Lilliwyt posted:

I feel like i don't quite understand.. Why Shima act like nothing happen ? DId she really not listen to the rant or was it too fast for to understand or did she really think it through after and understand the situation (which is frankly quite impossible given Shima normal behavior).Wish we had some Shima's POV to understand it in next chapter.

Shimamura didn't act like nothing happened. For her it wasn't a big deal, or at least not enough to keep in mind for long. Shimamura basically just let go of what she said.

I appreciate how this story is showing the common imbalance you find in real relationships. We're used to being fed stories where both the characters are falling for each other or there's some trope-y explanation for why one character doesn't like the other, but here one girl is head-over-heels (and not ignorant about it) and the other is squarely on the friend page. Neither perfectly understands the other's mental state, they're making bad assumptions but things are still working out in ways and not in others.

That said, Adachi's position hurts. The "ice water" and loneliness moments. I felt those. I've fallen for a person and felt that sort of disconnect. Some people really just go with the flow, drama and weight stuff just kind of bounces off of them.

For me, rejection is way less painful than dismissal or non-response. You can't blame the other person because they're not responsible for your feelings, and you can't force people to feel how much your words mean to you. With rejection, it hurts, but it marks an end, which is a gift in the form of marking a place from you can proceed to heal or whatever. In the other scenario, however, there's no one to blame and there's no resolution to your dilemma. And don't make the mistake of blaming yourself either. Either which way, it just feels terrible...

(And I received a non-response to a confession, not an ...emotional, word vomit explosion, hah...)

This chapter really hit home ...in an unpleasant way. I love the pacing though. I'm happy Adachi is finally showing some initiative. The bath situation sounded sketchy, but I'm just going to paper over that in my memory. (^.^ ;)

On a different note: Something in the pattern of Adachi's thoughts was making it hard for me to let go that the mangaka is a guy. The way Adachi's attraction is being described sounds alien to me. (Is it just me?)

My only real issue with this novel is the extras. They are distracting alongside this slow burn, especially when it is presently an unrequited love story. Shimamura's two friends in the main verse being super gay in the side show makes it harder for me as the reader to hold onto the belief the possibility of her female friends being attracted to her is not part of Shimamura's world view. So, yeah, not a fan of that dichotomy. I might just stop reading them.

last edited at Feb 21, 2020 9:46PM

I feel like i don't quite understand.. Why Shima act like nothing happen ? DId she really not listen to the rant or was it too fast for to understand or did she really think it throught after and understand the situation (which is frankly quite impossible given Shima normal behavior).Wish we had some Shima's POV to understand it in next chapter.

Think about what she said to Adachi in the pool. That was her answer. She knows she's not well developed enough to express her feelings correctly, and she's telling her to get some experience under her belt. She's asking her to grow up some before she allows her to get any closer to her.

I definitely got the impression that Shimamura's been quietly freaking out ever since the phone call and trying to act like she's not.

I want to believe this. Or that she just didn't quite hear all of Adachi's rant. For all we know, most of Adachi's rants could be mainly on her head only and that she's just blurting out nonsense in the call. Well, I don't know. These are just the stuffs I want to believe. Cause otherwise, it will make Shimamura the weirdest character here, like she would be fine if someone straight up stalk her or something.

"She was tolerant of others taking steps towards her, yes, very much so, but good luck if you ever wanted her to take one towards you."

Good lord, this is a good quote. I've known people like this a few times and they're always such a pain in the ass. Adachi, find someone who cares about you as much as you care about them, girl.

I literally am on the spectrum. I'm also finishing up the classes needed for a Psy minor (debating on going for a dual major for it starting this summer)

Being on the spectrum is valuable insight, but it isn't a qualification for diagnosis, and if you were actually seeking a career in psychology you should know that diagnosis is done by a -doctor-, so unless you have a few years of medical school in your back pocket, you can cool it with your umbrage at my suggestion that you aren't qualified to diagnose, because you're literally -not-.

Alright, let's play it your way. If it's a specialist's diagnosis you want, it's a specialist's diagnosis I'll get.

