^ 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

Given she will had the balls to do it. I'm sure she still care a little for Kaoru to not erase her contact. Or she stick to her speech to Kuroe and really cut ties.

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...

Like turning into a Raging Lesbian perhaps? lmao

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...

Like turning into a Raging Lesbian perhaps? lmao

Will there be the stench of bitches?

Hmm. I went and re-read the series to try and figure out why the diversions into the Kuro-Miyabi pair don't bother me (besides the fact that I like snarky characters like Kuro by default), and I'd say it's to no small degree because they rather consistently keep making progress as both (fictional) people and as a couple. Contra Uta and Kaoru who tend to spend a lot of time pretty much spinning their wheels without too much actual movement, not particularly helped by the author's tendency to hoard important information (how long will it take before we finally learn what exactly is up with Reiichi and Risako seriously?).

Though I suppose if you wanted to be generous about it you could view that discrepancy as a deliberate thematic juxtaposition; the kids, for all their uncertain fumbling and quirks, are willing to bite the bullet and forge onwards "full speed ahead and Devil take the torpedoes" when push comes to shove whereas the adults (particularly Kaoru) are weighed down by years of various accumulated baggage, unresolved insecurities etcetera and wont to balk or evade instead of confronting things head on...

last edited at Jul 25, 2019 11:38PM

Though I suppose if you wanted to be generous about it you could view that discrepancy as a deliberate thematic juxtaposition; the kids, for all their uncertain fumbling and quirks, are willing to bite the bullet and forge onwards "full speed ahead and Devil take the torpedoes" when push comes to shove whereas the adults (particularly Kaoru) are weighed down by years of various accumulated baggage, unresolved insecurities etcetera and wont to balk or evade instead of confronting things head on...

That’s some “every day is Christmas Day”-level generosity right there.

It feels more to me like switching a TV between two different channels, with one actor (Uta) in both shows, albeit playing a slightly different character.

But you’re right, the Yuri Scooby Gang is much livelier than the show on the other channel.

(Or maybe a really dour and downbeat version of Pee Wee’s Playhouse would be a better parallel . . .)

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...

Like turning into a Raging Lesbian perhaps? lmao

Will there be the stench of bitches?

This made my day. Thank you.

Conservation of narrative happiness. Neko gains, Uta loses.

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.

Well, while the meandering might distract from it sometimes, this is still Uta's story. And Uta is entirely focused on Kaoru. The plot revolves around Kaoru, because she is the center of Uta's world. We are supposed to care, because Uta cares.

My gripe with the story is that while Uta has been agonizing over this a lot, her desire to get away has superseeded her focus on Kaoru, which makes the narrative focus feel disjointed.

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

We aren't talking about your personal life here. :P

My gripe with the story is that while Uta has been agonizing over this a lot, her desire to get away has superseeded her focus on Kaoru, which makes the narrative focus feel disjointed.

Like I said, the story’s sending mixed signals in mutually exclusive directions.

(I really don’t want to see things with Uta’s mom be so horrible that she ends up wanting to go back to her brother’s. I don’t know why of all the hypothetical lame developments that particular one occurred to me. But it did.)

My gripe with the story is that while Uta has been agonizing over this a lot, her desire to get away has superseeded her focus on Kaoru, which makes the narrative focus feel disjointed.

Like I said, the story’s sending mixed signals in mutually exclusive directions.

(I really don’t want to see things with Uta’s mom be so horrible that she ends up wanting to go back to her brother’s. I don’t know why of all the hypothetical lame developments that particular one occurred to me. But it did.)

Huh? I thought that was the obvious way to go? Maybe not exactly with her wanting to go back, but rather Uta toughing it out, but clearly suffering. Then she might learn something from her mother that changes her outlook (if the author does the right thing and humanizes the mother more) or she gets wind of Kaoru's situation and feels compelled to at least talk things out. Then the two can help ease each other's suffering

Alternatively Kaoru finds out that Uta is suffering too much and intervenes. Ultimately she can't do anything for herself, but her protectiveness of Uta should count for something.

My gripe with the story is that while Uta has been agonizing over this a lot, her desire to get away has superseeded her focus on Kaoru, which makes the narrative focus feel disjointed.

