Thanks to everyone who offered their thoughts on my theory. The hypersexual part of it is what I'm most uncertain of, also. I'm inferring that something like that is going on from Akira's "that you-know-what of yours" line and the way that Ayako seems to be reacting to what she did with Asuka in this chapter, like it was somehow something she expected because of who she is. But it's true that there's nothing else that we've seen which would imply a history of that. It's possible that Akira's line refers to something else, and that Ayako is more just thinking that what she did in this chapter is a mark of some general brokenness rather than anything specifically sex-related. I have a feeling next chapter will reveal more.

But can y'all imagine Asuka running to Akiras place and just NOT letting her mom stay over Akiras place! Lol

Yes, although it will depend on how Asuka reads the situation: if she thinks Ayako is blaming her, she may be afraid to face her. If she (correctly) thinks Ayako is blaming herself... then there will be no stopping her on her mission of reassurance.

A lot may depend on Akira (particularly in the first scenario)... unlike Ayako she seemed to take Asuka's feelings seriously from the start (but probably believed Ayako would never reciprocate, despite teasing her). Akira is in a good position to talk Ayako down and clear up misunderstandings between them... but faced with real possibility of them getting together... does she want to?

This is exactly how I see it. Asuka is gonna go pick Ayako up and they will both hold hands going home.

Y'all it ain't even gotta be about the current drama, ain't no WAY that Asuka is gonna let mommy dearest stay over at public enemy number one's place, lol...

(http://i.imgur.com/XIcIU6x.png)

r/blursedimages

I no longer know who is together with whom

It all seems like a giant haremic circle

I no longer know who is together with whom

It all seems like a giant haremic circle

It mostly just took me forever to remember who was who because ALL THE DAMNED NAMES ARE "A" NAMES.

It mostly just took me forever to remember who was who because ALL THE DAMNED NAMES ARE "A" NAMES.

I KNOW, RIGHT!? @_@

smol Asuka best Asuka

i'm scared she's gonna find them kissing or something like this tbh. but ayako might just be looking for advice since akira knows what's up. IDK

The former sounds phenomenally unlikely in light of everything we've learned of the two women and their somewhat complicated relationship.

But can y'all imagine Asuka running to Akiras place and just NOT letting her mom stay over Akiras place! Lol

Yes, although it will depend on how Asuka reads the situation: if she thinks Ayako is blaming her, she may be afraid to face her. If she (correctly) thinks Ayako is blaming herself... then there will be no stopping her on her mission of reassurance.

A lot may depend on Akira (particularly in the first scenario)... unlike Ayako she seemed to take Asuka's feelings seriously from the start (but probably believed Ayako would never reciprocate, despite teasing her). Akira is in a good position to talk Ayako down and clear up misunderstandings between them... but faced with real possibility of them getting together... does she want to?

This is exactly how I see it. Asuka is gonna go pick Ayako up and they will both hold hands going home.

I agree, I do hope she realizes Ayako believes she did something wrong. Because saviour Asuka sounds so cute! Like when Akira was on top of Ayako when she was a kid? It's like always been in Asukas blood. To protect this woman at all cost. And eventually become her knight. ✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧

Lol

But really. It's like always been there for Asuka. And I think we are starting to potentially see that it's kind of always been there for Ayako too.

I no longer know who is together with whom

It all seems like a giant haremic circle

It mostly just took me forever to remember who was who because ALL THE DAMNED NAMES ARE "A" NAMES.

I don't have problem with names. It's just it seems everyone is into each other. Asuka to her mom, her mom to her husband's sister, aunt to mom, but also that Miyuki is into Asuka but we may also interpret it that Ayako is into Miyuki whom I think is Asuka's half sister... Blergh, it's confusing!

[...] Miyuki whom I think is Asuka's half sister... [...]

Wait-- what?
Where did idea that come from, if I may ask?
Would that mean Ayako having had a child before Asuka (possibly a result of her abuse when being younger / before university, since she was kinda a star there and all eyes laid on her, so her having been absent for some time - due to a secret pregnancy - would have raised some eyebrows and prolly would have been mentioned, tho that would have easily lead to a larger age-gap between Asuka and Miyuki than senpai and kohai = a year or two) or Atsuki would have fathered another child with Miyuki's mother before his 18 year old self proposed passionately to Ayako?

