I think Ichi wants acceptance ....from what is referred in the manga..I don't believe it's forgiveness
He keeps apologizing for being gay. That is not very good way of seeking acceptance. Because the other person may take it as you don't accept yourself. And if you don't then why should the others?
So I took it as him being apologetic of that fact. I mean, yeah you're right at one point he's like I'm sorry but I'm gay deal with it. But is just one moment. Then during almost all the manga he feels like he betrayed his friend. When to me it was the other way around.
I agree that being apologetic for being who you are is no way to gain acceptance. I've had a few gay friends who acted this exact way. They had one or two people in their lives that they absolutely needed acceptance from before they could accept themselves and stop feeling like they were a disappointment. One of them ended up dead because he couldn't get that acceptance. Your advice is right on the money. If you can't accept who you are how can anyone else? I think the MC in this manga changed after his friend's acceptance, though.
I also think you're right that the friend was betraying the MC. I don't think intolerant people realize the damage they inflict. The fear and doubt that they sow, just because someone doesn't meet their ridiculous expectations, can be destructive in so many ways. It prevented the MC from dating or having meaningful relationships in this case.
Yeah he changed. But for how long? What if there's another misunderstanding? Then what? And the friend that actually wasn't shunning him because he was gay but because he was having sex with someone other than him. That annoyed me as well. They weren't a couple and he didn't even confess to get the right to impart a judgement on his actions.
I'm sorry about your friend. I think it's really hard because even though most of us struggle for acceptance in some degree from the people we care the most I think it must be more difficult for homosexual people when there's always a debate about whether it's right or wrong and you can't be sure of anything.
I liked it. This is my second time reading it.
But it still bugs me Ichi wanting to be forgiven for being gay?
I mean his best friend told him he was disgusting (from our point of view) and he's the best one that needs to be forgiven?
Shouldn't he expect from all the people in the world that his best friend supports him no matter what? His family was accepting of it (he says he came out to the people close to him and we see his grandfather visiting without any problem and he doesn't say of anyone important but Hiromu shunning him away).
So that part still bugs me very much.