duanchu's manga / #Parenthood(3)

there are some works of fiction that are not inherently painful; it struck you so deeply, however, to the core of your soul--drawing tears with its tenderness and softness. this manga is one of it. it is not painful, no, not tragic. but, no matter how, it surely will bring tears for the readers. maybe because the manga completely capture how stuffy first love can really be. maybe it's the beauty of its simplicity, the imagery on every pages. the simple yet stunning art style. simple, yet powerful story.

TW: past r*pe, attempted r*pe (not between main couple), past teen pregnancy, minor discussion of abortion. i...... i am really picky when it comes to a/b/o manga, but i would say this is one of the great ones. the manga discuss some very important issue rarely seen in other a/b/o manga, which i really appreciate. the very real negative consequences a sexual abuse victim often face are portrayed really well here: the trauma, the self-blame, the victim-blaming, the stigma and unfair discrimination, the struggle of being a single parent, the difficulty of getting a good job, the vulnerability of their economic condition. the fact that the sexual abuse perpetrator didn’t face any consequence? it’s a really sad fact, but unfortunately that’s what often happens in real life. another thing that i absolutely love is how the alpha keeps mentioning how strong the omega is; i don’t know, i really love this particular detail. empower sexual abuse victims yall!!! additional important point is how the issue of sexism is brought up here; i was honestly floored when the manga brings up how an alpha is considered “brave” for protecting an omega who just got shamed for being who they are. that’s... that’s a real issue happening between right now, and i’m happy it got addressed. i also rlly love the alpha ML; he’s a real one. the way he emphasis on consent and respecting omega? damn, we need more alpha this type. however, i wouldn’t say that this manga is without flaw. but for all the manga has done, i am willing to give them a pass.