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This series was overall cute, although uberly predictable. Not something I'd read again.
The chapter begins with Mio trying to tell Marui how she feels while she has the courage to do it. Seeing the look on her face, Marui says, “Ootaka?” Mio starts to respond, “Marui, I...” but she finds herself being swallowed up by the crowd on the way to see the fireworks. Marui finds her, and tells her not to stray out of sight. He takes her hand, and Mio thinks that when she's in trouble, she's been spoiled by his offering her his hand. She tells him, “I'm sorry! I'm going home,” and runs off through the crowd. Mio thinks thinks that she had a boyfriend (Taki), but also a male friend (Marui) to talk about her worries. That was an ideal situation for her, but Marui's friendliness wasn't just out of friendship. She had to leave, because wanting to keep on like this would be getting greedy... Like those girls (who were talking about her in the last chapter) said earlier... Marui catches up with her, and asks why she suddenly ran off. Did he do something wrong? Mio tells him no – she's the one who did something wrong. This whole time, Taki has been the only thing on her mind. She's been looking for him. Marui tells her that she can't help it, since they did just break up... Mio tells him what she means: “I want you to date a girl who only has eyes for you, Marui,” while thinking that person can't be her. Marui tells her to hold on; she doesn't have to make up her mind now, he can wait for her to get over it... Mio tells him plainly, “We aren't going to be going out. We aren't dating.” She tells him that, until she sees him with someone else who seems to make him happy, she won't be talking with him. She thanks him for everything, and starts to walk away. Marui stops her, saying, “Can I ask one thing? Maybe, if it Taki wasn't around, would you go out with me?” Mio thinks about that: If Taki wasn't around? If it wasn't for Taki, they wouldn't have had those study sessions, and she wouldn't have worried over Taki... And then, would she and Marui have talked like this? Mio answers, “And you, Marui? If Taki-kun wasn't around, would you have started liking me?” She gives him a little bit of a smile, and walks away. That was unbearably painful, but she's certain that the time would have come that she had to make that choice, eventually. She looks up, and the fireworks have started.
As he's leaving, Akane walks up behind Marui and asks him what he's doing. She tells him that everyone from the basketball team wanted to see the fireworks. As she passes by, she teases him that if the girls see him standing there by himself now that the fireworks have started, they'll think he's been dumped. Leaning over the railing, he replies, “It'll look like that, huh? That's what happened...” Surprised, Akane turns back, and says, “Huh?” Meanwhile, Mio looks up and notices that the buildings are already blocking her view of the fireworks. She remembers that she needs to let Shii-chan and the others know that she left, and takes out her phone. Looking at her phone, she's surprised to see she'd received a call from Taki. As she wonders if she should try calling him back, she notices him across the street, running in the other direction. She yells his name, and after a moment, he sees her. She points out the crosswalk they can meet at, but Taki simply jumps the railing and runs through the cars. Mio tells him that was dangerous, considering the traffic... Mio trails off, thinking that she can't believe Taki is really there. He hold out his hand, telling her, “I found it.” Mio asks what he means, then sees the whale charm in his hand. He explains that an elderly woman found it on the staircase, and asked him to return it to Mio. Mio comments on how it's torn up, and Taki adds that the chain is also lost. But, Mio thinks, it came back. Crying, she tells him, “Thank you.”
Blushing, Taki launches into an explanation of his actions. His sister made him see that the break up wasn't for Mio's benefit; he did it because he was scared she would choose Marui and break up with him. He never asked Mio what her feelings were, and came to that conclusion on his own. He tells her he's sorry, and if he was wrong [about her and Marui], he'd like to undo their break-up. Mio wonders: Are they going back to where they were? Mio lowers her head, and tells Taki that his feelings about what was happening with Marui weren't wrong. She needs to apologize. With a sad look, he asks, “...Are you going out with Marui?” She tells him no; she thinks she finally made that clear to Marui, too. But, they can't just go back to how it was... Mio blushes, thinking how Taki came there just to return the charm to her... She tells him, “The truth is that I betrayed your trust. But really, thank you for today.” She starts to leave, thinking that if they did just go back to how they were, she can't trust herself that she wouldn't hurt Taki again, and then she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. Taki yells back, asking if this means that she wasn't thinking about breaking up with him so she could date Marui. She tells him that wasn't the case at all, so Taki asks if that means she doesn't like him now. Mio starts to stammer, “Why would I not...?” He takes hold of her arms, and asks, “Then, you like me?” Mio tells him yes, and he kisses her. As they part, he tells her, “I like you, too. I love you.”
