Chapter 25 summary:

Risako and Uta’s conversation... goes nowhere. Like many people have guessed, it’s confirmed here that Risako is Reiichi’s ex. Nothing about the cheating gets revealed, and their small talk is cut short by Uta, who says she needs to prepare for her move. Some unimportant farewell party takes place and then at the end, as Uta says goodbye to Kaoru. the latter subconsciously reaches out and holds Uta back, but Uta pulls herself out of Kaoru’s grasp and leaves.

If the cheating is real then it's way worse if it's with his ex. Can you precise me one thing. It's a goodbye or a farewell ? Because a simple goodbye mean she stillwant to see her whereas a farewell mean she stick to her words and don't want to see Kaoru anymore. Also with your summary, it's just (again) a empty chapter. Nothing happen beside Kaoru being on the verge to make a big mistake.

Whaddya know, actually airing things out with your SO in good faith might not be a bad thing to try in a relationship?

Never been on a relationship so i can't relate.

last edited at Jul 25, 2019 3:34PM

Chapter 25 summary:

Risako and Uta’s conversation... goes nowhere. Like many people have guessed, it’s confirmed here that Risako is Reiichi’s ex. Nothing about the cheating gets revealed, and their small talk is cut short by Uta, who says she needs to prepare for her move. Some unimportant farewell party takes place and then at the end, as Uta says goodbye to Kaoru. the latter subconsciously reaches out and holds Uta back, but Uta pulls herself out of Kaoru’s grasp and leaves.

Yikes. I'm admittedly impatient, but I'm really getting tired of how long it's taking for some of this setup to actually pay off. Seriously, the cheating thing has been around for more than half of the existing chapters, I'd at least like to see that get resolved. I feel like this stuff is really straddling the line between legit build up and just delaying the resolution.

Whaddya know, actually airing things out with your SO in good faith might not be a bad thing to try in a relationship?

Never been on a relationship so i can't relate.

Holds for most varieties of human relationships you know. If something's bothering you about the whole thing it's generally far healthier to try and talk to the other party about it and look for a solution than bottle it in and let it fester.

How capable the people involved are of taking that step, and/or receptive to it, ofc varies... which in context is no doubt another point of the contrast.

last edited at Jul 25, 2019 3:45PM

Chapter 25 summary:

Risako and Uta’s conversation... goes nowhere. Like many people have guessed, it’s confirmed here that Risako is Reiichi’s ex. Nothing about the cheating gets revealed, and their small talk is cut short by Uta, who says she needs to prepare for her move. Some unimportant farewell party takes place and then at the end, as Uta says goodbye to Kaoru. the latter subconsciously reaches out and holds Uta back, but Uta pulls herself out of Kaoru’s grasp and leaves.

If the cheating is real then it's way worse if it's with his ex. Can you precise me one thing. It's a goodbye or a farewell ? Because a simple goodbye mean she stillwant to see her whereas a farewell mean she stick to her words and don't want to see Kaoru anymore. Also with your summary, it's just (again) a empty chapter. Nothing happen beside Kaoru being on the verge to make a big mistake.

Well it does seem empty but at least it might lead this to a good ending, which could be either Uta and Kaoru get together (very improbable) or Uta moves on and finds someone else

Although after Uta moves out I'm scared to see what will happen to Kaoru

That "Trump Tower will crumble" translation though.
For clarifcation, the proper context is likely that Uta is building a tower out of playing cards (ie. trumps) and the constant vibrations from Kuro's text notifications are threatening to knock it over.

Thank you for the explanation. Although I also like the thought of Donald Trump's towers crumbling.

Uta doesn't tell Kaoru about the ex? Seriously? -_-.

last edited at Jul 25, 2019 4:19PM

Well it does seem empty but at least it might lead this to a good ending

Define how Kaoru getting alone and depressed can be a good ending.

Although after Uta moves out I'm scared to see what will happen to Kaoru

I may repeat myself but the attempt suicide road is still possible.

Uta moves on and finds someone else

She leave someone she love but hurt her in a not really mean way to go to someone she don't really appreciate and will probably hurt her more. Did i'm really an utopist to wish a Kaoru/Uta ending ?

Uta moves on and finds someone else

She leave someone she love but hurt her in a not really mean way to go to someone she don't really appreciate and will probably hurt her more. Did i'm really an utopist to wish a Kaoru/Uta ending ?

