Rereading this, it's interesting rainbow8's interpretation in mind, it's interesting to the extent Io has been instigating the sexual situations. Misa is the one who tried to force herself on a drunk person twice. I realized that, later on, the author is always including something to which Misa is responding.

Sometimes it's Io's physical reactions, sometimes it's her general body language, and other times it's what she's saying in text that's often very small. With the small text, I'm not sure if it's supposed to represent Io speaking quietly, but I find it easy to miss.

This doesn't change the emotionally unbalanced nature of their relationship and lack of communication, but it's a large part of why this story doesn't feel like only other people doing things to Io. Io is pushing this Misa to make it more sexual and, in the process, making Misa open herself and connect with Io in a way Misa seems afraid to do with other people.

I also still think there a lot of parallels with how Io reacts to Hase and Misa. The main difference is the amount of flushing in Io's face with Misa, which happens much faster and with less stimulus than with Hase. Io also has more relaxed/dazed expression with Misa. With Hase, Io's expression is more guarded and she appears to be preparing herself for what comes next. That Hase/Marei groomed Io to act like a doll and not resist what other people do physically shouldn't be debatable at this point.

Edit: Also, the hostess club owner internally tells herself it was "love at first sight" when she found MIsa and outloud says that she knew Misa was a lesbian. Did Misa have some type of relationship with the hostess? Did she go Marei / mold apartment woman as a student ->Club hostess as an 18 year old runaway-> one night stands where she acts aggressively and vows never to get attached->Io? Whatever is between her and the hostess might have something to do with her present demeanor.

last edited at Sep 28, 2025 6:28PM