waiting for 4s translation before I start reading THE PATIENCE IS REAL

Come to the Dark side, read the raw, then the random fan translation, then read the Kuroshop version, then finally the 4s. DEW IT! :))

I usually skip the "read the raw" phase. So maybe I'm in the grayish side?

You're like darth Revan

And I refute that Yuu is top. They are both taking initiative in turn, is all. That's the beauty of a balanced relationship.

Just give in already hehehe. Sure, nobody has to be top every single time, but it makes a lot of sense, considering their personalities, for Touko to be mostly bottom and Yuu mostly top.

Or maybe I'm just biased because I was in the Yuu Top team all along ♥ hehe

last edited at Aug 28, 2019 4:25AM

There's this other thing called "being a switch" and it tends to happen naturally in most couples at least sometimes... personally I think they'd probably switch roles kinda often, Touko is not exactly Miss Reserved. /reminds of the smoochin' after the sports day was over

I admit, that was beautifully done.

They are not kids and the author doesn't treat them as such.

Spoiler: it looks like Touko doesn't like bell-peppers.

The bell pepper is a reference to one of the stage readings from the fan event back in May. Those scripts are pretty fun, so do check them out.

OMG I JUST RED CHAPTER 44 (in a different reader) not gonna spoil but it's SEMI LEWD

Honestly, I would like the idea of this series having a sequel, where Yuu and Touka are handling life as adults.

Totally! They should have like a slice of life series.

Totally! They should have like a slice of life series.

Hey, I’ve already pitched the series with Touko as a school administrator and Yuu as the tough-but-fair P.E. teacher.

There’s the scene where Touko gets a dizzy spell in a tense meeting, then wakes up in the infirmary with Yuu by her side. Hijinks ensue . . .

Totally! They should have like a slice of life series.

Hey, I’ve already pitched the series with Touko as a school administrator and Yuu as the tough-but-fair P.E. teacher.

There’s the scene where Touko gets a dizzy spell in a tense meeting, then wakes up in the infirmary with Yuu by her side. Hijinks ensue . . .

Where can I read that?

There's this other thing called "being a switch" and it tends to happen naturally in most couples at least sometimes... personally I think they'd probably switch roles kinda often, Touko is not exactly Miss Reserved. /reminds of the smoochin' after the sports day was over

I tend to think switch refers to people with no particular preference. For instance, I'm a top, because that's the role I prefer in sex. But I'm currently dating a girl who's also a top, and we tend to "fight" in bed over who gets to top. This doesn't make us switches, we still have a strong preference for one role over the other. Only it's not such an absolute thing that we can't give in when necessary.

So it doesn't mean that Touko would always be bottom and Yuu would always top. But they do have preferred roles.

Post-coital morning-wake-up Yuu is the hottest Yuu.

She looks about ten years older—and ready to go again.

I tend to think switch refers to people with no particular preference. For instance, I'm a top, because that's the role I prefer in sex. But I'm currently dating a girl who's also a top, and we tend to "fight" in bed over who gets to top. This doesn't make us switches, we still have a strong preference for one role over the other. Only it's not such an absolute thing that we can't give in when necessary.

So it doesn't mean that Touko would always be bottom and Yuu would always top. But they do have preferred roles.

Well, yes, I understand what top, bottom, and switch are. (I am personally a switch, it depends on who I'm with what I end up preferring.) I think I worded what I meant, poorly. I meant it as that roles are not always so black and white. And in my personal experience--meaning that I understand my experience may not hold true for others--lesbian relationships tend to be a little more easygoing than het ones when it comes to who tops who.

Although certainly most people do have a preferred role, it doesn't mean that they can't change that up once in a while. And Touko has demonstrated that she's pretty forward about what she wants, even if in this instance she opted to be more passive about it and let Yuu take the lead.

Who knows, maybe to complicate things even more, Touko will embrace the ways of a power bottom? lol

last edited at Aug 28, 2019 7:43AM

Well, yes, I understand what top, bottom, and switch are. (I am personally a switch, it depends on who I'm with what I end up preferring.) I think I worded what I meant, poorly. I meant it as that roles are not always so black and white. And in my personal experience--meaning that I understand my experience may not hold true for others--lesbian relationships tend to be a little more easygoing than het ones when it comes to who tops who.

Yeah, you kind of sounded as if everyone is a switch. I understand that in sex, nothing is ever black and white, and things such as roles aren't set in stone. So terms like "top"/"bottom" are much more general concepts that are useful when discussing sex, rather than rules.

As for what Touko and Yuu are going to be, that's anyone's guess. What each of them really prefers isn't explicitly said in the story, so whatever theories we come up with are bound to be headcanons at best.

