want to be flamed because of my own preferences.

And I believe this forum is here for exchanging point of views. I have mines and I don't believe in "if you don't like something, shut up about it".

last edited at Apr 6, 2015 6:27AM

I never said I wanted it to take some kind of dark realistic route. This isn't what this story is about, obviously and I don't want it to be another way; it's the story Ssamba is writing and she's the one to set the tone, not me.

But I kind of frown at Deux Ex Machinas. That's one of my pet peeves. External unlikely events or characters that miraculously make the characters "realize their feelings" and advance the plot. It sometimes looks like a trick, because the author doesn't know how to handle the progression of the relationship.

That's why, while I like FF a lot, I prefer "Their Story". The situations are somewhat similar, but Sun Jing takes the matters in hand and never relies on some miracle to make the relationship happen. She works hard to make it happen. That's the level of realism I seek in a good story, not drama, rapes and angst to the max.

Another example : while I loved Sasameki Koto, the Tomoe character threw the thing a little off for me, because she acts like the Deus Ex Machina, revealing the true feelings of Sumika just at the right moment.

It's just a matter of personal preference, that's all. I'll keep on reading FF, of course and like I said, the characters are really lovable.

Overhearing a conversation about what's going on in another part of the town, and it just happens to involve your love interest... Looks like a contrieved plot device to me. Come on, what are the chances?

Welcome, Deus Ex Machina.

If No-rae comes to the rescue before anything bad happens, etc, etc.. that will be even more cliché.

But okay, I can suspend my disbelief, because No-rae and Seol-a are really likable characters.

Didn't get a single word of what was written.

I can vaguely deduce what's going on.

But I sure hope the young guy doesn't do anything.

Though, this manhwa is not dark enough for it to really take that route.

When I read the raws, I can't help but hear the voices of Keiko and Ran, especially when she says she didn't lie about the boyfriend.

• Keiko : "Ha ha ha ha... mada mada !".... "USO DA RO ?"

• Ran : "Uso desu ❤"

• Keiko :" ......"

When you imagine their voices, it makes you smirk...

last edited at Apr 5, 2015 5:33PM

I suppose this http://dynasty-scans.com/images/3355 shows the main cast

There's a couple characters we didn't meet yet...

Next update on April 16. I don't know if I I should wait for it impatiently or dread it now. I know... it's both. Dammit Shou.

D'awww... Morinaga-sensei is the best at cute yuri.

I can't really relate. My country has strong anti-discrimination laws, and we even got same-sex civil marriage, with the exact same benefits than het couples. I won't say it went smoothly, or that everyone agreed to it, because the haters are always louder, but the silent majority couldn't care less if two girls or two guys tie the knot. Surveys shows that people usually think that if two person love each other, they should be able to marry, even if they are the same gender. Whether they can raise/adopt children is a sore issue though. People, even though homosexuality is accepted to some extent, have a really hard time accepting that two women or two men can raise a mentally healthy child just like anyone.

As for comparing Korea and Japan, it was not really my intention. I understand it's quite sensitive, given past history, so I have no right to give my two-cents about something I know next to jack-shit about.

It's the other way around actually. It's Ran that caught the eye of Keiko.

http://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/stretch_ch22_5#4

The author crafted a very complex alchemy between those two.

Ran said she likes people, lolwat.

Yeah, she likes people. If she didn't, she wouldn't study medicine, and she wouldn't work in that bar.

It's the other way around actually. It's Ran that caught the eye of Keiko.

http://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/stretch_ch22_5#4

The author crafted a very complex alchemy between those two.

The ex-boyfriend left on his own (we see him on a picture with his luggage), because Keiko pushed him away after her miscarriage. He just couldn't stand her despair. He still tried to support her. Shows he didn't love her unconditionnaly though. She states that the appartment is too big for her, because boyfriend left.

I can't help but think that in similar circumstances, Ran wouldn't have left and would have weathered the storm of despair >.>

last edited at Apr 2, 2015 4:09PM

So Keiko is in denial of her obvious feelings for Ran, which isn't helped by Ran's often silly behavior. Fine. We get it. It seems to me though that the author doesn't really know how to build their relationship based on this premise. I am getting a bit frustrated by the constant game of "one step forward" and "one step back." SOMETHING has to happen, and Ran getting a boyfriend (or even girlfriend) might just be the trigger.

I beg to disagree. Keiko isn't in denial, because she's not "in love" with Ran. She just needs her very very badly, for her own sanity.

Guess what Keiko has been craving for almost all her life? What her mother never gave her : love. Unquestionning and unconditionnal love, that only a parent usually can provide. Or a child.

"If I can't have something I want, I fill the void with something else". She hasn't changed really : for now, the something else is Ran's love for her.

She can feel it coming to her in waves and she's addicted to it. The honmei choco she got on Valentine's day touched her more deeply than she could say, because it's probably the first time in her life she got genuine honmei choco.

It doesn't mean she's unconsciously head over heels for Ran. I don't rule out a yuri ending, but Keiko still has a long way to go before considering it a valid option. Because she needs to get closure about that lack of love, before being able to give it back.

last edited at Apr 2, 2015 12:54PM

Just a kiss would send all of us run and jump and squeal with joy.

But if it happens, I hope it doesn't happen too soon, because it would probably signal the end of the series.

Btw, bonus points for the "April 1st sunday" (2012). 1 year after Tohoku earthquake. Details are everything here.

last edited at Apr 2, 2015 10:42AM

At this point, I can't picture Keiko or Ran "falling in love" with anyone else. It's a closed road sir. There's just no space between them for a third character anymore. Even the ex-boyfriend, who fucking left Keiko dealing with her issues (he tried, alright, but gave up) is no match for Ran.

Unless the guys are really likable and makes them really happy, if Shou takes the het road, I'll be very sad.

Koreans are avid readers of japanese manga (as are Chinese), that at least I know. They started to make their own (manhwa), and got really good at it. Some probably made the trip back to Japan and got translated there.

FF is full of japanese manga references in the way it's drawn, even if the story and background are unique, so I'm confident the author knows all the tropes of the genre. But the Korean culture additions are a nice exotic touch.

As for how same-sex couples are viewed in the Korean society, I have a hunch it's even more conservative than Japan in that respect, but that the younger generation are more open. Don't quote me on that though.

Oooh backstory looks really good. And the art is to die for. The reflection in the eye of Sun Jing, when she's stalking Qiu tong, is really well done. And at least Sun Jing didn't take ages to realize her feelings or deny them. "Mop head" blanking when she comes out is hilarious. All in all, it's much more light-hearted than FF and quite refreshing

Me likey.

last edited at Apr 2, 2015 7:35AM

Keiko is almost defenseless against her, however hard she tries.

And as always, Ran just doesn't know when to stop.

D'awww, cute... I have awakened the army of Seol-a's supporters. I get walls of text to explain me how wrong I am to not "believe" in Seol-a... （；¬＿¬)

I will gladly admit my ignorance of Korean culture. I'm more familiar with American/European (and to some extent Japanese) culture, so I probably have a skewed take on this.

Jokes aside, latest chapter still adds substance to their relationship. Ran keeps on pushing the envelope and Keiko's more and more flustered by her own reactions. I like how she doesn't really believe that Ran would get a boyfriend. How would she know ? After all, Ran is really attractive

Anyway I have a feeling of impeding doom and drama to come, because this relationship is evolving wayyy too nicely.

last edited at Apr 2, 2015 4:37AM

https://plus.google.com/photos/+DelgerLhamsuren/albums/6132954199510582369

translated

I read that.

Heart skipped a beat.

Shou is a troll.