There's something genuinely adorable about how Misa is Io's anchor and what lifts her, even without considering the nature of their dynamic. The complete change in the subtext of Io's behavior after Misa told her she thought the magazine shoot was great was a small joy, especially contrasting the outright abuse she was subjected to I would assume not long ago.

Now, I'm trying to think about Hase's motives here. The obvious one is possession; she almost definitely is in love with or obsessed with Io, maybe even both, and she will be her's by hook or by crook. The idol thing very much lends itself to that, with idols being in genuine danger both by unstable fans and the like and the predatory, insanely unbalanced nature of the industry - Hase is probably both Io's biggest fan and the one with the most direct influence on her as an idol. Not sure how the story intends to develop Hase or deal with her, but I will say that my crackpot wish is that she comes out of the club next chapter absolutely smitten by Misa and just lets everything go.

Also, regarding how she said that if Io was seen outside with Misa it would ruin her reputation, I don't think that's true at all. Like, in-universe, isn't Misa the hottest thing that isn't the sun by a large fucking margin? I'd assume that Io's bling would only rise, not necessarily for the right reasons mind, but still. Even more so if they were hinted at being more than friends.

That's a pretty good combo of things to successfully have a protagonist do something morally very dubious while getting the audience on board, I think

I like your write-up on that, and I agree. In my eyes it even paints Misa in a better light, she's flawed but not inhuman. If nothing else I feel that it's all very... plausible? Like, nothing about Misa's dynamic with Io has been too, for lack of a better term, cartoonish, but rather it felt very grounded and, again, plausible. Or at least makes enough sense that I can tell myself "yeah I can see a person thinking/doing that".

Lastly, as an aside, I've been consuming a lot of media that referenced Jar Jar Binks in their recent releases for whatever reason, and the frame of Misa introducing herself to Hase was reorganized in my brain to be her saying "Mesa Misa", and I just want to go to sleep man. I'm fucking tired.

last edited at Sep 22, 2024 12:16PM

I can't believe Io showed a face she shouldn't show

I understand and respect that many people in the BDSM sphere are into swinging, but honestly it'd make it difficult for me to see these two going to a swingers club (if it's even possible for them)... It'd be a turn off, really.

My read on it is that Misa wants to take Io to a swingers club less for partner swapping and more for the threat of it for some exhibitionist/humiliation play. You sorta see the seed of that idea get planted when Misa was fingering Io at the bar a few chapters back. Io says Misa saw the "real" her while that was happening, so I can see Misa wanting to push Io even harder in their next hookup.

I think it's an idea that Misa just considered and then rejected. Due to Io's celebrity status they can't really get away with any real scenario where people look at her specifically, lest she be recognized. I'd imagine that's why Misa said it'd be tough.

Also, regarding how she said that if Io was seen outside with Misa it would ruin her reputation, I don't think that's true at all. Like, in-universe, isn't Misa the hottest thing that isn't the sun by a large fucking margin? I'd assume that Io's bling would only rise, not necessarily for the right reasons mind, but still. Even more so if they were hinted at being more than friends.

The hottest thing in the red light district, not mainstream media. The manager is definitely right. In real life that wouldn't go down well especially since it looks like she's trying to move towards movies and bigger entertainment. Also in Asian society reputation and association to, let's say, morally upright circles versus "dirty underground red light districts", are more significant than it is in the West. But even then, consider when Miley Cyrus changed from doing Disney things to more sexually provocative things.

But I hope she breaks free, discovers herself more, and gains more freedom. Ugh I love the angst and drama Flowerchild writes

When I'm fucked up I'm the real me.

But even then, consider when Miley Cyrus changed from doing Disney things to more sexually provocative things.

Io just had her Miley Cyrus moment this chapter with the magazine cover. And no, given heteronormativity, I genuinely don't think it would be a scandal for Io to be perceived as having a friend who works as a hostess, unless they were documented clearly acting as more than friends. Even if asked Io could tell a half lie based on the reason why she friend went to the lesbian sex club in the first chapter: "my acting senpais recommended I look at a diverse range of people and jobs and performances to learn from, and that's how I ended up meeting Misa-san. I've learned a lot from her!"

Need some fan art of Misa and Hase in a private room at the swinger club along with the caption "... they were both tops".

god i hope the manager gets her ass handed to her

My estimation is that Misa is gonna wipe the floor with Hase. Hase probably expects that she will able to browbeat her with her position as a "legitimate" professional, as well as with threats of legal action, etc. But Misa has very little attachment to her status and job, so Hase has absolutely no leverage on her. On the contrary, the moment Misa starts to deconstruct Hase's behavior and motives, it's game over for the latter. In that case, I am looking forward to the verbal lashing.

