well shit's manga / #tender(174)

Yeah gonna give my thoughts after all the sides come out bc it was a decent read with a gorgeous art style, its just the pacing for the climax was way too rushed and the facial expressions especially shin’s is way too apathetic, it made certain high emotional scenes feel really lackluster bc he seems so unaffected by it lol. BUT these aside, i do enjoy the pacing for the romance. I think seeing yeonwoo’s reservations in opening up to shin and shin trying to overcome yeonwoos walls were developed rly well. But yeah thats the only upside for it. Had lots of high expectations for this bc in the beginning i ADORE the slow burn, the muted atmosphere and the gorgeous panels/story boarding, the character close ups when they contemplate or interact with anything is so well done, especially the hands omg artist popped off so hard with the hands i love them so much……. it made me excited to see an abo that carried a chill/muted atmosphere, im just disappointed on how the plot developed and how up until the ending, it didnt feel like yeonwoo got justice at all. Shin’s character was really flat and the whole overarching situation of alphas getting away scot free (amplified with how shins friends said if ppl complain about shin whos an awakened alpha, then all alphas are gonna get shit as well and they want to maintain that = nothing was addressed about how shit that is) felt so anticlimatic bc how will yeonwoo get justice for this. It would have felt so liberating if yeonwoo was the one who put the nail in sungkyuns(?) coffin. Heck, i would have felt satisfied if shin atleast acknowledged to kangho that theyre all fucked bc of the same reasons and law loopholes they admire and uphold so much. Their excessive freedom is also their own undoing. And sure in a way i guess that was what happened but i want shin himself to say it!!!! The way his friends delivered it felt so scummy it left a weird taste in my mouth lmao. Bc now it feels like,, shin is like any other alpha who does whatever he wants (in good faith) without considering what yeonwoo wants. Idk it just felt iffy there, and their bonding could def expand more intimately to counter that iffiness but bc there wasnt a scene where they delve deep in each others insecurities/emotions (yeonwoos trauma and shins conflicting feelings at being an awakened alpha) it made everything feel rly flat bc greatness could have happened with this!!!!!!! Its such a shame…….. ☹️☹️ Idk i feel like for creating yeonwoos character whos faced such a traumatic thing, not acknowledge his assaulters demise (no scene of relief that theyre finally gone even) and the alpha system that fucked everyone over isnt addressed in its unfairness (by shin atleast bc hes an alpha!! Whos seen how it fucked over yeonwoo!!) makes me feel .. zero relief and happiness for yeowoo .. it just feels so lackluster like why do i feel wronged in yeonwoos stead LMAO. And PLEASE god i know shin is supposed to be this aloof and cool ml but good lord give the man some facial muscles to give the audience some flavour of an expression other than serving a rbf that frustrated me too at one point lol. Oh well, it started off really promising yet ended quite,,, hm…. Okay i guess ? it was alright…… i hope the sides cover some of the things i wailed about…. I want more emotional, intimate communication between shin and yeonwoo PLEASE i beg… dont fade it to black and give crumbs of that scene in the form of a flashback TTTTT just give me that and i’ll be happy i swear seriously

