This talk about kids is very suspicious. Let me guess: now it will actually happen. At the most inconvenient of moments.

Why it's suspiscous ? They are both 36, it's normal to talk about child at their age.

It’s not suspicious in realism terms—36-year-old people do lots of things.

It’s suspicious in narrative terms—why bring it up now unless it’s going to be significant somewhere down the line?

This talk about kids is very suspicious. Let me guess: now it will actually happen. At the most inconvenient of moments.

Why it's suspiscous ? They are both 36, it's normal to talk about child at their age.

It’s not suspicious in realism terms—36-year-old people do lots of things.

It’s suspicious in narrative terms—why bring it up now unless it’s going to be significant somewhere down the line?

But she said they both don't really want to have a kid or at least don't try that hard. Unless they both shifthard, i don't see them having a kid.

It's just classic Chekhov's Gun; come on, basically all stories follow this advise. Unless the author simply brought it up to explain why they don't have children, in case a Japanese readers might feel it strange that a woman in her 30's doesn't have kids, there's no reason to mention them.

But I don't buy that's enough of a reason, so she'll probably accidentally get pregnant; or at least it'll be a major explanation why she got married in the first place, or why she can't be with a woman, or whatever.

I'd be really surprised if this was the only time in the plot kids came up after making such a big deal out of it (talking with the mother-in-law, talking with the husband; and of course also the ex with her kid...)

I took the bit about children as implying that she never really wanted kids. They've been married for who knows how many years now.

Wouldn't be surprised if guy was cheating as well.

Whoo boy, this can't end well.

yeah i thought the kids stuff was more for like, the 'oh, my god, i dont want this comphet' pressure

This talk about kids is very suspicious. Let me guess: now it will actually happen. At the most inconvenient of moments.

Why it's suspiscous ? They are both 36, it's normal to talk about child at their age.

I agree that it's foreboding, but I'm reading it as another plot device that drives the two towards admitting their marriage isn't as deep/genuine as they led each other to believe.

I feel kinda bad but I can relate to ayano and understand why she can do this (maybe? Dont want to assume yet). Is it just me who feels this way?

Well, you know... if you had a kid, there probably wouldn't be any more sleeping until noon on Sunday...

The pressure from the mother-in-law combined with the ex-with-a-kid reminding Akari of past heartache because of her choosing the guy over her will probably cause some issues because I can't imagine that Ayano won't tell Akari about it. She just seems like the type who will be open about things like that, which will make Akari worry that she's going to get pregnant and re-commit to her marriage.

I also expect that her ex's kid will end up in Ayano's class next year, though I don't know what grade in elementary school Ayano teaches... but the way she was talking with the parents it seemed like an early grade at least.

Did they just talk about wether they like someone else than each other?

It could just be brought up for the fact that having kids at this age is deemed the "typical narrative" to follow in life. Get married to the opposite sex and have kids. Since it was mentioned on both sides it might just be brought up for them to both think about what they want at this time in their life - and how what they want is likely different from the aforementioned.

Gets complicated if with Ayano being married and her partner having wanted kids though. Let alone the fact of Ayano perhaps not wanting that partner anymore RIP

How casually she brought up the possibility of liking Akari to her husband. That being said, she probably feels tension inside. I feel bad for him, he seems like he's actually genuine and serious based on his shock. But I could be projecting

last edited at Jul 11, 2019 1:11PM

Open marriage, that's it. They are allies, without children, not husband and wife.

I can't figure the husband out yet. He seems to be a genuinely nice guy. Maybe not madly in love with his wife, but just feeling comfortable with her around.

That she came out to her husband is a good thing. It shows that she's at least honest with him. Now, how is the triangle going to negotiate that upheaval remains to be seen.

But I think the author is clearly fed up with the duty to marry and have children. That kind of pressure for women is annoying.

I really, really hate questioning translations, but I gotta know.... So, Japanese isn't always as clear on gender as English is. Does she actually reveal the gender of the person she's thinking about here, or is it ambiguous in the original?

I really had so much troubles with those AAA names (Ayako, Asuka, Akira) in 1x 1/2.
And now here, again, Akari, Ayano, I really don't know who is who anymore

I can't figure the husband out yet. He seems to be a genuinely nice guy. Maybe not madly in love with his wife, but just feeling comfortable with her around.

Your first sentence is immediately contradicted by your next two sentences. (⁰͡ ͜ʖ⁰͡ )

Ayano and her husband, Wataru's conversation at the end makes it sound like their marriage is more or less of a marriage of convenience than one of two people in love, and it makes you wonder if she and her husband married for several reasons. namely, neither wanted to be alone. they are both gay and being married takes pressure off of being over-30 singles with respect to friends, family and co-workers. they are really good friends and are faking it until they make it (if romantic love or a family happens, it happens).

So this chapter kind of changes my opinion about Ayano's character. It isn't as harsh as it was in the previous chapter.

Uh, guys? Isnt the implication that they cant really have children because of a fertility issue?

Sounded like they had unprotected sex for a while until they realised they couldnt have children.

And cmon, lol, whenever you show something it doesnt have to be a foreshadowing like chekov's gun. In this case its, imo, obviously a comparison between main girl and Akari's ex, who now has a kid. Its more thematic than anything.

Edit: re-reading the part about the kids, im a bit puzzled. Would like to see the original japanese to understand the context better tbh ;w, the "if we cant, we cant" is my hangup.

last edited at Jul 12, 2019 10:45AM

Uh, guys? Isnt the implication that they cant really have children because of a fertility issue?

That could be it too, and it would up the misery ante since the husband will have stuck with her all these years despite wanting children. (edit: only if it's her infertility and not his, obviously)

Sounded like they had unprotected sex for a while until they realised they couldnt have children.

And cmon, lol, whenever you show something it doesnt have to be a foreshadowing like chekov's gun. In this case its, imo, obviously a comparison between main girl and Akari's ex, who now has a kid. Its more thematic than anything.

IMO having a flashback to a marriage interview moment where the guy brings up children point blank makes it more than thematic.

last edited at Jul 12, 2019 11:13AM

"Funny, right?" So straight laced he shut it down.... missed opportunity for a maybe 3P didnt even let her finish #doesntevenharembro

"Funny, right?" So straight laced he shut it down.... missed opportunity for a maybe 3P didnt even let her finish #doesntevenharembro

Stop.

I really, really hate questioning translations, but I gotta know.... So, Japanese isn't always as clear on gender as English is. Does she actually reveal the gender of the person she's thinking about here, or is it ambiguous in the original?

She does! It's a very bold move on her part but because of how Japanese works, she has to literally say 'she's a woman', basically, so it's not ambiguous at all.

Well, you know... if you had a kid, there probably wouldn't be any more sleeping until noon on Sunday...

I feel like the reader is supposed to judge the dude pretty harshly here, unless this is normal to some degree in Japan. 36 and still sleeping in until noon? Even among me and my other single friends, this behavior died out in our early 20s. I mean, unless you really hit the club. But working a standard day job in a long term relationship? I assume a Japanese readership would find it even more odd

last edited at Jul 14, 2019 3:03AM

If he's working one of their messed up crunch jobs sleeping basically all day on a day off doesn't sound too crazy. When you spent all week working until midnight or so you have to catch up on sleep at some point ^^;