Koto acts like someone with guilty conscience, avoiding Aya.
There's something off in her behavior...

Btw, drama club play name: Wishful Thinking; main role: Ushio Aya (chapter 2/25)
-there actually was the written clue! (mentioned before)

What if it was something what Koto wrote in her script what was connected (or caused) Aya's disappearance?

In chapter 1/27, last pic, Koto is observing a poster "TANA - BATA as a theme", so, Wishful Thinking was written by Koto (and later in manga Aya confirmed telling about her wish to play main role because it was first Koto's script)
Koto was also a witness while Aya was reciting a poem about a hidden place (wishful thinking).
She dropped the drama club and stopped writing scripts, after.
And when friends described her after Aya'a disappearance, she obviously was in a state of shock for a long time.
There could be more about Koto's connection with disappearance of Aya than we know now.

Erika acts too cool for someone possibly involved in Aya's disappearance. No traces of guilt in her behavior.
She mentioned their last conversation too casually for something with hidden intentions to cause disappearance of someone.

That’s a very interesting theory and one I think would be exciting to see if true. On the point of Erika seeming too cool to be guilty, one could also argue that Erika’s quick reaction to take initiative and do something could be a result of feeling guilt.

Which actually leads me to thinking: what if BOTH Erika and Koto made a similar Tanabata wish (in terms of your theory about Koto being responsible via script writing and Erika because she’s seemingly the number one suspect). So they technically made the “wish” together?

I hadn't considered the possibility that Koto's script may have played a role in Aya leaping forward in time. The issue with the theory is I don't see a motivation for Koto to wish that Aya would disappear, while both Erika and even Aya herself are shown to have plausibly wanted that. But on the other hand, Koto is the character we still know the least about, so maybe that'll change in future chapters as we learn more about her.

what if BOTH Erika and Koto made a similar Tanabata wish (in terms of your theory about Koto being responsible via script writing and Erika because she’s seemingly the number one suspect). So they technically made the “wish” together?

Yes, it's very interesting idea. You started something very very interesting here, just continue reading this comment

The issue with the theory is I don't see a motivation for Koto to wish that Aya would disappear, while both Erika and even Aya herself are shown to have plausibly wanted that.

You are practically giving the answer in this sentence.
Koto did not want Aya to disappear. But she wrote literally a wishful thinking (about finding a safe place, inspired by Aya reciting a poem?) unintentionally forwarding Aya 7 years into the future where she is safe.
That means the possibility about grandpa abuser grows to 99,99% unfortunately. But it is expected that this manga is a bit darker, and it's fine.

What you said about Aya's and Erika's wishes, you are opening the possibility that all 3 wishes were aligned (same wish with different motives), and it was a required...energy to forward Aya 7 years into the future.

Those wishes are making a triangle, btw

last edited at Oct 5, 2023 9:35PM

Oh? Koto?? Master manipulator??? Looks like she's really changed in those seven years, god damn.

There's something really fishy about Koto's script. It has Aya and Koto's names in it instead of the character names for the play (and Koto wasn't even acting for the play if I remember correctly). Is this the same script or something else entirely??

What's going on here, Koto? What are you doing? You looked kind of aloof during your date, but now it actually seems like you're super obsessed with Aya, even more so than 7 years ago....

On another note, that little Aya flashback suggests her mother leaving her with her grandpa was a pretty traumatic moment for her. Abandonment issues?

And poor Karen. She looks like she's getting ready to pursue Koto properly now, but I wonder if she knows that Koto writes creepy fanfiction about herself and a high-school aged Aya. lol

last edited at Oct 24, 2023 6:57PM

I'd been thinking Koto is the most mysterious character despite being the protagonist of chapter 1, and, yup. Those last few pages were quite creepy, but I don't think it's setting up Koto to be a total manipulative yandere. There's something else going on with her.

I know the series is a mystery but I still have no idea what it's going for.

The scene with the rain was so romantic and dramatic. And yeah, very mysterious vibes, but that isn’t detracting from the romance for me. Adding to it, if anything!

There's something really fishy about Koto's script. It has Aya and Koto's names in it instead of the character names for the play (and Koto wasn't even acting for the play if I remember correctly). Is this the same script or something else entirely??

What's going on here, Koto? What are you doing? You looked kind of aloof during your date, but now it actually seems like you're super obsessed with Aya, even more so than 7 years ago....

On another note, that little Aya flashback suggests her mother leaving her with her grandpa was a pretty traumatic moment for her. Abandonment issues?

And poor Karen. She looks like she's getting ready to pursue Koto properly now, but I wonder if she knows that Koto writes creepy fanfiction about herself and a high-school aged Aya. lol

Do we know that the script even exists? It might be a metaphorical script used as a storytelling method. "Aya is so caught up in play that she can only move according to scripts." or some such meaning.

