....?

Mystery letter.

All I can make out is the character for 'exit' in the oval. And maybe 'departure'?

Asexuals and/or aromantic people sometimes get into whats called a queer platonic relationship, or qtp for short. It's somewhat between a friendship and a romantic relationship where sex or kissing doesn't neccisarliy have to happen, though It varies from individual to individual.

Pretty sure this is where the story is leaning towards.

That... Sounds like BF to me... Call me stubborn or something along the lines but im putting my brain to work to find the place where that qpr could exist while being different and a more than a BF relationship and less than a romantic relationship and i cant find it, else the deciding factor could be the sexual aspect but... I still dont understand how that works and im reaaaallly trying

(TL;DR for the below, it's a term that exists because it can be used to describe relationships that don't usually get given much of society's brain-space.)

This is basically the way I expect most people to react to the idea so don't worry about it too much if it just doesn't ever make sense. It might just be something that's impossible to grasp if it's not something you intuitively understand....

My sister is aro/ace and I myself am demi, and everything you said sounds spot on to how she's described having a QP relationship to me (she's the one who really helped introduce me to the ace spectrum), so I'd say you did a damn good job explaining it.

Whilst I keep on losing hope to see them get together, that was a pretty cute friendship confession (or whatever you may call it)!
I feel damn bad for Rio, however.

i dont know about this one chief - i'd say drop her. if the feelings will never be reciprocated...

This chapter FEELS like it could have been an ending to the story, but I'm glad we're still getting more.

Asexuals and/or aromantic people sometimes get into whats called a queer platonic relationship, or qtp for short. It's somewhat between a friendship and a romantic relationship where sex or kissing doesn't neccisarliy have to happen, though It varies from individual to individual.

Pretty sure this is where the story is leaning towards.

That... Sounds like BF to me... Call me stubborn or something along the lines but im putting my brain to work to find the place where that qpr could exist while being different and a more than a BF relationship and less than a romantic relationship and i cant find it, else the deciding factor could be the sexual aspect but... I still dont understand how that works and im reaaaallly trying

(TL;DR for the below, it's a term that exists because it can be used to describe relationships that don't usually get given much of society's brain-space.)

This is basically the way I expect most people to react to the idea so don't worry about it too much if it just doesn't ever make sense. It might just be something that's impossible to grasp if it's not something you intuitively understand....

My sister is aro/ace and I myself am demi, and everything you said sounds spot on to how she's described having a QP relationship to me (she's the one who really helped introduce me to the ace spectrum), so I'd say you did a damn good job explaining it.

Ok..... Now im ANNOYED, not bc of the explanation nice explanation btw, good structure, thanks and sorry to take your time to write it but bc i reaaaaaaaalllly CANT UNDERSTAND SOMETHING THAT FCKING LOOKS SIMPLE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH! This will hunt me for weeks....

That last page...was it a time skip? Cause I see pairs of dishes and, besides the boots, a pair of umbrellas.

Whilst I keep on losing hope to see them get together, that was a pretty cute friendship confession (or whatever you may call it)!
I feel damn bad for Rio, however.

I'm honestly glad they're respecting Yuri's characterization as full aro/ace so far

I do feel bad for Rio, I kind of hope Matoi's romantic feelings move her way while retaining the really nice QP relationship she and Yuri have going on

Of all the Gouma-den little images they've had,THIS one is one I really need to find.

Next chapter is the last one + a bunch of afterword sketches and rants by the author I doubt the scanlators will translate.

And yeah, it's a timeskip

Overall, I think it's a manga you'll find interesting/great if you can relate to the aroace spectrum, because representation is always a good thing, but for me, it didn't spark anything, because I found both MCs too self-centered and uninteresting.

To each their own.

Lmao they didn't dwell on the house demolition, did they - was that hinted at or mentioned or whatever? Because it feels like pulled completely out the ass

This still feels like two robots talking to each other. There's no emotion. It feels flat and bland. I keep hoping something more will happen though.

I hope we wont see a drama series this time and turn Rio from a cheerful sweet girl to an annoyed yandere fangirl.
Also, can someone suggest me an introspective series not on dynasty since I covered most series on site (Yes, include Qualia the Purple)

That... Sounds like BF to me... Call me stubborn or something along the lines but im putting my brain to work to find the place where that qpr could exist while being different and a more than a BF relationship and less than a romantic relationship and i cant find it, else the deciding factor could be the sexual aspect but... I still dont understand how that works and im reaaaallly trying

(TL;DR for the below, it's a term that exists because it can be used to describe relationships that don't usually get given much of society's brain-space.)