...I guess, it wouldn't be totally out of the realms of possibility with the author and the little we know, but... *scratches head* still seems a tad far fetched to me :P (Honestly, where did you get that vibe from?)

last edited at Jan 27, 2020 2:58AM

Thanks to everyone who offered their thoughts on my theory. The hypersexual part of it is what I'm most uncertain of, also. I'm inferring that something like that is going on from Akira's "that you-know-what of yours" line and the way that Ayako seems to be reacting to what she did with Asuka in this chapter, like it was somehow something she expected because of who she is. But it's true that there's nothing else that we've seen which would imply a history of that. It's possible that Akira's line refers to something else, and that Ayako is more just thinking that what she did in this chapter is a mark of some general brokenness rather than anything specifically sex-related. I have a feeling next chapter will reveal more.

Do you feel like there might be a time skip in the future? Akira pointed out that whole waiting 2 years thing, then there was that one lady at the wedding talking about putting a research team together, and now Ayako’s left....

Some time apart would benefit them. They need to figure out whether they love each other out of necessity or desperation.

They both need some time to grow without the other....

last edited at Jan 27, 2020 3:10AM

[...] age-gap between Asuka and Miyuki than senpai and kohai = a year or two) [...]

FYI Miyuki is four years older than Asuka - she was in fifth grade when Asuka was in first, and in final year high school (17 or 18) when she tried to seduce her (Asuka second year middle school, 14).

I'm pretty sure the post the post you were responding to is just humour/trolling about the tangled relationships... and even more farfetched/tangled fan-theories.
Edit: tho the way these comments have been going I suppose Poe's law applies.

last edited at Jan 27, 2020 4:59AM

Do you feel like there might be a time skip in the future? Akira pointed out that whole waiting 2 years thing, then there was that one lady at the wedding talking about putting a research team together, and now Ayako’s left....
Some time apart would benefit them. They need to figure out whether they love each other out of necessity or desperation.
They both need some time to grow without the other....

Mother and dependent daughter can't actually take time apart, that is kind of the problem that Akira was pointing out.
It's the fundamental problem with incest, you're stuck with family, so you have to tread very carefully.

Thanks to everyone who offered their thoughts on my theory. The hypersexual part of it is what I'm most uncertain of, also. I'm inferring that something like that is going on from Akira's "that you-know-what of yours" line and the way that Ayako seems to be reacting to what she did with Asuka in this chapter, like it was somehow something she expected because of who she is. But it's true that there's nothing else that we've seen which would imply a history of that. It's possible that Akira's line refers to something else, and that Ayako is more just thinking that what she did in this chapter is a mark of some general brokenness rather than anything specifically sex-related. I have a feeling next chapter will reveal more.

Do you feel like there might be a time skip in the future? Akira pointed out that whole waiting 2 years thing, then there was that one lady at the wedding talking about putting a research team together, and now Ayako’s left....

Some time apart would benefit them. They need to figure out whether they love each other out of necessity or desperation.

They both need some time to grow without the other....

I think it's possible there will be a timeskip, yeah, and if this story is going to end in a positive place for both of them, a timeskip and some time apart is probably necessary for all the reasons you point out. I mean, there's a whole bunch of reasons why it's not a good idea for things to go further when Asuka is Ayako's dependent, and as you say Akira did basically point that out.

(Complete speculation, but one way I could imagine the plot going from here is that Ayako runs away and disappears, and guardianship of Asuka goes to Akira, which Asuka finds out when she arrives at Akira's. Lots of angst and drama, Akira tells Asuka about Ayako's past, timeskip a couple years ahead, Asuka's in college and still carrying a torch for Ayako, and then finds out where she is and they reunite...)

Still, I'm not sure if it is going to end in a positive place for them. I really have no idea how this story ends. Taiyaki hasn't really shown a taste for dark scenarios in her other work, so I've sort of assumed it'll basically have a happy ending. The thing is, though... Asuka and Ayako both have a lot of psychological baggage, and without that, I'm pretty sure the incestuous attraction wouldn't have been a thing at all. If they do overcome their issues enough to make a happy ending possible, are they still attracted to each other? I don't know. I do think Taiyaki's done so well with the whole story so far (aside from chapter 13 dragging on a bit too much) that whatever happens, I doubt it'll be disappointing.

Mother and dependent daughter can't actually take time apart, that is kind of the problem that Akira was pointing out.
It's the fundamental problem with incest, you're stuck with family, so you have to tread very carefully.

There’s a plethora of teen minors that live away from parents in mangas/anime.

I’ve also heard that sometimes (rare but still happens), in order to go to a good high school, parents send their children off to different cities to live alone if they don’t have relatives they can stay with.

