I wasn't even rooting for Fuuka and Asahi, but it's still sad. Of course I feel bad for Fuuka, but I also feel like she's giving up way too soon after hanging on for years? But I suppose it's maybe in character for her, who is said to go into and out of relationships quickly.

I don't think Fuuka gave up too soon. As you said, she's known, and been in love with, Asahi for YEARS. The only reason she actually tried to make her move is that she saw the writing on the wall. She watched how Asahi and Hinako acted around each other and could tell that, even though Asahi and Hinako were both far too naive about love, especially between two women, to really recognize what was happening between them, they were falling for each other, if it hadn't already happened and they just couldn't put a name on the feelings yet. Heck, earlier on the day when Asahi "ran away" to Hinako's house, Asahi mentioned that Hinako was staying home to clean her apartment and Fuuka snarked that nobody asked about Hinako and yet Asahi seems to bring her up even when she isn't around. And then she finds out that she went to Hinako to help her get ready for the date. The fact that she chose her own nail polish color was only a small positive in that for Fuuka. Everything else about Asahi's date preparations was a massive red flag. And even that small positive was still influenced by Hinako because Asahi normally wouldn't bother with nail polish. It's also kind of telling that Asahi didn't tell Fuuka the whole truth about the nail polish. When she asked if it was from Hinako, Asahi replied that she picked it herself. But it was from choices presented to her by Hinako and Hinako bought it for her as a present, so very technically the answer was "yes". The fact that Asahi felt the need to color the truth in that manner suggests that she understood by that point, at least to some degree, that it was her relationship with Hinako that prompted Fuuka to tell her about her feelings after all these years.

There's also the wording Fuuka used when describing what she "expected" from Asahi if they were "going out": "When you're suffering, I want you to rely on me the most." There was a reason Fuuka put that first. The thing that pushed her into confessing and asking Asahi out on this date in the first place was when Asahi "ran away from home" because of her argument with Subaru. And whom did she rely on when she was suffering then? Hinako! Finding out that Asahi also relied on that same person to help her look good for their date, even though she "didn't tell her it was a date" (like that worked), pretty much started the date off with confirmation that it was a lost cause.

...I'm not sure we've been reading the same series here. Aside from how much the two bounce off and understand each other, a reminder that Fuuka's just about helped change Subaru's diapers back in the day.

I remember seeing them bounce off each other like oil and water, with Subaru repeatedly expressing her displeasure with Fuuka, and for good reason. While it is true that people tend to prefer what is familiar to them as opposed to what is unfamiliar, knowing someone isn't the same as having similarities.

While I know that some of this is me filling in the blanks, Subaru is written as someone who is honest, hardworking, and faces her problems head on. When she sees something she likes, like her sister getting along with someone new, she immediately starts pushing them together and talks to said new person openly about it. Outgoing and upfront.

Conversey, Fuuka is written as someone who hides her feelings, runs away from her problems, and abandons relationships at the first sign of trouble rather than putting in the effort needed to make things work. That's not even taking into account the age gap.

From my perspective, it seems like it would be a difficult relationship if it were in real life.

There's also the wording Fuuka used when describing what she "expected" from Asahi if they were "going out": "When you're suffering, I want you to rely on me the most." There was a reason Fuuka put that first. The thing that pushed her into confessing and asking Asahi out on this date in the first place was when Asahi "ran away from home" because of her argument with Subaru. And whom did she rely on when she was suffering then? Hinako! Finding out that Asahi also relied on that same person to help her look good for their date, even though she "didn't tell her it was a date" (like that worked), pretty much started the date off with confirmation that it was a lost cause.

I'm not saying that Fuuka's decision to give up was necessarily wrong. If she can intuit all of that from the limited information she has without any of the behind the scenes knowledge that we have as an omniscient audience, she's more astute than I am.

But I feel like she has some unrealistic expectations for a relationship, and it makes me wonder if that's also part of what went wrong in all of her other relationships. I know plenty of people who get emotional support from their friends rather than their lover/spouse. I can't count the number of times I've found myself at a restaurant or a bar listening to a friend's tale of woe instead of their significant other, and they're roughly 50/50 still together like the statistial average.

