Finally pulled myself together to read the final chapter. Cried a little honestly.
I dont want this to end ;; can the author please give us side stories
love them, hate them, don't care about them... you can't really argue or deny that haesoo, joowon, and taku are all very well written characters. like OBJECTIVELY well written.
(it's interesting regarding taku because I find that most second leads are usually the flattest, most unoriginal characters in love triangle stories, even if they are surface level loveable. like all you can really say about them is: "___ is a nice person" and absolutely nothing else // taku was somehow the opposite)
So I read the author's notes about Taku: aka one of the most interesting characters I have read in a while (haesoo and joowon are too. thats what makes LOH so great). And I was very satisfied to see that my thoughts about him aligned with what the author intended to portray about him.
I can't help but think back on whatever i had thought/written about him (but also some stuff which I missed), just as the writer talked about in their end notes:
1. Like as I said in previous comments: Taku saw his romantic partners as photography subjects, and viewed life from behind the lenses instead of living in the present. He believed he could stay an unaffected outsider (ie: an observer behind the lenses) within these relationships and thought he was invulnerable to heartbreak. I did however never make the connection that this rooted with the fact that he always felt like an outsider wherever he went. aka mixed kid problems I believe. Idk if yh ever clearly highlighted this or it just went over my head, but now that its been explained to us, it makes SENSE :o
2. He also saw relationships as nothing more than candy all of the same flavour: he liked the sweetness of it while it lasted, but when it melted away it didn't really matter as it wasnt memorable or distinct for him.
3. He initially saw Haesoo as another photography subject, wanting to see how he can affect Haesoo. He tried to purposely draw out different emotions from Haesoo (ie: what people mean by when they say he's 'manipulative'), especially for his art. He didn't approach Haesoo out of love or sincerity, but rather his advances were out of his mischievous/curious nature and his desire to read the rest of Haesoo's story. The author said he desired to "witness change" though, which I never fully thought about. So he wanted to change Haesoo, or affect him in a way that influences change. But thought he could stay unaffected? hm.
4. Haesoo ended up changing how Taku viewed relationships, and how he viewed HIMSELF within relationships by experiencing heartbreak for the first time. His 'cool and detached/unaffected' artist persona crumbled due to him getting attached to Haesoo.
5. I liked that the author added that in future relationships he stopped thinking so much about himself and cared more about his PARTNERS' feelings. Because honestly that was what was striking about Taku with Haesoo. He was really quite selfish? He never truly seemed to care about how Haesoo felt. Like, yes: he was very AWARE and observant of how Haesoo felt-- aka something Joowon/Haesoo were very bad at with each other lol. But despite his observant nature, Taku used that opportunistically and truly only did things for his own benefit. Like trying to take advantage of Haesoo's heartbreak, or in other words 'bury into his void' just for curiosity as an observer. So I understand from the author's note now that Taku being selfish even at the end of the story was clearly on purpose. I think yh wanted to show how inexperianced Taku was in serious relationships, through this selfishness of his. But that his heartbreak would serve as a point of growth for him in future relationships. Cool cool.
I LOVE your breakdown! I just wanted to add as well that I think Taku is the youngest out of all of three? I think that lack of maturity in relationships and messy emotions also played a part in his personality and how he came across. I didn't think he was manipulative per se as some people have claimed in the comments before, but I did see that he became more desperate and earnest towards the end when he realised he had strong feelings but that it was also too late to recover anything between himself and Haesoo.
yes he is the youngest! and the only one out of them to not experience a first love at the start of the story. because joowon and haesoo were each other's firsts. i personally do think he's manipulative, but not in like a crazy kind of way. as this emotionally detached photographer kind of character to begin, i think he tends to purposely push certain emotions that he wants to see out of others. by the end though, he was definitely less composed.
I don't necessarily think he was scheming or 'enjoyed' seeing Haesoo in pain, but I think it's more like if Taku knew things weren't going well between Haesoo and Joowon that means he has a chance, so seeing Haesoo unhappy meant he instead could be there for him. I think there's an element of emotional deceit there, but not designed to hurt Haesoo, more like expecting his other relationship to fail so that this one could succeed. Which, you know, in human nature that is a very real emotion and happens all the time and I love how the writer captured it here, because it has more depths to it than your usual jealousy plot.
After writing so many essays and word vomits about this story cause I always had SO MUCH TO SAY, SO MUCH TO ANALYZE AND DIVULGE (the 3 characters were insanely well written like i have no words), and being so attached to it, like in unhealthy amounts... is it stupid that i just cant bring myself to read the last chapter??? I purchased it on the official site, and it's just sitting there. unread. it's like in my brain: if i dont read the finale, i'll feel like the story hasnt ended yet. I AM SIMPLY NOT READY TO LET IT GO.
god i am such a loser over some drawings.
Same I also couldn't read the last chapter it's not ur fault I only read author notes . And thts how this Manhwa enda for me I lose interest so fast
oh nah but it's not that i lost interest. i'm overly attached to this manhwa, and i can't let it end just yet lol.
Well I couldn't think of end it cuz I m thinkin if author gonna start taku story or not then I will read it I m hopin for more I guess
“I feel like crying now”
YEAH ME TOO HAESOO. I LOVE YOU BOTH.
i just can't stop smiling at this chapter. their relationship IS EVERYTHING
"It's okay, you have me now"
I THINK I CRIED A LITTLE AT THIS LINE.
Joowon's biggest fear, and part of what got them into their mess of a past relationship, was him constantly thinking Haesoo would abandon him. He thought Haesoo is scared of commitment, and would drop him or run away if he tried to start something serious. He was confident in their ambiguous relationship because there was no real commitment, it was the opposite of "serious", and they both downplayed their feelings and hurt each other cause of it. Well here is Haesoo affirming and easing all of Joowon's past worries, saying that he'll always be by his side. I love them very much.
Yes! That look of raw love and vulnerability on Joowon’s face as Haesoo says these words is everything! And the self-confidence that Haesoo radiates as he gently but assuredly caresses him makes me so happy. They can finally be honest and open, showing everything to each other.
joowon x haesoo are my happy spot in this world rn ;-; i love them
i'm not one to drool over fictional characters usually.... but joowon is the sexiest man i ever seen. that shot of just his BACK ;A;
and haesoo is the most gorgeous as always. he looks so in love, and honestly in a bit of daze with joowon. it's like he cant quite tell if this is real or not yet because they went through so much, and then were apart for more than 3 years, but now everything is falling where it should :")
I like Joowon’s butt
a work of art lol
ah 3 loveable assholes in one frame :") i'm gonna miss them a lot
http://www.mangago.zone/home/photo/11984523/