^
Some people consider cuddling sex. Especially doing it nakid.

Which is irrelevant because Yuzu's insecurities are directly stemming from the fact that her partner apparently doesn't want to have sex with her. And this isn't even the first instance. Mei may very well be ace, but Yuzu isn't and that's something that should be broached, but hasn't yet.

Mei pointing out the they're engaged when she's already had a prior, annulled, engagement doesn't really speak to much beyond her duty to her sense of formality. Considering that Yuzu's first encounter with Mei was watching her make out with some guy, along with Mei running away from their relationship to attempt to go through with her prior engagement with some other guy, paired with Mei not telling her anything about whatever plans she has... well, Yuzu has every reason to feel frustrated with the repeated lack of solid, certain, intimacy or feelings of being desired. Hugs and kisses aren't cutting it, that's not just a reader demand, it's one of the character's own line of thinking!

Also, for those confused and upset at the events of the manga, note the publisher and furthermore the magazine this was published in. If we don't get a very strong turnaround into yuri territory after the "volume 2 milestone" (viability benchmark for long term publishing) it's safe to say it's completely worthless.

Was reading a Yuri blog about this series and apparently it was originally submitted as a Shoujo story but turned down do to the presence of lesbianism? The Yuri magazines similarly turned it down because the story was too dude focused, so it ended up in a Shonen magazine.

https://mangadex.org/title/621e53f9-dc01-4608-b3d4-0941f83c05de/ayaka-chan-wa-hiroko-senpai-ni-koishiteru

So the previous group quit?

They stopped when the series was picked up by MangaPlaza, which ended up only releasing the first volume or so.

Yay!

I believe the next chapter is the last, save for any volume extras, so I'm guessing a time jump for the final? Would make sense given the phrasing in the already translated Aftertime sequel story.

Could almost feel the bittersweet, melancholic vibe in that last exchange between Kaede and Aoi. Especially when paired with the earlier sequence where Kaede asks about the boyfriend even Nanami had apparently forgotten about.

I suppose with the way Nanami and Aoi are mirrored, you could kind of extrapolate what the relationship between Aoi and No-Face is potentially like. Though it could be a Brides of Iberus like set-up too.

Shiho was foreshadowed as "former lead singer who had mysterious falling out with the band" prior to her debut. If Eku's stated core idea behind the series is "girls with conflicting ideas of what love is" beyond just the initial misunderstanding between Hima and Yori, then having your overall antagonist personify the selfish, possessive side of love makes sense. We're largely still viewing the overall story through Hima as the core agent of change even if it might feel like the series is a "I told you that story so I could tell you this story" misdirection.

Can't blame anyone for being irked about that though. "I was able to correctly deduce that you were in love with that person so you should have been able to do the same with me" is some pretty jerky levels of self-centeredness. I wouldn't be surprised if Shiho were to become more possessive towards Hima as a result of all this, given that she's the only character to engage in the way she seemingly wants, rather than it work out with Aki.

That said, anybody who hasn't picked up on all the foreshadowing that Aki's temporarily embarrassed wolf royalty is reading a different manga than the one I've been reading.

If they need it spelled out, look to ch.23 p.17 top panel.

Yeah, that's a total normie family living in a total normie house.

Easy to forget in the time between chapters, but yeah, having just re-read this, it's one of the two moments I pointed out on the previous page that may indeed point in that direction, the other being the queen's reaction to her last name.

Wouldn't call it "all the foreshadowing", but there certainly are clues that support this reading.

I completely forgot about those scenes, I would definitely not call two or three panels scattered amongst 25 chapters to be "all the foreshadowing". That said, it is definitely there, and to be honest, I am actually kind of disappointed. It seems to me to be a rather cheap solution, "surprise, the servant turns out to be of royal bloodline, all problems solved in a single stroke".

Out of the three foreshadowed paths, secret princess is the probably the least focused on compared to the other two potentials. With just two chapters left it does seem more likely for a quick wrap up than Momo running away to live her life in her Wolfa disguise or Hyena Princess coming to the rescue. The groundwork is there for all, or even a combination of those paths though.

Ending in two chapters? Butbutbutut it's so cute and pretty, and I love the art style and characters... even with the foreshadowing, I was hoping that this would keep going for a little while longer. :'(

This was one of the few times I've actually been taken aback by a confession scene in a manga. Felt like I got whiplash going immediately from Ayu seemingly being on the verge of tears from being found out, to sudden abrupt confession, with no real build up. Felt very strange, but I mean, I almost always like post-confession stories, so I'm here for whatever comes next.

It did feel rather jarring, mostly because it happens as an almost immediate response to Yukari having a crisis of self-worth.

Which isn't to say that doesn't happen, but usually as a result of increased tension from listening to someone you adore put themselves down. So it kind of feels like there's a piece missing?

ABO finds its origin, like all of modern fanfiction itself, in Star Trek. Specifically in Kirk x Spock fics, because in startrek Vulcans go into "Pon Farr" aka heat/rut. ABO is a result of people taking that already existing dynamic and turning it into a more universal variant that could apply to almost any setting(and therefore any ship).