Misa is definitely worth more to her job than her job is worth to her, I doubt Hase could possibly scare her by making a scene in there when Misa makes that place so much money with her image. What Hase could do to rattle Misa is threaten Io in some way or claim terrible outcomes of their association, which is what I'm expecting to be her plan here.

Awwwww HELL nahhh

Mannnnwhatthefuck

Models sleeping with their producers is a WAYYYY bigger scandal than her meetin up with a hostess. Omfg Io a victim fr :(

alright ill bite the bullet and fkn say it

Manager-san and Io are way fkn hotter, Im team manager now

The set up made me squeal what the helllll

God I miss DEAL.

I wouldn't have minded if the manager wasn't such a petty little skank.
And if Misa wasn't what hotter in any shape or form.
And if Misa wasn't the toppest top, fitting perfectly with Io.
I'm all up for more yummy Flowerchild drama and smut, however, I just hope Io grows a pair (somehow) and tell her to fuck off whilst going back to Misa.
Thanks for the chapter!

this just keeps getting better and better huh, altho I hate the manager

HOLY SHIT?????/

Welp, it looks like Misa and Hase are one for one on their Dubious consent from Io score, aren't they?

:(
Io please i know you were basically groomed into being a walking doormat but show at least a little resistance. If she reported her manager's actions to the agency her manager would be gone so fast. Probably. Maybe. In a just world.
I hope everyone can see the difference between CNC and true non-consent :)

Guys.

"I knew this before I even talked to her but she's a shallow, vulgar, woman.."

Is an absolutely insane sentence. Imagine explicitly stating you're judging someone purely based on looks and calling them shallow in one sentence. Manager is actually batshit.

Thanks for the chapter! I stumbled on this one's raws a while back and have been burning to read the real dialogue ever since.

last edited at Sep 29, 2024 6:30AM

I hope everyone can see the difference between CNC and true non-consent :)

Pretty sure if people can see that difference here it’s because Flowerchild does a superb job of dramatically enacting that difference visually and contextually.

Holy motherfucking shit, I expected Hase's jealousy to fester and that she'd do that eventually but not so soon. She just blew the hell up. I believe this confirms and cements my thoughts about her being obsessed with Io, not sure about being in love with her just yet but that's probably the case as well. To so unabashedly use her control over Io and how she was conditioned to have sex with her is absolutely insane, but I'm also surprised that it doesn't seem like it happened earlier. I guess there is truth in Hase saying she never realized Io wasn't a little girl anymore.

...I hope everyone can see the difference between CNC and true non-consent :)

I think this is a huge part of how brilliant the writing is. There are obvious parallels and comparisons between Hase and Misa and their dynamic with Io, both "control" her, but the difference is also laid out very clearly that one does it through fear and conditioning and the other through both parties' desires and through Io's exploration and expression of self.

I'm also a huge fan of Misa straight up saying she does not accept Io having another, uhh, let's say, mistress? I'll go with mistress. There was what I read as a setup for the two's control over Io to be directly contested, and I'm interested if that's the case and how it'll look.

Two asides -

1. This is monkey brain speaking and I very much know I will not like it and will feel bad for it, but if the scenario already presents itself, go big and show a full scene between Io and Hase.

2. Page 20 - "Io... I want a straight answer from you..." I don't think there's any joke I can make that would be in good taste and funny enough to my taste (maybe just typing "Ma'am, is this a trick question?" or something), but I just wanted to point this out because this always amuses me.

last edited at Sep 29, 2024 7:03AM

I hope everyone can see the difference between CNC and true non-consent :)

As a fan of CNC it pleases me to no end to see an author set up the pillars of CNC and Dom-Sub RP so well to strikingly, visually compare them to how real abuse forms and plays out.
It's peak.

I hope everyone can see the difference between CNC and true non-consent :)

As a fan of CNC it pleases me to no end to see an author set up the pillars of CNC and Dom-Sub RP so well to strikingly, visually compare them to how real abuse forms and plays out.
It's peak.

I think the author is definitely working with this kind of contrast and doing it well, yeah. Like, one of the big obvious differences is that Misa's control of Io was willingly given to her by Io, whereas Hase's control comes from Io's parents, and while the author doesn't explicitly point that out again this chapter they made sure to have Hase mention the famous parents as part of Io's supposed value, which cues us to remember that she works for them, not Io. Even Hase's access to Io's home is something given to her by the parents without Io even knowing about it until suddenly finding Hase in her bedroom looming over her.

I also love the detail that Misa immediately communicated what's going on to Io, who also immediately confronted Hase about it. These are adults dedicated to being open and up front with each other, even as Hase falsely labels Io as a child.