Hah yeah, there's no 'grave' in that sentence. I didn't know about the subtlety of that verb implying returning; if not for that, it sounds like "Now I'm going to meet my mother" which in context definitely sounds suicidal.

Why are they wanting to live together but not as a lover?

Because they really like living together and Kaoru hasn't mentioned any sexual feeings for Uta. People can like living together without sex or romance (and not want to live together even with sex.)

I mean didn't Kaoru just said wanting to live with Uta again because of "love"?

All three core characters love each other, but there are different forms of love.

Hell if it weren't for hard feelings, Reichii could be part of this too, as brother and housemate/friend; he's just not a good husband for Kaoru.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH i want to destroy things...

you can't just slap a to be continued on this!?

last edited at Sep 28, 2020 12:09AM

Don't think I've ever resent a character as much as I do for Kaoru, she's literally the last person on earth I want to see my Uta with, given this is a fiction I'd love to see her with Samus Aran, there you have it, Samus also does not have a significant other, both single, both independent, both badasses in their own ways. Samus and Uta, author-san, make it happen and make it QUICK, time to erase Kaoru's existence of this story.

LOL, to be honest I think Uta is more of a Zelda fan. Always liked reading a simp Link getting NTR'ed in fanfiction.

last edited at Sep 28, 2020 12:19AM

Karou: it's selfish but I love you (not in that way though) and I want to live with you (walks away to get on bus even though uta hasn't said anything)

I really can't stand karou. Also uta even is like I know it's not requited but maybe?? One day??? It's down to her now??? And I'm like no uta this isn't the way to live, you can't revolve your life around this woman who literally gives you nothing back but these weak reasons to keep you around

I can tell that my opinion is the unpopular one but..

I'm excited for them to live together. Sure, if it does happen we're likely gonna have to deal with BS drama where Reiichi and their mom say it's a bad idea but if it does happen I'll be glad.

Y'all keep saying 'old Kaoru was better' and 'Kaoru has become so bad' and just leave it at that. I'd be spiralling pretty hard too if I were in her situation. Its hard to be good to yourself and those around you when you're freefalling and the one person you have left (Reiichi) feels distant and detached.

Hopefully Uta being sweet and caring and present in their day to day lives will help heal Kaoru. So we can see cute blushing and building emotional tension, but also lots of healing.

I have the impression that people you have not understood that kaoru is the victim of this story not uta .
More this hatred when on the contrary the fact that they are going to live together without reicchi changes completely the situation... kaoru wasn't going to fall in love with uta from one day to the next when she has just undergone an incredible shock and has taken the worst decisions for her life...
The fact that she accepts with joy to live with uta while not rejecting her definitively in love leaves all the possible perspectives.
And excuse me for saying that kaoru is a bad partner when you see her when she is in her normal state (and not betrayed), that she is a warm, faithful, funny, generous, kind person that scares me on your criteria.
The fact that she will find herself will calm kaoru and uta, it's a huge evolution with all these depressive situations... they will be closer than ever, uta will become an adult and from then on everything will be possible, for me it's not the end but the renewal of their common history.

Karou: it's selfish but I love you (not in that way though) and I want to live with you (walks away to get on bus even though uta hasn't said anything)

I really can't stand karou. Also uta even is like I know it's not requited but maybe?? One day??? It's down to her now??? And I'm like no uta this isn't the way to live, you can't revolve your life around this woman who literally gives you nothing back but these weak reasons to keep you around

Telling Uta how much she helped her and how much she liked having her around was a good thing. But if she had pointedly stayed even when her bus arrived she would have been effectively demanding an answer from Uta, which brings us back to unfair.

She does give back, it has been stated that she provided a lot of support to Uta when things were bad with her parents, not to mention that Uta likes being there for Kaoru.

The fact that she accepts with joy to live with uta while not rejecting her definitively in love leaves all the possible perspectives.
And excuse me for saying that kaoru is a bad partner when you see her when she is in her normal state (and not betrayed), that she is a warm, faithful, funny, generous, kind person that scares me on your criteria.
The fact that she will find herself will calm kaoru and uta, it's a huge evolution with all these depressive situations... they will be closer than ever, uta will become an adult and from then on everything will be possible, for me it's not the end but the renewal of their common history.

Given that Kaoru is very well aware of Uta's feelings, and also of the cruelty of leading someone on or trapping them (which was enough to finally make her call it quits on Reiichi), the fact that she hasn't told Uta "it will never happen" is almost as good as admitting she thinks that it might. If she was sure she could never fall for Uta, she would have said so.

Up until now she has never even considered a relationship with anyone but Reiichi, so it will take her a while to figure out what she feels.