Sadly moving on is just how life goes sometimes

Uta moves on and finds someone else

She leave someone she love but hurt her in a not really mean way to go to someone she don't really appreciate and will probably hurt her more. Did i'm really an utopist to wish a Kaoru/Uta ending ?

Sadly moving on is just how life goes sometimes

I'm sorry but this page alone tell me Uta is not really over it. She may have said so but to me it's what she want to believe. I don't think that the news of Kaoru being left alone (aka Reiichi's (hypothecial for the moment)cheating) will not trigger her. I refuse to believe we will end on Kaoru accepting a pity marriage with a ccheating husband and Uta stop caring about Kaoru anymore.

Uta still love Kaoru and i'm pretty she will comeback as soon as she know Kaoru is in trouble with nobody to really help her. Unless tmnr pull the biggest twist and Reiichi doesn't cheat (which i don't believe), i can't bring myself to the Kaoru moving on and Reiichi/Kaoru living happily.

Although after Uta moves out I'm scared to see what will happen to Kaoru

I may repeat myself but the attempt suicide road is still possible.

You do, yes, and I'd say you've watched too many bad soap operas.

Although after Uta moves out I'm scared to see what will happen to Kaoru

I may repeat myself but the attempt suicide road is still possible.

You do, yes, and I'd say you've watched too many bad soap operas.

I never watch any soap operas. Why does that sound impossible given the circumstances ? She can't be much more at ground zero right now.

Although after Uta moves out I'm scared to see what will happen to Kaoru

I may repeat myself but the attempt suicide road is still possible.

You do, yes, and I'd say you've watched too many bad soap operas.

If only this had the energy of a bad soap opera.

(Although the perfectly-timed fall followed by plot-convenient temporary amnesia and the confrontation-interrupting phone call are worthy of the cheesiest telenovela.)

I never watch any soap operas. Why does that sound impossible given the circumstances ? She can't be much more at ground zero right now.

As I already told you, before a psychotic breakdown or development of a depression that leads to suicidal thoughts you actually would get any hint at all. Especially in fiction were every emotion and action is exaggerared. If Kaoru had these tendencies we would already have been clued in by the time she suspected Reiichi of cheating.
Kaoru's mental scape as we have seen is one of an escapist, not someone who self-harms.

That is why it sounds at the very least extremely unlikely (if not impossible, because nothing is technically impossible).

last edited at Jul 25, 2019 5:37PM

Then what ? We let Kaoru being delusional and alone and nothing more. Right nowi don't see why Uta will go back even if she learn the cheating. I know you're not a fan of the KaorUta but unless tmnr said "lol reiichi not cheating lol, got'em" i can't see a good ending for Kaoru at all.

I think jumping to suicide is a huge leap.

No pun intended, I hope.

I hope you won't punish me if it was intended.

Execution for punning is justified.

I think jumping to suicide is a huge leap.

No pun intended, I hope.

I hope you won't punish me if it was intended.

Execution for punning is justified.

You've just punctuated your view. I'll claim non-intent then.

This whole thing is worth reading for Kuro and Miyabi alone, they are really fun, almost to a fault-- seriously, it's making me care alot less about the MC

I never watch any soap operas. Why does that sound impossible given the circumstances ? She can't be much more at ground zero right now.

As I already told you, before a psychotic breakdown or development of a depression that leads to suicidal thoughts you actually would get any hint at all. Especially in fiction were every emotion and action is exaggerared. If Kaoru had these tendencies we would already have been clued in by the time she suspected Reiichi of cheating.
Kaoru's mental scape as we have seen is one of an escapist, not someone who self-harms.

BugDevil, I totally agree with you that any major plot or character development in (competent) fiction (and suicide certainly would be one of those) almost always is foreshadowed or has its groundwork laid earlier in the story so that such eventualities, whatever they may be, seem like natural outgrowths of the story rather than like authorial asspulls.

My main complaint with this one has been that its focus, especially in the structuring of events and the presentation (or more usually, withholding) of information, seems quite muddled, with various elements pointing in any of several mutually exclusive directions.

So what signals do you think this text is clearly sending about what outcomes in terms of plot or character are in the category of “probable/highly likely”?

So what signals do you think this text is clearly sending about what outcomes in terms of plot or character are in the category of “probable/highly likely”?

I cannot predict an outcome, but I can at least sieve out unlikely scenarios. There is of course nothing speaking against the possibility that after severe shock (perhaps of a stressful confrontation with Reiichi + his ex) Kaoru might break down mentally in unexpected ways...