Also, the scene where Adachi was undressing while Shimamura's groaning was so hot. Finally had some yuri sight in this novel. Lols.

I literally am on the spectrum. I'm also finishing up the classes needed for a Psy minor (debating on going for a dual major for it starting this summer)

Being on the spectrum is valuable insight, but it isn't a qualification for diagnosis, and if you were actually seeking a career in psychology you should know that diagnosis is done by a -doctor-, so unless you have a few years of medical school in your back pocket, you can cool it with your umbrage at my suggestion that you aren't qualified to diagnose, because you're literally -not-.

Alright, let's play it your way. If it's a specialist's diagnosis you want, it's a specialist's diagnosis I'll get.

Well, it's generally in good taste not to diagnose someone who isn't consulting you. Perhaps it is naïveté, but I'd like to think most specialists refrain from practicing armchair psychiatry.

I literally am on the spectrum. I'm also finishing up the classes needed for a Psy minor (debating on going for a dual major for it starting this summer)

Being on the spectrum is valuable insight, but it isn't a qualification for diagnosis, and if you were actually seeking a career in psychology you should know that diagnosis is done by a -doctor-, so unless you have a few years of medical school in your back pocket, you can cool it with your umbrage at my suggestion that you aren't qualified to diagnose, because you're literally -not-.

Alright, let's play it your way. If it's a specialist's diagnosis you want, it's a specialist's diagnosis I'll get.

Well, it's generally in good taste not to diagnose someone who isn't consulting you. Perhaps it is naïveté, but I'd like to think most specialists refrain from practicing armchair psychiatry.

Damn, you're right, I should've asked the book first.

I literally am on the spectrum. I'm also finishing up the classes needed for a Psy minor (debating on going for a dual major for it starting this summer)

Being on the spectrum is valuable insight, but it isn't a qualification for diagnosis, and if you were actually seeking a career in psychology you should know that diagnosis is done by a -doctor-, so unless you have a few years of medical school in your back pocket, you can cool it with your umbrage at my suggestion that you aren't qualified to diagnose, because you're literally -not-.

Alright, let's play it your way. If it's a specialist's diagnosis you want, it's a specialist's diagnosis I'll get.

Well, it's generally in good taste not to diagnose someone who isn't consulting you. Perhaps it is naïveté, but I'd like to think most specialists refrain from practicing armchair psychiatry.

Damn, you're right, I should've asked the book first.

It's not too late!

Damn, you're right, I should've asked the book first.

It's not too late!

Do I press my lips up to the phone and ask gently? How do I know what a yes or no is?

"She was tolerant of others taking steps towards her, yes, very much so, but good luck if you ever wanted her to take one towards you."

Good lord, this is a good quote. I've known people like this a few times and they're always such a pain in the ass. Adachi, find someone who cares about you as much as you care about them, girl.

This was what I noticed by the end. Shimamura holds out her hand, she says how she'd like to be the one resting on Adachi's lap sometimes, she's the one touching Adachi in the pool... Oh, also, the way she shows up for their date like 30 minutes early, she seems really eager to see Adachi as soon as possible. They're really subtle things, but they're also Shimamura changing the dynamic bit by bit.

I suspect the author is going to be a jerk and just pick the story straight up from Shimamura's viewpoint instead of actually going back and letting us know what Shima thought of Adachi's rant and then their long silent streak. It's still going to be really interesting to see just how rocked her worldview is though.

last edited at Feb 22, 2020 1:55AM

Yeah Adachi, of course you have no desire to see Shimamura naked, no you're not "like that". I think the moment where she catches herself constantly taking glances of Shimamura's butt is so far my favorite moment of this LN, it would have been amazing if this was the moment she said "Yup, I'm gay." to herself. Getting away from that great moment, I find it weird, like really weird, that Shimamura would act like that whole phone call thing never really happened. As much I love Adachi pov chapters, I wish we got to know what was going through Shima's head after the call. I have so many questions on this topic concerning Shima. I hope they get answered and not just ignored by the author going forward. Thank you Sneikkimies for this wonderful treat, as always great translations.