Back on the bridge, Marui tells Akane that since Ootaka and Taki broke up, he figured she was practically his girlfriend already. He didn't think he would be so clearly rejected... She told him not to talk to her. Are they in grade school? He puts his head down, and Akane thinks he might be crying. She didn't think it could be, but... Clutching the chest of her shirt, she notes that it hurts a little. Then, she might actually...
The next day, Mio runs into Shii-chan, asking if she's on her way to volleyball practice. She tells Mio she does this afternoon, and comments that she didn't expect to see her so happy after her algebra supplemental lessons. Mio explains that she's on her way to meet Taki at the library. They go their separate ways, then Shii-chan calls back, “Mio! I'm happy for you!” A bit later, once Mio meets up with Taki, she asks him if this is really OK, just going back to how they were. Taki wonders what she means, and she tells him that she never thought she'd be the sort of person to let her eyes wander when she had a boyfriend. If she can't trust herself this time around, it proves she's a hopeless case... Taki starts laughing at the idea of Mio being a “hopeless case,” and she yells at him it's nothing to laugh about. What if she's the sort of person who will keep hurting him!? He smiles, and tells her he'll watch out. After a moment, Mio decides it will be all right, and smiles back. This time, she'll be sure not to lose sight of what's important. As they approach the train, Mio asks if they can go look for a strap after they eat. Taki asks why, and Mio says that she needs to replace the strap from her charm. Taki suggests that she just throw that one out, and Mio reacts with horror. Taki explains that he knows how hard she tried to find it, but why don't they go buy a new one? Mio is excited about that idea (though she won't be throwing the first one out). Taki figures that any time would be good to go to the aquarium, with summer break starting. Mio fantasizes about all the things they could do over summer break, now that they're back together: BBQ, the ocean, the amusement park... As she starts to share her enthusiasm with Taki, he recalls that she'll have to go to supplemental lessons every day. Her mood deflates, and she figures that she'll only have Sundays off. Taki suggests that they go on Sunday, then, and Mio agrees. An airplane catches their eye, and Mio notices the vapor trail. Taki smiles, recalling that this is where Mio saved him, back then. If she hadn't been there, he'd be dead now. Mio laughs, remembering what a shock that gave her [to see him almost step in front of the train]. Taki agrees, it was quite a surprise. His life vector shifted from facing death to suddenly facing a girl he'd hardly ever spoken to before. Amazing! Smiling, he tells her he remembers being deeply moved by that, and he'll definitely never forget.
Back at school, Marui is washing up after basketball practice, and Akane brings him a towel. He thanks her, and apologizes for all that weird stuff he said to her last night. Just forget about it... Akane interrupts, and says, “I like you.” Huh? Akane continues that, for his information, when he was concerned about it before, she really didn't like him back then. Marui tries to break in, but she keeps talking. Until he assents, she plans to continue liking him on her own. She smiles at him as she leaves, and tells him good night. As she leaves, Marui mutters that was some sort of confession from above... Akane runs into Conan as she walks back into the gym, and asks what he was doing there. He yells back at her that he's in the basketball club, too! Marui laughs at their bickering, and looks up, seeing what is presumably the same plane that Mio and Taki are looking at. A moment to remember their whole lives... The series concludes with Mio and Taki holding hands, discussing if the vapor trail means she should bring an umbrella tomorrow morning.
Well, even if she went back with Taki, Mio herself is not even sure if she can't hurt Taki again, I feel the same. I kinda want to see more of Mio's affection for Taki(honestly, her feelings for Taki are not that strong enough for me, in the last chapter it feels it like it was more like guilt than actual affection, but that's just me). lol when she said "you deserve a girl who only look at you" to Marui, I was thinking that line suits Taki better.
I hope Mio can build more confidence about herself now that they're back together. Kinda saw that coming with the things were developing before. I'm happy for them though.
The thing about Taki not existing i was like "Holy Fuck! Is Marui gonna kill him" :-D
But then MIO countered him and i was like "Fuck! Shit! Girl you just fucking buried Marui's last hope"
I felt soooooooooooooooo sad for Marui. It was one of those mangas where i am happy for either one. And where i feel really bad for the one who rejected. Good story. The misunderstanding wasn't your typical misunderstandings in Shoujo mangas.
I liked that she found the needed words to tell Marui to be gone but that was a bit too late and made me dislike her.
I'm glad that Taki found his resolve as well. I hope this time he'll be more assertive with his woman and lead her more strongly by his example with that math girl devil.
I'm glad that Marui is suffering or was suffering and i hope he gets nothing good working for him during his high school remaining years for being such a huge douche for trying to steal that good guy's gf even after he helped him so much and saved him from being humiliated.
