All true, and yet I would argue that Yuu has a fair amount of growing up to do as well. Being someone who "always does what anyone asks" is not an entirely positive thing. Maybe it's that seeing herself that way, as she does, allows her to deflect ownership of her own decisions and then lament that other people aren't being "fair." Even before she meets Touko she claims that she was "manipulated" by her homeroom teacher into checking out the student council when he simply made a suggestion, to which she had responded with some interest (a fact which she then admits).

Yet another thing that keeps me, as a reader, a bit off balance with this story is that we can't always trust Yuu's inner thoughts. It's extremely common in yuri manga to have scenes where characters aren't being forthright about something, then as they walk away or in the next scene we hear what they're really thinking; those thoughts are usually presented as the real deal. But, especially in the earlier sections, Yuu often will think things that we can tell aren't true, at least not completely. She'll say things like, "I'm just being soft-hearted," or "anyone would have done what I did," or "she's not being fair," when we can see that she's not exactly lying, but is basically spinning her own decisions to herself.

So I think there's some blooming to be done (and in fact is well under way) from Yuu's end as well as Touko's.

I agree about Yuu also being the one going through the growing process as well. She has been the character that receives the most developments thus far. Going from someone who is completely indecisive & just goes along w/ whatever is asked of her to someone with clear determination & resolve to help her loved one even if it means putting their current relationship on the line. Her growth in the romance department is also significant. She's learning more and more about what falling in love actually means compares to the initial idealization she has of it. This is why I'm more subscribed to the first interpretation of the title than the 2nd one since the coming-of-age theme can be applied to both Yuu & Touko & not just Touko.

Yuu's inner thoughts are good example of unreliable narration (Touko's thoughts, too, I may add). I think it's well done since as you said, they're not lies, they're her actual thoughts & perfectly show just how confused/stubborn she was about her own feelings in the beginning. Thanks to these conflicting thoughts (& all the wonderful visual storytelling & parallels throughout this series), we get to see just how much Yuu grows as a character. It's been a ride watching her grow & hope we'll get to see more of Touko's growth too, eventually.

I read the whole story more than once and saying Yuu at the beginning was a girl who just "does what everyone ask her to do" is not entirely right. She is a kind girl, no doubt about it, but she's not a total selfless soul who would put any person's desires over her own.

Someone refresh my memory, but I haven't see Yuu doing exactly this. She read Koyomi's novel mainly because she is her friend and also she enjoys reading. She joined softball club because Natsuki is her friend too, and while it wasn't stated, I think Yuu was curious and interested about that sport, but obviously not passionate at all, something that Natsuki even pointed (she did not even care whether they won or lost a match, while her teammates cried). But Yuu still remained a regular because it's a character trait that when she decides to do something she'll work hard and take her job seriously even if she doesn't care about the tasks she is doing.

My point is, Yuu can agree to do things other ask for her, but if it something she doesn't like at all she won't do it. The reason why Yuu agrees is out of kindness and also out of a lack of interests of her own. Touko is the example of this.

Yuu's relationship with her was complex before she fell for her. She refused to be her election manager because she hates being in front of people. Touko basically forced her to do it since she insisted too much and then Sayaka asked her too which made Yuu finally agree. She also refused to do the play and even tried to stop it from happening. But everyone else in the student council wanted to do it, even Maki who was not excited about it told her it was something Sayaka and Touko have planned to do for a long time. At the end, Yuu was kind of forced again to accept (that is, until chapter ten, she agreed to do the play then because she wanted to keep her relationship with Touko and to support her).

So I would call Yuu "someone who agrees to do tasks she doesn't mind when is asked to do them". That fits her better since she has a strong personality and will speak against what she doesn't want to do.

The one only thing she doesn't speak against is regarding Touko asking her not to fall for her. At least not directly, but she complains about it in her thoughts like during chapter 18, or to her friend in chapter 19. She can't speak against it directly to Touko because she doesn't want to lose her relationship. Even her changing the play is a indirect and subtle way of helping her, instead of confront her directly. Although I do agree doing that is a risk Yuu is taking, but she has the determination to make her plan work, she's a stubborn girl.

last edited at Jul 29, 2017 9:38PM

I like how Yuu kept taking Youko's hand in this chapter ^^

I'm actually quite hopeful that things will end up well between Yuu and Touko - it's the part where Touko says, even if everything else about herself was fake, her love for Yuu is her own that makes me hopeful. Combined with all the imagery of Yuu holding her hand and taking the lead, I'm really hoping that it means Touko's love for Yuu and Yuu's efforts to help her will lead to Touko "finding herself" and accepting Yuu's love for her too.