Akira seems to be talking more about Asuka’s emotional state, commenting more on her impulsiveness and lack of empathy. She is pointing out how careless Asuka is, how immature, thoughtless, and impatient she is because she wouldn’t wait.

I don’t think it was meant to be a “should have waited so you could be legal and move out.” Because at 18 fresh out of High school, will Asuka even be able to take care of herself financially?

It was more of a “think about your options and don’t just do” type of thing. At least that’s how I read it.

(Complete speculation, but one way I could imagine the plot going from here is that Ayako runs away and disappears, and guardianship of Asuka goes to Akira, which Asuka finds out when she arrives at Akira's. Lots of angst and drama, Akira tells Asuka about Ayako's past, timeskip a couple years ahead, Asuka's in college and still carrying a torch for Ayako, and then finds out where she is and they reunite...)

I think it’s more like she’s gonna go away on a research trip and leave Asuka alone in their apartment because doesn’t Akira live somewhere far? And I don’t think Ayako would want to impose like that... maybe just ask her to check up on Asuka but not full on take responsibility for her.

Or maybe, as someone suggested, Asuka will see Akira and Ayako in a compromising position and Asuka will be the one to run away (maybe with a promise that she will come back when she’s over her or something so her mother won’t go off the deep end) so her mom won’t have to deal with her.

Still, I'm not sure if it is going to end in a positive place for them. I really have no idea how this story ends. Taiyaki hasn't really shown a taste for dark scenarios in her other work, so I've sort of assumed it'll basically have a happy ending. The thing is, though... Asuka and Ayako both have a lot of psychological baggage, and without that, I'm pretty sure the incestuous attraction wouldn't have been a thing at all. If they do overcome their issues enough to make a happy ending possible, are they still attracted to each other? I don't know. I do think Taiyaki's done so well with the whole story so far (aside from chapter 13 dragging on a bit too much) that whatever happens, I doubt it'll be disappointing.

I think it will end on a happy note but I’m not sure if that means they’ll be together in the end. There is a 20 year age gap aside from the incest... I say it’ll still be a happy note even if they don’t end up together because they’ll probably find peace in the end.

That being said, I wish they do end up together. Asuka’s turmoil, all that she went through, her pain and suffering only to not get the woman she’s loved her entire existence in the end?

As for Ayako, I feel like Asuka’s probably the only person who’d be willing to really understand her because Asuka is already starting to put Ayako’s needs before her own. I mean, Akira knows Ayako, but she says and does things she knows annoys Ayako. Also, she seems to put Ayako on a pedestal with that comment about not being good enough to love Ayako. Which, if she really knew/understood Ayako then she should know all Ayako really wants is someone to love her unconditionally.

Metaphorically and literally, Asuka and Ayako were made for each other so I hope they get their happily every after with each other.

last edited at Jan 27, 2020 5:51AM

Screaming

(Complete speculation, but one way I could imagine the plot going from here is that Ayako runs away and disappears, and guardianship of Asuka goes to Akira, which Asuka finds out when she arrives at Akira's. Lots of angst and drama, Akira tells Asuka about Ayako's past, timeskip a couple years ahead, Asuka's in college and still carrying a torch for Ayako, and then finds out where she is and they reunite...)

I think it’s more like she’s gonna go away on a research trip and leave Asuka alone in their apartment because doesn’t Akira live somewhere far? And I don’t think Ayako would want to impose like that... maybe just ask her to check up on Asuka but not full on take responsibility for her.

Or maybe, as someone suggested, Asuka will see Akira and Ayako in a compromising position and Asuka will be the one to run away (maybe with a promise that she will come back when she’s over her or something so her mother won’t go off the deep end) so her mom won’t have to deal with her.

Still, I'm not sure if it is going to end in a positive place for them. I really have no idea how this story ends. Taiyaki hasn't really shown a taste for dark scenarios in her other work, so I've sort of assumed it'll basically have a happy ending. The thing is, though... Asuka and Ayako both have a lot of psychological baggage, and without that, I'm pretty sure the incestuous attraction wouldn't have been a thing at all. If they do overcome their issues enough to make a happy ending possible, are they still attracted to each other? I don't know. I do think Taiyaki's done so well with the whole story so far (aside from chapter 13 dragging on a bit too much) that whatever happens, I doubt it'll be disappointing.

I think it will end on a happy note but I’m not sure if that means they’ll be together in the end. There is a 20 year age gap aside from the incest... I say it’ll still be a happy note even if they don’t end up together because they’ll probably find peace in the end.

