The author didn't seem ready for a second run but rather had a vague idea of what he would like, which wouldn't have filled the pages he needed to so they've just thrown in what they can to extend the season.

Yuri doesn't delve into this territory much but this is par for the course when it come to shoujo series that continue past confession. I want to say it'll get better but if you came for fluff this really isn't the series for you.

Anyway, at least we got to hear Kase's reasoning but she's still a fucking dumbass who can't seem to comprehend there's consequences to her actions. Yamada needs to slap her upside the head but she won't; seems like she's trying to make sense of it and at least confronting Kase about Fukami to some degree.

I really don't like this arc, but I'm willing to wait it out because it does feel like the culmination of something that's been building through volume 3. I felt like the end of volume 2 was a bit of a turning point for Yamada, and while she's not magically fixed of all her issues and insecurities, volume 3 really highlighted how she's become a lot more mature, focusing on not just her future career, but also her future life with Kase. On the flip side, this growth from Yamada highlighted how Kase hasn't really grown much throughout the course of the series, and now that Yamada has come so far, it's high time for Kase to catch up.

This whole ordeal came about because, for all her popularity and seeming confidence, Kase is actually remarkably insecure herself, and she desperately wants everyone to like her, and to avoid any kind of conflict. Fukami pressed this issue, and Kase folded. And this chapter made it clear that she just assumes Yamada is going to go along with it, and why not? She always has in the past after all. So what I'm really hoping for from the next chapter is for Yamada to (finally) assert herself to Kase, and force her to realize that she can't always make everyone happy.

If the author actually delivers with real character growth for Yamada and Kase, I think it would salvage the arc for me. But if they cop out, and it ends without Yamada asserting herself, and with Kase just winning the race and everything getting swept under the rug, I'll be really disappointed.

Well at least Kase realized her actions in postponing the moving plans were wrong and she's applying to Yamada. Already better than last chapter. And I would hope that Kase is about to reassure Yamada that Yamada is more important than anyone else. That "hickey" in the title is promising lol

Lmao at all the people complaining that there was no hickey.

Also lmao at all the people not getting that the author is having Kase and Yamada play out a super typical cliché situation of married life in Japan. Kase is playing the husband, Yamada is playing the wife and everyone at Kase's college is playing the husband's workplace. "Sorry, honey, you know how we were going to buy a house with a white picket fence and live together? And we were so happy about it? Well it ain't happening coz my company is transferring me for the next ten years to Burkina Faso and I can't take you with me so you'll have to go back to live with your parents. But hey what's a little ten years, right?"

I think setting up Fukami as a one-sided crush on Kase is fine, but the drama between Kase and Yamada could have been more clearly about prioritizing a roommate over her girlfriend since the series hasn't given an indication that Kase is wavering on the relationship. Instead the last panels of this chapter make it seem like we're going into the romantic rivals space - with this being about Yamada staking a claim to Kase. On top of that Yamada is apparently fine with the classmates not wanting Kase to leave, but asks specifically about Fukami in the last panels - it should have been definitely one or the other pressuring her to stay, not both.

If the author wanted to go the rivals route I think you need to make Kase more secretive about messaging specifically Fukami, and maybe have another situation or two where she prioritizes what Fukami wants to do over Yamada. Then at least Kase's role in the situation can be having potentially led the girl on by being flirtatious with her rather than just being spineless when told to race by a senior. It's interesting that it's not even specifically Fukami's challenge that Kase winds up accepting - she was turning that down until pressured by others. So you end up with a situation where I think the author wanted Kase to have to pick between Yamada and Fukami, but really got her picking between Yamada and the classmates? And ultimately this all boils down to Kase being spineless and not just committing to moving out.

I suspect the hickey title will be Yamada giving Kase one to "mark her territory," but the way it's been written that shouldn't have been the drama - the drama should have been squarely on Kase being at fault.

For crying out loud, Yamada. Your girlfriend just massively screwed both of you over for no good reason whatsoever. Get mad, dammit! Get mad!!

At least she apologized and admitted that she panicked. Doesn't excuse her, but it's a step. She still doesn't see any issue with betting her future on a race, though.

To be fair, she's an athlete. Betting her future on races is her life.

Also lmao at all the people not getting that the author is having Kase and Yamada play out a super typical cliché situation of married life in Japan. Kase is playing the husband, Yamada is playing the wife and everyone at Kase's college is playing the husband's workplace. "Sorry, honey, you know how we were going to buy a house with a white picket fence and live together? And we were so happy about it? Well it ain't happening coz my company is transferring me for the next ten years to Burkina Faso and I can't take you with me so you'll have to go back to live with your parents. But hey what's a little ten years, right?"