It honestly feels like Fuuka is self-handicapping for some reason.

last edited at Aug 29, 2021 9:18AM

There's my 15th doughnut! So sweet, yum - thank you so much, TL team!
Good to see both, Hinako and Asahi, longing to see each other. I wonder if they end up meeting that evening or not. Looks like she didn't see Asahi where she expected her. But would be funny if they meet right in front of Hinako's apartments. Asahi sure deserves a doughnut, doesn't she?
Poor Fuuka. I hope she finds her proper sun eventually. At least it's good she really understands what's going on and is mature enough to accept it as it is.

damn it....i wasn't rooting for Fuuka and Asahi but.....this is hurts....

you did well Fuuka....i hope someday....you find someone good for you.....and can make you happy.....

Damn, if my brother hadn't kept distracting me for half the chapter, I might've let out at least a few tears.

God I love this manga

That smile when she mentions Hinako... ^_^

And nice to see her finally figure out whom she needs the most. ^_^

...I'm not sure we've been reading the same series here. Aside from how much the two bounce off and understand each other, a reminder that Fuuka's just about helped change Subaru's diapers back in the day.

I remember seeing them bounce off each other like oil and water, with Subaru repeatedly expressing her displeasure with Fuuka, and for good reason. While it is true that people tend to prefer what is familiar to them as opposed to what is unfamiliar, knowing someone isn't the same as having similarities.

"Having similarities" is not inevitably the basis of a relationship--it can be, but having complementary differences is probably even more important.

And if you think Subaru is expressing "displeasure" with her banter with Fuuka, I don't think we actually are reading the same series.

"Having similarities" is not inevitably the basis of a relationship--it can be, but having complementary differences is probably even more important.

I understand that the "complementarity hypothesis," is a commonly held belief, but it is demonstrably false. Researchers have conducted hundreds of rigorous, peer reviewed studies about it, and the overwhelming result is that opposites do not attract.[1]

When it comes to similarities or differences that people don't hold strongly, or care about strongly as central to themselves, it tends to not matter one way or another. But when it comes to qualities and believes that people think are important, the idea that people should look for someone who complements their traits is pure fiction. Not only do people seek partners that are similar, but over time, relationships where people are highly opposite are much more likely to break up. [2] [3]

1. A meta-analytic investigation of the processes underlying the similarity-attraction effect. R. Matthew Montoya, Robert S. Horton. 2012
2. Interpersonal attraction and personality: What is attractive--self similarity, ideal similarity, complementarity or attachment security? Klohnen, E. C., & Luo, S. 2003
3. Similarity in Relationships as Niche Construction: Choice, Stability, and Influence Within Dyads in a Free Choice Environment. Angela Bahns, Chris Crandall. 2016

And if you think Subaru is expressing "displeasure" with her banter with Fuuka, I don't think we actually are reading the same series.

As I said, Subaru is written as an honest person. And who is, by Japanese standards, uncommonly direct. Foe-shipping is very common in fandoms, and that's fine, but in real life it makes little sense.

But I feel like she has some unrealistic expectations for a relationship, and it makes me wonder if that's also part of what went wrong in all of her other relationships.

It is heavily implied that what went wrong in all her other relationships is that she was carrying an unspoken torch for Asahi the whole time.

no hug huh. sigh.

im so tired of authors making best girls out of best friends goddamnit

FFS—research snipped. (Talk about unjustified binaries . . .)

As I said, Subaru is written as an honest person. And who is, by Japanese standards, uncommonly direct. Foe-shipping is very common in fandoms, and that's fine, but in real life it makes little sense.

You are aware that you are reading a piece of fiction of the romance genre rather than a transcription of “real life”, right?

Subaru is written as a young person who by Japanese standards is being impossibly impertinent toward an older adult. Whether that performative banter manifests itself in an overt future romantic interest between them remains to be see, but the story has presented a number of cues suggesting that Subaru wants Fuuka to stop paying attention to her sister and to start paying attention to her.

last edited at Aug 29, 2021 2:53PM

As I said, Subaru is written as an honest person. And who is, by Japanese standards, uncommonly direct. Foe-shipping is very common in fandoms, and that's fine, but in real life it makes little sense.

She's also lying by omission about her unrequited crush just as much as Fuuka is. Honesty is relative, and I'd remind you Fuuka is actually extremely forthcoming about her business - even if unloading onto Hinako was, as Subaru bullseyed, her kinda running her mouth in panic. (Something Subaru shortly afterwards managed to imitate herself, followed by a hasty verbal saving throw.)

Neither, of course, is terribly keen on revealing that to the specific objects of their affections (although Fuuka finally decided to bite the bullet and go down in a blaze of glory to get it over with). By no means the only quality they share, that.

"Having similarities" is not inevitably the basis of a relationship--it can be, but having complementary differences is probably even more important.

