I really liked this ending. It was great to see everything come full circle to some extent. Over the course of the main series, Yuki became less delusional, and suffered from fewer hallucinations, but it was unclear if she ever gained any real insight. Here's it's clear that she recognizes her experiences for what they are, but also understands their value when it comes to emotionally processing death.

I remember reading this at md some time ago. Is this the only chapter?

There are 2 more out now, which we'll be releasing sooner or later. And I think she's still drawing more of this series, but I don't know if there's schedule or anything, since they're self-published.

I didn't like this. The shift in character at the end is too sudden and makes no sense. We have very little idea of what drives Yukiho, so it looks like she just randomly becomes a different person on a whim. I guess we're supposed to think she just got sick of casual hook-ups, but we don't get any clue as to why she's been doing that in the first place, so her sudden transformation just comes across as unbelievable. It's also unclear why she starts hanging out with Meguru. She says it's "for fun", but all the stuff they do and talk about looks like it'd be incredibly boring for a grown adult to sit through. Maybe she's just lonely? If that's the case, then it should've been developed better. Anyways, there's no real sense of attraction between them until suddenly they confess their love to eachother. Perhaps this was originally going to be longer, and there'd be more time for the ending to come together.

Hell yeah, now thats a new years resolution.

Does anyone have the specific chapter(s) where Nanoha's little sister keys us in that she knows about Chidori?

Here. (It's literally the first time they meet. This 12 year old is the smartest character haha).

last edited at Oct 6, 2021 12:16PM

Oh, I think the class trip made it absolutely clear that everyone else in the group thinks of them as a "couple" (i.e., very best friends more emotionally tied into one another than are the rest of them), just not (necessarily) that kind of couple--the kissing, having sex, having-each-others'-babies-forever-in-real-life kind of couple.

"Of course we all grope each others' boobs--but not like THAT!"

(And if anyone knows or strongly suspects, my money would be on Rei. . . .)

For a long time, I've been wondering about this and this. Thoughtlessly shoving them together simply because it's convenient and wouldn't bother her, or has Kumako noticed that they're not comfortable being that close together? But, well, it never came up again, so it's almost certainly nothing. Rei does seem more emotionally keyed into things than the other two, maybe.

I think you're right when you said earlier that what might give them away is that they're the only two in their friend group who aren't perfectly fine with groping each other, and Nanoha keeps running interference to defend Chidori's breasts...

In the past we had strong evidence that their friends really didn't know about them, but that was a while ago. I think their friends are getting a bit more mature about things, or at least we have some evidence that they're capable of taking something seriously (particularly Rei and Kumako), so it's possible at least one of them realized, or is beginning to suspect, and is just playing it cool.

All true, but if that were the actual intention (as opposed to simply a potentially open narrative path), given the way this story operates and this mangaka's extraordinary strengths in depicting subtleties of body language and facial expression, I would expect that we would be getting some sidelong glances or a slightly raised eyebrow as a cue.

I think it's possible we have been getting a little of that. Not signs that they know, but signs one or more of them is beginning to suspect. On the other hand, most of the scenes that made me stop and think could just be them recognizing that Nanoha and Chidori are very close friends. There have been hints for a long time that their behavior is nowhere near as subtle as they think it is, and it could be the sort of thing that builds in the background for a while before any definite realization. I agree if the three of them knew, we'd get something much more definite though.

Whether they know now or not though, I'm expecting something to come of this before the end. Maybe they'll come out and it'll be a big deal, maybe it won't be a big deal at all. I think it'd be fitting if it ended with some irony: they think it's still secret but it becomes increasingly clear to the reader that everybody knows.

How could it not come out? "They're dating but it's a secret" (although, we note, not to Nanoha's little sister Kaede) is the foundational premise of the series; closure demands an ultimate resolution to that situation. This is an author who clearly knows how to play the long game, after all. I could be wrong, and we'd get a "still secret" ending with Kaede smirking in the background. But that's not where my money would be.

