In this case, the author has clearly been telling one story, and shows no real signs of suddenly swerving to tell a different one, especially one that makes a complete thematic hash of everything that has gone before.

I guess... what do you feel the story is about thematically? Because I may be a bit sarcastic but I'm not expecting an asspull.

Touko ending up with Sayaka runs contrary to basically all of the manga's built up structure and themes so far. If Nakatani-sensei wanted this to be about Touko and Sayaka ending up together, she could have started the story with their meeting and brought Yuu in as a side rival character. If she wanted it to be a love triangle with an open question at the end, she could have spent the first few issues setting up the triangle, but she didn't. She set up Touko x Yuu and -then- introduced Sayaka as a rival side character with an unrequited love.

I appreciate your optimism as far as your preferred pairing but there's not really a hard and fast rule to how a triangle has to either begin or play out. That's why they're not for the faint of heart, especially when they're well crafted.

This isn't optimism, this is an objective assessment of the structure of the story. Yes, there's no hard and fast rule to how a triangle has to begin or play out, but a well crafted love triangle story puts emphasis on the dillemma. Will they pick this person or that person? The story is built so that it is ambiguous.

This story has not set that up. It started with Yuu and Touko meeting and Touko realizing she could fall in love with Yuu. Sayaka was presented as "just a friend" for nine chapters. That's almost two full volumes before she was even outed as a rival, and she was never shown as having an actual chance with Touko within the narrative before now. Even now, the last thing we heard from Touko's inner dialogue was literally about how much she misses Yuu and still cares about her. I think people are getting sidetracked by how smooth Sayaka's confession was, which, to be fair, is the point. And that's the core of it. Sayaka's confession has come up as an obstacle in the larger narrative. It's supposed to make us apprehensive about what Touko will do.

My loose understanding was that YagaKimi was an exploration of different kinds of love which I think demands Sayaka gets a fair shake. I also sort of want to see Yuu evolve because I think she needs to be something more as a character than simply the catalyst for Touko to "change". And for the record, I do still expect a Yuu X Touko ending. Just not Touko performing a grand romantic gesture or something like that anytime soon.

The central question of the series has been described by the author as an answer to the question "What is love?" Not an exploration of different kinds of love, but a single response to the question. If one wanted to explore different kinds of love, I imagine it would focus more on different kinds of relationships, familial, romantic, platonic, different kinds of romance, different kinds of relationships and sexualities, but that isn't this series. This series is primarily about two characters trying to figure out what love means to -them- in the context of their central relationship. That's how it's clearly structured.

last edited at Jan 5, 2019 8:31PM

Japan definitely has an uncomfortably high suicide rate, but my point is that the imagery and symbols involved don't say "suicide" to a japanese audience like they do to a western audience. Suicides in japan happen overwhelmingly by hanging, self-electrocution, slitting wrists, or by jumping off bridges or buildings. Nobody jumps in front of trains. I've never even seen that on any of the statistical lists. Trains are an every day fact of life in pretty much every corner of society, but nobody associates them with suicide, because Japanese culture is also interminably polite, and jumping in front of a train would inconvenience others.

the Obon imagery is also culturally important and so things like graveyards or incense don't have the same kind of assumption of morbidity that they have for people who live in the US.

I bet if you asked Nakatani, she'd be surprised anybody read it that way.

There were actually jumped in front of trains. Maybe it’s not the usual, but there were. There still news about it in various newspaper or online. I remembered my senior told us while we’re waiting for train, in regular days (if there’s no natural disaster) there’s 2 reasons why trains in Japan get late: either there’s someone suicide or for some technical problem. I don’t think it’s true but there’s possibility. Though the rate fell down from the past 10yrs by providing safety barricades like auto gates in platform. I read that Tokyo planning to put all the train stations with auto gates for future safety but it might take too long coz it’s sure cost a lot.

So it won’t be a surprise that readers thought Touko “might” do it or has a thought ending her life through it.

last edited at Jan 5, 2019 8:08PM

There were actually jumped in front of trains. Maybe it’s not the usual, but there were. There still news about it in various newspaper or online. Though the rate fell down from the past 10yrs by providing safety barricades like auto gates in platform. I read that Tokyo planning to put all the train stations with auto gates for future safety but it might take too long coz it’s sure cost a lot.

So it won’t be a surprise that readers thought Touko “might” do it or has a thought ending her life through it.

