Divorce arc when?

Divorce arc when?

Only in our (and Takara's) dreams apparently.

last edited at Mar 15, 2026 7:54AM

i see we're all being very normal about compulsory heterosexuality

What exactly does that mean?

Are not enough people lamenting that comphet exists? Are not enough readers excoriating Ema for bowing to it? So what else should “we” doing about the theme of comphet in this story?

Just lamenting the takes that Ema marrying Hario was somehow a purely selfish and cynical act on her part, and not the result of horrific external pressures and expectations. Could have chosen my words better, it just gets very exhausting yk

i see we're all being very normal about compulsory heterosexuality

What exactly does that mean?

Are not enough people lamenting that comphet exists? Are not enough readers excoriating Ema for bowing to it? So what else should “we” doing about the theme of comphet in this story?

Just lamenting the takes that Ema marrying Hario was somehow a purely selfish and cynical act on her part, and not the result of horrific external pressures and expectations. Could have chosen my words better, it just gets very exhausting yk

Ah, understood. I do think there might be more to Ema's backstory that maybe doesn't reflect well on, at least, her degree of candor with Takara (i.e., it seems like Ema has been more self-aware of and perhaps active about her sexuality than her seemingly clueless affect about the nature of Takara's feelings has let on).

But her marriage to Hario, who has been depicted as nothing but incredibly caring and supportive, is easy to explain without indicting her for being consciously manipulative in regard to that relationship.

I think Ema has been living with dozens of choices and compromises over the years and the return of her childhood friend has her mentally rolling back the clock and holding on to that moment they had as teenagers. That isn't her current reality, but it was a simpler time and she's becomes a simpler person for a moment. That's probably the version of Ema we've seen the most of.

That's not reality though and I'm not sure how much of the real/current Ema we've actually seen. Her college friend who knows her the best as an adult seems to thinks she needs to snap out of it and face reality though. If we get to learn more about Ema and her full, whole self gets shown to Takara then they might have a chance.

So I'm new here, and i saw that this was already licensed. Does that mean it won't be updated here anymore?

Her college friend who knows her the best as an adult seems to thinks she needs to snap out of it and face reality though.

I feel like that's less "face reality" and more she wants Emma to make a decision one way or the other, rather than leave everyone in limbo. I don't think her friend would have issue is she left her husband but the sneaking behind his back and calling Takara when she needs her is something she seems to poke at. Her talk around the table felt like, "You had options and chose to get married. Your husband loves you (she describes his panic when Emma didn't contact him to be with Takara). Takara loves you, and you love her. No one believes you'll both keep your hands off each other if you keep meeting like this. You have to decide what you're doing here."

last edited at Apr 9, 2026 3:16PM

Okay like, sure Hario is loving and supportive and nice or whatever. But I keep thinking back to how he did just pester her into starting a relationship with him. Ema told him no over and over again until she was worn down and made a calculated decision. Marry a guy she didn't love and profit off his support both monetary and emotional in exchange for the physical love he clearly seeks and she clearly doesn't.

Like I get why people would look at Hario and think oh this poor guy in the abstract. But they would not be married if he didn't ignore her rejections sweet as he may be. So I can't really feel that bad for him when he's been getting everything he wanted. Sure Ema has been cheating on him but also like, I don't really care.

It's not a great look for Ema I guess, but everytime I just come back to the facts. They are married because Hario takes no for a suggestion to try again until she gave him every yes to the altar. Is it a bit manipulative on her part to then cheat on Hario and potentially start building an exit that wouldn't leave her destitute maybe. But even with a husband as loving and supportive as him no more manipulative than he explicitly needed to be to become her husband.

And to make things clear, even if he was completely blameless and entirely a victim of her manipulations, then I'd still not really see the point in going "oh this poor guy how horrible that he has a wife who let him hit it whenever he wanted for years but she doesn't truly love him" like okay. Good for him I'll give him a pat on the back and reassure him life is bigger than just love when he's divorced because objectively he'll still be doing alright.

