Always Waiting

So very sweet

The show is absolutely adorable. It’s a standard trope of the popular kid choosing the outcast kid. But the whole group takes him as one of their own, and it’s not just about budding love. They give him a place to accept himself as he is and to develop his own confidence. I love episode 3 where they all come to his defense as former friends are harassing him. Shirizawa comes to stand beside him, the others stand behind them. Then when it becomes more escalated, they all step forward. I rewatched 3 times when the friends very gently moved to stand in front of him. It’s a simple thing, yet very profound. A hand on the shoulder, a nod- letting him know they’re there for him before directly addressing the others. Yes, they’re typical high school boys. Teasing each other, rough housing, being a bit clueless, etc. But their support for and protectiveness of each other is absolute. As Suzuki states, it’s a very gentle world as opposed to the cruel and lonely one that he’s used to. Japanese bl is definitely in a class of its own.

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