I love how you detailed it this way. They really have come so far.
Oh for reals. I've been reading this manga for more than a decade now too. Lol. Just re-read the whole thing again and I understood more about their relationship and how Souichi really feels. I think it's because I'm way more mature now that I'm in my late 20s compared to when I started reading this as a teenager.
Souichi was serious when he asked Morinaga out. To him, "stay by my side" is more than just dating. It's about being life partners, confidantes, and family. Sure it's still funny how he feels shy about being lovey-dovey and he's not that honest about what he feels but he's serious about his relationship with Morinaga. Sometimes, he just doesn't have a lot of experience or awareness about dating and romance.
Sometimes we, the readers, don't get the whole story. After all, we usually watch events happen from Morinaga's pov. And he doesn't always have the most positive and hopeful ideas about their relationship. He can sometimes overlook what Souichi is saying between the lines. Plus, the author definitely skips out on drawing some scenes like how M&S talk on a regular basis even when apart, how they go out to eat/visit tourist spots/walk/go shopping/etc., or even how much they talk to each other. After all, we know that Morinaga has a lot of friends but we rarely see those sides of the story as well. So a big part of their relationship is up to the readers to fill out as headcanons.
I'm super excited for the next chapter and the next arc. We probably don't see Souichi say "i love you" but he does show and imply it through actions or other things he would say. See you all back here after 2 months. Lol
Thanks for the info! They have come so far
I agree. There are so many facets of their relationship we are not privy too. Souichi wouldn't have asked Morinaga to stay if he didn't have strong feelings for him. He hasn't reached the point of being honest with himself nor Morinaga but as you said he also has extremely limited when it comes to romance. His mother passed away and his brother's relationship is in another city and later another country. He himself professes to not have time for that type of thing.
The subtext comes through more clearly as the story progresses. I've been reading this as long as everyone else and I've basically grown up with this story (and a few others) even though I'm an "older" adult now.
We would love for everything to be black and white so that we can clearly say what is right and wrong in their relationship but that isn't realistic. Their relationship feels like something that could actually happen (to a degree) and that is a change from the standard BL fare.
Yesss
"I think you should throw more fuel on the fire though" - Souichi
This is the level of savage I aspire to. I love how this chapter shows such growth in their relationship. Coming with the family to spend Obon means you are either family or as close as family. Souichi basically told Morinaga that he's a part of his family. Then there at the end he told him it's okay to cut off his parents because he has Souichi's family plus Morinaga's friends to be there for him. The fact that he mentions himself separate from Morinaga's friends is also very telling even if he didn't intend it to come out that way. He placed his own importance as separate from Morinaga's friends even after so many years of insisting they were just roommates and friends.
We have waited well over a decade for this level of development and it's so good!