I understand that the "complementarity hypothesis," is a commonly held belief, but it is demonstrably false. Researchers have conducted hundreds of rigorous, peer reviewed studies about it, and the overwhelming result is that opposites do not attract.[1]

When it comes to similarities or differences that people don't hold strongly, or care about strongly as central to themselves, it tends to not matter one way or another. But when it comes to qualities and believes that people think are important, the idea that people should look for someone who complements their traits is pure fiction. Not only do people seek partners that are similar, but over time, relationships where people are highly opposite are much more likely to break up. [2] [3]

1. A meta-analytic investigation of the processes underlying the similarity-attraction effect. R. Matthew Montoya, Robert S. Horton. 2012
2. Interpersonal attraction and personality: What is attractive--self similarity, ideal similarity, complementarity or attachment security? Klohnen, E. C., & Luo, S. 2003
3. Similarity in Relationships as Niche Construction: Choice, Stability, and Influence Within Dyads in a Free Choice Environment. Angela Bahns, Chris Crandall. 2016

I unironically, with zero sarcasm, love that you cite your sources.

But I feel like delving too deeply into the real-world academics of relationships is kind of burying the lede. This is a story. And what we should probably be doing is trying to determine if the twist makes sense in the narrative.

Aaaaaand I kind of don't think it does? We haven't really gotten any indications that Subaru is pining for Fuuka. If anything, I get the impression that she was annoyed that Fuuka took so long to actually confess. She's clearly been waiting for Asahi to find happiness, and Fuuka's dogged refusal to confront her own fears and just go for it must have been uniquely frustrating for her. Especially once Hinako showed up, and Subaru decided to ship it.

I mean, there are a bunch of ways that the author could have implied that Subaru had a thing for Fuuka herself, and they didn't employ any of them. That doesn't mean they -can't- end up together, but I think it makes for a solid case that there isn't anything there now.

And if you think Subaru is expressing "displeasure" with her banter with Fuuka, I don't think we actually are reading the same series.

As I said, Subaru is written as an honest person. And who is, by Japanese standards, uncommonly direct. Foe-shipping is very common in fandoms, and that's fine, but in real life it makes little sense.

Subaru is written as an honest person, that doesn't really have anything to do with whether or not she enjoys sparring with Fuuka. And this isn't really foe-shipping, because Subaru and Fuuka aren't really enemies in any respect. I mean, Fuuka is an impediment to Subaru's ship, but that's kind of it. She clearly shows affection towards Fuuka at times, and their relationship isn't all adversarial. I just don't think there's anything romantic there either.

For my part, I suspect Subaru used to ship Fuuka and Asahi. She probably cheered Fuuka on from the start, just like she did with Hinako. And then she watched Fuuka get into relationship after relationship while keeping the one person she actually wanted to be with at arms length, and by the time we meet Fuuka, Subaru is just done with her. New ship in town. (Edit: Actually, a thought, Fuuka being useless is probably WHY Subaru came on so strong shipping Hinako.)

And personally, I kind of hope nothing develops between Subaru and Fuuka. Dating the little sister of your unrequited crush is a little creepy, and even if it worked out and nobody felt weird about it somehow, it kinda reeks of "pair the spares".

last edited at Aug 29, 2021 3:09PM

every chapter of this that I read further convinces me that this is one of the best yuri series of all time.

I never loved Fukka as a character but she went down with extreme grace, and it was pretty painful to watch.

Every time I read a chapter of this I'm just yelling for a solid 5 minutes

last edited at Aug 29, 2021 4:37PM

But I feel like delving too deeply into the real-world academics of relationships is kind of burying the lede. This is a story. And what we should probably be doing is trying to determine if the twist makes sense in the narrative.

I think it's just a function of my own background that I think about stories like this. Part of the reason why I love this story and am invested enough in it to delve into the comments section is because it feels so authentic and true to my own experiences.

If it were just another phoned-in romance where the author leans on the same tired old tropes, I'd just roll my eyes and move along.

That being said, I pretty much agree with most of what you're saying.

When Subaru tells Hinako that she hopes she'll be the one, it does seem to imply that there were others before her that she's given up hope on.

It is heavily implied that what went wrong in all her other relationships is that she was carrying an unspoken torch for Asahi the whole time.

I did think that was the implication at first, but this most recent chapter makes me think that it's maybe not the only reason. Now it also feels like Fuuka has been so afraid of failure, that she's setting herself up to fail in a way where she can say "oh, it's not my fault, it just couldn't be helped," rather than take the risk.