Though for Takara's sake, I do really hope Ema won't string her along too far after this. That would just be shitty. She at least deserves a timeline and the hope for a future where she isn't just dating a married woman.

last edited at Apr 19, 2026 11:56AM

And to make things clear, even if he was completely blameless and entirely a victim of her manipulations, then I'd still not really see the point in going "oh this poor guy how horrible that he has a wife who let him hit it whenever he wanted for years but she doesn't truly love him" like okay. Good for him I'll give him a pat on the back and reassure him life is bigger than just love when he's divorced because objectively he'll still be doing alright.

I'm sorry but that's a crazy take to me. Is that how we treat anyone who's been cheated on? "Tough luck but at least you got to fuck?" It's a monumental betrayal and one that's not necessary and this story hasn't presented a world where it's necessary either. We can share empathy for the guy too no? It's like we need a turn to make him bad and we haven't gotten it so even then he deserves no sympathy at all?

The we characterized how Emma and Hario got together I think is also skewed a bit. He only said he tried courting her for 2 years while in Uni. Then she called him and asked for his help and they fell into a relationship from there.

It feels like we're starting the process of really twisting every intention in order to make a more easily hateful character to ignore the uncomfortable aspect of the cheating. Like we need to be able to feel like "he deserves" it to ease that more dilemma and shift blame from Emma. Edit: Even further comments below are just adding to it.

Though for Takara's sake, I do really hope Ema won't string her along too far after this. That would just be shitty. She at least deserves a timeline and the hope for a future where she isn't just dating a married woman.

This I agree with.

Emma has a responsibility to make some decisions sooner rather than later. The sneaking around and sweet words with no actions ever attached to them has to evolve at some point. Takara is not someone's mistress. It's not fair to anyone and Takara can't do more than what she's already done. It's been up to Emma.

last edited at Apr 19, 2026 12:29PM

she needs to divorce her rapist soon. i think that warrants cheating

last edited at Apr 19, 2026 12:25PM

Say what you will about the cheating, but Hario is just such a piece of shit. His first instinct upon seeing that his wife is drunk is to go home and have sex with her, all while she's inebriated and he's completely sober. He just took advantage of the first opportunity possible, all while she was clearly not doing well mentally.

For me, It's very obvious to me that this was an invitation to sex because she feels guilty. "I'm drunk" + eyes are a well-known trope in manga that is used in different contexts.

In this specific case and like other mangas, the cheating partner feels guilty because they are falling in love with another person, and compensate with physical intimacy. I don't want to defend him, I really don’t care, he is fictional lol, but this same situation has happened between two girls and no would considered it rape, I think people can hate Haro for no reason or because he is simply a man, there is no need to look for a reason.

last edited at Apr 19, 2026 12:39PM

She's drunk, full stop. Even if that wasnt abundantly clear, she talked about it in a very disembodied, passive way. It was very much implied "done to her". shes apologizing not for anything that was her choice but because she could not fight what was going to happen to her..

She's drunk, full stop. Even if that wasnt abundantly clear, she talked about it in a very disembodied, passive way. It was very much implied "done to her". shes apologizing not for anything that was her choice but because she could not fight what was going to happen to her..

The dinner apparently was about Haro’s work, but she only thought of Takara. She is using sex as a form of self harm and because she feels guilty for not loving and/or caring about Haro. and again, in a lot of mangas characters don’t explicitly say they want sex, it’s always in a roundabout way, the "I am tipsy" is one. The way I see it, it’s a mix of those two. If you see it as rape that is ok.

Edit : I also don't think the author would have a problem making the scene look cruder if it were written to be read as rape. Precisely the fact that she apologizes to Takara in her mind is because she feels that she is betraying her, even though they confessed and is mutual, she has not made a decision.
I also think it is important to remember that Haro does not know that his wife has never desired him, in his mind they are married because it is mutual lol

Ema knows that she doesn't love Haro, but Haro doesn't, and she doesn't want that to show. Which means that they will have sex from time to time. Most likely, she never wanted to have sex with him. But Takara's existence just unbalances her stable life, it's not a quickie with a girl in a bar, it's a stable relationship, she has to choose but she doesn't know what to do. Which precisely forces her mentally to want to prove that everything is okay and that's how we have the sex scene. That’s what I think at least because I don't remember another sex scene between them before, so this one must exist to show Ema's inner conflict imo. But again maybe I am wrong.

last edited at Apr 19, 2026 1:29PM

Whew, everybody in this manga sucks. It’s a lot to keep track of - narcissism, lying, cheating, theft, drinking to excess, vanity and materialism, sexual assault, lowkey murder? Indirectly but still. It’s just too much for one to process.

