Came back to reread

I read this in like middle school and I really liked it, but now I can better articulate why after rereading as an adult.
It’s easy to get frustrated Min Gyeom, but it’s also easy to relate to him. He’s only 17 in this story, he himself hasn’t unpackaged a trauma that many adults don’t handle until much later in life. No one has supported him, he’s never gone to therapy, he doesn’t have many close relationships.
Throughout the roughest part of the story, he was taken advantage of by an adult he thought he could trust. A 24 year old manipulated and had intimacy with a drunk 17 year old. I couldn’t really understand the gravity of this as a middle schooler, but I understand how and why Min gyeom had reached that point.
In the first place, I feel like it’s easy to view Min gyeom in a negative light because of the way he narrates. Seeing the story through his lens, you can see how much self hatred he has. It’s easy to dislike him as well because it seems he makes the same mistake over and over again, but that’s how trauma and mental illness work. It’s a pattern of feeling insecure and low self esteem that permeates his relationships, especially a romantic one.
Not to mention, Chun Sam is also a horrible communicator at first because he’s not used to social interaction lmao- so it’s even easier for Min Gyeom to misunderstand. Chun Sam's been through a lot because he’s ill equipped to support Min Gyeom at first, and is also emotionally/physically impacted by Min Gyeom. Since Chun Sam is pretty anxious himself, and can’t survive without Min Gyeom. Not to mention, their earlier dynamic probably triggers a lot of unpleasant memories for Min Gyeom and his abusive father.
Not to say that Min Gyeom didn’t hurt Chun Sam, and that their relationship was sunshine and rainbows in the beginning, but it was really sweet to see them resolve their issues one by one, together. They learn to talk to each other, Chun Sam learns that he should set certain boundaries for his own sake, Min Gyeom is slowly but surely learning it’s safe to lean on Chun Sam and his family for support. Though it’s still difficult and they still make mistakes, it gets better, and they understand each other more each time they fight.
Anyways I recommend this story to those who enjoy complex characters with complex emotions :D