So, I re-read this occasionally because the mangaka makes the characters feel really warm ...

So, I re-read this occasionally because the mangaka makes the characters feel really warm but...

...gah they really do the MC dirty in this. I have two really big irks for this one:

1. By the end, it's made out that Micchan is being a scared and stupid over-thinker who isn't fair to Sei.

But right at the start, Sei told him that he will have sex but won't fall in love with a man - more than once, he said his. He then proceeded to pressure Micchan into sex even after he's said no - doesn't matter if Micchan gives in and then enjoys it, he kept telling him quite clearly that he didn't want it, and yet Sei kept trying for it. Worse is that Sei is his boss at this point.

And apart from the sex, Sei is totally neutral and unemotional when dealing with Micchan - unless you're seeing him from the point of view of someone like Kiyo or Waka who know him will.

So it's pretty damn frustrating that Micchan is made to look like an unaware, cowardly drama queen because he wants to avoid getting more involved with Sei. The only clear message Sei ever gave was that he wanted sex and wouldn't fall in love, for f's sake. If we didn't KNOW that Sei was the ML, he'd look like the scummy sex friend who strings the MC along at the start of a manga, before the real ML comes along. And this is never acknowledged, Micchan's just made to look like an idiot who played with the ML's feelings then ran away instead of interrogating his boss- who said he wanted sex but wouldn't fall in love and had already shown he didn't like Micchan prying into his past and personal relationships- about his ex-wife. Meh.

2. Presenting a friendly attitude to customers and going with his boss on what he a told was a work-related outing does not make it Micchan's fault when said boss then pulls a knife on him. The victim-blaming in this was insidiously strong, and if you fell for it as well you need to fix your own thinking, too. Not once does Micchan display any inappropriate or misleading attitudes to the people at Sei's work - he's friendly and attentive, but it's obvious to everyone that he's doing his job with enthusiasm and professionalism. If he keeps having problems for this, then it's like saying to a woman that she's not allowed to smile at a customer because guys will think she likes them. No. Educate your guys better.

I'm not denying that he might have less trouble if his attitude was harsher, but that's the same as saying a woman will have less chance of attracting unwanted male attention if she just never leaves the house. Being nice does not ever make you to blame. Nor does it make you stupid. Was he really supposed to not go on a work-related outing with his boss because he might get a knife pulled on him?? Why should that be something anyone would go around expecting?

I know that the friend was partly overreacting because she was worried about him, but having her blame him right at the start was horrible and set up this idea in the reader's mind that he's got this huge character flaw that he needs to fix or else he's going to keep bringing trouble on himself. And yet, he tells his boss quite clearly that they weren't dating, he behaves quite harshly to his old school friend, he tells Sei multiple times that he doesn't want to have sex (and the reason he gives in to Sei's inconsiderate pressure is obviously because he likes Sei, and not as if he would've let his boss or school friend do whatever they liked). And I know that Sei alluding to him being too nice to people is mainly supposed to be Sei's jealously. But, once again, the mangaka is leaving us with the impression that Micchan is the one at fault, the one with big flaws that make things difficult for others. No. He's not responsible for the delusions and decisions of others. Meh.