Aaku

Before you dive in, if you are looking for a super plot heavy series with constant twists, this isn't that but what you are going to encounter is Cheewa who is so openly fascinated by Niran and has absolutely no shame about making his interest known in the most nerdy adorable way possible, while Niran is this emotionally guarded boy who doesn't even seem to understand what is happening to him, slowly finding his safe space in Cheewa. And honestly, watching these two gradually become important to each other is so worth it. Their relationship is the story, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Also, I wouldn't say this series was perfect or that everything was executed flawlessly, but I absolutely loved the way it made me feel.

Cheewa is probably one of the most delightfully straightforward flirts I've ever seen. This boy doesn't need some elaborate romantic setup. Give him Niran, an astronomy fact, and approximately three seconds, and somehow he'll turn it into flirting. From the very beginning, everything about the way he approaches Niran feels so Cheewa. He is curious, nerdy, openly fascinated by Niran, and completely unafraid to let Niran know it. He literally uses the whole universe to flirt with his P'Niran and trust me if you know the depth and the metaphorical meanings behind it, you'll be stunned. And he doesn't just say it for the sake of saying, he means it. There's always something more behind those astronomy facts, and somehow he manages to make the entire universe sound like a love confession. Oh, to be loved by Cheewa!!

And then there's Niran, who is basically the complete opposite. He's guarded, reserved, carrying so much inside himself, and initially he genuinely doesn't seem to understand what Cheewa is doing. He's just standing there cluelessly listening to this astronomy obsessed boy talk about the universe but trust me Cheewa was flirting with Niran and Niran was just not nerdy enough to understand it. And then Cheewa really said, "Can I hit on you?" Oh my godd!! I love how there is no unnecessary game playing with Cheewa. He likes Niran, so he lets Niran know he likes him. It's so simple, so earnest, and somehow incredibly charming. And once Niran finally realizes what's happening, watching him slowly become aware of Cheewa's feelings while simultaneously refusing to acknowledge his own is absolutely fascinating. He KNOWS. He absolutely KNOWS. And yet this man will still stand there acting like he's completely unaffected. P'Niran, you are such a poser.

But underneath all that, I think what makes Niran such a compelling character is how much emotional weight he carries. He is such a relatable character. His insecurities, his fears, his exhaustion, the way he's constantly burdened by expectations... everything about him feels painfully real. There's so much more emotional weight attached to it, and you can feel how something that once brought meaning to his life has gradually become something he feels trapped by. Beneath the romance and all the adorable moments, it's also about losing sight of yourself under the weight of expectations, trying to make peace with things that have shaped you, dealing with your own emotional struggles, and finding a way to take ownership of your life again.

What I love is that Cheewa doesn't force Niran to suddenly become open or happy or figure everything out. He simply keeps showing up. He gives Niran a space where he doesn't have to constantly be a certain version of himself. And slowly, almost without realizing it, Niran starts becoming comfortable around him. That's what makes their relationship so lovely to watch. It's not just about Cheewa flirting with his P'Niran. It's about Niran slowly realizing that being around Cheewa feels safe. That someone can be interested in him without demanding anything from him. That maybe he can let someone into the parts of himself he's spent so long keeping guarded.

And then we have THE ASTRONOMY 😭

I genuinely love how the series uses astronomy as more than just Cheewa's quirky personality trait. The metaphors actually become part of the way these two understand each other. Things like gravity, stars, planets, comets and orbits aren't just random facts thrown into the dialogue... they become a language Cheewa uses to express feelings that might otherwise be difficult to say directly. And THAT is why his flirting gets me so badly. Because Cheewa can stand there talking about something scientific and somehow make it sound like a love confession without ever losing that adorably nerdy quality that makes him him. It's clever, it's romantic, and most importantly, it feels completely natural to his character.

The writing really knows how to balance the sweetness with the emotional side of the story too. There are moments that are genuinely funny and ridiculously cute, and then suddenly you'll get a glimpse into Niran's inner world and realize there's so much more going on underneath all that romance. It gives their relationship a surprising amount of emotional depth without taking away from the softness that makes the series so enjoyable.

And SeaKeen really brought these characters to life. Their chemistry is so natural that half the time I'm just sitting there watching them interact and thinking, LOOK AT MY BABIES. 😭 The dialogue is especially one of my favorite things about the series. These two can have the simplest conversation and somehow make it feel meaningful, funny, or ridiculously romantic. THE DIALOGUES ARE EVERYTHING. They give me a whole damn zoo.

And I absolutely love their friend circles too. Niran's bond with Hem, Thara, and Thipok is everything. There's such a natural warmth and familiarity between them. And then Cheewa with his two nerdy friends, Jomyut and Newton... PLEASE. The astronomy club really gathered an entire collection of adorable nerds. CheewaNiran are already enough to make me lose my mind, and then their friends come in and add another 10 levels of chaos. I love these people so much.

And obviously, I cannot finish this without talking about the OSTs. SeaKeen's vocals never disappoint. Gravity has been playing on loop in my playlist with all of their other previous osts that I am still not over with and also now Beside you. Oh my godd their vocals!! I am so damn in love with this series.

Highly Recommended!! Also the uncut is available on youtube. So please watch it there. Go let Cheewa teach you astronomy and fall in love with Niran along the way.