Actually looking at it again I'm even more sure that the script doesn't actually physically exist.

Oooh we toxic now, baby. Bring on the drama!

Koto is very attached to Aya. But the mystery is that it’s still not made clear how much of it is actually romantic, and how much is coming from her abandonment trauma. What complicates Koto’s feelings further is that, well, Aya’s an obvious kid (this gap will be presented even more prominently in later chapters). There’s no doubt she cares about Aya though. And it seems she’s lived a pretty emotionally disconnected life since Aya’s disappearance (hence Erika’s desire to have her become “normal” again).

I’ve always read the script scene as metaphorical.

That definitely isn't the script she wrote for the play (and I think people are reading too much into both the play's name and Koto's hesitance to meet back up with her). However, it does make me wonder if there's some sort of Yuno Gasai/Big O thing going on, where she's gotten some sort of access to the "behind the scenes" of reality.

This is soo good man

Koto is very attached to Aya. But the mystery is that it’s still not made clear how much of it is actually romantic, and how much is coming from her abandonment trauma. What complicates Koto’s feelings further is that, well, Aya’s an obvious kid (this gap will be presented even more prominently in later chapters). There’s no doubt she cares about Aya though. And it seems she’s lived a pretty emotionally disconnected life since Aya’s disappearance (hence Erika’s desire to have her become “normal” again).

I’ve always read the script scene as metaphorical.

Aya's the one with the abandonment trauma. Don't know where people are getting the idea that Koto has such a trauma too. Sure Aya's disappearance fucked Koto up, but we don't know anything about her past yet. The story is actually focusing more on Aya's past than Koto's. First the matter with her grandfather, not that flashback to a woman that seems to be her mother.

Koto might have been the protagonist of chapter 1, but Aya has been the protagonist since she came back. Now I'm more convinced than ever that this is primarily Aya's story.

last edited at Oct 24, 2023 9:20PM

Aya's the one with the abandonment trauma. Don't know where people are getting the idea that Koto has such a trauma too. Sure Aya's disappearance fucked Koto up, but we don't know anything about her past yet. The story is actually focusing more on Aya's past than Koto's. First the matter with her grandfather, not that flashback to a woman that seems to be her mother.

Koto might have been the protagonist of chapter 1, but Aya has been the protagonist since she came back. Now I'm more convinced than ever that this is primarily Aya's story.

What are you talking about? It’s made clear since chapter one that Aya’s disappearance has caused Koto trauma. People can experience trauma from abandonment by the death/disappearance of anyone they care about, not just family members. Koto lost Aya at a very pivotal moment in her adolescent life. She 100% has abandonment trauma from this.

Also this ain’t a competition on who’s the protagonist lol. I’m just commenting on what has/hasn’t been revealed about Koto’s feelings so far. And also a few chapters later (chapter 7 just finished in Japan). All three characters and their feelings/motives are important in this story. And fair game for discussion.

Okay I originally thought Erika was the one who made the Tanabata wish but considering chapter 4, I'm now leaning towards the supernatural occurrence being centered around Koto's script. Might also be more figurative to express Koto's return to writing though.

See it seems like Aya had left Koto's confession hanging for a while so while writing the script for the play, Koto might have channeled her longing and some of the negative feelings that come with it into a story where the heroine disappears or something close enough to it. But then Aya accepts her confession and she's finally happy but most of the script is already written and Aya disappears.

It makes sense for her to be distraught and never touch drama/writing again if she realized that maybe her script was involved. But when she got over the guilt later, after 7 years, she thought of maybe finishing the script which leads to Aya coming back. And with that, Aya even mirrors the lines she wrote. So Koto might have avoided Aya initially because of how she acts according to script but then now she might want to enjoy whatever is there.

But the question now is: Is this even Aya? Or a spectre from Koto's fantasy of Aya.

Erika might still have made that wish though coz she said something about being fair this way. But also this is a triangle, they were probably all involved in what initiated this occurrence somehow.

last edited at Oct 24, 2023 10:38PM

Four chapters in and I'm still waiting for the titular "Triangle" to come into play..

The last few pages of chapter 4 gave me chills but I do agree that this is probably just a metaphor. I think this was made to emphasize the theme of Tanabata, as in a tragedy, where characters are not in control of their destiny. The answer of Erika is also intriguing, as if she was relieved.

But so far, nothing indicates that Koto is manipulative. If we exclude the last pages of chapter 4, Koto just seems a bit confused and kind of dull. The gap between Koto and Aya is blatant though and somehow, it looks like Erika is connecting more genuinely with Aya than Koto (this is true in the following chapters as well). Mostly because she is able to be her true self with Aya, while Koto seems to have shut downed her feeling 7 years ago, making it difficult for Aya to connect with her. At least, that's the way I see it.