The very last part about how this can't go on forever did throw me off a bit but it arguably could still go both ways. There would have to be a change if Touko learns to accept herself, but it could be a good change. I feel like Yuu is underestimating the strength of Touko's feelings for her vis-a-vis Touko's sense of self-identity, especially since Touko has recognised that these feelings are entirely her own.

And so, I hope.

@Scarlet128 Good analysis on Yuu there & I agree.

This chap kinda brought a question to my mind, but how do you guys think Yuu will react when she confesses? Or how do you think her confession will play out if it happens?

last edited at Jul 30, 2017 12:50AM

@Scarlet128 Good analysis on Yuu there & I agree.

This chap kinda brought a question to my mind, but how do you guys think Yuu will react when she confesses? Or how do you think her confession will play out if it happens?

Yuu has been quite cute regarding Touko during volume 4 and now 5.
Despite Yuu keeping her cool around Touko or complaining about her, one of her sweetest scenes was when she was happily talking to Touko on the phone. Just think about it, she could show her feelings (and even admit she is nervous around her) because Touko wasn't watching her, just listening to her voice which sounded like Yuu was indifferent to her. Chapter 19 showed Yuu wanted to talk to Touko, yet when they see each other again in chapter 20 Yuu acts cool and says it's only been 10 days with a serious face.
She was also really sweet in chapter 13 until Touko scared her. And chapter 22 and 24 are the best so far, Yuu is expressing her feelings more. Makes me curious how Yuu would act towards Touko if she was allowed to fall in love like a normal person. The scenes I mentioned suggest she would be a sweet girlfriend. So I think her confessing after coming to terms with her feelings and Touko resolving her issues would be a cute moment, like some very sweet confession, but not extremely sugarish like some shoujo manga. That is, if she is the one who confesses first, maybe Touko could do it (properly this time) so Yuu would just say she loves her back. But still I think it will be a sweet scene.

I'm more looking forward to the moment she finally admits she is in love tho. I'm sure she'll cry, I mean Nakatani didn't make the whole scene where Natsuki compares Touko and softball for nothing. Or if she doesn't cry at least she could break down, but seeing how Yuu is happy right now and also working hard on the play makes me doubt this idea a bit. Touko would have to do something big that'll cause Yuu to break down and admit her feelings I guess.

last edited at Jul 30, 2017 1:23AM

I just love Yuu T.T

sound of drop ~ fall into poison flashbacks

I want to contribute to this conversation, but I'm really just sitting here hoping for the best for both Touko and Yuu. Hopefully they can find long term love together. Regardless of their inner monologues or how they view one another's actions, it is obvious that they do care for one another.

And am I the only one who noticed how much Yuu smiled and laughed this chapter? Especially when you compare her attitude to pretty much all the other chapters.

For anyone who likes visiting places from anime and manga, I'm 95% sure that's the aquarium near Shinagawa Station, Tokyo that is known for its dolphin shows.

last edited at Sep 3, 2018 2:49AM

The scenes I mentioned suggest she would be a sweet girlfriend.

Yes.

So I think her confessing after coming to terms with her feelings and Touko resolving her issues would be a cute moment, like some very sweet confession, but not extremely sugarish like some shoujo manga. That is, if she is the one who confesses first, maybe Touko could do it (properly this time) so Yuu would just say she loves her back. But still I think it will be a sweet scene.

She's definitely not gonna get all embarrassed & blush like mad, I don't think. I imagine something slightly casual but really tender & heartwarming. Like maybe during a conversation where Touko is trying to apologize for what she has put Yuu through, Yuu accepts her apology & with a similar gentle expression she made in ch 13, she'll confess. That is, if her confession happens after Touko has gotten her problem somewhat sorted out (as in she's fine with Yuu reciprocating then).