This is basically the way I expect most people to react to the idea so don't worry about it too much if it just doesn't ever make sense. It might just be something that's impossible to grasp if it's not something you intuitively understand....

This is just my rambling I guess, but I don't understand the need for the term queer platonic relationships.

Rather than think "that sounds like a regular ol' BF to me", my thought was "that sounds like marriage to me". If it's a committed relationship (especially if monogamous or closed polyamorous) where you enjoy each other's company, live together, maybe cuddle, but don't have actual sex... That's clearly a romantic relationship. It's still romantic even if it's not sexual. If it's not romantic or sexual, it's friendship. It might be deep, close, and important, but it's still BFFs. This might be where I'd tell someone "we're family" to indicate an extremely important non-romantic tie.

If you're aro and ace, you'll have friendships and neither QPQ or romantic relationships. If you're ace but not aro and find yourself in a mutual, reciprocal QPQ, then you're dating. What you do or don't do in the bedroom doesn't matter.

So I guess my confusion is: why use QPQ instead of telling people you're dating/partners/married? It feels like an just extension of conflating romantic and sexual. A relationship can be platonic or romantic. It can be sexual or non-sexual. But even if it's non-sexual, that doesn't make it platonic automatically; it might still be romantic, right?

I'm sad this is almost over. I liked how it took the time to explore side stories or topics you just don't see all that often.

I wonder what the last chapter will bring. And poor Rio :(

I think it's really cute and calm, everything about this series just fits very well and so far the ending seems to follow the same tone as the rest of the series. I can understand why some people might be frustrated with this as it is kind of dancing around romance but never goes there, though I personally think that makes sense, even though Matoi might not be fully aromantic, she's still definitely asexual and doesn't seem to be that bothered about romance either, it looks to me that she'd be more than happy to receive only intellectual affirmation from Yuriko

Also for anyone wondering, the Japanese on the letter is a confirmation of attendance to some kind of formal event (very polite language being used) My guess is either Matoi's graduation ceremony or the lesbian couple's wedding

Considering they're both ace, I don't see how Matoi's romantic feelings make a real difference in their relationship? They already do some of the "romantic" things couples do and like Yuriko, Matoi doesn't want to do other romantic things like kissing either. And they're willing to stay together and prioritize each other? Isn't that pretty much everything Matoi wants from Yuriko?

Considering they're both ace, I don't see how Matoi's romantic feelings make a real difference in their relationship? They already do some of the "romantic" things couples do and like Yuriko, Matoi doesn't want to do other romantic things like kissing either. And they're willing to stay together and prioritize each other? Isn't that pretty much everything Matoi wants from Yuriko?

I think that's basically what they're moving towards understanding, but that bridge of understanding one another's feelings is hard to gap.

Also, for my personal thoughts on the subject of the ace discussion, I love this manga. I've loved where it's gone, it's great to see ace representation done well, in a way where people aren't changed "cause they found the right person", where things are a little messy, hard to describe, hard for people to understand and interpret, cause that's how these feelings are. Yeah it may not be the fluffy romance a lot of people would enjoy, but I think stories like this should be told, and it's great its been told in a way that isn't like, offensive or undermining y'know?

I'm not actually ace/aro myself, in any way, for the record. I just love seeing lesser explored queerness shown in manga! It's great, and if even a couple people here went "oh I think I get how ace people feel", or if a couple ace people here felt seen and represented, then I think it did its job well.

last edited at Apr 28, 2022 1:43PM

I hope we wont see a drama series this time and turn Rio from a cheerful sweet girl to an annoyed yandere fangirl.
Also, can someone suggest me an introspective series not on dynasty since I covered most series on site (Yes, include Qualia the Purple)

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō, aka Yokohama Shopping Log, is a beautiful introspective iyashikei series that I've been trying to get uploaded here on Dynasty for years. Romance is not the primary focus of the story, but it does feature an atypical yuri relationship and is well worth a look if you enjoyed Qualia the Purple. To this day it remains one of my all-time favorite manga even after reading hundreds of different series.

https://www.yugenykk.org/

My final offsite manga recommendation is Girl's Last Tour, which is another personal favorite of mine. Girl's Last Tour is a surreal and deeply introspective iyashikei featuring two women finding solace and joy in each other's company as they live out their lives exploring the final fading embers of humanity together. This one comes with the caveat that I can't in good conscience call it yuri but I know there are some who would fiercely argue otherwise. Although it is not a romance, the story still revolves heavily around their relationship with each other which could perhaps be best described as platonic soul mates,

last edited at Apr 28, 2022 2:47PM

It's nice how both "I want to stay with you" and "Maybe someday you'll fall for someone who can return your romantic feelings" were posited, and in a positive way.

