I'd guess that maybe Tachibana loved either Rika or Mishio?

To be honest, I have been questioning the time frame here. Mishio says she stayed back a year, why? I want to think that the relationship was discovered and then Mishio left school for a year. This would have given her time to move on a bit from her love for Rika and begin to fall for Ena. And if so, Tachibana is the type to hold grudges for a long time.

However, I get the feeling that this has all happened in a much shorter time-frame. If it hasn't been that long since the breakup, I can actually understand why Tachibana would be upset. But fake love?

last edited at Jan 13, 2018 9:44PM

This is turning out to be unexpectedly great. Ena is cute and they've got a Yuzu/Mei dynamic going on. I especially like that Ena can't just pull her out of her doubt and trepidation impulsively like this - she's no manic pixie dream girl who says all the right things all the time.

No. Don't bring that shit up here. Gosh, I can't just not hear about it.
I fucking hate that manga.

I don't like it either, but the relationship archetype is obvious.

This really isn't like Mei and Yuzu aside from having a cheery girl and a troubled girl. Maybe Mei and Mishio can be compared, but not so much Ena to Yuzu as Ena is actually respectful towards Mishio and isn't trying to force sexual acts on her like Yuzu does Mei

Why was I wanting Dia to ask if Kanan liked anyone when she asked Mari to talk with her alone?

I agree with this, even the conflict back in school was presented so vaguely, us guessing it had something to do with the main character being outed is just that, guess work. It is reasonable, given the author and genre of her works, but going purely by what we are shown, it is still pretty much left for us to guess and speculate. I am not really sure what was even the point of all this vagueness.

Tomoka often made it clear to the teacher that the issue was a matter of love or romance. She teases the teacher for not getting it due to the teacher's lack of experience in love.

I think the implicit nature of the story happened for two reasons; the story is complex, but being a one-shot there isn't room for the story to be fully fleshed out, and that the focus is more on Tomoka's interactions with the teacher and on how Tomoka felt about the situation.

last edited at Jan 1, 2018 7:08AM

I imagine she would've had less problems in her old school if she didn't ambush kiss girls she barely knows, actually

That's assuming she did the same thing at her old school, but she says that she doesn't just go after girls. She was in a dating relationship with a female teacher and the relationship was discovered. Kissing Ena was for several reasons, but mostly done since Ena was actively trying to get closer.

Yeeah.. I have a feeling the new teacher is the one she was dating before. Drama incoming

Got the same feeling. Since the relationship was discovered, the teacher might have been fired and is now working as a substitute at other schools.

last edited at Dec 31, 2017 8:36PM

In this case, cliche simply refers to an element of an artistic work that is not original and not interesting. It can also mean when such an element is used too often and is indicative of bad artistry, or that it is so often used that it loses its original meaning or impact. I'd also say it depends on the quality of the original. Something that is done exceedingly well may become cliche in only its second usage.

A use of a transfer student can be a trope of romance manga, but by itself can not be cliche without considering how and why it is being used. This is true even if transfer students have been used "1545359603th" times.

As for the transfer student, I can not recall many Yuri stories where the character changed schools, because she was discovered as a lesbian. And I find it interesting where in chapter three we learn that this fact of her character is going to play an important and meaningful role. It also doesn't appear that the author is using the transfer student trope in a watered down way, nor to force interest.

Otherwise, I really like this.

last edited at Jan 2, 2018 11:27AM

This is published by Ichijinsha, so is it part of one of the Yuri-Hime collections or is it an independent publication under Ichijinsha?

Not really yuri but was a cool read overall. I kind of want a sequel featuring a time-skip for this one, to see how their relationship turns out.

It's Yuri because a main part of the story deals with romantic feelings for girls by other girls and the social fallout of it in Japanese schools. A lot is implied, but Yuri doesn't need to be explicit. There is then an implied connection between the student and teacher as well which could possibly go either way. I'd rather have a prequel myself.

It's not unusual for fan translations to mess up like this.

I know, I said poor in that the translation greatly changes the meaning. Still, if it were her fault and yet people are apologizing to her, then I'd assume they're apologizing for how badly they treated her? Even so, I'd expect her to be apologizing as well since she felt so guilty. Anyway, it does seem that a few people felt bad for what happened.

"pure, wholesome" girl-girl (S-Class) love

Where that was part of the social perspective, Class-S is a writing genre started by lesbian writers as a way to express themselves in a socially acceptable way. But not all were so "innocent". Some Class-S contained sexual content and some relationships did continue after high school. Class-S also often had sad or tragic endings which continued in early Yuri writings. After a while, Class-S and Yuri writings lost their popularity and the genres all, but died. Yuri saw a sort of revival in early Shonen anime as ecchi content. And with a new sort of acceptance, the rest of Yuri was revived as well.