Well, it would be a kind of resolution, and it could be funny. I wouldn't be surprised if "It's a secret from everybody" incorporated into the ending somehow. Maybe one last time before they come out, maybe as a blatantly false statement after they've told more people. Whatever happens, the humor of these constant interruptions and minor bumps in their relationship is very tied into the theme of the story (it's even the meaning of the title), and I expect that humor to be present in the resolution.

I sometimes think that their this whole secret from at least their friends is no longer a secret for them, but they just don't want to say they know till both Chidori and Nanoha will come out with it

That’s a popular, and perhaps plausible position—it may well turn out to be the case.

On the other hand, their friends interact through friendly teasing a lot, and it would cut against their overall characterization to have them be so discreet about something like that for so long.

And on that same hand, they do an extraordinary amount of high-level girl-flirting—I just happened to re-read the public-bath-on-the-class-trip* chapters, and that’s all about the butt-patting and boob-fondling.

In fact, one possible piece of evidence for them that Nanoha and Chidori are in a “special” relationship is that they’re so chaste in public with each other. If the two actually did indulge in some more overt skinship it would most likely throw the others off the scent even more.

*And Nanoha’s cosmic reaction to accidentally brushing Chidori’s all-universe-level boob with her elbow is one of my favorite scenes in any manga ever.

In the past we had strong evidence that their friends really didn't know about them, but that was a while ago. I think their friends are getting a bit more mature about things, or at least we have some evidence that they're capable of taking something seriously (particularly Rei and Kumako), so it's possible at least one of them realized, or is beginning to suspect, and is just playing it cool.

Whether they know now or not though, I'm expecting something to come of this before the end. Maybe they'll come out and it'll be a big deal, maybe it won't be a big deal at all. I think it'd be fitting if it ended with some irony: they think it's still secret but it becomes increasingly clear to the reader that everybody knows.

Also, yeah, Nanoha's brush with eternity was just a fantastic moment.

This series is still ongoing right? That felt like such a END chapter i got a little scared

We've still got half of Volume 9 to get through, and Volume 10 is set to release this winter. The web app is up to chapter 120, and no signs of it ending soon.

With the heavy emphasis the author is putting on their post-graduation plans, I'd be surprised if this ended without wrapping that up. Plus there's the whole "secret from everybody" thing that's gotta be addressed at some point.

Maybe check out The Traitor Baru Cormorant. The main character is a loner, is very crafty, and very cold indeed. It's part of a series of three books currently, the author says the fourth will be the last. It's also very well-written, with some quite beautiful and striking language. One of the best novels I've read in the past couple years.

Is that the same shrine where Reina takes Kumiko during the festival and they play the trumpet/euphonium duet of "The Place Where We Found Love"? The view looks very familiar. (And, yes... I use that song as my alarm music on my phone still to this day. It's a fantastic piece of music and that scene burnt it into my brain.)

No. Euphonium takes place on the other side of the Japan from this manga. It's in Kyoto, this is in Sendai.

I doubt there are many people in the forum like you who can accurately find the points in common between Die Dreigroschenoper and this manga. Color me impressed. I would quote here the "a person of culture as well" meme if it hadn't been overused to death, haha.

I think your interpretation is spot on. It's kind of tragic how Mitsuki is persuaded she has maneuvered things so well and scored some good points with Ayaka by taking her home for dinner and a sleepover, when in fact that night she has mocked and insulted Ayaka without even realizing it -- and even made her decide to cut all ties with Mitsuki. Thank goodness for a happy ending (to some extent, at least) where Mitsuki starts to savvy the errors in her judgment and the problems with her prejudices.

I'm probably just the only one willing to make an ass of myself by making such a comparison, haha. It's a bit of a stretch, but I've been listening to Tom Waits recently so his version of "What Keeps Mankind Alive" was on my mind.
And yeah, I think it's kind of funny how little Mitsuki understands Ayaka. The ending is so abrupt that it's hard to tell if she ever does understand her, but I think the combination of seeing Ayaka's room, being called out, and also learning how shy Ayaka really is maybe starts to get through to her.

I must also say that I don't see how "Mitsuki isn't interested in guys because she doesn't have to be." It's pretty clear that Mitsuki isn't interested in guys because she's interested in girls, which is not usually an indicator of unacknowledged privilege.