Definitely a big thanks to sneikkimies for the continuing translations!

I'm going to have to reread this chapter again, first impressions:

Shimamura started off in extra-super-duper Shimamura mode, to the point that I was starting to think the author was going to pull some kinda BS "oops Adachi you pressed the mute button before you started your rant" nonsense. She seems very determined to just not acknowledge anything and keep going back to friendship mode. But then she starts slipping. She literally has to go fan herself off when Adachi's getting naked (lol), and then she gets more and more affectionate as the evening goes on. And then by the end of the night she apologizes and they're standing outside holding hands and it feels like Shima's maybe coming to terms with what's going on between them. I definitely got the impression that Shimamura's been quietly freaking out ever since the phone call and trying to act like she's not.

I was keeping these same thoughts in the back of my mind and I really hope that's the case, well put.

oh also that Shimamura was self-conscious enough about changing with Adachi that she wore her swimsuit under her clothes to the mall, back from the mall, and then to the pool. Way back in volume 2 when she first went swimming at the pool she brought her swimsuit with her in her bag.

This may not my most coherent of comments. I need to be asleep hours ago.
But that was a great chapter. Intriguing as always.

Shima's reaction to the fight was a little surprising. Then it feels like a very Shima reaction. I don't necessarily need her entire take but more insight to her takeaway would be nice. Even if it's just mentioned in passing.

Funny seeing Shima keeping an eye out for Addachis mom at the pool. Kinda wanted mom to be there but figured it was too soon from a narrative perspective.

Shima has such a kooky sense of humor. I really like it.

She called her Sakura!

I think that even Shimamura would have been taken aback if she'd truly heard what Adachi was rambling about. I think her "ugh how troublesome/what a pain" reaction was probably because Adachi was blubbering like an idiot and wasn't understandable. So all Shima REALLY got was "you went out with another girl, BWUHUHAHAUWHWHAUAHAWWA", lol.... cuz if Shima had truly heard alll those words, even she wouldn't have been able to file it away as nothing much the way it's trying to make us think.

I literally am on the spectrum. I'm also finishing up the classes needed for a Psy minor (debating on going for a dual major for it starting this summer)

Being on the spectrum is valuable insight, but it isn't a qualification for diagnosis, and if you were actually seeking a career in psychology you should know that diagnosis is done by a -doctor-, so unless you have a few years of medical school in your back pocket, you can cool it with your umbrage at my suggestion that you aren't qualified to diagnose, because you're literally -not-.

Alright, let's play it your way. If it's a specialist's diagnosis you want, it's a specialist's diagnosis I'll get.

I feel like you're not understanding me. I'm probably not illustrating my point clearly enough.

I don't care about getting a specialist's diagnosis. I'm not arguing that she -isn't- on the spectrum, she might well be. When I made the point that no one here is qualified to give a diagnosis, that is the full breadth of my point.

Nobody reading and commenting has the training and qualification to give a diagnosis. Full stop, end of point. I wasn't trying to suggest that "therefore, your suggestion that she is autistic is wrong" I said what I meant and I didn't mean anything beyond what I said. At least as far as autism is concerned. I meant it when I said "She might be neurodivergent".

The claim I was explicitly trying to address, and I have clarified this twice now, is that she doesn't have multiple freaking personality disorder. That isn't just "on the spectrum", that's a serious psychosis, and she has exhibited no symptoms of it.

She is, however, a gay teen who is in both the closet and denial, who doesn't know how to deal with these feelings of wanting to look at the butt of the girl she likes, and it is perfectly normal for a person in that situation to lose their shit once or twice while trying to understand everything. It's not healthy to look at a child that doesn't know how to handle being in love for the first time and go "Well this kid CLEARLY needs psychological help!" It's like throwing a cast on someone's foot because they stubbed their toe.

Also, I laughed so goddamn hard at the changing scene. Shimamura's little "ooh" and Adachi's mind exploding, and then nope, sorry kiddo, she's just enjoying the fan, she isn't even looking.