I'm more looking forward to the moment she finally admits she is in love tho. I'm sure she'll cry, I mean Nakatani didn't make the whole scene where Natsuki compares Touko and softball for nothing. Or if she doesn't cry at least she could break down, but seeing how Yuu is happy right now and also working hard on the play makes me doubt this idea a bit. Touko would have to do something big that'll cause Yuu to break down and admit her feelings I guess.

There's a part of me thinking there's a possibility that Yuu might slip & accidentally confess before Touko is ready to accept her feelings. & yeah, Touko would have to do something big to trigger the pent up frustration in Yuu (maybe Touko finds out about the revised script & strongly rejects it) & cause her to breakdown, slip out the confession, & possibly cry (ch 19 definitely suggests that this'll happen).

And am I the only one who noticed how much Yuu smiled and laughed this chapter? Especially when you compare her attitude to pretty much all the other chapters.

Don't worry, lots of ppl noticed it. You're not alone. She has definitely loosen up & is now more comfortable around Touko. Another reason why she's so happy is probably because she really loves the aquarium, it seems. I was talking to a friend the other day about the possibility of Yuu being really into animals in general. Nakatani always draws her to be very comfortable & excited around them, such as w/ frog, doge, birb, & now the entire aquarium. It's just a fun speculation, nothing to confirm it. But if it's true, 10k+ best girl points to Yuu.

^
She knows the flapjack octopus exists. I think that's a big hint already.

^
She knows the flapjack octopus exists. I think that's a big hint already.

Yeah this. It's very nice detail she decided to bring Touko to a place she really enjoys instead of going to more generic places like say movies or so on

last edited at Jul 30, 2017 1:33PM

I reckon if they were to start living together, they'd own a cat (Touko is a cat lover, obv) & a dog or several of them.

^
She knows the flapjack octopus exists. I think that's a big hint already.

Not only that, she was shocked that Touko didn't. She's an aficionado of this stuff, clearly.

There's a part of me thinking there's a possibility that Yuu might slip & accidentally confess before Touko is ready to accept her feelings. & yeah, Touko would have to do something big to trigger the pent up frustration in Yuu (maybe Touko finds out about the revised script & strongly rejects it) & cause her to breakdown, slip out the confession, & possibly cry (ch 19 definitely suggests that this'll happen).

Yeah like I mentioned I'm curious about the build up that'll make Yuu admits her feelings finally. It can be done in many ways really. Like you said Touko could do something to break her and admit her feelings (to herself, I'm sure she won't inmediately confess after admitting it). Or it could be in a natural way, I mean she openly said to herself things like she wants to call Touko by her name, became frustrated about Touko being unfair, admitted she is flustered around her and said she wanted to touch her during the camp, so after Touko develops a normal view about love Yuu could just say to herself in a kind of casual way she is in love instead of having a huge breakdown/big realisation moment. Or it could be due to Sayaka making her really jealous by doing something (I wouldn't like this one very much bc cliches, but I wouldn't strongly hate it either). Or other ways Nakatani could come up with, we'll see. All I know it'll be be something big for readers :b

last edited at Jul 30, 2017 2:03PM

Geez. Too light and fluffy to last. That was quite a lead weight at the end. Hopefully, the ominous feeling that leaving note generated is largely due to the stark contrast with the dominant of the chapter. :?

I feel like this whole chapter was meant to be a "final confirmation" of sorts for Yuu. Remember, in Chapter 22, her narration/text box gets cut off when she yells out, "You jerk!" to Touko at the train station. And that text box said, "How can you say you hate something I lo--" The fact that it's cut off acts as a hint that Yuu is still somewhat in denial about her feelings. So, this date was really for Yuu to fully determine if what she feels for Touko is actually love, and I think by the end of it, she finally comes to terms with it and accepts her feelings.

And the ending just confirms it further and it jumpstarts Yuu's resolve to stop this dysfunctional, unequal relationship. Perhaps I'm looking too much into it, but I took it as a sort of allegory of what Yuu's plan is. Touko is still asleep, and Yuu thinks how she "wouldn't mind letting her keep sleeping," but once she notices that they have to change trains, she wakes Touko up. The trains represent their relationship and how it is going towards a destination, but the first one will only lead them to someplace that they shouldn't be going to. Yuu not minding Touko to keep sleeping is her remaining inner desire to keep their relationship as is because that's what the status quo between them is now. But after a moment, Yuu realizes that she cannot let that continue (this is also further enforced by the last caption, "This can't go on forever"), and that they have to change trains in order to get to the destination they're supposed to go to. So she wakes Touko up so that they can head to the right train and destination together.

