I'm of chinese descent so I can relate to this so much. A part of my childhood was spent on a small , very beautiful town, like a small box made of glass. Outside the glass, I could see technology, economy and everything advancing at a speed I couldn't keep up with but the nature and thoughts of people remained the same. On a humid and scorching summer day, I still remember her holding my hand and pulling me towards a path lit with countless uncertainties and inevitable heartbreak. The tree against my back, her hands wet with nervousness, closed eyes and warmth of her lips. I could taste the sweetness of the purest love. We both knew...thought, it was wrong, that it was impulsive. We continued forward just as we were before, best of friends, wanting to be each other's everything but lacking courage to. Halfway through middle school, I went to city to live with my parents who were less busy and we grew apart. Loving parents, good grades, friends, I had everything but still felt empty. At times I used to look at the sky and the picture of her in a white dress stained with mud, with hair stuck on her hair and her feet splashing the river water would flash, so beautiful, more beautiful than anything. The years were gruesome but I mustered up courage and ran for my future, the one I wanted, and went back to the town. Went kept in touch, growing more closer than ever. later, we went to the same university and I confessed my love to her, with a pink and a red rose. That time, the kiss was for eternity. Sometimes, we only need to love once, a glance and one can feel eternity. It's upto the person to reach desperately for the one they want in their future. If we don't push aside our cowardice, the possible future dissolves into bubbles and disappears, and we can only watch the one who hold's our heart, hold someone else's hand.
Now in China, it's very free and even most old people are very open-minded, I can hold her hand and call her my lover openly, show off my wonderful lover. When I look back to thirteen years ago, it feels like a different world. If I could, I would tell my little self that no need to worry, the world changes as you blink and before you know, you will be able to hold your beloved girl's hand and love her openly. I'm sure that the world will become more and more beautiful, more and more accommodating. Please be brave, wherever you are, don't let go of your love. The world still has kindness.
So, there's this you (not a webtoon) it is set in warlord period and the uke is a brothel boy. The manga was probably a one shot or with very few chapters. It was very tragic.
while most would say that they hated the ending, to me personally, I think this is the best outcome and ending they could've made out of this mess of a manga. the ending shows the imperfection of the society, the lies hiding under the shimmering glamour and the endless dreams that one can never hold onto, and even if they do, it would be under the sacrifice of other things they hold dear. if the ending had been the 'generic' happy ending, it would have lost the initial objective of the manga. this manga was never happy in the first place. Ai found her last happiness and truth in her children, aqua met peace after the burden of two lives and ruby fulfilled her dream of shining brighter and becoming light that once also shone on her. if looked at this way, everyone actually has an objectively happy ending, they got what they wanted. If not for loss of aqua and ai, ruby would never shine with the luster she ends up shining as.
even if not best, this ending does serve justice as the conclusion for this manga. Dears, if you feel uncomfortable with the ending, please read something sweet to soothe your enotions.