Like I said, the story’s sending mixed signals in mutually exclusive directions.

(I really don’t want to see things with Uta’s mom be so horrible that she ends up wanting to go back to her brother’s. I don’t know why of all the hypothetical lame developments that particular one occurred to me. But it did.)

Huh? I thought that was the obvious way to go? Maybe not exactly with her wanting to go back, but rather Uta toughing it out, but clearly suffering. Then she might learn something from her mother that changes her outlook (if the author does the right thing and humanizes the mother more) or she gets wind of Kaoru's situation and feels compelled to at least talk things out. Then the two can help ease each other's suffering

It’s obvious that something will suck about Uta living with her mother—given how her character has been presented, how could it not? But Uta knew this when she made her decision. If the author were to suddenly reverse course and have the mother actually reveal information that mattered somehow, that would be different than Uta just having a sad and missing good old Kaoru because her mom is such a bitch.

Alternatively Kaoru finds out that Uta is suffering too much and intervenes. Ultimately she can't do anything for herself, but her protectiveness of Uta should count for something.

Another complete course reversal by having Kaoru become effectively proactive by like, doing something.

One can always hope.

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

We aren't talking about your personal life here. :P

Ah shit, here we go again.

Another complete course reversal by having Kaoru become effectively proactive by like, doing something.
One can always hope.

But ultimately she had to do something, she can't realistically pull a Mei and does nothing all manga long, waiting for Uta to be her white knight and save her. I want Kaoru to at least confront Reiichi on the cheating.

Alternatively Kaoru finds out that Uta is suffering too much and intervenes. Ultimately she can't do anything for herself, but her protectiveness of Uta should count for something.

Another complete course reversal by having Kaoru become effectively proactive by like, doing something.

One can always hope.

Say about her what you want, but she at least made an effort to protect Uta. She is trying to hold the three of them together. If something bad were to happen to Uta, Kaoru would not hesitate to help. The only thing she can't do is help herself.

last edited at Jul 27, 2019 6:45AM

Another complete course reversal by having Kaoru become effectively proactive by like, doing something.
One can always hope.

But ultimately she had to do something, she can't realistically pull a Mei and does nothing all manga long, waiting for Uta to be her white knight and save her. I want Kaoru to at least confront Reiichi on the cheating.

Just watch. The Mei syndrome is real and in my opinion 50/50 that’s what we are gonna see here.

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

We aren't talking about your personal life here. :P

Ah shit, here we go again.

BugDevil wants me to bite the provocation but I will spare y’all this time lol

I still think Uta’s resolution to move on is the only good thing that has happened in the series so far. She took the rejection like a champ. Kaoru doesn’t deserve her feelings, at least not yet.

last edited at Jul 26, 2019 8:32AM

BugDevil wants me to bite the provocation but I will spare y’all this time lol

I still think Uta’s resolution to move on is the only good thing that has happened in the series so far. She took the rejection like a champ. Kaoru doesn’t deserve her feelings, at least not yet.

Since when can I provoke you to do anything? Pfff.
Meaningful relationships aren't easy to maintain, I know. Don't let it bother ya. We can at least hope that Uta will learn from it.

For me it won't go as far as suicide, it's much too dark and the mangaka won't go as far as that.
On the other hand kaoru will feel lonely, think about uta every day especially when her husband is going to be absent for work..... this will inevitably add to the cheating of reii that will inevitably be developed...
Now that uta has left him and his possible mistress may not want to wait any longer.
I strongly believe that reii as a brother did not want to leave kaoru to keep a family home for his sister....risako and he may have wanted to wait for uta to become an adult before making official.
It is therefore possible that kaoru may find herself alone and completely isolated from what she hates and knowing that uta decides to join her. kaoru necessarily becoming more open to another type of relationship with uta, out of spite, to reassure herself, by cheating or by love.