Fiction isn’t reality, but it’s a reflection of it and a great way for us to imagine alternatives to our current world which is honestly kind of a dumpster fire right now. There has been progress, but it’s sad (but not surprising) to see legacy content still struggling with representing harm, conflict, and trauma. Luckily I’ve developed a kind of accounting system for these kinds of situations which should resolve all of this.

Who should die - Hario-kun, Ema-chan, or Takara?

Okay so not necessarily literally, we’re harm reductionists here, but we’re tapping into the collective unconscious. Suppressing the instinct to kill is a struggle each of us engage in everyday of our lives. Some effectively channel this into their creative drive and others deign to ignore it and act like literal demons at the grocery store. True story.

Every careless act of desire subtracts 10 points, and conversely each act of benevolence adds 10. You might think the higher the positive value, the better off we are, but we’re actually striving for 0. Entertain the idea that every act of affection following immoral behavior is a manipulation. You’re building a false reality to trap your victims - effectively lying. It will eventually get you as well. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t help the little old lady across the street with her bags. This system is decidedly not to determine whether somebody should see hellfire, but rather a reality check and a guideline. Would this situation be better if you were dead? An actual, observable truth. Maybe you are really evil and you should be executed, but that’s none of my business. Not right now.

Let’s assume the categorical imperative. No matter how this works out, each person’s transgressions against another’s autonomy cannot be discounted in our final judgment.

Hario-kun

Heterosexual* -10 points
White guy* -10 points
Repeated advances -10 points
Drinking -10 points
Makes Ema dinner +10 points
Advises Ema +10 points
Advises Ema +10 points
Throws himself into work +10 points
Makes plans for Ema and Takara +10 points
Tracks down Takara +10 points
Consults with Takara +10 points
Consults with Takara +10 points
Gets Ema clothes +10 points
Gets Ema her own apartment +10 points
Calls a taxi +10 points
Sexual assault** -5 points

Not looking great for Hario-kun

Ema-chan
Lesbian* 0 points
White woman* -10 points
Abuse victim* +10 points
Marriage +10 points
Works hard for her husband +10 points
Takes her own space +10 points
Straight at a lesbian meetup -10 points
Lying -10 points
Lying -10 points
Lying -10 points
Lying -10 points
Lying -10 points
Lying -10 points
Lying -10 points
Lying -10 points
Lying -10 points
Calls Takara -10 points
Lying -10 points
Lying -10 points
Cheating -10 points
Cheating -10 points

Okay, not good either.

Takara

Lesbian* -0 points
White woman* (unmarried) -5 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Sees Ema again -10 points
Lying -10 points
Making Ema’s friend an accomplice -10 points
Doesn’t put her all into work -10 points

…So yeah, I don’t think we need to count this one. Takara needs to die.

She is the vector that brings a system at equilibrium to a scary new trajectory of indecency. Legally speaking, it should probably be Ema-chan for the violation of contract and on a personal level I’d like to shoot Hario-kun with a gun. Obviously I’m here because I love lesbians in love but methinks Takara should leave these two to their domestic bliss and find a new girlfriend who doesn’t have an entire hecking job and marriage. Otherwise these two will not stop until her corpse is picked clean.

*I know the inclusion of identity markers will be controversial, but it’s an acknowledgement that broader social hierarchy gives undue advantage in interpersonal conflicts. And yes, I know these characters are Japanese, but they are Japanese in Japan (a first world country, hello) and as such the equivalent of white in that context.

**Did Hario sexually assault Ema? Well, the manga doesn’t give us enough information to come to a conclusion. I would estimate Blood Alcohol content is around .15, which is above the legal limit for a DUI which I think is bullshit but clearly some of you think that’s fine so. Minus 5

Peace and love, sisters

last edited at Apr 19, 2026 1:59PM

Slowly getting closer (to the truth).

Sexual assault** -5 points

This not a -10 atleast?? sob emoji

She's drunk, full stop. Even if that wasnt abundantly clear, she talked about it in a very disembodied, passive way. It was very much implied "done to her". shes apologizing not for anything that was her choice but because she could not fight what was going to happen to her..