I think the reason why I see Yuu as top is because I relate to her in that respect on several occasions. And I think I see Touko as a bottom mostly because she's so shy. But like I said, neither is necessarily canon.

last edited at Aug 28, 2019 9:15AM

So, for the people about to read this chapter
I just ask for you two put on these two songs while reading it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YS7sWCG_ZE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJD6_HKiYNI

Also,

last edited at Aug 28, 2019 9:25AM

Ah what a beautiful chapter. To see them loving each other passionately is just beautiful. Cleanse my soul

last edited at Aug 29, 2019 12:13AM

I admit, that was beautifully done.

They are not kids and the author doesn't treat them as such.

Spoiler: it looks like Touko doesn't like bell-peppers.

The bell pepper is a reference to one of the stage readings from the fan event back in May. Those scripts are pretty fun, so do check them out.

Oh my god I had completely missed this. It's super cute and actually kind of bittersweet. The way Touko runs after Yuu because she's reminded of how her sister died is just gutwrenching.

How is Nakatani so GOOD at this??

And I refute that Yuu is top. They are both taking initiative in turn, is all. That's the beauty of a balanced relationship.

Hey, relationships don't have to be switch to be balanced.

But sorry, no, Yuu is clearly in charge in bed. Touko is consistently hesitant to act but REALLY seems to enjoy it when Yuu takes charge, while Yuu seems perfectly happy to be the initiator of affection. This plays out in their relationship all over the manga. ;p

last edited at Aug 28, 2019 10:51AM

How is Nakatani so GOOD at this??

I dunno--her other stuff is fine, as far as I've read it, but the nuance and control in this one is pretty remarkable.

It just keeps revealing layers the closer you look, not in a splashy, "high-literary, deep meaning" sense, but just through its smart, careful--indeed painstaking--attention to craft.

I don't really blame other mangaka for not being this good--serial manga publication is a pretty tough racket no matter how you slice it--but over the course of going on half a decade the quality of this one, as far as I'm concerned, has never wavered one bit.

last edited at Aug 28, 2019 10:58AM

But sorry, no, Yuu is clearly in charge in bed. Touko is consistently hesitant to act but REALLY seems to enjoy it when Yuu takes charge, while Yuu seems perfectly happy to be the initiator of affection. This plays out in their relationship all over the manga. ;p

This actually sheds a whole new light on that crucial equipment shed kiss scene (and its pre-play rooftop echo). While it might seem as if Touko was just being aggressive and Yuu was being shy or reticent about sexual intimacy, the only problem for Yuu actually was the then-current definition of their relationship. If you look at the situation from Touko's POV, her desire for Yuu to initiate the kiss (while it certainly was about getting a sign of reciprocal desire from Yuu, as it seemed to be at the time) can also be seen as a move to have Yuu take charge in a sexual way more generally. If so, issue now resolved.

It's a stupid question bUt I felt this need to ask... How on earth did Yuu get so good with the "deed"???

It's a stupid question bUt I felt this need to ask... How on earth did Yuu get so good with the "deed"???

We’ve known from the very first panel that what Yuu knows about love comes from popular songs and manga, so obviously: hentai.

It's a stupid question bUt I felt this need to ask... How on earth did Yuu get so good with the "deed"???

Yuu is well read. Her family runs a bookstore after all. Very likely she has come across a few erotica. Also she's super gentle and considerate of others' needs so it's probably in her blood to be a natural at pleasing her partner.

It's a stupid question bUt I felt this need to ask... How on earth did Yuu get so good with the "deed"???

Yuu is well read. Her family runs a bookstore after all. Very likely she has come across a few erotica. Also she's super gentle and considerate of others' needs so it's probably in her blood to be a natural at pleasing her partner.

Even when the partner’s needs include being called “stupid” and then being bitten. As we all need from time to time, when done in the right spirit.

last edited at Aug 28, 2019 9:13PM

But sorry, no, Yuu is clearly in charge in bed. Touko is consistently hesitant to act but REALLY seems to enjoy it when Yuu takes charge, while Yuu seems perfectly happy to be the initiator of affection. This plays out in their relationship all over the manga. ;p

This actually sheds a whole new light on that crucial equipment shed kiss scene (and its pre-play rooftop echo). While it might seem as if Touko was just being aggressive and Yuu was being shy or reticent about sexual intimacy, the only problem for Yuu actually was the then-current definition of their relationship. If you look at the situation from Touko's POV, her desire for Yuu to initiate the kiss (while it certainly was about getting a sign of reciprocal desire from Yuu, as it seemed to be at the time) can also be seen as a move to have Yuu take charge in a sexual way more generally. If so, issue now resolved.

Great analysis, I totally agree. Touko was always trying to lure Yuu into taking charge and now she definitely got what she wanted.

Man I wish I could find a girl... well, in general, but who also wouldn't mind taking the lead in bed. Single life sucks after a while... where is MY Yuu?! lol....