I'm of similar opinion as yuridaisuki (except I put off studying all day for it instead lol).
huhuhu. I'm really trying to delay gratifications so what I did, I studied for nine hours. Jgh from the lib and now, No-rae ssi, where art thou? I know in that 1 hour gap you'll be able to find Seol-a....
But I kind of frown at Deux Ex Machinas. That's one of my pet peeves. External unlikely events or characters that miraculously make the characters "realize their feelings" and advance the plot. It sometimes looks like a trick, because the author doesn't know how to handle the progression of the relationship.
mmm... where is the deus ex machina here though? as defined by tvtropes.org
"A Deus Ex Machina (pron: Day-oos eks MAH-kee-nah) is when some new event, character, ability, or object solves a seemingly unsolvable problem in a sudden, unexpected way."
Note that there are a number of requirements for a sudden plot development to be a Deus Ex Machina:
1. Deus Ex Machina are solutions. They are never unexpected developments that make things worse, nor sudden twists that only change the understanding of a story.
2. Deus Ex Machina are sudden or unexpected. This means that even if they are featured or referenced earlier in the story, they do not change the course of nor appear to be a viable solution to the plotline they eventually "solve".
3. The problem a Deus Ex Machina fixes must be portrayed as unsolvable or hopeless. If the problem could be solved with **a bit of common sense or other type of simple intervention, the solution is not a Deus Ex Machina no matter how unexpected it may seem.**
If you are focusing your view on that incident with the ex, and to this chapter which we're merely speculating future events, and if you really mean deus ex machina as "[E]xternal unlikely events or characters that miraculously make the characters "realize their feelings" and advance the plot"
then EVERYTHING you've been reading is an instance of deus ex machina.(as to your definition).
That's why, while I like FF a lot, I prefer "Their Story". The situations are somewhat similar, but Sun Jing takes the matters in hand and never relies on some miracle to make the relationship happen. She works hard to make it happen. That's the level of realism I seek in a good story, not drama, rapes and angst to the max.
I don't want to be rude to the author or to the people who enjoy her work without reservations. But I don't want to be flamed because of my own preferences.
please be careful with your heart err, again, where is the miracle here though. and drama, rapes and angst, whew. where are they though?
lastly, no. we're not prosecuting you for your opinions, I myself would just like to point things out you seem to have missed a lot in the story. I'm sorry for your lost though