I think there's nothing better than a slow but progressive change in a story like this. Change for the "better" of course. Whatever better could it mean in any given context. Some changes are more subtle than others, but regardless it shouldn't be too quick, or it might feel a bit too jarring. Although now that I think about it, it's not really about how often the change happens, rather it should be a constant change, just in small doses. Random thought, really. But it made me realize that all the fluff feels so much more rewarding, more satisfying when this change, while seemingly stretched out, is progressively added on top of everything. A lot of series have nice fluff, and it makes me smile and I enjoy it no problem, but there's something extra about things like this or for example "Miss Sunflower" stuff. I dunno.

I blame the heatwave.

I feel like it’s so hard to pin down what makes for a good slow burn. There are a bunch of elements that contribute to the pacing and the balance between progress and the status quo. I do know that this story is really nailing it for me in spite of my impatience for them to kiss lol

Also, I have my Pinecone completely maxed out. What a good bird :)

I had a dumb epiphany that I wanted to share:

There are in fact more than the standard fives senses that most people think of. I believe the standard sixth sense is balance. So clearly the high school crush needs to return and bring balance with her. Whether this means she’s the winner or she’s the poly stabilizer is up for debate. Also I guess the MC herself could be balance.

I suppose it was the responsible choice to slow things down with Karin, but I wanted her to channel her inner Asumi and just go with the flow lol

As much as I would like the polymory route I can't help but root for sensei more than other girls

For me it’s poly > Karin or Sensei > everyone else

I can’t help but root for the character types that normally lose in these situations

Literally every girl shooting their shot first thing in the morning lol

But these two "roommates" are all over each other, all the time, and, as we see at the start of this chapter, Nozomi is often the instigator.

Yeah, I feel like the only sensible answer at this point is lovers. I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up in Futaribeya territory, though

My current take is that Part-time-kun is gonna be set up as an ambiguously viable love interest for Ayame that will never be confirmed or denied. A rare straight subtext pairing lol

No way Matsuri has been huge for Miss Sunflower and they've pointed that out many times how much she's changed over the last few years. Fuuko is still too kiddy for me.

Also I said this before but we are really lacking in Matsuri/Sunflower interactions while she's been studying so much :| It's nice to see some of the lesser characters get some screen time but it's just not the same with Matsuri hanging around the bookstore all day everyday.

But it’s important to show that Miss Sunflower has the exact feeling you’re describing here. Without some initial distance, there’s no room for pining and Miss Sunflower realizing how much she wants Matsuri around!

Also yeah, to me Fuuko doesn’t even register as a rival lol

last edited at Jun 15, 2022 11:41AM

Woof

I suppose confessing via literary reference is the most fitting, isn’t it?

It’s really starting to heat up, isn’t it?

Extremely casual vore

I wouldn't have said this at the start, but I would love to see a spin-off for Madoromi. She grew a little, but it doesn't feel like she's had a proper arc. Also, I always want the failed romantic rival to get something better than the "accepting that they lost" story beat.

It's purely crack-shipping, but I do think Madoromi x Ai's work kouhai would be funny just for the irony of it.

Nah, you should never pair two tsunderes. It's like crossing the streams.

I mean, NicoMaki has two tsunderes and it’s one the most popular ships on the site

last edited at Jun 2, 2022 10:09PM

I wouldn't have said this at the start, but I would love to see a spin-off for Madoromi. She grew a little, but it doesn't feel like she's had a proper arc. Also, I always want the failed romantic rival to get something better than the "accepting that they lost" story beat.

It's purely crack-shipping, but I do think Madoromi x Ai's work kouhai would be funny just for the irony of it.

last edited at Jun 2, 2022 3:42PM

Does this count as polyamory?

Watanabe is gonna fuck things up in order to protect her distorted worldview, isn't she?

last edited at Jun 2, 2022 3:26PM

When Yuuko morbed at the end, I clapped

I’m docking points for negging!

Honestly, the MC getting into sex work herself only makes sense. Although I can’t help thinking that poaching your crush’s client is a faux pas

I don’t know why Shiori thinks a little caramelization would be a turn off lol

Imagine having such a supportive family member, how nice

Things I’d like to make Shion do:
Steal the chaos emeralds

I’ll never stop rooting for the overly forward, flirty types characters like Kaede. I know she’ll never win by design, but I want her to succeed in spite of that

last edited at May 12, 2022 3:51PM

Fuji is such a chaotic train wreck of a human being lol

I think it's important that Kokeshi gets as good as she gives in this.

Chapter 21 is the best in this manga! The Shoggoth girl interaction with MC is hilarious!

Not a shoggoth. Dodomeki are admittedly a bit obscure, but they do...err, exist?

Well, I’m thinking of the closest critter that has multiple eyeballs, excluding a Beholder or Medusa… I gotta go with H.P. Lovecraft’s inventive imagination with his “Shoggoth”… sheesh, I’m such a nerd! I’m not up on ancient monsters across the pond.

Edit: Thanks to Wikipedia, I’m surprised to find out the dodomeki showed up before Lovecraft’s critter… makes me think where he got the inspiration for his own critter—he just needed a proper backstory and he did it in spades.

You might also enjoy the Greek myth of how the peacock got its signature plumage! It turns out that many cultures thought it would be pretty wild for a person to have a buncha eyeballs