I LOVEEEEEEE this story so much oh my god its pure adorable fluff, it feels so fresh despite being the usual abo setting, i think its because of the rarity of secondary genders so much so that even when jinhwan turned out to be an alpha, he doesnt make it a big deal and even clarified that he got a vasectomy LOOK ME IN THE EYE AND TELL ME HOW MANY MLS DO THAT!! NONE NADA EXACTLY?!!? he rlly said we having creampies worry free babyyy RAHHH i love him…. And i love the author for just dropping that in casually as a way of contraception thats so rare to see in fiction, especially an abo ml to say that AHHHHH the way he jumped into top 10 best mls for me instantly lol thats so insanely attractive of him!!!!!!!!!! A Sexy confident flirt and a puppy golden retriever to boot??! Author!!! I SEE UR GAME LOUD AND CLEAR BC ME TOO!!!!! Love love love the romantic chemistry and progression doha and jinhwan had. Usually when couples get together early in the story it’d automatically be a snooze fest but this one took me by surprise!!!!!! I loveeeee how sweet and timid doha is in navigating a healthy relationship and how supportive and adoring jinhwan is in helping him along the way, its soooo adorably sweet and vanilla that doesnt feel too textbooky. Especially with the way the author handled their past traumas. Their dialogue and communication shines a lot in those scenes, its soooo endearing TTT their little flirty banters is the cherry on top i swear bc it just flows so naturallt between them. I LOVE when characters does a big loud smooch over the phone, its so rare that whenever it happens i cheer so loudly ITS SO CUTE AND REAL!!!! Dont get me started with the gorgeous anatomy holy fucking shit???? The way the artist depicted their bodies interacting with each other during the sex scene and other intimate moments was fucking amazing. Hands HANDS THE HAND PLACEMENTS!!!!!!!!!!! immediately shot this story up to magnum opus bc of how natural the body movement is in each scene. And with the dialogue??? Perfection. I dont fucking care if we get zero plot and just have slice of life stories of these two being adorably in love i will fucking eat it bc the visual treat im seeing rn is INSANE…. love how author draws expressions as well, sure jinhwans mug is intense in some scenes but idk i find it so fresh and fun!!!! The way the characters are placed and posed in certain panels are so fresh too!! Jinhwan backing his car into the parking space as doha talks and fiddles with the cake box, jinhwan massaging doha’s foot, the constant hand holding, jinhwan teasing and flirting with doha by not letting him hold the cake box, all these acts of intimacy are so naturally subtle and it hits so hard when u notice it AHHHHH artist you absolute madlad…… so much care and detail is being put into consideration in the storyboarding man how could u Not love it????? Its so sweet and doha’s character is just So fucking adorable and jinhwan is absolutely smitten!!!! The chapters with sex are a lot, sure but it doesnt feel mindless or redundant to me, mainly because of how good the anatomy and dialogue are, i cant get over it give me more of those scenes bc holy shit does the artist know how to draw them!!!! The art style is so so mature and refined!!!!! ITS FUCKING GOOD!!!! I LOVE THIS STORY WAY TOO MUCHHHHHHHHH instant magnum opus for me idc LMAO its vanilla done right!!!

Can already see this becoming a quick favourite of mine LMAO the cozy and homey 90s setting adds so much to the atmosphere, it makes their exploration with each other and their sexuality that more sweeter, i love it so much TTTT and i love their dynamic AAAAAA tsun ml falling head first for clueless sunshine eager mc, my absolute bread and butter!!!!! The little details in how jinwoo is starting to let daehan into his circle, him saving a seat for daehan and getting jealous every time daehan mentions getting a gf oh buddy im SO excited to read more, i know this is gonna be good lol