Then that was omitted from the English "complete" novel collection.

My whole statement or that which is written in the spoiler tag? I was not certain about the contents of the spoiler, I've never read the novels. But by your reply, I safely assume that doesn't happen.

last edited at Dec 30, 2017 5:37AM

I don't get it, why would they accept her apology if they were? An apology won't make that much of a difference for her if they were bigots, besides what is she apologizing for? Being gay, or making them uncomfortable for being gay? It's honestly a bit crap, the implications set here by this one-shot are dumb. She quit the school for that reason, came back and apologized to THEM? If the Mangaka wanted her to be a smart character, then they should write her like one.

The translation is wrong.

She was the one of who was apologized to. As I understand it, the girl she confessed to apologized as she feels that the gossip about Tomoka spreading was her fault although she didn't intentionally cause that.

Also, she's saying still can't face going to class. She only went into school once. I think just as she felt she needed to clear the air with the girl she liked to move on.

You sure? At least twice she says that it was her fault due to what she said. And then that while she didn't plan on apologizing, she did so only because she ran into them, as in plural. I don't see context here where it would be singular. That said, the "from here on out... we'll both work hard together, right?" I guess could imply she was going to continue skipping school, but where does it say she can't face the others? And for that reason she'll keep skipping. She already faced them. I'm not dismissing you, that's just one heck of a poor translation if true.

If it were the girl she were interested in that said something, I would expect the others to see Tomoka as the "innocent" one, unless she confirmed the rumor. But then again, she says that she was the one that started it. Regardless, I kinda get the feeling that more than one person were blaming themselves and others may not have really understood what actually happened, but Tomoka internalized it all and took full responsibility. And she may have done so by being the only one ostracized. Guilt by social pressure and forced isolation.

last edited at Dec 30, 2017 5:19AM

I don't think she quit school nor apologized for liking girls, nor is the story implying that she did nor that other people should. She was isolated from her friends and peers, people were talking behind her back, and she felt guilty for whatever had happened. She also states that she hadn't planned on apologizing, but did so by chance due to a negative atmosphere and for having started a rumor -- a rumor she felt guilty about and made people distance themselves from her. She wasn't apologizing for who she is, but for creating a difficult situation.

Even with the information we've been given, it is quite difficult to even guess at what happened. Maybe it wasn't a confession? Maybe she accidentally exposed the girl she liked as a lesbian and caused her trouble? We simply don't know. All we know is that she did something she regretted and then pacified a negative situation not just for herself, but for others. I think the importance of the story isn't so much what happened, but about how she felt about it.

It is a beautiful, but misleading view to see the world where everyone is understanding and at the snap of a finger or a signature on a line, everyone will be accepting. There is a difference between how things are and how things "should" be. If she confessed to the girl or was confided in with personal information, and then let that information slip before the other person was ready to tell others, that is something to take responsibility for , even if taking a personal hit is necessary.

That said, it is interesting to note the one girl that openly said hello to her at the cafe. Maybe things weren't as bad as she thought? I also thought the girl might have been the one referenced earlier? Whoever it was seemed to be worried about her. I think it is also important to remember they're middle school students and that the focus of the story is the relationship between a teacher and middle-school student.

What I do think is that the author took on a challenging topic yet only had a one-shot in which to explain it.

last edited at Dec 30, 2017 2:54AM

This is the definition of Yuri that I've adapted from varying sources including Wiki, discussions, and reading a whole lot of Yuri myself.

Yuri is a genre that involves the implicit or explicit depictions of the emotional, sexual, social and/or all three aspects of lesbian relationships.

As Nezchan says, Japan still uses Shojo-ai to refer to lesbian pedophilia whether implicit or explicit. From my understanding, the Western community changed the use of Shojo-ai to match Shonen-ai as this too is used to differentiate between stories with explicit sexual content and those without. However, Shonen-ai doesn't exactly mean this either in Japan.

Shojo-ai stands alone while Yuri is heavily influenced by its predecessor, Class-S.

isnt that just lolicon then?

As far as I understand it, lolicon is not a genre. The term refers specifically to those that have interest in pedophilia against girls.

I would say that shoujo-ai would be more along the lines of Marimite which was a lot more tame than Strawberry Panic

Indeed, Strawberry Panic! manga is Yuri, but it was also meant as a parody of Class-S. From what I have heard, in the novels, all of the girls in Strawberry Panic! get married to men after graduation, but that needs verified Marimite is heavily influenced by Class-S, however it is also Yuri and is regarded highly in the development or transition from Class-S to Yuri.

last edited at Dec 30, 2017 1:39AM

Also, if Mo confesses and moves on that means we might get a sweet sweet lesbian side plot from that.