You're missing my point. Yeah, I'm sure there are people who have jumped in front of trains to end their lives in japan. It isn't -common-, and it isn't an association that most japanese people would leap to.

There were actually jumped in front of trains. Maybe it’s not the usual, but there were. There still news about it in various newspaper or online. Though the rate fell down from the past 10yrs by providing safety barricades like auto gates in platform. I read that Tokyo planning to put all the train stations with auto gates for future safety but it might take too long coz it’s sure cost a lot.

So it won’t be a surprise that readers thought Touko “might” do it or has a thought ending her life through it.

You're missing my point. Yeah, I'm sure there are people who have jumped in front of trains to end their lives in japan. It isn't -common-, and it isn't an association that most japanese people would leap to.

Oh, sorry if i’m missing your point. I was just commenting at your words “nobody jumps in front of trains.”

Oh, sorry if i’m missing your point. I was just commenting at your words “nobody jumps in front of trains.”

Yeah, I didn't mean literally no one, I meant statistically, the number of people doing that to kill themselves is vanishingly small. Sorry if I wasn't clear enough.

last edited at Jan 5, 2019 8:39PM

This isn't optimism, this is an objective assessment of the structure of the story. Yes, but a well crafted love triangle story puts emphasis on the dillemma.

But... the "dilemma" could just as easily start now, particularly with Touko and Yuu broken up. It makes Sayaka look better for holding back until they were no longer an item, too.

I think people are getting sidetracked by how smooth Sayaka's confession was, which, to be fair, is the point. And that's the core of it. Sayaka's confession has come up as an obstacle in the larger narrative. It's supposed to make us apprehensive about what Touko will do.

...an "obstacle" how? Or for who? You're making the point that there are stakes but at the same time no stakes. Its kind of confusing.

What exactly do you (and others) see coming out of Sayaka's story? Because there have been volumes of build up to this confession, and now to have her exit stage left and not show up again until the spinoff seems like bad form. And expecting her to have a role in helping Touko and Yuu get back together is probably worse. I don't need a cuckquean Sayaka in my life. Set the girl free or something.

The central question of the series has been described by the author as an answer to the question "What is love?" Not an exploration of different kinds of love, but a single response to the question. ...... This series is primarily about two characters trying to figure out what love means to -them- in the context of their central relationship. That's how it's clearly structured.

Except Sayaka's existence in the story basically contradicts that. You're not even asking the question if you're intent on skirting around her or dismissing her outright.

Let me get you started -- Which "love" is more true; Touko's heart on her sleeve but "don't love me back" towards Yuu, Yuu's self(ish(less)) wanting (to help) Touko to change, or Sayaka's loving "everything" about Touko from afar while she waits? Do all of them or does any of them deserve something in this situation?

All this ^ Finally someone I agree with. It all depends on how much story there is left. Sure if it ends in a few more chapters, it must be YuuxTouko, but if the story is long, the introduction of the 3rd-wheeler Sayaka might in fact be because there are 3 protagonists in the story. I mean Sayaka is given an outrageous amount of attention for a 3rd wheeler.

last edited at Jan 5, 2019 9:35PM

I mean Sayaka is given an outrageous amount of attention for a 3rd wheeler.

But not for a 3rd-wheeler breakout character given a focus arc as a pilot for her own spinoff.

^^Nakatani said the manga is ending soon, so not a chance of Touko/Sayaka happening. Volume 7 has 2 chapters left, so I am pretty sure volume 8 will be the last, which is still not enough time to build up a love triangle with Sayaka as a serious contender. My bet is , she will be rejected, and then in volume 8 we will get another chapter focused on her, maybe receiving some advice from Miyako, which will help her move on and give her closure as a character and to her story arc.
However, I do see Sayaka as a tritagonist given the amount of focus on her in the whole story, and it would be sad if she ended up single in the end (unless Nakatani introduces a last minute new girlfriend after a timeskip in the last chapter or such, but it would feel a bit asspulled given the amount of chapters left). Ultimately , I do think Nakatani will have her be happy in the end, single or not.
I do suspect her light novel will get a third volume (second one is confirmed to be about her first year of high school) that will focus on her college life where she will meet her endgame girlfriend. At least, that's what I hope for since she is one of my favorite characters in yagakimi.

last edited at Jan 5, 2019 10:16PM

This isn't optimism, this is an objective assessment of the structure of the story. Yes, but a well crafted love triangle story puts emphasis on the dillemma.

But... the "dilemma" could just as easily start now, particularly with Touko and Yuu broken up. It makes Sayaka look better for holding back until they were no longer an item, too.