It still don't now what the purpose of the story is, nor how the relationship with those three characters will evolve, but this is one of my favorites lately. I really like the slow pace of Kabocha's stories.

Btw, the first volume was released as an ebook only, no physical copy. Try to support the author if you can, I don't think their are selling a lot (though, chapters are being released on some webcomic plateforms as well). I do hope there are enough sells in order to justify a physical release at one point.

The last few pages of chapter 4 gave me chills but I do agree that this is probably just a metaphor. I think this was made to emphasize the theme of Tanabata, as in a tragedy, where characters are not in control of their destiny. The answer of Erika is also intriguing, as if she was relieved.

But so far, nothing indicates that Koto is manipulative. If we exclude the last pages of chapter 4, Koto just seems a bit confused and kind of dull. The gap between Koto and Aya is blatant though and somehow, it looks like Erika is connecting more genuinely with Aya than Koto (this is true in the following chapters as well). Mostly because she is able to be her true self with Aya, while Koto seems to have shut downed her feeling 7 years ago, making it difficult for Aya to connect with her. At least, that's the way I see it.

It still don't now what the purpose of the story is, nor how the relationship with those three characters will evolve, but this is one of my favorites lately. I really like the slow pace of Kabocha's stories.

Btw, the first volume was released as an ebook only, no physical copy. Try to support the author if you can, I don't think their are selling a lot (though, chapters are being released on some webcomic plateforms as well). I do hope there are enough sells in order to justify a physical release at one point.

I wholeheartedly agree with your interpretation! It feels like Koto is on edge and bracing herself to experience the loss again, and hence can’t open up. Also, so far I don’t think Kabocha is too caught up on explaining the supernatural cause behind everything (if she ever does get to it at all). The focus (and luckily for me, also the major appeal) of the story is the complicated relationship and feelings between the three characters given the unique circumstance they’ve found themselves in. The author is slowly walking us through the intricate power dynamics at play here, and so it probably isn’t for those who aren’t interested in that aspect.

And yes! Please support her eBooks on Amazon. It would be such a shame if this doesn’t get a physical release.

last edited at Oct 24, 2023 11:59PM

Kabocha is cooking with this series, haven't been this invested in a story so much for a while

wait, I only read the first chapter?!? WHEN DID THE OTHER 2 CAME OUT

Inception horn moment!

I have angst reading this already...the level of foreshadowing present is huge...

Aya's the one with the abandonment trauma. Don't know where people are getting the idea that Koto has such a trauma too. Sure Aya's disappearance fucked Koto up, but we don't know anything about her past yet. The story is actually focusing more on Aya's past than Koto's. First the matter with her grandfather, not that flashback to a woman that seems to be her mother.

Koto might have been the protagonist of chapter 1, but Aya has been the protagonist since she came back. Now I'm more convinced than ever that this is primarily Aya's story.

What are you talking about? It’s made clear since chapter one that Aya’s disappearance has caused Koto trauma. People can experience trauma from abandonment by the death/disappearance of anyone they care about, not just family members. Koto lost Aya at a very pivotal moment in her adolescent life. She 100% has abandonment trauma from this.

All that is an assumption. We don't know anything about Koto yet. Is she traumatized or simply moved on. It's not clear yet.

Also this ain’t a competition on who’s the protagonist lol.

Who says it's competition. My point is that the one we know the most about is Aya. We mostly see things from her point of view and she's the only one who has some of her past revealed to some extent. Unlike Koto and Erika, who are a total mystery and we know very little about, we know much more about Aya. That's what the story is primarily about. Which is interesting, because some people thought Aya would just be a plot device to get Koto and Erika together, but so far it has been nothing like that. If anything, Koto and Erika are the plot devices to explore Aya's feelings.

And just so you know but I've read up to chapter 7 too.

Koto is getting creepier with every next chapter

A side glance to Aya made in a manner of Queen-coin (there should be a coin with a profile of one queen with very similar position of the face and the eyes looking to the side) was the creepiest moment in this chapter, aside from a sudden appearance of the reflector, the stage, Koto on the stage with some mysterious script in her hands...

"Why did you hesitate to respond to my first confession?" -it was a strange question for someone who waited for 7 years to get the promised first date from Aya who hesitated just 1-2 weeks, months? to respond to her confession.
.....................

And now, what with that river of time of 7 years gap separating two lovers?
Later in life that gap is almost insignificant, but now with Aya 14 yo and Koto 21 yo it's too much differences between them, what we can see already in this chapter
(a coffee example about tastes of youngsters and tastes of adults; Aya is now closer to children than to women, and Koto is on the opposite side of it, she already stepped into her adulthood)

And, what we are really reading now? Is it the script written by Koto, or reality mixed with supernatural powers?

last edited at Oct 25, 2023 6:24PM