I'd like it if Mo were to get her own series, but I'll take a side-plot.

last edited at Dec 26, 2017 9:56PM

This may be my least favorite from Takemiya , aside from whatever Yaezakura Sympathy is going to be... I did like the high school part and I like Nana and Youko, but Satomi and Moriyama are both bothersome and manipulative. They're really more suited for each other. And Nana falling for Satomi feels a bit forced.

last edited at Dec 26, 2017 6:13PM

...if by that you mean she was nice to her, then yes, she "started" it.

I was joking a bit. It is just a bit bothersome to me that only now are readers making a connection when Mo's feelings have been clear. And true, I've never considered Sun Jing mean-spirited, but she is a little unaware of herself and her surroundings at times. I don't believe Mo is a typical fan girl with temporary, but intense feelings of admiration. I think she's genuinely in love with Sun Jing as a person, not as an idol.

I mean, another comment against Mo calling her opportunistic. Mo has no advantage here whatsoever. That said, "opportunistic lesbian" could also imply something quite crass.

last edited at Dec 25, 2017 5:09AM

Ah, yes. The opportunistic lesbian. Confirms a girl is gay, and goes in for the steal.

Oh please, Mo Xiaonan has been into Sun Jing since 2015
https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/their_story_31102015_update_1#5

Sun Jing started it

last edited at Dec 25, 2017 2:41AM

Going back and reading this from the start, it is rather good.

The manga only shows Yamanaka cheating once which felt like a flash-back to maybe her college years? Later, she mentions that in her past she'd be quick to take a woman to bed, but not any more which of course implies that the has changed. As for her adult self, it really seems as if she's tired of these games and while she'll sleep with varying women, she's not in a relationship with any of them. It's implied that she had some sort of heartbreak in her past and later says that couples should drop dead. I wouldn't call her a cheater now over past decisions.

I think Yamanaka does care for others, she just doesn't show it much and when people do bad by her, she's a no bullshit type. The one woman she was in love with from work as sleeping with men begging for Yamanaka's attention and the other was cheating on her fiance while keeping that a secret until the last minute. Learning of these things, Yamanaka just sets the record straight with each girl; she fell out of love with the first while the girl messed with men for attention and with the other she just clarified that the relationship was never on a romantic level. Nothing she has done bugs me nor find it to still be an issue, really. The past is the past and now as a working adult she's got two women wanting her to make their decisions for them.

Her personality is pretty obvious. So really for other people its like touching a hot kettle, but then complaining about getting burned.

last edited at Dec 25, 2017 2:10AM

I liked this until the time skip. So much went unexplained and undeveloped. I mean, clearly she's actually in love now or close to it, but there's so little to this.

Is this concluded now? MAL has the series listed at 15 chapters

last edited at Dec 25, 2017 1:23AM

@ Hokuto

I was making the post under the hypothetical assumption that it will come to drama. If it gets resolved quickly as usual, fine! But like you said, people are probably quite frustrated. We finally got the kiss but all the cute and fluffy stuff that might come from it will now get interrupted for at least a few updates. Seeing how long the time between updates seems to be (even if objectively it is not too long) people get a bit annoyed if some (even if it is just short) drama plot pops up. Even worse if it goes back to the boys after that and we wont see the two properly talking for another 2 months or so.

Right, but you argue that everything has been resolved quickly and yet assume this won't. True, we've been waiting a while, but I feel that even if it's another month or two that's fine. Frankly, we're already a little spoiled knowing that QT and SJ end up together. We've waited this long, so what's the harm in having one character have her moment while waiting just a titchy bit more? Relatively speaking. In any case, it doesn't justify lambasting a character and questioning the writer as some have done.

And .. if this was gonna be solved fast, it would have already been solved.

That's absurd, it has only been one quite short release of this new development. And it's not really new as Mo Xiaonan has loved Sun Jing since before the starting point of the story. This is a climax that has been built up to. Should a character be completely ignored just so readers are happy? Maybe Tan Jiu could have postponed this a little, but even then people would take issue.

You know they are joking, right?

lol, if Tan Jiu really did this then it'll feel like she's given up.

I really like Sun Jing and Qiu Tong, but I feel bad for this girl...if she were the main character and this were an unrequited feelings story, we'd feel bad for her too

A voice of understanding. I think even if Tan Jiu spent a little more time developing Mo Xiaonan as the sweetheart she is, readers would be more sympathetic. Her heart is shattering right now. I'd really like a female character added for her. Maybe a friend will comfort her? I think Moe Xiaonan is well liked in her group.

last edited at Dec 23, 2017 10:53PM

She's mean

I've been reading Their Story for a long time as well, and I understand the frustration.