The dilemma starting now would be a terrible structural mistake. What you are describing is a complete narrative flip 6 volumes into what is probably an 8 volume series, according to hints that have been dropped by the author.

Sayaka took -two- volumes- to even become a rival. Two volumes! That's 9 chapters of Yuu and Touko being the sole protagonists of this story. If the plan was always to have a balanced love triangle where things could go either way, that's an -awful- decision, because it makes the story unsatisfying for everybody.

Also, Sayaka doesn't look better or worse. She doesn't KNOW they were an item. She suspected that there were some feelings between them, but she has no idea that they were going out, she doesn't know they "broke up". She chose this moment because she sees Touko changing, and she thinks that bodes well for her, but she doesn't know enough about the landscape to realize what she's doing right now.

I think people are getting sidetracked by how smooth Sayaka's confession was, which, to be fair, is the point. And that's the core of it. Sayaka's confession has come up as an obstacle in the larger narrative. It's supposed to make us apprehensive about what Touko will do.

...an "obstacle" how? Or for who? You're making the point that there are stakes but at the same time no stakes. Its kind of confusing.

What are you even talking about? I never said there are no stakes, I said that Sayaka winning in the end is unlikely because it doesn't fit the narrative. There are still stakes -within- the narrative, the end result just isn't difficult to predict, because the author has spent five full volumes so far setting it up.

Introduction->Rising Action->Climax->Resolution.

We are at the climax. We spent five volumes setting up the conflict. Yuu and Touko are in love, but their struggles with understanding what it means to love another person have gotten in the way of them being happy together. Now they've hit a crisis point. They're broken up, All is lost, we worry for their futures. We are approaching the moment of truth, when they either overcome or fall to the source of the conflict. If they do the former, it's a happy story. If they don't, it's a tragedy.

Fuck, just google "story structure" and save me from having to explain it again.

What exactly do you (and others) see coming out of Sayaka's story? Because there have been volumes of build up to this confession, and now to have her exit stage left and not show up again until the spinoff seems like bad form. And expecting her to have a role in helping Touko and Yuu get back together is probably worse. I don't need a cuckquean Sayaka in my life. Set the girl free or something.

Sayaka's role in -this- story is a tragic one. She doesn't get the girl. There's somebody like that in -most- romances, I don't know why you seem so incredulous about this. "Volumes of buildup"? She wasn't outed as a rival until the end of volume 2, and since then, we've had...6? 7? chapters that were Sayaka-focused. Yuu and Touko are literally on the cover of -every volume-, and most every chapter, /including half the ones about Sayaka/ were about their relationship. You want to talk about buildup to a confession.

Yes, Sayaka is a great character, excellently realized. All three of them are. I want to be clear, I don't have a dog in this fight in terms of the characters. Sayaka and Touko would be easily as adorable together as Yuu and Touko are. If the series had started with their meeting, and we'd had two volumes of Sayaka trying to subtly help Touko through her problems before the interloper Yuu showed up and stole Touko's heart, I'd be saying that Sayaka and Touko are end game.

If Sayaka and Yuu had been introduced as love interests in the first couple of chapters, and the three of them were depicted on all the covers with Touko in the middle of every image, I'd say it's up for grabs.

We don't have that manga. That isn't the series Nakatani decided to write. She decided to tell a story that starts with Yuu and Touko meeting, entering an unconventional relationship, and falling in love with each other, with occasional diversions to side characters, including Sayaka.

As great as she is, this is not Sayaka's story. Hell, I can almost guarantee you a significant part of why we're -getting- a spinoff is because Nakatani wanted to make sure Sayaka got to shine somewhere.

The central question of the series has been described by the author as an answer to the question "What is love?" Not an exploration of different kinds of love, but a single response to the question. ...... This series is primarily about two characters trying to figure out what love means to -them- in the context of their central relationship. That's how it's clearly structured.

Except Sayaka's existence in the story basically contradicts that. You're not even asking the question if you're intent on skirting around her or dismissing her outright.

How does her presence contradict that? She is consistently conveyed as a tragic character outside of the main relationship. She gets exactly the ammount of screen/page time that you would expect to be allotted to an important side character.

Let me get you started -- Which "love" is more true; Touko's heart on her sleeve but "don't love me back" towards Yuu, Yuu's self(ish(less)) wanting (to help) Touko to change, or Sayaka's loving "everything" about Touko from afar while she waits? Do all of them or does any of them deserve something in this situation?