Based on how angry she gets about it, and that she says she's jealous Mitsuki can say she's not interested in men, I think Ayaka's probably a lesbian as well. Ayaka says that even if she's not interested in a guy, if he has something she needs, she forces herself to pretend to be interested. To her, not being interested in men is a luxury she cannot afford. It's not that being a lesbian is a privilege, it's that being able to follow your heart is a privilege.

Thanks, this really helped me understand what was going on in much greater depth. It's really telling that Mitsuki's opinion of Ayaka doesn't seem to change once she has context for what she's been doing. The last line really stings with that in mind.

It's interesting re-reading the story with that context. Ayaka seems to see their connection as something like partners in crime or co-conspirators, and she clearly has some standards for how she governs her pursuing of men. Mitsuki, meanwhile, doesn't understand this, and sees her as a friend with an attitude towards dating that she disdains. When Mitsuki disguises her affections by acting like someone who just thinks flirting is fun, it's like you say--it hurts Ayaka, and she pulls back. It makes me wonder how things would have gone if Mitsuki was honest that she did it because she wanted to spend time with Ayaka. I feel like that would have really changed the context of Ayaka learning definitively that she isn't serious about pursuing guys--like, she knows they're not in the same situation, but maybe they can be friends in different places supporting each other. It's cool to see someone being dishonest about their feelings punished this harshly in a manga.

One part I still don't get though is what happened in that whole scene after the big reveal. What does she mean by, "so that's the kind of girl you are"? Is Ayaka blushing because Mitsuki is turning her on, or is she ashamed because she's being pushed to present information she doesn't want to in an effort to protect herself? Is this kind of a complex cute moment between them, or like hella non-con?

I do think Mitsuki's opinion changes somewhat by the end. Look at how she's saying it, with a big grin on her face. Even if she still thinks that, the emotions surrounding it are different. Some of her disgust towards Ayaka was probably jealousy: she didn't like seeing the woman she loved chasing after men. Now that she knows that Ayaka wasn't having sex with them (and now that she herself has taken Ayaka's virginity), she's no longer jealous. And maybe it's also her way of saying that she understands what kind of person Ayaka is better, and realizes that's part of what she loves about her? It is the first time she's actually said it out loud to Ayaka, instead of just thinking it to herself. It's a very strange thing to say to the person you love after your first time having sex. But it does feel like a very fitting ending to this story.

I also wonder about that part where Mitsuki lies to her. I do think Ayaka is upset mainly for the reason I said before, but maybe this is also mean to indicate that, consciously or not, Ayaka is aware of Mituski's feelings and returns them? There was a lot of emphasis on the way Ayaka keeps touching Mitsuki leading up to this. So perhaps she wanted to hear Mitsuki say it, and was disappointed when she lied instead.

As for whether it's rape, I personally think that the art and story indicate that Ayaka is into it? My interpretation is that she's blushing partly out of shock, partly because she's embarrassed at revealing that she's actually a virgin despite her posturing, and partly because she's turned on. I think especially her expression on page 245 indicates that she's into it by that point. But the whole situation definitely feels more than a little rapey. And the part where they actually get undressed and have sex is left to the imagination, so maybe it's meant to be ambiguous?

Reading this story made me think of that song "What Keeps Mankind Alive" (and I guess the Threepenny Opera in general): when you're well-fed and comfortable, you can afford qualms and morals that the starving and destitute cannot.

Ayaka is defined by her hard work in her attempts to better her material position. She's applying the same effort to finding a wealthy man as she is in school and in her actual job (her self-help dating guides are right next to her pile of economics textbooks). To her, the three things are all part of her goal of leaving poverty behind. But Mitsuki sees Ayaka openly using sex appeal for material gain, a bourgeois taboo, and judges her very harshly. She never even considers that Ayaka's situation might be different than her own, and certainly never tries to put herself in Ayaka's position and see things from her point of view.