For me it won't go as far as suicide, it's much too dark and the mangaka won't go as far as that.
On the other hand kaoru will feel lonely, think about uta every day especially when her husband is going to be absent for work..... this will inevitably add to the cheating of reii that will inevitably be developed...
Now that uta has left him and his possible mistress may not want to wait any longer.
I strongly believe that reii as a brother did not want to leave kaoru to keep a family home for his sister....risako and he may have wanted to wait for uta to become an adult before making official.
It is therefore possible that kaoru may find herself alone and completely isolated from what she hates and knowing that uta decides to join her. kaoru necessarily becoming more open to another type of relationship with uta, out of spite, to reassure herself, by cheating or by love.

Yeah, Kaoru does nothing and everything will be better in the end. JK, Kaoru had to do something. I know she feel alone and shit but she can't just cry in the corner and wait for the situation to be better. She need to get her shit together and at least really confront Reiichi.

We’ve been saying “Kaoru needs to do something” from the beginning of the series—confront Reiichi about his apparent cheating, acknowledge Uta’s feelings, etc. It’s hard to see anything significant happening in the series if she doesn’t do something.

So far, though she hasn’t done much except accidentally slip down the stairs and also wish, uselessly, that everything could go back to being the way it was.

So yes, narrative logic tells us that eventually Kaoru will need to do something, or else the story will continue to spin its wheels until the heat death of the universe.

But then, narrative logic tells us that Kaoru already should have done things and she hasn’t done them, or only done them in a half-assed way.

Still, Godot said he’d be here, so . . . we wait.

We’ve been saying “Kaoru needs to do something” from the beginning of the series—confront Reiichi about his apparent cheating, acknowledge Uta’s feelings, etc. It’s hard to see anything significant happening in the series if she doesn’t do something.

So far, though she hasn’t done much except accidentally slip down the stairs and also wish, uselessly, that everything could go back to being the way it was.

So yes, narrative logic tells us that eventually Kaoru will need to do something, or else the story will continue to spin its wheels until the heat death of the universe.

But then, narrative logic tells us that Kaoru already should have done things and she hasn’t done them, or only done them in a half-assed way.

Still, Godot said he’d be here, so . . . we wait.

I think that kaoru will still remain a weak and kind character while uta is asserting himself more and more compared to his brother.
I have trouble seeing Kaoru looking for uta even if she wants it very much.
No the story will be clarified because uta part she will not be able to avoid the confrontation with reii because she will not want to relive the same scenario of hidden history with uta. she suspects something with her husband, and being alone she will think even more about it especially when he leaves for work ^^^.
And that's when it'll be interesting what it's reii who's going to confess everything with rikaso to kaoru? kaoru who talks with rikaso to know? kaoru who asks a reii?
I don't see it remaining at the status quo, otherwise as you say, history will not move forward.

And of all her great possibilities is that reii will leave home, that kaoru will find herself alone but at the same time a little relieved, but will take remorse because she rejected the person who loved her deeply while her husband cheated on her. She needs love and a person to take care of her and she only sees uta for this role and begs her to come back to live with her...
Of course this is only pure speculation ^^

last edited at Jul 26, 2019 11:40AM

Best thing that could happen is probably that Uta moves on and falls in love with someone else.

First loves never work out after all.

last edited at Jul 26, 2019 1:25PM

Well the story is called "My Unrequited Love". If the love becomes requited, that means it'll be the end soon.

Oh but it's not going to be done in 2 chapters this type of development, we're going to witness first of all the new life with its sea of uta and to know a little more about it which had as only friend the mother of kaoru... I think besides that this one was maybe in love with the mother of kaoru and that's why she wanted to treat her, and after her death leave the country and divorce... and we have not seen yet the father of uta.
Then a big development on the supposed cheating of reii towards kaoru, how she takes the departure of uta and also a development of risako... Of this development will solve many things especially on uta... I don't think she will seek a love ,she seems to want to focus on her studies to become as quickly as possible independent so she will work very hard...
Then the bow with kuroe, I think everything is going too well, its hiding future problems in my opinion, not to mention the exhibitionist girlfriend of kuroe who also in the game.
All this leaves a good fifteen possible chapters before the final stretch.

last edited at Jul 26, 2019 2:56PM

Oh but it's not going to be done in 2 chapters this type of development

Give the path we are more on 20 chapters.

Well the story is called "My Unrequited Love". If the love becomes requited, that means it'll be the end soon.

You can still say that Kaoru's love for Reiichi is unrequited.