That has literally nothing to do with anything, because they're fictional characters. They exist to serve the narrative. It doesn't matter what any of them would deserve as individuals, it matters what. serves. the story. A romance that spends 5 volumes basically exclusively devoted to the development of a particular relationship then swerves suddenly to change to an entirely different relationship for the last two (with one providing the transition) is badly structured. That's it.

This isn't Sayaka's story. It's Yuu and Touko's. That is objectively evident by literally every piece of secondary art, merchandise, the advertising, and most importantly, the structure of the story that we have been shown.

last edited at Jan 6, 2019 1:35AM

All this ^ Finally someone I agree with. It all depends on how much story there is left. Sure if it ends in a few more chapters, it must be YuuxTouko, but if the story is long, the introduction of the 3rd-wheeler Sayaka might in fact be because there are 3 protagonists in the story. I mean Sayaka is given an outrageous amount of attention for a 3rd wheeler.

https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch01 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch02 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch03#3 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch04 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch05 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_toranoana_extra Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch06#2 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch07#2 StuCo! Centered on Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch08 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch09 Yuu. Chapter about is Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_interlude_before_daybreak Sayaka's first chapter! ...which was an interlude. Literally a side chapter.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch10#2 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch11 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch12 Sayaka!
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_special_her_sisters_perspective Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch13 Yuu! Chapter is about Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch14 Yuu and Sayaka!
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch15#4 The three girls!, Chapter is about Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch16 Yuu and Touko's hands probably.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_special_3 Sayaka! Another side chapter.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch17 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch18#4 Yuu. Chapter is yeah you guessed it.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch19 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch20#3 Yuu again. this is the first chapter that really feels like it's -about- the love triangle, by the way.

...

(promo blurbs are about Yuu and Touko.)

https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch21 Title shot of the trio! If they'd all been like this, there might be an argument.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch22#4 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_special_4 Have a volume cover with the trio, chapter is mostly about Miyako and Riko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch23 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch24 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch25 Koyomi!
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch26 Yuu.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch27 Touko. (Guess what's next?)
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch28 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_special_5 Yuu! Side chapter about her thinking about Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch29 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch30 Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch31#2 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch32 Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch33 Yuu and...Rei! Cute sisters cooking together!
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch34#3 Yuu.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_special_6 Riko! Side chapter about Riko and Miyako's past.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch35#2 Yuu and Touko.
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch36 It only took us thirty six chapters to get our second Sayaka focused cover page!
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/bloom_into_you_ch37#3 Touko and Sayaka! This is literally the first cover page focused on them as a pair.

These are just the chapter cover pages (or first pages on the special chapters, which don't have cover pages) But I think it illustrates my point pretty well.

Also most of the volume covers and virtually all of the external promotional images are about Yuu and Touko being gay together. Sayaka has a whopping five title pages, two of which are of the three girls together, two of which are her by herself, and only one of which pairs her with Touko. (Edit: Oh, forgot about the one of Yuu and Sayaka, and the one with StuCo all together.)

Edit again: Man, I don't know why I don't proofread before I send these things. Corrected some typos)

last edited at Jan 6, 2019 1:26AM

^
Omg @Heavensrun, idk what to say anymore. That’s a lot of proof. Lol.

last edited at Jan 6, 2019 1:21AM

^
Omg @Heavensrun, idk what to say anymore. That’s a lot of proof. Lol.

I honestly was just going to do a few, but it was kind of fun looking back at the title pages, which I didn't pay that much heed to the first time around, so yeah.

Also MAN the art for this series is SOOO PRETTY.

Not to mention somewhat of a war of words between @HayaH and @BugDevil, although, from what I saw, @HayaH was the one doing the war for the most part, while @BugDevil didn't really give a shit about it for the most part.
@HayaH
@BugDevil
Correct me if I was wrong in that part I redacted.

Yeah if you stopped mentioning it, maybe it would not be mentioned anymore. Then the not to mention part would be more accurate.
Basically, I don't care about that stuff.

^ Missed ya, Heavensrun. Missed you a whole fucking lot . . .

Not sure if sarcasms. <_<

Not in the least—I’ve been trying put out multiple interpretive brushfires with a spray bottle, and you brought the firehose.

Except for misspelling “Akari” (who I can only remember as “nice goofy het girl”), I don’t disagree with a word.