The dinner apparently was about Haro’s work, but she only thought of Takara. She is using sex as a form of self harm and because she feels guilty for not loving and/or caring about Haro. and again, in a lot of mangas characters don’t explicitly say they want sex, it’s always in a roundabout way, the "I am tipsy" is one. The way I see it, it’s a mix of those two. If you see it as rape that is ok.

Edit : I also don't think the author would have a problem making the scene look cruder if it were written to be read as rape. Precisely the fact that she apologizes to Takara in her mind is because she feels that she is betraying her, even though they confessed and is mutual, she has not made a decision.
I also think it is important to remember that Haro does not know that his wife has never desired him, in his mind they are married because it is mutual lol

Ema knows that she doesn't love Haro, but Haro doesn't, and she doesn't want that to show. Which means that they will have sex from time to time. Most likely, she never wanted to have sex with him. But Takara's existence just unbalances her stable life, it's not a quickie with a girl in a bar, it's a stable relationship, she has to choose but she doesn't know what to do. Which precisely forces her mentally to want to prove that everything is okay and that's how we have the sex scene. That’s what I think at least because I don't remember another sex scene between them before, so this one must exist to show Ema's inner conflict imo. But again maybe I am wrong.

Yeah, I don't think it's meant to be viewed as rape with how it's framed, we'll have to see how it's addressed in future if it's addressed at all.

Personally I hope it isn't. One of the things I appreciate about his story is how Haruto is a good husband and suddenly revealing that he regularly takes advantage of Ema would be boring and lazy.

Ema, girl, I get it, but for the love of Yuri Christ this is all on your shoulders now at this point.

Takara has done all she can do, she told Ema her feelings, Ema reciprocated. The inherent problem is, she's married. Unhappily married because she's gayer than a rainbow in June but doesn't have the chutzpah to do something about it.

Look, either divorce your husband, who may or may not be an assaulter now (don't do anything with anyone drunk, even if they offer that just ain't right) and whom you now already have a seperate home from, or tell Takara it'll never happen. But for the love of god don't string both of them along in order to keep up the facade cause that just hurts everyone longer than it has to.

Someone has to get hurt here, choose.

Sexual assault** -5 points

This not a -10 atleast?? sob emoji

Read the footnote, dear.

Okay y'all, this may be a hot-take but.

I don't think it's wild to have sex with someone you've been dating/married to for many years while they're drunk.

I personally don't, because I prefer not to, but I know my girlfriend has expressed several times that it would be fine and has gotten really really pouty over me not touching her while she's inebriated.

Does consent matter? Yes, always, absolutely. Can consent be revoked at any time? Yes, of course. Are there some consents which are assumed at certain times in a relationship or per relationship? Also yes. I don't ask for permission everytime I kiss my girl--that'd be odd and it's well established I'm allowed to do that. If at any point she doesn't want me to kiss her, she can say it and I won't but until then, I'm assuming I can--- that's not crazy pos rapist behavior (to quote some comments here)

Which brings us back to. They have implied or explicit permissions within their relationship and having sex with one party drunk is not an insane one after many years of partnership. Just my two cents after reading some strong opinions on Harlo.

In other news. What a trainwreck everyone has gotten themselves into. Really interested to see how it's gonna play out.

Whew, everybody in this manga sucks. It’s a lot to keep track of - narcissism, lying, cheating, theft, drinking to excess, vanity and materialism, sexual assault, lowkey murder? Indirectly but still. It’s just too much for one to process.

Congrats, I don't think I've ever seen a post this deranged on this site before.

…So yeah, I don’t think we need to count this one. Takara needs to die.

God forbid characters have flaws and arcs, as if that's not, you know, how stories work.

Whew, everybody in this manga sucks. It’s a lot to keep track of - narcissism, lying, cheating, theft, drinking to excess, vanity and materialism, sexual assault, lowkey murder? Indirectly but still. It’s just too much for one to process.

Congrats, I don't think I've ever seen a post this deranged on this site before.

Mf decided to roleplay Anubis

Okay y'all, this may be a hot-take but.

I don't think it's wild to have sex with someone you've been dating/married to for many years while they're drunk.

This isn't or shouldn't be a hot take. Some people here just have zero relationship experience and/or are terminally online.

last edited at Apr 19, 2026 5:19PM