I genuinely dont know where to start with this but i know its gonna be long bc good lord, this story. Peak doomed yaoi. A commenter summarised it perfectly; its a tragic, shakespearean cliche. Right from the beginning you can already expect where the story is headed but it still doesnt make the buildup and irony hurt any less. I was Anticipating the angst and it still felt like a punch to the gut at the end. First of all, the art, story boarding and panels are done so tastefully that it perfectly captures the prose-like narration and dialogue that flowed through the story. Its so so beautifully written and suits the historical setting so well. I love how this story is a masterclass in executing the “show dont tell” story telling with all the hints of dialogue and symbolism littered everywhere. The story unraveling through jean’s wary, unreliable narrator perspective is such a nice way to navigate the readers through the court drama, politics and pending heart break. The story telling and story boarding in that aspect was purely top tier, i have no notes on that. It was amazingly presented. One of bl’s magnum opuses, easily. My heart still aches very numbly at the thought of all the symbolism finally piecing together at the end. Maximillian is one of the best, well written, thought-provoking and sensual characters ive ever read. I fucking adore him from the very start of his act as a wayward prince until the end. He tarnished his own name for the sake of a successful rebellion and its just so heart breaking when you realise that he has planned this down to the minute detail and it all started from the very first time he landed his eyes on jean reading egalité. Maximin knew he was leading a dying country that is in need of a complete revival from all the mess his uncle has created and earnest eyed Jean was the perfect vehicle for that. It all became so bittersweet when you realise that maximin orchestrated this for 10 long years by being jean’s sponsor, planting cornell to both spy and aid Jean all while essentially preparing himself for his approaching death. From the very start, jean’s love was doomed to die despite his efforts in searching and protecting him and i fucking cry at the fact that they never had a chance to begin with. Maximin covered his tracks as jean’s sponsor so fucking well that it even made me doubt he was little pearl in the first place lmao. And i love how the story shifted jean’s search for little pearl into him realising that whether maximin was little pearl or not, he would still love him either way. Its such a nice conclusion and development to both the romance and jean’s character and in a way im happy that maximin knew of such sweetness before he died, that whoever he is, jean still loved him regardless. AHHHHHHHHHH the angst is just so perfectly executed. It makes reading this the second time feel so much more heart breaking, especially when maximin treated jean awfully in the beginning, now understanding that he must be doing this so that jean’s hatred for nobles and his resolve for the rebellion will be unwavering. Yet despite that, jean still fell for him bc deep down he Knew maximin was his person. He knew!!!!!!!!! And that love nearly became their undoing!!!!!!!!!!! AHHH god… Even the way maximin teased and “insulted” jean on how hes a catamite that couldnt “act” bc of his obvious displeased expression, it was all so that jean Knows on what to improve on himself for their plan. Even leading him to the secret escape route all for the sake of helping jean lead a successful revolution. Its all so elaborate and fucking sad. “I hope you find this freedom/light is a gift to your liking” fucking kill me at this point??? He rlly made sure jean’s resolve for the rebellion was unwavering even when it meant he had to be hated in return. Knowing his sacrifice, it makes Maximin’s “My Joachim.” so devastating and full of love. What a well written, heartbreakingly noble character. Just when jean thought he was steps ahead in saving him, maximin, for 10 long years, has always been leaps ahead of him. The only pov you can even get from him is from the excerpts that ariel said to jean as “little pearl”. Those adoring observations mustve all been maximin’s. I’m still reeling at their letters especially at the detail that maximin too, yearned and adored jean just as much, with how crumpled and worn the letters are from the repetitive holding and reading. Everytime jean seethed at maximin’s actions all while yearning for his little pearl makes the reveal at the end so much more painful bc not only did jean realise he technically lead his little pearl’s to death (and with his own gun that gave to protect him at that which is so tragically romantic), maximin was also turning blind from the poison the duke gave him. And it all clicks when you realise why maximin refused to give jean the already present tea in his room at the beginning bc its for “imperials” only. The poisoned tea is for him alone. FAWK. Its all these little details clicking into place that makes this story an even heart wrenching tragedy bc jean, god bless his heart, genuinely had no fucking clue TT-TT even the reveal at the end where maximin ordered him to tailor his extravagant outfit; all bc of the promise jean made for him in the letter and its the only way he could claim it without jean knowing who he is TT-TT even the constant “i’ve been waiting for you to find me.” while knowing hes little pearl and his losing eye sight; “I just wanted to see you” “im used to the dark” i wanna die like ? maximin loved jean so fucking much man its devastating. The painting reveal made me sob even harder when i realised that maybe the unidentifiable animal leg jean saw in the painting maximin gave the duke too, was a tiger all along. And now in hindsight i could just laugh and cry at how jean technically had his confirmation in his hands already. To think Jean’s long search for his little pearl was already in his arms all this time, all while unknowingly leading his beloved to his own orchestrated death. Oh maximin, “Ma petite perle, mon cher jean” His little pearl, his dear Jean. The evidence and admittance that jean has been searching for so long. A tiger and his pearls. What better way to end the story. Jean finally did found his little pearl ;-; and they were each other’s little pearl!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pure adoring sweetness and heart break. It ended perfectly. A classic shakespearean cliche done absolutely right. I genuinely hope and pray that we get physical eng tl copies of the novel and manhwa, and an anime movie or a drama adaptation by a really good studio please please. Cloverworks would be perfect for this. Please. I need this story to have a big international following bc i Need that fix it/au fic NEOW. Give this author and artist their fucking flowers man. Instantly top 5 of my most favourite bl of all time. Gorgeous execution, elegant prose, dialogue and narrarion as well as beautiful, stunning art and expressions. The angst is satisfying, will definitely reread if im in the mood to have my heart shatter again. Beyond 10/10, Im in constant awe. I will honest to god remember this story forever.