Sun Jing has always been upfront and honest with Qiu Tong, so unless Qiu Tong completely changes character and becomes utterly unreasonable, this shouldn't take long
(edit: always upfront and honest once Sun Jing was able to talk to Qiu Tong, that is.)

@Fipse
Using your own argument, why assume that now there will be heavy drama? Myself included, many have guessed at heavy drama, but as you say it has all been resolved in quick order. Why assume now that we'll have long, drawn-out drama, or "some jealousy love triangle bullshit"? It's highly unlikely that Sun Jing will suddenly be interested in Mo Xiaonan at this point.

If there is a bit more drama right now, it is fitting as Mo Xiaonan is an established character from the start. Her feelings for Sun Jing were established early on too. True, if Tan Jiu had given Mo Xiaonan more presence, possibly less people would be angry or infuriated. But at the very least let the writer give closure to her own characters.

A lot of dramatic points have come up, but have not been focused on for very long or we have yet to see where things will go. The overall tone has been kept light and drama kept short broken up by light and fluffy content. But there are definite conflicts. Honestly, I think the anger has been amplified due to how long it has taken to get to this point in the story and that this is also a bit of a best-girl couple shipping issue.

In that case, Mo Xiaonan x Qiu Tong. Mo Xiaonan is kinda like a strawberry and Qiu Tong once made a strawberry and cream roll cake. Her mom approved of the cake and everyone smiled. The end.

I'm not responding to those generally frustrated. Only the extreme posts and trope arguments.

last edited at Dec 23, 2017 5:52AM

Why was she introduced?

Mo was introduced very early on in the series and it has been made clear that she has feelings for Sun Jing on a number of occasions. This isn't a random trope for the sake of drama, its contextually fitting development of her character.

Everyone is so invested that it is only natural people get mad.

I've been reading Their Story for a long time as well, and I understand the frustration. But it's not as if Mo's character is maliciously sabotaging a relationship of which we already know will come to be.

For the record, I got mad.. at the author xD .. for ruining the fluffy comedy with this

I understand the passion, but this sort of moment has been a long time coming and through out Their Story, there have been hints of drama, it's not all fluff. I'd be upset if Tan Jiu just ignored a character out of convenience for the sake of fluff and/or for readers; writing shouldn't be a catering service. This has been pretty well setup too with Mo first trying to talk to Sun Jing at the party only to be dismissed and now again for a second time. Mo saw what happened at the party too, so it makes sense that she'd be really anxious right now and would stop Sun Jing at the first opportunity.

Sun Jing has always been upfront and honest with Qiu Tong and unless Qiu Tong completely changes character and becomes utterly unreasonable, this shouldn't take long. A few chapters to allow an established character to have some closure? That's very reasonable.

last edited at Dec 23, 2017 1:33AM

Well, I was way off... ah well.

I just wanna give Mo a hug. She's a sweetheart cutie that's been loving Sun Jing for a while now, and is in the middle of getting her heart broken. She's not doing anything bad whatsoever; the horrible things some people are saying... Hate? Kill? That's just terrible.

I always feel bad for the unlucky runner up in romance but hopefully she is able to move on and find an even better girl

Agreed. I hope Tan Jiu will introduce a nice girl for Mo. I hope she won't disappear like Qiu Tong's friend.

last edited at Dec 22, 2017 10:02PM

Takemiya's releases comes out in such a confusing order. Why would this chapter be part of Game?

Youko's new girlfriend is kinda scary. I bet the girlfriend asked for a kiss from Youko, because she knew Nana would see it. She also searched Youko's house? And now hits her. Controlling, manipulative, paranoid, physical and desperate. That's not simple jealousy.

Girlfriend and Satomi hatch a plan for a rather large pretend party just to see how Youko and Nana would react to each other? Both of their actions are so backhanded it's really annoying.

Nana and Youko may have some lingering mutual feelings. I get the hesitation, but Girlfriend and Satomi could be more direct about this.

last edited at Dec 20, 2017 5:28PM

Maybe, that's assuming Sun Jing knows. And had he hurt a girl in the past, is that something he should be protected from or should the girl be protected from Qi Fang?

I also meant "protect him from himself." And my thought was that Sun Jing is the most likely character to know what's up with him. Anyway, looks like I could have been completely off the mark, so I'm just gonna shut up and stay tuned.

Indeed, if someone were to know, Sun Jing would. However, I was thinking that if it is something serious then Qi Fang may not have told Sun Jing in fear of losing a friend, or for some other reason. I don't know about off the mark, I just think we view the situation differently. And if Qi Fang did commit a horrible act in the past, I feel that he needs to face it.

I wasn't sure how to go about this, but if possible I would like to have my account deleted.

Thank you