I enjoyed the manga until Marui confessed to Mio. After that part, Taki and Mio's relationship seemed bland and I didn't like how Taki was always worried about the Marui issue. He basically worried about Marui's crush on Mio since the early chapters until the very last chapter which was really tiresome. I wish Taki could have just firmly told Marui to give up on Mio which might have prevented Marui from getting so close to Mio.
Overall, this was a decent high school shoujo manga. The plot was predictable but okay enough to keep me reading. As usual, I felt sorry for the second male lead but I wish he could have gone after Mio BEFORE she started dating Taki. Confessing to a girl who was already happily dating didn't really make me want to cheer him on.
Its completely normal to be attracted to other people even if you're already in a relationship but the way they portrayed it in the manga is pretty bad. They made it look like the main heroine is a slut. Not really the best shoujo I've read but its ok. The ending is slightly unsatisfying.
"I have been wielding a blade since before your were swimming around your father's scrotum." - Kurou
Loved the manga up until the ending! The ending really annoyed me!! I can't believe she doubted her feelings ! Straight away as soon as that happened I want taki to make her feel sadness for her becoming like that! He should of done the same thing she did to Taki with his ex. She didn't even really seem sad about the whole break up either just a little bother. The start and middle of manga was good though
For Romance shojo style with a bit of slice of life manga, the series as a whole has been mixed for me personally. A good start with a clear establishment of a set relationship is always a fun read. Especially the aspects of being in relationships and the struggles with it. And this was for the first 10 chapters. The rest, well mixed. The main two leads were, for me great at the start. Getting their feelings across straight with the Male lead having the past problem while the female lead accepting those problems and moving on together.
Then Marui came along. Look, I get it. You need conflict, drama, and tension to move a story or narrative forward to lead into something. And I also get those feelings don't easily disappear, but the author during the second act practically went with a pretty bad way in terms of showing and handling it. The two leads are not in the clear either seeing as both of them made some pretty dumb decisions that only confused everyone around them.
Overall, it felt like to story was dragging out a conflict that really should have taken a chapter to address and iron out. And in doing so possibly moving on to the aspect of the relationship the two leads themselves face while also having the cast getting into relationships themselves that would better support the leads. Like you know, communicating your feelings, still having Marui have felt but moving on with the new 1st year girl, go into more aspects about male leads past relationship while the two leads coming to terms with each other and growing together.
Tldr, First half was intriguing while the last half dragged with the conflict being painfully obvious on all sides. Still though, it was inoffensive and was just average overall.
Well isn’t our female lead a little slut? Holy Jesus, this girl doesn’t deserve to be with nobody. She worries so much about being normal with Marui, about not hurting him, about being atracted to him, that she utterly forgets about worrying over her f****** boyfriend. This kind of girl makes me sick in fiction and in real life, giving up excuses and feigning innocence just to remain being wanted by more than one male. At the aquarium, if a boy that is not your boyfriend holds your hand tenderly, do you know what you do? Slap his face, damn it!!! The fact that he is forcing something with someone’s else girlfriend already shows much about his personality. And you, Marui, burn in hell. It’s OKAY TO LIKE SOMEONE, BUT TRYING TO HINDER SOMEONES RELATIONSHIP JUST SHOWS THAT YOU DON’T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOUR “BELOVED” HAPINESS, YOU JUST WANT HER TO YOURSELF! You can like her man, but don’t go to her with touching and whispering sweet words you asshole motherfucker!!! Taki deserves better than that girl too. It was clear for him what was going on. I dislike you a little less than i dislike Marui because in the end you looked in the mirror and said: “I blew everything up and everything is my fault because I am a little whore.” Good Christ, what a shitty manga.
jesus fucking chirst, there's shoujo FL's having weaker standards than hentai protags, and then there's whatever the flying fuck this FL is on about. Literally getting more flustered at the other dude than her own BF, that's pretty much emotional cheating at that point. Like I get the initial shock might be awkward but no, this shit kept up for the entirety until the very end, jfc. And to top things off she literally spent the entire beginning of the series being concerned about Taki hanging out with other girls and not properly communicating with her (even though he wasn't doing all that bad tbf) yet she spends the entire 2nd half doing the exact same thing holy fuck.
Yet for some asinine reason it tries to portray Taki as the one in the wrong with the breakup. Like no, he was fully right for wanting to end things there, not his fault FL's communication skills are worse than someone who is mute. Even the FL from A Sign of Affection has better communication skills than her, and she doesn't even speak. And this all comes after Taki talks about trusting her, like any good partner does.
holy fucking hell I can't recall many series' where I really think the ML deserved someone way better