As I've repeatedly said, I can't really see a happy ending for this story, but I can at least say that this story has not been awfully going off the rails. Most of the conflict comes from miscommunication or complete lack thereof. So when characters are forced to communicate the resolution is usually in the sane spectrum. Case in point Kaoru rejecting Uta clearly and Uta accepting it (as opposed to what you would generally expect from this type of story).

It is likely that Reiichi cheated, because it is implied he only broke up with his ex because Kaoru needed him. It is hard to ignore your previous love if it never actually ended.
It is likely that Uta will have a change of heart and try to support Kaoru again. She has been strongly focused on becoming independant, but in the end this is not about her independance, but the mental health of the one she loves. Her conflict with her mom is unavoidable too. In the end I guess it will be a situation where they support each other for healing.
It is likely that even if Kaoru confronts Reiichi he will not try to divorce her or leave her. Whether Kaoru will be able to still cope is a different matter. Pretty much the only way they could break up is by Kaoru's own decision.

Oh and Kuroe will grow to love Miyabi and eventually understand it too. That's probably the only outcome I can predict lol

Pretty much the only way they could break up is by Kaoru's own decision.

That's the developpement she need. Story will go nowhere if Kaoru decide to accept this situation like she is in right now. The problem right now is who gonna beat some sense into her : Uta don't want to see her and Reiichi have done nothing beside cheating. Maybe Kuroe will be piss off and step in. She give me Masturi vibes so i can kinda feel it like it.

Pretty much the only way they could break up is by Kaoru's own decision.

That's the developpement she need. Story will go nowhere if Kaoru decide to accept this situation like she is in right now. The problem right now is who gonna beat some sense into her : Uta don't want to see her and Reiichi have done nothing beside cheating. Maybe Kuroe will be piss off and step in. She give me Masturi vibes so i can kinda feel it like it.

Usually I'd prefer the outcome where the spouses make up and find new trust in each other... but this does feel much like a loveless marriage. At least one without strong romantic love. And understanding that will just make everyone feel miserable.

Kuroe has no involvement nor interest in the family situation aside from finding Uta's struggles amusing.

Thanks, BD, and that helps me clarify some of my own impatience with this story. Most of your very reasonable premises and scenarios revolve around Kaoru’s state of mind and her possible actions/reactions, and that to me is a pretty accurate distillation of what the the series has set up so far.

But Kaoru as a character has yet to prove to me that she’s actually worth all this caretaking; I have a much greater readerly interest in Uta’s growth and well-being than in Kaoru’s, who seems to me to have been pretty immature, in denial, and conflict-avoidant, not to mention emotionally needy and self-centered.

(Sure, every human being is, in the abstract, worthwhile and deserving of saving from suffering, and in the abstract I have a fair amount sympathy for Kaoru and her struggles. But the story itself has not done a sufficient job of making the case for her as the central character.)

i mean i came to this manga for uta and whatever but kuro is a cute ass bitch i ain't mad

Wow after months of silence this thread is alive again. For what reasons, I do not know lol It seems impossible to catch up now

last edited at Jul 25, 2019 9:52PM

^ This is an extremely weird take on personal responsibility—Uta is doing what by most reasonable standards she should have done long ago: taking herself out of an emotionally painful, no-win situation and trying to move on with her life.

Rather than “running away” from a problem that she has the power to resolve, Uta is making a mature choice—one that is considerably more mature than many of the choices made by the supposed “adults” in the story.

Having confessed and been rejected, Uta has no responsibility to ensure that “Kaoru will be ok.” If anyone has that responsibility, it’s her husband—lol.

Dont make me disagree with you...
While Lilliwyt's claim of Uta "running away" is weirdly put, I think you are also looking at the situation too one-sidedly. Accepting the rejection and trying to get herself out of the emotionally painful situation are obviously the mature and optimal choices, but the way Uta goes about it is not. Running towards her monster-mom will hurt her more. Abandoning Kaoru will hurt her as well.

This is very unlike you to say things like "She doesnt owe her lol". First of all whether Kaoru rejects her feelings or not, they are family and Uta deeply cares about Kaoru. Her brother and Kaoru have been taking care of her for a long time and pretending that she would have no sense of responsibility for them is straight up callous.

She got rejected, she needs to erase this girl from her contacts and move on lol

Wow after months of silence this thread is alive again. For what reasons, I do not know lol It seems impossible to catch up now

Just bitching over angsty manga because there is no so much fluff today.