Also, regarding QPPs: In reality, yeah, they're not that different from "besties" type relationships. However, the language QPP is used here to define it with regards to societal expectations. If you say you're best friends with someone but you're like really really close with them, people are going to assume you're lying and actually banging, or you're frickin' weird. I'm not aroace myself but this is more or less the practical meaning that I've gleaned. At the base of things, relationships don't necessarily have discrete borders which separate the types - it's based on external expectations for the most part.

last edited at Apr 28, 2022 2:17PM

I just read SushiKnight's recommendation of Marriage as Friends and really enjoyed it. Media of this genre really intrigue me as someone who fits the bill of having "QP" relationships described earlier. It's my first time hearing the term but throughout my life I've always tended to get really close with one person at a time. Those relationships fit snugly in between the "really good friends" to "romantic relationship" zone and I remember them fondly.

However in those relationships I've also had other experiences. Relationships that moved from that zone into a romantic relationship and went poorly. Feelings of being unable to provide what someone else wants but desperately wanting to. A relationship in that zone where the other person got into a romantic relationship with someone else. Feeling sidelined and devastated as my desires in the relationship can no longer be fulfilled.

It's been years since I've had any deep relationships and in many ways I've felt hopeless. Perhaps a part of the reason why is because I have such a hard time understanding myself— especially in the context of society and how other people think; and what other people desire. Struggling to make myself fit in ways that now... seem like I just wasn't capable of.

In this sense media like these can be really helpful to myself and others like me to further their understanding and feel more confident + comfortable in themselves. Even if you're not like Matoi or Yuriko I think it's still beneficial to learn about these different kind of perspectives. Maybe it opens up your mind to new ideas or helps build empathy to people who do live life in these nonstandard ways. Maybe you get into a relationship with someone like this or can help a friend encountering this in themselves or in another.

It's great to see media like these exist and I'm excited to read more like it. I'll be reading YKK and would love to see more recommendations. Keep em' coming!

last edited at Apr 29, 2022 2:25AM

(TL;DR for the below, it's a term that exists because it can be used to describe relationships that don't usually get given much of society's brain-space.)

This is basically the way I expect most people to react to the idea so don't worry about it too much if it just doesn't ever make sense. It might just be something that's impossible to grasp if it's not something you intuitively understand....

My sister is aro/ace and I myself am demi, and everything you said sounds spot on to how she's described having a QP relationship to me (she's the one who really helped introduce me to the ace spectrum), so I'd say you did a damn good job explaining it.

I'm relieved to hear this. I was worried I might end up stepping on someone's toes with that wall of text. Glad I didn't stay up til 3 AM writing it for nothing lmao.

I adore this latest chapter. Yuriko and Matoi "getting together" like this was my best case scenario for the manga. It's nice not to feel the sting of disappointment from a manga you're really invested in once in a while. :P

edit: I gotta say, this might be the most wholesome thread on the forums lol. So much support and eagerness to connect and learn, it feels great. <3

last edited at Apr 28, 2022 3:14PM

I think what confuses me most about queen-platonic relationships is how they're described as different from romantic ones, but how exactly are romantic relationships supposed to be defined? If we separate the sexual aspect (which I do understand and agree with), then what is it that sets QPR apart from a romantic relationship? I get that it's supposed to be something "in-between", but in-between of what exactly? When there are no strict lines, and when each person experiences love in their own way, how can it be said that it's not "romantic love"?

I'm kind of trying to understand it somewhat through this story and all the people that have shared their own thoughts on it, but I'm not quite there yet, I feel. This might actually have been the first time I came across the term, so I'd say I've made some progress at least XD

As for the manga itself, I've been enjoying it a lot so far, it has a very nice tranquil atmosphere that I don't come across often. And I do appreciate the fact that the characters were presented as ace and aro/ace throughout, even if I can't say I completely understand what their relationship is supposed to be.

Edit: I think reading @riskins comment may be what really helped me settle some things in my mind. I don't know what your feelings or your relationships with those people were (obviously), but perhaps the term itself can help liberate people who don't fit into societal expectations regarding relationships; and that's enough.

last edited at Apr 28, 2022 3:58PM

... okay so is Matoi remixing voices and stuff the whole reason this has "voice" in the title? Lilies are obvious, now to decipher what the hell is "wear wind"

The "wear" in the title phonetically (not sure if the kanji are the same) is Matoi, so it probably refers to her. My interpretation is that Lilies refers to Yuriko, Wear Wind refers to Matoi and Voice is a representation for their relationship? I dunno.