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.

Dating a middle schooler and moving in together... This is kinda super weird, Koto. I'm surprised the manga went with just "I changed!" and didn't even brush on the obvious age-gap issue.

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.

*Chapters demonstrating Koto being devastated after Aya’s disappearance and Erika suggesting she hasn’t been the same.
*You (in the same breath): “Why is everyone saying Koto has trauma!? Sure she got fucked up by what happened…”

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.

You keep on saying that “nothing has been revealed” about Koto and Erika despite a ton of things being indirectly revealed. If you’ve read up to chapter 7 but can’t pick up on any of it then maybe you’re not very good at reading in-between the lines. As for their respective pasts, sometimes they come from happy families and it’s not relevant (as has been suggested for Erika). Just because there was a glimpse of Aya’s mom leaving her doesn’t mean a ton about Aya’s own past has been revealed. And sure we “know” the most about Aya because the story is told from her perspective and she doesn’t have a 7 year blank page to fill in, but that’s obvious. Not sure why that’s relevant to discussions of other characters and a need from you to clarify who the “protagonist” is.

Oh my god, they were a polycule and didn't know it all along...

i read this once the first chapter appeared in the recents page. honestly, i never read a yuri like this. im really interested to see what it will end up being.

Koto, you devil, casually flirting up two girls like that.

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

Houston we have a blush