Ma'am, If I could I'd give you more than one like.
This!! Kaoru's past experience already taught him a lot, and that's why he can't help but think "oh, here we go again"
y e s, you've had me with "he has given up on himself". most people resort to lonliness especially when it comes to relationship issues whether it be family, platonic or romantic. it's basically just a "if they don't exist or mean anything to me it'll hurt less" or a "i knew it will happen, it always does"
as if it's some kind of curse you can't break. and it IS a curse for him as he doesn't have a string so loving literally just anyone is bound to be doomed from the start as we've seen over and over again. gah,,,
it honestly hits too much to home that the only why i'm angry at them both is from a feeling of wanting to protect their relationship orz
Don't all people in here sympathy him I don't see many people attacking him instead of attacking him much people only give many likes or sympathize him ...
Kaoru should have fulfilled his promise at least to the point of telling Hara his string connected and then the two of them should've sat down as a couple to talk about next steps BUT this is yaoi so we must have angst turned up to 11.
Several commenters say Kaoru's behavior is toxic bc he can see the end of the relationship...folks get prenups, just in case, but we don't considered that toxic do we?
I applaud Kaoru bc he is trying SO hard to get over his trauma and believe in Hara. You see it doesn't matter if the string is cut bc Hara says he will love Kaoru regardless. Kaoru is protecting Hara by leaving the string uncut. If Kaoru died, for ex. Hara could still find happiness with his fated person.ijs
I get the Hara-san arguement. Kaoru did say he was going to tell him if his string was attached and he didn't, which of course would create some feelings of "he doesn't trust me", and there would be a possibility of Hara-san getting tired of trying to convince and reassure Kaoru that he wouldn't leave him even if his string is attached, thinking realistically.
But there is no reason to attack Kaoru.
Looking at Kaoru's side, (and this has been said countless times already but still) he didn't tell Hara-san because his insecurities got the best of him. He has emotional trauma from his past relationships. Each and every time, they left him for their fated partner. And each and every time he had hope that they would stay, but they didn't. Imagine how he felt, when he was abandoned because of the string.
My point is Kaoru has given up on himself. The abandonment left a huge impact on him, and he doesn't think anyone will ever choose him over their fated partner. He literally believes Hara-san will leave him, without a doubt, now that his string is attached. It's the only thing he's known. At the same time though, he believes in Hara-san -well, to an extent- or he, at least, wants to believe in him (page 11, chapter 12). Sure, we all know that Hara-san wouldn't do that because of the way it's being set up and whatnot (I mean look at Hara-san and the way he looks at and treats Kaoru. It's just so sweet and adorable), but Kaoru doesn't know that. He doesn't know for sure that Hara-san will stay or not.
And as to why he didn't speak up ( it really does break my heart and I am literally crying for him as I'm typing), the fear of Hara-san rejecting him, the possibility that Hara-san will choose his fated partner instead, the past scars, all of that is immobilizing, because really really loves Hara-san and wants him to be happy. Hara-san's string being attached causes him to think that he won't be the one and will never be the one to make someone happy, let alone Hara-san.
Also he knows the possible consequences of cutting the string. When you read Asako's story, SPOILER ALERT
He (Asako) cuts his string between him and his fated partner using Kaoru's scissors, and regrets it soon after, because he realized he loved that fated partner. (It all worked out in the end tho, I cried and it's mad cute).
My point with this part is that Kaoru might think that Hara-san and his fated parnter hit it off (he kind of does think that though). He doesn't want to be in the way of Hara-san's happiness. Again, he doesn't think or consider the possibility of him being Hara-san's happiness, because of the past.
And yes, Hara-san isn't like his exes. But Kaoru doesn't know that. I mean he does, but (again) Hara-san's string is attached. In Kaoru's mind that's a siren saying that this relationship is going to be over soon, whether he wants that or not, because "Hara-san is inevitably going to leave him".
So please stop (or just don't all together) attacking Kaoru, because he's honestly just really, really insecure. And that isn't something to be made fun of, poked at, or attacked, because everyone has their own insecurities and handles it and reacts to it in different ways. And Kaoru shuts off and isolates himself. So please just wait for Hara-san's answer and enjoy the angst instead of attacking. Thank you.