just_m3h's manga / #trauma(97)

Looks kinda interesting, but also? Too many pain-in-the-ass characters (not the mains) Edit: Story about an abused soul, barely hanging onto his life and sanity, finally meeting the man who would breathe new life into him (and save himself in the process). The only real POS character is Seung Jae's disease of a brother! The rest have substance to them, if nothing else. Geum Hwa is such a fragile person, so unstable and wavering and hungry, but not sure for what, forever searching for a safe place to land. Or was that drown? Seung Jae is certainly his ocean. I love them together, they were clearly meant to be. They seemed to provide safe havens for each other in a way they hadn't seemed to know they needed. Min Wook is such a psychopath, like, he's literally insane, and such an abusive dick who was gaslighting the shit out of Geum Hwa. But I don't doubt he loved him once. He couldn't hold Geum Hwa, the sand like Geum Hwa, who was sliding out of his fists, never meant to be his, and he couldn't live with that. I am glad he let him go, not under any kind of delusion that that was in any way easy. Would love to see his own story with Seung Jae's underling. Geum Hwa and Seun Jae honestly need about at least, AT THE VERY LEAST, 10 sextras and flufftras.

2 stories about an AU where some people get heart shaped rashes when they experience strong feelings of love. 1: Childhood friends have feelings for one another but one doesn't realise it because the meds he is on to supress a heart shaped rash also suppress his feelings of love. Arashi was so clueless and a bit of a playboy but he redeemed himself well enough. And he clearly thinks the world of Haname. Haname was cute, glad he came out with his feelings once the rash was out, otherwise Arashi is so thick that he would still not have gotten it. 4.6 5: I understand that Miyoshi is clearly jaded by a traumatic experience in his past due to his lover being in love with someone else, and the rash showing up in their reaction to another person, but it absolutely gives him no right to be so discriminatory towards Kaga and others with rashes. And then he even got mad at Kaga for not having the rash! I kinda pity Kaga. But at least Miyoshi realised he was being unreasonable and Kaga and hin seem happy now. 4.4 Overall: 4.5

A rope artist gets roped into taking care of a yakuza footman who is in danger. Again. Why does this keep happening. I swear up and down (and left and right) that I don't normally like yakuza stories... but this one's SO damn lovable. Whyyy?? I love how gentle Rui is, like, why is he such a wonderful human being?? He's so tender and caring with everyone??! Aaahhh. He really is the perfect man to look after the wounded but incredibly resilient, innocent blob that is Natori. Their relationship is so fulfilling. My only regret is that Natoru continues in the line of work, although with a much better employer. Even in this, Rui is so understanding. I just love these characters and this story so much!! 5*, like, come on!

I shouldn't have. I shouldn't have at all. Please let me forget this. I wanted the uke to get his revenge, I did. Seme gaslighted him, forced him, had someone else rape him, seme is fucking trash. But even revenge feels hollow, because uke can never get his life back. Only giving it 2.5 stars because uke got his revenge. Otherwise a 1 star story. Let me forget, please. Please. I can't.

Famous idol and down in the dumps but absolutely sweet little hardworking uke. Gunna be good Edit: I'm 100% sure I did not read a bit of the manhwa before making the above review. Not only does it not make a lick of sense in the context of the story, I also have no recollection of having read this Edit: Okay, no, it makes sense, I must have only read the very first introductory chapter, when I reviewed this. Anyway. What a ride! Leeseo, one of the most famous and talented singers in the country (and to some extent, world) gets dumped on Hosoo's doorstep by his old friend, Dohyun. That's it, at the surface. But in reality, their lives are etwined in ways they aren't even fully aware of. If there was ever a fated pair, this is it. They met and comforted and gave strength to each other throughout their lives in different shapes and forms. They were both unwanted and thrown away and lived incredibly difficult, traumatic childhoods. Their tormentors continued to use and abuse them through extortion late into their 20s. They both had estranged but loving half siblings and friends who would go to great lengths for them. I love that they get married. People always act like you can't just go somewhere and do that. Like it's not an option. Later in the story, Leeseo's estranged and traumatised brother (Woojoo) who doesn't know how to show affection (and causes them a lot of trouble) is abandoned, and finds his solace in Dohyun's arms. Dohyun uses his own dark past and less than savoury connections to tie up all loose ends. I don't like how their first time happened, though. But I know Dohyun will keep him safe and loved forever. What was so satisfying about this is that a lot of their tormentors got exactly what they deserved. From death, to a life of forced menial labour. They deserved it. Shitty rapist pedo abusive extortionists. Rot. I also loved that Hosoo stopped sending money to his adopted family and started to finally live for himself. It took a lot of strength and I wish hos sister had pushed him in that direction from the start, instead of Hosoo being so trumatised as to decide to finally do that. Please let them be happy now. 5*