Also, I think it's interesting that Ayaka decides to cut Mitsuki out of her life after spending the night at her house. She meets Mitsuki's doting mother, eats Mitsuki's delicious food, and sees Mitsuki's spacious and comfortable home, all the while comparing Mitsuki's good fortune to her own poverty. And then at the end of the night, Mitsuki rubs it in. Mitsuki isn't interested in guys because she doesn't have to be. She says she's just going along with Ayaka for fun. For Ayaka, it's not fun, it's work. Ayaka can't afford to be uninterested in guys. Going to these parties and forcing herself to get along with assholes so that she can find a rich man to marry is like a second job for her. I think Mitsuki's response here insults her, and perhaps this is when she realizes or begins to suspect Mitsuki's contempt for her.

Oh. I totally got the cheating problem and Yuna’s being insecure with her body, I just don’t understand the last panel. I probably don’t remember that she’s been looking forward to work with Reina at home.

In the past few chapters she's sort of latched onto this idea that all of her worries will end once Rena starts working from home. I think this plays into how emotionally dependent she is on Rena, and also how insecure. It's not like it would actually solve her problems, but she's been obsessing over it as if it would.

Oh, I hadn't even realized Galette No. 19 was out. Thanks for the reminder!

The chapter in Galette 19 is listed as 特別編 by the way, does it mean special chapter or something?

Yeah. There's a note saying the chapter has been delayed, so they have a short extra instead.

Well the frequency of the chapters is no one's fault since the magazine this is serialized in comes out every 4 months if I'm not mistaken.

Galette comes out quarterly, so every three months. I think there's still a chapter or two left untranslated, but it doesn't really matter given the relative infrequency of new chapters getting published.

Oh, I hadn't even realized Galette No. 19 was out. Thanks for the reminder!

Please let these two make out during christmas, also how much longer does it have to be a secret from everyone? If not their friend group then let the big sister figure out and be a cool supportive figure

Big sister? Neither of them has a big sister. But Nanoha's little sister already knows.

If you've watched all of the Resident Evil films, then this chapter makes perfect sense.

I guess depravity is contagious.

Darkmaster006 posted:

Would anyone be able to tell me what is the 'chapter 10' that is up on MangaDex (which is not the same as the one here)? Thank you.

Looks like a bit of a mislabeling. It's a oneshot hosted here too that has some of the same characters as this series.

It is included in the series tank, but as the 12th chapter.

wait im so sorry but what does the "what do you usually do about lights" mean? cant tell if its literal or if theres some hidden meaning to it

You don't need to worry about the lights unless you're getting naked.

Did they kiss off scene?!? AGH! Or was it a promise for the play??

Yeah I couldn't tell either if that was an offscreen kiss or a future promise with iffy dialogue.

Either way, it seems like the story is speeding towards an actual Yuri relationship, which is great.

Too many of these stories spend 50 chapters teasing that and then end with a slightly more elaborate tease but no confirmation.

They absolutely, 100%, did kiss here. That's what the panel showing their shoes on page 103 was about, and that's what the "shock" Naitou mentions on page 104 was.

But then why lie about it?

I think it's because she's still kind of indecisive about it? She seems to be leaning towards becoming the branch manager, but I suppose she still kind of likes the idea of working at home, where she would be with Yuna. Plus, Yuna seemed very excited for her to start working from home, so maybe she just doesn't know how to break the news to her, especially if she hasn't reached a definite decision.

I think you're right. My reading is that she's just so unsure of what she wants, what Yuna wants, and what's best for their relationship that she's deliberately avoiding a decision, and that's why she's hiding it.

It has been so long and what do we retun to? A cheating subplot...You know what. It may be an unpopular opinion but I dont want a fake out or a misunderstanding.

Let there be actual cheating and lets see how they deal with it. It would be more interesting than "I was just building an orphanage for kittens on the side"

We already know she's not cheating. Rena's boss is opening a new branch of her nail salon, and she wants Rena to manage it. Rena's been extra busy because she has to prepare for her new responsibilities and figure out the new location. That's what Chapter 11 was about.

Is this a older comic? I was going "That doesn't look right"... was cute tho.

I think the doujin originally came out in 2012.