You sure are giving Heavensrun a lot of credit for things that were already said before in here. And another person repeating it won't stop the people who are dead set on those interpretations. lol
It's crazy that your attempts were "too subtle" for certain people.

Also MAN the art for this series is SOOO PRETTY.

Damn right. I can't believe someone said the manga's art looks flat and uninspired.
Well the anime does give the backgrounds more live, but in general YagaKimi has very good character work and facial expressions.

last edited at Jan 6, 2019 1:49AM

Oh, also,

I don't need a cuckquean Sayaka in my life. Set the girl free or something.

Nevermind that the term "cuck" is only used unironically by assholes who think girlfriends are possessions, you're also using it wrong.

Not getting the girl is not the same thing as being "cucked".

Also MAN the art for this series is SOOO PRETTY.

Damn right. I can't believe someone said the manga's art looks flat and uninspired.
Well the anime does give the backgrounds more live, but in general YagaKimi has very good character work and facial expressions.

I think, if you’re new to Nakatani’s art, you’ll feel different, but once it combined to the story and it’s emotional impact, the art became like a masterpiece. Nakatani’s art surely talk and make the readers truly enagaged to it. In short, Nakatani is simply superb. Besides the facial expressions (which my fave literally is Yuu’s expression. It’s just priceless). By the way, I really love the way she drew the hair.

last edited at Jan 6, 2019 2:36AM

I think, if you’re new to Nakatani’s art, you’ll feel different, but once it combined to the story and it’s emotional impact, the art became like a masterpiece. Nakatani’s art surely talk and make the readers truly enagaged to it. In short, Nakatani is simply superb. Besides the facial expressions (which my fave literally is Yuu’s expression. It’s just priceless). By the way, I really love the way she drew the hair.

I can see that happening. Although I liked the artstyle from the first chapter I read.
I guess what it boils down to is subtlety. So many Shoujo artists try to overcompensate with big exaggerated emotions to convey something that can also be done with much more refinement. One troubled look from Yuu > 100 pages of girls blushing beyond the borders of their face and having eyes sparkle like the Andromeda galaxy.

Now that you mention it, Nakatani does put a lot of focus on hair (which reflects in Yuu's attraction to Touko's silky perfection of a hairstyle).

Let me get you started -- Which "love" is more true; Touko's heart on her sleeve but "don't love me back" towards Yuu, Yuu's self(ish(less)) wanting (to help) Touko to change, or Sayaka's loving "everything" about Touko from afar while she waits? Do all of them or does any of them deserve something in this situation?

That has literally nothing to do with anything, because they're fictional characters. They exist to serve the narrative. It doesn't matter what any of them would deserve as individuals, it matters what. serves. the story. A romance that spends 5 volumes basically exclusively devoted to the development of a particular relationship then swerves suddenly to change to an entirely different relationship for the last two (with one providing the transition) is badly structured. That's it.

This isn't Sayaka's story. It's Yuu and Touko's. That is objectively evident by literally every piece of secondary art, merchandise, the advertising, and most importantly, the structure of the story that we have been shown.

This. Plus the fact loving someone does not entitle that person to anything. Not a single one of them "deserves" something in this situation, that entire question is basically nonsensical. If Touko is not into Sayaka, and I am struggling to remember what would indicate otherwise, then that is that.

Anyone who values their time at all should skip this post. For those who don't… boredom sure is scary.

Alright, as mentioned before I’ve been thinking about how to make Sayaka x Yuu viable. It’s a daunting task, but not impossible. First of all we have to realize that there are two main paths that one could take for this ship:
Option 1: Sayaka x Yuu with Touko around.
Option 2: Sayaka x Yuu without Touko.
Both are viable, but Option 1 is horrible and offensive to my pure heart, so let’s go for Option 2. Let’s say for whatever reason Touko didn’t go to the same school or maybe her sister never died so she didn’t need to follow in her footsteps. Doesn’t really matter.

Now we have three main plot threads that need to be explored:
Plot 1: Yuu dealing with her old classmate’s confession.
Plot 2: The differing character constellations without Touko around.
Plot 3: Sayaka being trapped in her “I’m never going to be interested in girls again” mentality. Calling it a phase essentially.

In this set-up there is no reason for either Yuu or Sayaka to be in the student council. Touko was their main motivator (even if Yuu was ultimately convinced because a teacher told her to). Sayaka will thus focus on her studies and be a model student, while Yuu is undecided and not really into any of the clubs.
Sayaka only realized and accepted that she was a lesbian after she fell in love with Touko on first sight, but without that push she would not have gotten out of that rut. So no Touko = no realization.