That being said, I wish they do end up together. Asuka’s turmoil, all that she went through, her pain and suffering only to not get the woman she’s loved her entire existence in the end?

As for Ayako, I feel like Asuka’s probably the only person who’d be willing to really understand her because Asuka is already starting to put Ayako’s needs before her own. I mean, Akira knows Ayako, but she says and does things she knows annoys Ayako. Also, she seems to put Ayako on a pedestal with that comment about not being good enough to love Ayako. Which, if she really knew/understood Ayako then she should know all Ayako really wants is someone to love her unconditionally.

Metaphorically and literally, Asuka and Ayako were made for each other so I hope they get their happily every after with each other.

"Metaphorically and literally, Asuka and Ayako were made for each other so I hope they get their happily every after with each other."

☝️☝️☝️☝️ Yes!

if this story is going to end in a positive place for both of them, a timeskip and some time apart is probably necessary

"time apart" would be making Asuka an orphan (severing emotional ties with her only parent, and to a large extent her only family). Destroying familial relationships, which is what I was talking about being the risk with incest.

It seems like a lot of people are seeing their familial relationship as a direct obstacle to their romance here, probably because it is hard for them to emphasise with mixing the two. But for the characters it is different.

Asuka didn't fall in love with some older woman who just happened to be related to her, she fell in love with her mother, in the role of her mother. We've seen in earlier chapters - she doesn't feel there is a line between her familial feelings and her romantic ones. In her fantasies she calls Ayako "mom" while having sex; she doesn't like using her name. She considered the "if you were strangers" scenario when Miyuki suggested it, she didn't like it.

Even Ayako the problem isn't being able to mix maternal and sexual feelings... she just did, that is what she is feeling guilty and ashamed about. Abandoning Asuka wouldn't fix her feelings of being a failure as a mother, it would consolidate them.

I have a couple of good rants about independence and time-skips/taking a break in general, but I'm late for work, so maybe later.

last edited at Jan 27, 2020 5:50PM

if this story is going to end in a positive place for both of them, a timeskip and some time apart is probably necessary

"time apart" would be making Asuka an orphan (severing emotional ties with her only parent, and to a large extent her only family). Destroying familial relationships, which is what I was talking about being the risk with incest.

It seems like a lot of people are seeing their familial relationship as a direct obstacle to their romance here, probably because it is hard for them to emphasise with mixing the two. But for the characters it is different.

Asuka didn't fall in love with some older woman who just happened to be related to her, she fell in love with her mother, in the role of her mother. We've seen in earlier chapters - she doesn't feel there is a line between her familial feelings and her romantic ones. In her fantasies she calls Ayako "mom" while having sex; she doesn't like using her name. She considered the "if you were strangers" scenario when Miyuki suggested it, she didn't like it.

Even Ayako the problem isn't being able to mix maternal and sexual feelings... she just did, that is what she is feeling guilty and ashamed about. Abandoning Asuka wouldn't fix her feelings of being a failure as a mother, it would consolidate them.

I have a couple of good rants about independence and time-skips/taking a break in general, but I'm late for work, so maybe later.

The only time skip that is acceptable is after they finally give in to loving each other and accept that it's beyond a mother and daughter relationship, we get an ending where Asuka is a little older, (like 23 or something) comes home fr work to greet Ayako with a kiss, and them being domestic and cute.

Since I mentioned the possibility... Ayako outright running away would not be the right choice on her part by any means, but I think it's possible that she might because, the way I'm reading the last chapter, she's presently seeing herself as having corrupted her daughter, and her immediate response to what happened is to leave the house. Also, Asuka's dream of her mother's absence strikes me as possibly being foreshadowing. I can easily imagine Ayako in her current mental state deciding that even if it hurts Asuka for her to leave, that it's still less bad for her than her presence would be. This, again, wouldn't be the right decision at all, but it's the sort of decision I can easily imagine someone with a sufficient degree of self-loathing making, where they think that their loved ones will be better off without them. And, from what we've seen, Ayako's likely carrying a lot of self-loathing. I suspect that her dealing with that and arriving at a better place (probably with Asuka's help) will be a major part of her character arc coming up, whether there's a timeskip or not.

In other news, Taiyaki seems to have done a new manga with the same mother/daughter incest theme as 1 x 1/2 for a yuri anthology, and an excerpt from it (or possibly all of it, I can't tell from Google Translate) is pinned on her Twitter. I think it's just a one-shot, but I get the sense that she's going to keep going back to this theme after 1 x 1/2 concludes.