As to why Fuuka's past relationshops might have failed - in addition to the more obvious reasons that were already posted, Fuuka just comes of as an incredibly annoying character :P But maybe I just personally hate this teasing type of personality.

Hell, after Fuuka's first appearance I was convinced that Subaru hates her too... although following chapters made it more obvious they're fairly friendly with each other in their own way, but I think that's probably it. Although we did have this scene:
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/crescent_moon_and_doughnuts_ch11#17
...but I consider this just a wink for the audience from the creator (who for sure knew this will be a topic of discussion).

... speaking of which, this comment section is now all about Fuuka and Subaru for some reason... maybe because by now it's quite obvious what's the deal about Hinako and Asahi :P

last edited at Aug 29, 2021 5:29PM

So I've re-read this series to see what the text actually tells us about the relationship between Fuuka and Subaru, and to me the evidence is incontrovertible that the idea that the two of them are hostile to each other or that they are "oil-and-water" is utterly unsupportable--they are shown to have a warm and affectionate relationship. On the other hand, the suggestions that Subaru has a crush on Fuuka are at best ambiguous, and I see now that I was exaggerating them in retrospect.

• Fuuka first appears at the end of Chapter 9, where Subaru recognizes the odd way she rings the doorbell.

• In Chapter 10, Fuuka shows up with fried chicken and dango specifically because they're Subaru's favorites. The rest of the chapter shows that they have a teasing (and hugging) relationship. Yes, Subaru thinks to herself that Fuuka is "the worst" because she won't 'fess up to liking Asahi, but she's clearly being skeptical, not hostile.

• In Chapter 11, the two of them have a very intimate (as friends) talk, in which Subaru explains that she can predict Fuuka's behavior because in the past "I was always there watching you" [that is, Fuuka and Asahi]. When Fuuka looks like she's about to cry, Subaru gets flirty and says, "You're cute like this, Fuuka-chan." When Fuuka replies, "Subaru, don't tell me you're . . .!?" [what--lesbian? attracted to me?], Subaru replies, "Don't get ahead of yourself," which is a very flirty and ambiguous statement. Then when Subaru suggests that Fuuka could meet Hinako's train to talk to her, Fuuka thanks her and pats her on the head, which Subaru accepts with a slight blush.

• In Chapter 12, when Asahi stays at Hinako's place after the argument about college with Subaru, Fuuka hugs Subaru because she thinks she's crying, and while Subaru does say, "That's sexual harassment!", she immediately accepts another head pat from Fuuka, with an even deeper blush.

• In Chapter 13, which continues the same "Asahi stays over" arc, when Fuuka gets mopey about Asahi and Hinako, Subaru says, "Thank you for being there, Fuuka-chan. I'm glad you're here, and Nee-chan is too."

• In Chapter 14, Subaru returns the head pat after Fuuka gets the courage to confess to Asahi, and says, "Good for you."

So while there are some suggestions, especially in Chapter 11, that Subaru might have more-than-friends/big-sis feelings toward Fuuka, it's also easy enough to read them as standard girl-flirting.

On the other hand, the text explicitly shows that Fuuka and Subaru have a close and mutually respectful (despite Subaru's habitual disrespectful tone) friendship.

Subaru gets hella jelly tho

but also GOD. This chapter got me

I also enjoyed this chapter. Well done. This story continues to be a winner. (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ

last edited at Aug 29, 2021 10:00PM

Oh no! I have to wait months again for 1 chapter update. °~°

last edited at Aug 30, 2021 2:49AM

Bless this series. I've read it so many times already both in digital and print. Even if it's another series that ends with their confession, I'll always cherish it.

I know plenty of people who get emotional support from their friends rather than their lover/spouse.

This is a case where she considers the emotional support friend to be a romantic rival, though. There's an issue with her believing she understands Asahi's feelings better than Asahi herself, even if it's presented as true in the text, but being insecure to the tune of feeling second best isn't a good foundation at all. I think she was pretty mature to walk away.

I know plenty of people who get emotional support from their friends rather than their lover/spouse.

This is a case where she considers the emotional support friend to be a romantic rival, though. There's an issue with her believing she understands Asahi's feelings better than Asahi herself, even if it's presented as true in the text, but being insecure to the tune of feeling second best isn't a good foundation at all. I think she was pretty mature to walk away.

I think even Asahi would believe that the people around her would understand her own feelings better than herself since she doesn't have a clue about them!