Oh i really fucking love this, such a fresh premise about abo and how it all started. Love the psychological/physical aspect to it too and how much it’d influence one’s feelings vs instincts and how off putting it’d be!! Cant wait to see how the story and characters develop!! I wonder how far the author will expand the world building in here :0 Have high hopes with this one, i hope a proper tl team picks it up TT-TT

Love these tropes so much, the already established casual intimacy especially now knowing their backgrounds in their past, makes this even better :’) “you’re just as beautiful as ever.” Oh my heart….. theyre finally doing things they arent able to do in the past aaaa artist rlly knows how to tug the heartstrings so bittersweetly :’) the atmosphere as always is so muted, sweet and dreamy, i love artist’ line work so much ;-; its so delicate and detailed all at the same time. Rlly carries that added sense of warmth and comfort in every panel :’)

mc’s narration really sets the tone of the story to be both sweet and poignant. the memories we’re seeing from his time in middle school and his first love experience with ml flows like a journal/diary entry. Its so personal and naive and earnest all at the same time, its soooo endearing. You just know with all the shit mc’s going through, author is setting up a good stage of angst and heart break for that eventual separation im nervous to see what lead to mc’s insomnia and ptsd,,, but seeing how volatile his relationship with his dad is, i can kinda expect the direction. Angst buildup aside, the way mc and ml interact in their fresh years of middle school is so adorable, its so clear that ml has a crush on him too the message exchanges, the sweets, the little trinkets,,, oh the nostalgia of first love <3 im really digging this so far, cant wait to binge this after marinating :3c

Taishin carrying this entire story for me imma be real with youdhhdjdh hes sooooo fucking adorable, just ab absolute dear in every panel hes in. Hes so sweet and earnest and just trying his darnest best my adorable airhead baby…… i love airhead mcs so much theyre so near and dear to me… took me a good 2 hrs reading this bc of how i had to stop and clench my fist in every panel taishin is in hes just so fucking cute

Has the perfect nostalgia of old school yaoi with a modern twist to it; a very endearing and earnest amount of communication that left me pleasantly surprised! I love age gap relationships where the younger one is more emotionally apt than the older one LOL. Aoi setting things straight by explaining his background and why it’ll take him longer to understand certain things and asking takane go be patient with him…… oh tears….. and double it with takane apologising aoi for being the reason why he felt embarassed in the first place after that document/office ordeal…. Its so refreshing and touching i actually shed a few tears ;-; I just adore that scene so much, takane insisting aoi to not apologise bc it isnt his fault…. Its so rare to see such a genuine apology in bl ??????? Immediately left a mark on me bc despite the cliche fake dating for money premise, the sensitivity and writing of the characters made them feel so down to earth and real that i genuinely felt bad for aoi and touched that takane is taking steps in being more emotionally open and sensitive in his interactions with aoi… just… TTTT its so good…. author rlly took all the things that we love in old school bl and rehash it with modern standards making it soo fresh and entirely its own, the art style especially! I was rlly skeptic of it at first but god im so happy to be wrong! The commentary on class differences between aoi and takane was well done as well. Both of them having gone through their own difficulties and acknowledging both parties’ efforts in helping the other AHHHH i love it!!!!!!! I especially love aoi’s slow budding feelings + professionalism in his role. All the communication… its just such a joy to read omg…. Author i will lay my life out for u im so fucking serious. I rlly rlly hope we get an anime adaptation or jbl from this, the potential is there!! Its so refreshing!!!! Its so fun!!! While still maintaining the old school bl essence that we all love and adore!!!! Please future adaptations and physical eng copies soon !!!!!!!

snorts this trope like my life depends on this AUGHHHHHHHHHHH supposed unrequited love + friends with benefits + childhood friends + ml is (secretly) devoted to mc ITS JUST HIT AFTER HITTTTTTTTT i love love love the art style its so funky and flowy and fun, fondly reminds me of The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl + Doukyuusei, i adore it Heavy omg….. i rlly rlly ryll love the romance in this especially both akemi and oka’s chemistry, its so fucking good…. Akemi a lover boy thru and thru despite the aloof front he has like come awn man AHHHHH Ugh the entire conflict regarding akemi’s background is solid too, completely understand why he’s leaning towards a situationship with oka. Also shout out to suruga this diva i LOVE him saur bad, just fun and gay as hell hes so real my boy just living it up after graduation good for him!! God what a good story with all my favourite tropes written right and equally well developed characters!!!!!! YUM YUM YUMMMM