I have no idea why the writers of star trek chose to have Spock go into rut, but we all have to live with the consequences of that decision.

I originally thought A/B/O was from the Doctor Who Universe in the early 2000's. What with the rampant fanfiction and stuff. Or that just a Subgenre?

After the Star Trek episode, Ursula K Le Guin used the concept of a species that goes into rut in her 1969 novel "The Left Hand of Darkness" (it's called Kemmer there).

But modern ABO seems to have its start, like so many other things, in the Supernatural fandom. Usually with werewolf stories in particular. It spread when SuperWhoLock was a thing.

Yuina and Wakana are having their spinoff, so why can't Izumi and Iroha

There was a one-shot thin book with the two of them. Has a wedding dress cover, released the same time as the similarly covered one-shot with the leads.

Er, that tangential thought aside, I suppose there was going to be something or other that forced their hand into moving into the building where Mikawa lives as that's where all the set-up signs are pointing... it's just kind of frustrating that this is the method used to do so.

There are a lot of times where this series reminds me a lot of the "Lily" manhua, just more condensed, comedically bent, and (somewhat) less overwrought. Like we're at the "classmate unknowingly has a crush on one who is unaware of it while the other is very keyed to how possessive classmate is" part of the story but (possibly) resolved in a race rather than a camping trip?

last edited at Jan 19, 2023 4:08PM

Which one was Shiori again?

Nanami's girlfriend from college who has so far been mentioned, but not seen.

Presumably, Nanami started seeing the guy she was talking to at series start (but moved, in part, to avoid actually sleeping with), after they broke up.

Ohsawa for the love of god, I like your stuff but this is just the same goddamn thing, but with another girl and some minor differences, is there going to be a third girl that will fall in love with Nanami and then make her realize that actually Kaede was the one all along?

Well, the Shiori that Maho calls at the end here is Nanami's ex from college so the potential is certainly there, lol.

it's sad to see her give up without even trying like gurl doesn't she have a chance now that aki no longer have a chance with her unrequited love to yori.
seriously if she even tried her luck she might have a chance from aki on the first place and no need for this loong drama.

Even if she's now aware that Yori is with someone other than Aki, part of what really upsets Shiho is that she isn't first.
A huge part of her motivation is the idea that she has to be the best and the real lesson she needs to accept is learning how to be happy regardless of whether she's first, or the best, or whatever.

Both characters can be read as having some level of neurodivergency, it's one of the aspects I really like about this series. Though it can make for a really anxious read too.

While Adachi has trouble with emotional management, Shimamura has aspects of being on the other side of the spectrum where she doesn't always connect or process emotion. Which is part of why she feels she has trouble maintaining connections. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if she simply tuned out what Adachi was saying after a point. Her response of "You're just rambling and it's a pain to deal with" would certainly indicate that.

Was definitely a hard read though, wow.

A little thrown by Kyou being dead, only because she showed up at the end of the bonus chapter in volume 5, but the prior theory of her having a terminal illness did make sense even then.

Rereading that chapter, you can see a panel where Momo blushes when Kyou shows up. That and the moment in another prior chapter where Momo glares at Shiho (who apologizes) when discussing who she loves makes sense. So the groundwork was like super subtle, but it was there. Does feel a tad wonky though.

Wow, that was a really well done melancholic tragedy of sorts.
The really gut wrenching part is that senpai kind of seals her own fate the moment she pushes former kouhai away when the latter says she's happy. Basically solidifying to kouhai that the change in her behavior is what finally gets senpai to look at her in the way she wanted. Essentially remaining unobtainable despite being within reach.

And what's worse is that everyone kouhai flings around with is specifically similar to senpai whereas that wasn't the case when the roles were reversed.

YEAAAAAAAH! Aereosmith! we got another hahaha, I don't know which song... Maybe Crazy or I don't want a miss a thing, Jaded is cool too.

We got a kabedon without the Don... We got a KabeBOnk instead !

Come on girl, you got all the pieces for this puzzle, start assembling!

Nah, my money would be on Walk this way, Sweet Emotion, or Back In The Saddle since she said 'early' Aereosmith.

Dude Looks Like A Lady would be pretty hilarious though.

Kind of a deceptively cutesy take on a Children of the Damned concept. Neat.

to be fair, i will bet 20 bucks that someone or something already died to them.

There's certainly signs of something like that already. A lot of implication that this level of interdependence is a newer circumstance if they're commenting about how it's fortunate that they can share a class now.
The kid with the crush clearly knew Mana prior too. Maybe there was a sixth kid (a second 16 year old) whose loss was only able to be dealt with by the remaining five sticking together at all times?

The whole "I hurt you because I like you," angle on this is pretty upsetting though. Shion is mad at Kiki for not noticing her feelings when she was actively trying to hide them, and that's supposed to make sense?

Even in her dreams, Shion wants Kiki to be the lead/dominant in the relationship. Literally, and metaphorically, sweeping her off her feet. It's a great visual.

What I really enjoy about this series is how it approaches exploring role expectations while showing how those expectations can be hurtful by subverting them.