Underrated psychological gem! Some people dislike this for being too messed up or for fetishising rape and mental illness. I agree that it is messed up but I think one of the reasons people think it's worse than all other yaoi out there with rape is that here they don't sugar coat it. It is portrayed just as horrible as it really is. I think this is a way more respectful way of addressing serious topics than to have someone rape, abuse, humiliate etc. someone else, without ever properly apologising or regret, and the other one just forgives it like it's nothing and it's all portrayed as being romantic. These stories have very subtle storytelling while still portraying what is happening in a very frank manner. It feels like it has some deeper meaning and it really makes you reflect. Very psychological and emotional. Especially the last story.
1:st story: kinda meh, guy develops a choking fetish
2:nd story: Scary and messed up. A guy with DID who doesn't remember parts of his life: His other identity is violent and abusive and he can suddenly wake up, seemingly in the middle of abusing his partner. I actually liked this one. Some people say it fetishises mental illness, which I can agree with to some extent but I actually like this psychological and serious narrative. In some other stories with DID, everything is sunshine and roses, the DID is romanticised and misrepresented. I think that is way worse. However, here it really portrays how scary it can be to have DID and not knowing what the other identity does or when you will disappear. Seke mc.
3:rd story: probably the least messed up one. It was okay.
4:th story: Beautiful subtle storytelling. The meaning behind it is horrible. I had to reread it in order to fully grasp what happened and as I understood more and more I got more and more horrified. This story still haunts me. I feel so incredibly sad for the mc. A boy escapes from trauma by twisting his mind. A psychological masterpiece.
Ore, higaisha