I agree, I think living together would be good for both of them, whether or not romance develops. The difference with staying with Reiichi is that even without romance they are both still getting something they want, both still be happy (even if it is a bit bittersweet for Uta, she has still come to the considered conclusion it is better than nothing).

For me the really big evolution is that Uta has gone from seeing her feelings as a painful pointless problem, through accepting them as a part of herself she likes (but still impossible & unwelcome), now to finally embracing the possibility that they might even be reciprocated one day (and that she wants to be close to Kaoru regardless).

Particularly if you think of the title as "if I could reach you" or "the thread that can't reach", being the story of Uta's "hopeless" feelings, it seems to close the arc (since now there is hope).

I think there is a good chance the final chapter will time-skip (but maybe only a year ish), to moving in together and/or first date, maybe just flirting (I doubt it would go much further). Ironically I'm not sure there is enough space left for a "definitely not Uta/Kaoru" ending, since that would need to do some building around Uta moving on. Unfortunately with only one chapter left it also seems like we won't see any resolution for the supporting characters.

last edited at Sep 28, 2020 8:07AM

Hell if it weren't for hard feelings, Reichii could be part of this too, as brother and housemate/friend; he's just not a good husband for Kaoru.

It might yet. We haven't seen if he has any hard feelings. If he was honest about his only desire being to support Kaoru there should be no problem. Even from a selfish perspective it might suit him to live with them, since he is away so much. Probably ends up being about whether Kaoru feels she needs physical separation to get over him.

It seems like a lot of readers want (or at least are predicting) what Kaoru wanted just before Uta left: for things to go back to being the way they were before.

Only with Kaoru now aware of Uta's feelings and the pain it causes her, and Kaoru aware that Reiichi doesn't love her romantically and wishes he could be with Risako.

Sounds like with one tough conversation around the dinner table this thing could have been about 3 chapters long:

Uta to Kaoru: "I'm in love with you romantically."
Kaoru: "I love you too, but not that way."
Reiichi: "I love you, Kaoru, but not that way. I'm going to go see Risako."
Kaoru: "Should I make bentos for you guys?"

last edited at Sep 28, 2020 8:43AM

Wait the next chapter is the last one?!

It seems like a lot of readers want (or at least are predicting) what Kaoru wanted just before Uta left: for things to go back to being the way they were before.

Only with Kaoru now aware of Uta's feelings and the pain it causes her, and Kaoru aware that Reiichi doesn't love her romantically and wishes he could be with Risako.

Sounds like with one tough conversation around the dinner table this thing could have been about 3 chapters long:

Uta to Kaoru: "I'm in love with you romantically."
Kaoru: "I love you too, but not that way."
Reiichi: "I love you, Kaoru, but not that way. I'm going to go see Risako."
Kaoru: "Should I make bentos for you guys?"

And risako ? alas in one chapter you can't finalize every situation, even her friends are going to be zapped.... it's really a shame that it ends abruptly if it's a choice of the editor, letting the author take his time for some passages like 3 chapters flashback and telling him to finish in 2 chapters is frustrating.
I think it would have been nice to do one chapter with the final separation with reichii, the conclusion with risako, the move with uta, to do another chapter where they live together with the joys that go with it and then a last one with a timeskip where potentially they are together lovingly.

Oh man for a second their I though Kaoru committed suicide... That really scared me.

"My sister stole my wife."
"That's rough buddy."

"My sister stole my wife."
"That's rough buddy."

"Ah, I liked her friend better anyway."

I thought that Kuro and Miyabi would have more importance in the story given how the author gave them some screen time to flesh out their relationship.

@Chapter 36

MANGA PLEASE!!!!!! God damn. Don't be so gray and nuanced about feelings like real life!!!! NotLikeThis.

last edited at Sep 28, 2020 11:41PM

Wait the next chapter is the last one?!

Where did you read that? Please, tell me it's not true.

I love how the author seems to stick to their guns taking the "unrequited love" route masterfully. Sure I want Uta and Kaoru endgame (my irrational, wishful side) but that would be inconsistent to the whole gist. And more than anything in a story, I don't wanna be slapped by a sudden 180 degree turn.

Wait the next chapter is the last one?!

Where did you read that? Please, tell me it's not true.

https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-09-19/tmnr-if-i-could-reach-you-manga-reaches-climax-in-october/.164237

About time!!!

Too bad. I'd have loved to see them bonding instead of ending the manga at the start of their relationship.

Climax isn't last chapter tho. Nor does reaching the climax mean the plot is going to be resolved in the same chapter.

I'm still praying that they end up together. I'm somewhat confident they will.

Surprise ending: a 4-way polycule with Reichii and Risako.

Surprise ending: a 4-way polycule with Reichii and Risako.

I would literally throw my monitor at the wall.