Also, I laughed so goddamn hard at the changing scene. Shimamura's little "ooh" and Adachi's mind exploding, and then nope, sorry kiddo, she's just enjoying the fan, she isn't even looking.

Oh, you never know, she mighta been looking, just Adachi was Trying Super Hard to not look in her direction so she'll never know for sure, lol

Funny seeing Shima keeping an eye out for Addachis mom at the pool. Kinda wanted mom to be there but figured it was too soon from a narrative perspective.

Oh,i'm pretty sure she wasn't looking for Adachi's mom but more at a certain man from the last time shecome at the pool's gym. You know the pervert spying on girls.

Nah, that fine gentleman was only interested in little girls. Maybe Shimamura would've worried about him had her little sister and Yashiro come along.

oh also that Shimamura was self-conscious enough about changing with Adachi that she wore her swimsuit under her clothes to the mall, back from the mall, and then to the pool. Way back in volume 2 when she first went swimming at the pool she brought her swimsuit with her in her bag.

Is it self-conciousness, or is she just trolling? I feel like a lot of her behavior in this chapter makes a lot of sense if she realized -exactly- what Adachi said and meant during her outburst, and she's been turning it over in her head and has decided to tease out the details by hook or by crook.This definitely feels like she's aware of her reactions and is enjoying provoking them.

oh also that Shimamura was self-conscious enough about changing with Adachi that she wore her swimsuit under her clothes to the mall, back from the mall, and then to the pool. Way back in volume 2 when she first went swimming at the pool she brought her swimsuit with her in her bag.

Is it self-conciousness, or is she just trolling? I feel like a lot of her behavior in this chapter makes a lot of sense if she realized -exactly- what Adachi said and meant during her outburst, and she's been turning it over in her head and has decided to tease out the details by hook or by crook.This definitely feels like she's aware of her reactions and is enjoying provoking them.

The more I think about it the less I feel like Shimamura didn't understand Adachi, yeah. I don't know if she's trolling, but her having realized what was going on would make total sense. For all we call her oblivious, her dismissal of Adachi's suspicious behavior has always been due to her overthinking things, being more aware of the circumstances than the situations called for. Of course, she kinda had to in order to maintain the appearence of a normal, regular friendship; but the point is, Hougetsu has been relatively aware of things, she does think about other people's behavior, and simply prefers to default to something that doesn't upset the status quo when she is able to; and so, the more I think about it, the more I have to suspect this is still the case here. It's not like Adachi gave her a lot of room to just dismiss her.

In fact her comment about how Adachi should talk to other people was pretty on topic. Adachi was ranting a lot about how she only wanted and needed her, and how other people were just bothersome; the fact that Shimamura adressed that of all things, that she knew it was less about Tarumi and more about Adachi's overinvestment in the relationship, seems to hint that indeed, she paid attention to what her gal pal had to say.

Or maybe I'm wrong, who knows. At the very least I think we can say this volume has been a rollercoaster.

This chapter... definitely a good one, but I’d be lying if I said this is what I wanted to happen lol. Shimamura is so hard to read, and it’s really played up here. I’m not convinced that Adachi’s rant in the last chapter wasn’t just inelegant muttering that Shima didn’t hear any of. Their reconciliation is appreciated, but I guess I was expecting more of a change in the status quo. Doesn’t really feel like that step has been taken, but it feels like it eventually will.

Also:

I've known people like this a few times and they're always such a pain in the ass. Adachi, find someone who cares about you as much as you care about them, girl.

Shimamura picked a fight with a stranger (Adachi’s mother) for Adachi’s sake. It may not be the same type of affection, but I think it’s fair to say that she cares for Adachi quite a bit.

Shimamura picked a fight with a stranger (Adachi’s mother) for Adachi’s sake. It may not be the same type of affection, but I think it’s fair to say that she cares for Adachi quite a bit.

Shima has always more or less care about Adachi even incounsciously. Remember that when she was with Taru, she was still thinking about Adachi.