This chapter is Yuu finally accepting her feelings for Touko and, by accepting her feelings, understanding that she's at the point of no return now, and she'll have to make Touko understand just how unhealthy and unfair their relationship is so that they can have a happier, more equal relationship.

And it's going to be immensely, IMMENSELY difficult to ensure the plan succeeds.

last edited at Jul 30, 2017 10:38PM

This chapter is Yuu finally accepting her feelings for Touko and, by accepting her feelings, understanding that she's at the point of no return now, and she'll have to make Touko understand just how unhealthy and unfair their relationship is so that they can have a happier, more equal relationship.

And it's going to be immensely, IMMENSELY difficult to ensure the plan succeeds.

I agree--I think Yuu is right on the verge of admitting her feelings to herself, and since we know that she always takes a long time to decide something but then commits wholeheartedly once she does, it won't be long before she articulates her feelings to others (although perhaps not to Youko first).

That's why I think the play is so important--something needs to break up Touko's emotional logjam, and we've already seen that the play hits her deeply. It's fairly clear that the changed ending, with Yuu playing a much more central role, will probably be the occasion for a fundamental change in Touko. As you suggest, cleaning up the emotional debris afterwards probably won't be very easy, though.

Perhaps I'm looking too much into it

Nah, you're pretty spot on about the train scene. The only thing that is still questionable is whether this new direction that they're taking will be one where they'll end up together or one that will bring their (romantic) relationship to an end. I'm with you on the happy ending train though. Let's just hope we won't get wrecked.

Not really relevant but I wanted to pinpoint that in that train scene Yuu is thinking "It's not bad if she stays asleep like this". That's the more literal translation, 4s added some lines and while the meaning is the same, the literal translation could give a different feeling just a bit.

I like reading everyone's comments on here. Lot of stuff I wouldn't've thought of on my own.

I think it's pretty clear that Touko sleeping on the train is symbolic of her false life, trying to emulate her image of her sister's perfect life she never got to live, with Yuu thinking that, their relationship, as it stands, isn't that bad. They're able to have fun. She is able to hide her true feelings, for now. She entices her into kissing her on occasion to satisfy her own needs at this point without Touko realizing that it is actually Yuu's desires that are being sated as much as her own, because Yuu has gotten pretty tricky like that.

But, at the same time, Yuu knows that this can't continue much longer... Either her feelings will overflow and, in her view, ruin everything; something will happen to further disillusion Touko about her sister's life and throw her into disarray and she proved to her earlier that Yuu isn't the first person she is likely to turn to, which Yuu doesn't want to happen; or the play will finish and Touko will have completed her task, so to speak, and entirely lose direction in life and Yuu will need to try to pick up the pieces once the ideal of her sister isn't there as a goal anymore.

The question is which one comes first...

Not really relevant but I wanted to pinpoint that in that train scene Yuu is thinking "It's not bad if she stays asleep like this". That's the more literal translation, 4s added some lines and while the meaning is the same, the literal translation could give a different feeling just a bit.

Even that quote sounds like it could be taken with a double meaning. It could be interpreted as Yuu thinking that she's fine with letting Touko continue sleeping--to continue shutting herself off from reality (and perhaps live in her dreams?). It represents the last shreds of her inner desire to let Touko continue her toxic fantasies because that is what is normal between them.

But, at the same time, Yuu knows that this can't continue much longer... Either her feelings will overflow and, in her view, ruin everything; something will happen to further disillusion Touko about her sister's life and throw her into disarray and she proved to her earlier that Yuu isn't the first person she is likely to turn to, which Yuu doesn't want to happen; or the play will finish and Touko will have completed her task, so to speak, and entirely lose direction in life and Yuu will need to try to pick up the pieces once the ideal of her sister isn't there as a goal anymore.

The question is which one comes first...

I dunno, dude, but either way, I'm on the edge of my seat. I think we're actually approaching the climax now, and I'm a little nervous because I think, at this point, it can go any way.

last edited at Jul 31, 2017 10:21PM

I reckon if they were to start living together, they'd own a cat (Touko is a cat lover, obv) & a dog or several of them.

Decided to make a fanart out of this.