The foundation for this love story is the same as with Touko essentially, but with a twist. Without Touko around, Yuu lacks the courage to call the boy who confessed to her. She keeps him waiting. This leads to him getting impatient enough to actually come to her school to confront her directly. This happens after school when he “ambushes” her (not aggressively). Sayaka happens to be in the area and is involuntarily forced to listen to their conversation.

Yuu is cornered and can’t really express her feelings well, so she ends up saying something along the lines of “Your confession didn’t excite me. I can’t feel anything for you.” Then he asks whether she is interested in some other boy or if she just dislikes him, to which Yuu responds that she didn’t have an interest in any boys until now. This is essential as the trigger for Sayaka’s interest in Yuu. She suspects that Yuu might be a lesbian or confused about her sexuality, which resonates with her. The boy accepts Yuu’s rejection and wishes her well, but this messy way to end it leaves Yuu distraught.

So Sayaka keeps an eye on Yuu from the background, but is not trying to approach her. Naturally. Nothing happens until Yuu gets into trouble because of the exams. She needs to study, but there is nobody around who can really help her (Koyomi is a bad explainer, Akari is an airhead and Maki is in the student council). Yuu ends up staying at the library a lot where, surprise of all surprises, Sayaka also hangs out (she is the studious type after all). One thing leads to another and Yuu ends up getting tutored by Sayaka (because she is a top student and Sayaka already has an interest in Yuu as established).

Both of them aren’t in any clubs and have way too much free time outside of studying. They go to WacDonalds and talk about this and that (rich girls' school image etc). Eventually Sayaka admits that she saw Yuu’s rejection. From here it gets a bit messy…

Because Sayaka denies her interest in girls, but also obviously has none in boys (repressed lesbian), she ends up in a kind of similar boat as Yuu. Even though she doesn’t think of it like that, she essentially can’t fall in love with anyone either (self-enforced however, unlike Yuu). Yuu is obviously interested in someone who is like her and is relieved that it’s not weird to be unable to love, but Sayaka tries to dissuade her from such a rash decision.
From here on they are acting more familiar, with Yuu dropping a lot of her overly polite attitude and Sayaka being more open about her disgruntled side. Take off for the snarky friends train!

Aaaaand that’s as far as I got with the basics. The rest doesn’t really matter, it could go anywhere, but this is what you can do with what we were already given. Some way or another they might end up together in this scenario. Call it a weak foundation.

Bonus ideas:
-Sayaka coincidentally meets Touko at a train station and is enamored, which shakes up her hardened self-denial. But because they aren’t at the same school or know each other she can’t follow up on those stirred emotions. Yuu notices this and gets involved.
-Sayaka likes reading, so she visits Yuu’s family book store.
-Akari gets heartbroken after Baske-senpai reveals the truth, but because Doujima ain't around (busy in the student council), Yuu is forced to comfort her on her own. Asks Sayaka for advice?

That’s it. I sure wish this site had collapsible spoilers. If this should be deleted just say the word.

How about: Yuu is adorable. Sayaka likes girls. Sayaka corners Yuu in the equipment shed. Hijinks ensue.

How about: Yuu is adorable. Sayaka likes girls. Sayaka corners Yuu in the equipment shed. Hijinks ensue.

See, this is why I'm a terrible writer. Your version makes so much more sense.
Getting quite some use out of that equipment shed, aren't ya?

How about: Yuu is adorable. Sayaka likes girls. Sayaka corners Yuu in the equipment shed. Hijinks ensue.

See, this is why I'm a terrible writer. Your version makes so much more sense.
Getting quite some use out of that equipment shed, aren't ya?

Heh... the equipment shed seems to run deep in the thoughts of everyone in the fanbase. For a place that (to my memory) was only shown twice, it sure is mentioned more often than expected among the readers and viewers.

What happens in the equipment shed . . .happens again later in your room.

Wait, that doesn’t quite have the right ring to it, does it?

Heh... the equipment shed seems to run deep in the thoughts of everyone in the fanbase. For a place that (to my memory) was only shown twice, it sure is mentioned more often than expected among the readers and viewers.

Might as well call it the make-out shed at this point. Blastaar in particular has been oddly focused on it for a while tho.

What happens in the equipment shed . . .happens again later in your room.

Wait, that doesn’t quite have the right ring to it, does it?

Like storing equipment?