Lovely chapter. A different variation of the "I can't change our friendship" dilemma. I like the way it's been implemented here. A lot of subtly and emotionality. Everyone is struggling with different demons but are still fundamentally good people. Sometimes good people clash. Really nice touches.
Eri is clearly uncomfortable with Fuyuki's "romance," but she's just not there yet. Fuyuki, for her part, has always been honest with senpai and chose to be even more honest this chapter. She laid everything out, even parts of her past that weren't necessary to share and she made it clear what this relationship is. Senpai already knew that though, so they're consenting to whatever they are for now. It's unclear whether senpai even genuinely likes her, since she also discussed the nature of this relationship in previous chapters. She has her own person she's been hung up on. This chapter more than anything, showed why Fuyuki and Senpai could get along so well in the past: they both can commiserate with one another and share with one another so well.
I still see Eri and Fuyuki getting together at the end. Unless both of them suddenly see worth in their current relationships, they're both putting themselves in unhappy positions in misguided attempts to help other people (mainly each other). And seeing as they're good people, I don't think the author wants to "punish" them by leaving them in unwanted relationships. Kyou is nice but I think he's unfortunately mixed up in the web of complicated feelings of Eri as she slowly better understands herself. A lot of that is just unconscious and Eri clearly doesn't mean to hurt him. This seems like a coming of age, in it's real world complex variety. But we'll see.
last edited at Sep 13, 2023 7:27AM