Translators threatened with legal action Edit: Someone found a way! Anyway. Akira, after being traumatised by a cheating longterm boyfriend in the past, only has one night stands, and only sleeps with a person once, but he decides to take on Seo, after Seo begs him to teach him the ups and downs of sex after the initial night when Akira took his virginity. I enjoyed it. Especially the appropriate reaction to Seo not understanding that no means no. On the part of both parties. Both treated it with extreme seriousness and Seo had to work his way back into Akira's trust circle and even had thought himself irredeemable. Even though it was heavy petting and kissing. Secondly, Tsuda, even though concerned about Akira, turned out to be the best kind of nosy friend who knew exactly what Akira needed. We need more side characters like him. Wouldn't mind seeing one where he's the mc, either. I love that Akira went chasing after him. He should have, since he's the one who broke it off (and Seo's heart, too) 5*, easy

Kouchi runs into his middle school kouhai whom he was in love with, in highschool again, even though he ran away tk another prefacture. They were seen while kissing in middle school and it messed up Kouchi a whole deal. So, not as much of a black past as I initially dreaded.

Chanbit really improves upon acquaintance. I started out hating him for how he played with Chae's feelings (though, to be fair, it was a one night stand and Chanbit had made no promises). But even before finding out about the abandonment, the high school bullying, the apathetic grandmother and the rapist groomer of a boyfriend he had his first time with, I had started to love him and how lovely he was in general, to those around him. Of course, once I learnt about everything that makes him do the things he does now, I was on his side, all the way. I am so glad he has someone like Baek to see him through these absolutely horrid times. Baek is really great not only because he cares so much for Chanbit and is clearly willing to do anything and everything for him, but also because he is more than capable of doing it. I love that they kept Chae on and built him up as a character. Also, his relationship with Chanbit and Baek (especially, Chanbit) became a good source of support for them. I am glad Mr.Park decided to do the right thing and redeem himself (yes, he had bills to pay too, but he could have discreetly warned them) by going to all that extra length and even pushing Baek to find Chanbit. Glad he's doing well for himself now. Younghae. What to say about him. I do hate him. He is such an evil piece of shit. I do think he loves Chanbit, in his own way, but his own childhood full of neglect and abuse has made him twisted up inside, maybe beyond help. His suffering is still not grounds to cause others pain, though. Something that really irks me is his dad's actions. How dare he try and take the moral high ground with his kid after willfully being such an abusive prick to his kid, and while still continuing to take no share of the blame in front of Younghae and still abusing him, even physically. It's pretty sick. At least, he settled all the severance pay and reparations shit. So there is that. I am so glad that evil cockroach of a secretary/manager got his just desserts. What a vile creature. Overall, pretty happy with the ending, and I especially love that they left DM anyway. Definitely the right decision. They'll be happier. And they deserve it, too. 5

Magnolia is a forest fiend who loves the altogether too human Emille and loses him over and over and over. You see, fiends live forever, and humans, not so much. Emille is reborn a hundred times and Magnolia loves and watches him grow old and burries him for centuries. So incredibly sad and beautiful. My poor heart. So unique, love the time skips, the suspense, the storytelling. Superb. 5* Yui is a disillusioned young guy who can't stand the sight of his pretty face that seems to be all he is valued for. Until he meets Nishino, who could care less about Yui's face I loved Nishino's personality. The no-nonsense completely sincere and just frankly self assured manner he excudes, ahhh. "I no longer think the luna moth's wings are prettier than you". My. Heart. 5* Shin is an astronaut carrying out a mission on a distant planet, testing it for habitability. His every day ends with reporting his mission to his colleague and friend Rukiya, who is dirtside on Earth and everynight is spent with the AI Rukiya built who can transform to look just like him. When his mission ends and he sets a course for Earth, though, things take an unexpected turn. So heartbreaking, good Lord. How could they have been so close yet so far? Never leave things unsaid. An unbelievably unique yaoi plot. Incredible. Definitely nothing "pandering to teenage girls" about this at all 5*

Story about Nanase, a botanist who cannot stand the smell of men due to his past trauma and Kei, who becomes enamoured with him and ends up saving Nanase from himself and his memories. That ex really thought he was saving him, huh. I don't know why on earth he couldn't just talk to the guy instead of fucking getting him gang r*ped, what the actual fucking fuck?? I quite liked Nanase, and loved him coming out of his shell and becoming more forward with Kei. Kei is truly such a wonderful and kind seme, super perceptive too, which is a huge plus. He should have beaten the ex up more and he shouldn't hang out with Minato (the ex) either. His actions were fubar and he should suffer forever. 4.8