^ Hear, hear.

If Kase is going to pay for her share of the rent, even if she doesn't move in, I will accept the "husband vs wive vs workplace," analogy.

I know everyone hates this plot, and I can't say I love it, but I do feel like it's pretty in-character for Tomoka to be a huge dumbass who bets her future on a race without thinking about the implications. Like, Tomoka genuinely loves Yui and is an overall good person, but she she's never been the most emotionally intelligent or perceptive. I totally buy that that she'd miss Fukami's obvious crush on her (one that Fukami herself doesn't realize, and thus is sublimating it into this weird and inappropriate jealousy) and not realize what's really got her roommate so possessive.

She's also very susceptible to peer-pressure and tends to think of everything in terms of an athletic competition, so I feel like of course she jumps on that - a simple race - as a way out of this uncomfortable social situation. And it's not until afterward that she realizes just how much she's disrupting the plans she and Yui were making. And Yui is too nice and too passive to call her out over it, so rather than pushing back she kind of just accepts it. (Yui's historically shown a reluctance to "interfere" in Tomoka's athletics, as well)

Anyway, I'm willing to see where this goes. This isn't the first time there's been some frustrating drama, but I feel like it almost always pulls it back, shows how the behavior was an issue and then has the two work through things to be in a better place. Like, funnily enough, the last time Fukami caused Yui grief when they were on the summer trip; Fukami was weirdly possessive, Yui was insecure...but, ultimately, it led to my favorite chapter of either run - Crickets and Kase-san - where Tomoka makes crystal clear that she sees her future as being with Yui ("I'll go where you go"), and Yui lets go of her insecurities all on her own. (instead of relying on Tomoka to reassure her, though bringing up Fukami's actions there might have saved some grief this time around...)

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

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.

I would be really pissed off

This arc continue to make me irrationally angry

Irrational only because it's just a story. If it were a real situation, anger would be quite rational.

Kase's decision has already cost the couple materially (missing a nice apartment). Not to mention the lack of concern for her partner.

Maybe Fukami can move in with them when they pick a new apartment.

Yamada is also at fault here bc she does not stand her ground, Kase can do anything and even when Yamada feels sad or angry about it she won't demonstrate, Kase on the other hand has everything going her way always.

it feels rlly sad that kase isnt taking the move seriously to the point shes prioritizing this race like i know she wants to leave on good terms but this is just hurting yamada.

Maybe Fukami can move in with them when they pick a new apartment.

i was joke thinking what if but i bet theres gonna be a big emotion part to this chapter because its like yamada has to learn to really put her foot down on the dumb whims kase san does

Peer pressure works for a reason, unfortunately. Yamada needs to tell her off.

It's weird for Yamada to not mad..kase literally use their relationship as bet..what do u feel if u found out ur gf date u because she won a bet with her friends?? Or live with u bcuz she won a bet or married u bcuz of bet..ohh damn i would furious am i a joke

Kase need to take yamada seriously.. She not a joke u can't use an excuse "sorry i had to cancel our dinner bcuz my friend is grumpy" wth??

The author didn't seem ready for a second run but rather had a vague idea of what he would like, which wouldn't have filled the pages he needed to so they've just thrown in what they can to extend the season.

Yuri doesn't delve into this territory much but this is par for the course when it come to shoujo series that continue past confession. I want to say it'll get better but if you came for fluff this really isn't the series for you.

Anyway, at least we got to hear Kase's reasoning but she's still a fucking dumbass who can't seem to comprehend there's consequences to her actions. Yamada needs to slap her upside the head but she won't; seems like she's trying to make sense of it and at least confronting Kase about Fukami to some degree.

The author is a woman. I still agree with your points, though.

I have noticed this so much when it comes to stories where the characters finally get together: no plan from the author.

Either they break up, or their relationship is now a series of misunderstandings to keep it interesting. Normal, angst free relationships aren't considered interesting to readers, so the writer is trying to spice it up.

But also, I think Kase-san had a good thing going. The first series had them together and the misunderstandings made sense. It's only with this series, that it feels like the author has no plan.

The author is a woman.

Ah, yes, that explains the beard stubble on the author's avatar.

The author is a woman.

Ah, yes, that explains the beard stubble on the author's avatar.

I mean you can be sarcastic all you want but Hiromi-sensei is a woman.

The author is a woman.

Ah, yes, that explains the beard stubble on the author's avatar.

I mean you can be sarcastic all you want but Hiromi-sensei is a woman.

[citation needed]

I can find no actual source confirming this.