Tibbs

I wonder why they didn't release it earlier? I heard a few of the main leads got into a scandal??

I admit the way they setup the romance between Zi Chuan Xiu and the princess is quite painful to watch. There's nothing more boring than watching a childish, immature, overeager female chasing after her love interest who at each turn clearly expresses how disinterested he is in hanging out with her. Either they tone down her antics or ratchet up his. At this point, I'm more interested in the female soldier than the princess, at least she's calmer to my senses and seems to have a more interesting storyline.

I don’t know why you dismiss accountability amongst friends. Do they have to be dating for him to be obligated to return her texts? Are you not obligated to respond to texts from close friends or people who care about you? If you feel a person isn’t important because they’re not dating, it tells me that you have a very different perception of friendship than the average person. If they were close enough to ask her in a date, then they are close enough for him to let her know he’s okay but busy. Like other people have commented, Kou’s possessiveness only comes out when he sees her paying attention to another boy, other than that he treats her with indifference. That’s not a very healthy way to start a relationship, mostly cold and lukewarm, but hot and possessive when another guy is on the scene. He does have a lot of learning and growing up to do. Personally, I hope he can find his emotional center with the help of his friends. And still have a happy and healthy later part of his teen years. He’s suffered a lot and deserves every bit of happiness he can find.

Let's agree to disagree on our take on events then. You are writing from the context of the manga, I'm writing solely based on what I see in the drama, so I doubt we will come to an agreement on certain things.
Kou is a very traumatized young teen. He should be staying away from complicated relationships and focusing on therapy until he is healed. That is what is ideal for him. He doesn't need dating stress at this time in his development.

To all intents and purposes it IS a red flag. I stand by my statement. Canceling the proposed date the second time may not be problematic to Kou’s defenders. But ghosting her afterwards IS VERY problematic. Especially when he knew the effect on her the first time it happened. He didn’t respond to ANY of her texts before they went back to school. She didn’t know what was going on in his life or if he had dropped out of school again. You genuinely DO NOT treat people you care about in that manner. You treat people you want to have no relationship with like that. I’ve ghosted toxic people before, I know how it works.

As for Narumi, sure Kou can hug a girl that was crying IN FRONT of his love interest because he wanted to comfort her, but he didn't bother with a word of explanation to Futaba afterwards. Don’t try to minimize the impact on the viewer. Actions speak much louder than words. I’m basing my review on the drama, and not the anime. I’m reading his actions not his thoughts. And whether you like it or not, he comes off as a jerk. If you truly care for a person, you don’t treat them that way. That is what Kou has to learn. I don’t blame him as he’s a kid and we all do dumb things growing up. But to defend him isn’t understandable.

I still want him to end up with Futaba, but it doesn’t mean he gets a pass because he’s the main lead. It’s a jerk move for anyone, regardless of who does it. And if she puts up with all his shenanigans by just letting him walk all over her, what does it say to the young females watching a drama like this? That it's okay to let boys treat you like shit because they had a shitty life and a hard time? I'm glad that this drama isn't like that and doesn't send that message. It tells young women to value themselves and hold themselves dear, and not to put up with crappy treatment from boys. If Kou wants Futaba back, then he has to earn her respect and regard this time by treating her well.

'He forced the girl into a relationship knowig well she could be happy with the guy she loves and their mutual feelings. Touma never cared about her well-being or her happiness but his own chance. For me he isn't a boyfriend in the books."

That is your opinion and your interpretation. I didn't see him holding a gun to her head forcing her to be his girlfriend. Again, that is taking away agency from Futaba - 'SHE COULD HAVE SAID NO, I'm not ready'. When a person asks for something there are always three answers - 'No, I'm not interested', 'Yes, I would like to' or 'Wait, give me more time to sort myself out'. That she agreed means she has a measure of interest in Touma. It may not fit with your narrative, but there's nothing wrong in her saying yes. That is her choice. She didn't pretend to be in love with Touma. He went into the relationship knowing fully well she still has feelings for Kou. So there's no deception or manipulation involved as far as I'm concerned. There isn't a power play. If Futaba had said no to Touma, he wouldn't have any power to force her so I don't know why you like to push the narrative that she is being manipulated. And as far as the drama has shown, he has always treated her with respect which is more than I can say for Kou at this time.

I disagree that Kou rejected Futaba just because she asked him to. Again, this is taking the agency away from Kou. He could have said no. I’m attracted to you but I have too much going on in my life, give me some time or something in that vein. But communication is not his strong point. I believe he had the emotional maturity to refrain from involving Futaba in his affairs while he was being an emotional support for Narumi.

Kou’s suffering, seeing the one he loves with another is not Futaba’s problem. Kou, as unfortunate as he is, needs to learn to accept the consequences of his decision, just like everyone else. It’s called growing up, and may do him a world of good to make him understand that he should be more careful with the people in his life. These people are kids, no one expects them to be perfect, what they are going through are the messy entanglements of growing up.

Unlike you, I do not see Futaba’s relationship with Kikuchi as a mistake. I see it as a very positive thing. Her decision tells me that she is a very emotional mature person who values herself, and is wise enough to realize that she couldn’t at the time continue to be an emotional support for Kou, without injuring herself in the process. In other words, she’s done what she can to help him overcome his trauma, but she CANNOT save him. He has to be willing to help himself heal. And she will continue to be a friend to him. Which is a core precept - you have to be stable yourself, before you can help another.

Again, no relationship is a waste, we can learn and benefit from each relationship, even if it is not the end game. I mean, how many people ended up with the kid they dated in high school? She and Toma will both learn from that relationship, even if it is just the lesson that breakups are a painful part of life’s processes.

I've been reading the arguments below about Kou, Futaba, Narumi and Kikuchi. What I don't understand is, why Kou emotionally distanced himself from Futaba way before Narumi came on-screen? He'd already begun by not replying to Futaba's texts and treating her more distantly. Nor did he explain to her during the holiday why he cancelled on her which led her to believe that he may have dropped out of school again. Which to all intents and purposes is a red flag. So when Futaba saw Kou and Narumi hugging, she already knew she was going to be set up for heartache.

As sympathetic as I am to Kou's plight, because to me as an adult, it's absolutely insane that an underaged teen is left to deal with the medical condition of a terminally ill dying parent without any support system from extended family, or even family friends. What Kou underwent can royally screw up an adult, not to talk of a kid. It still doesn't give him an excuse for messing up Futaba's life. He can't play mind games with her which is what he has been doing unknowingly or not. Blowing hot and cold. One minute warm, the next minute cold and distant.

Twice he's made appointments to what construes as a date and then his life blows apart and he cancels leaving her to deal with the pieces. Yes, he has legitimate reasons for doing so, but consider the pressure on her psyche or peace of mind. I don't blame her for finding comfort with a stable partner who adores her and can give her the stability she needs even if she doesn't truly love him. Futabi was right, although Kou is in love with her, one of her main attractions to him is how she makes him feel about himself, he relishes the attention she gives him, how she runs to him to save him out of trouble. He loves what she can give him, but not what he can give her. And relationships are a two-way street. He took for granted that she would always be there for him. But real life doesn't quite work like that.

In my honest and humble opinion, Kikuchi didn't manipulate Futaba, neither did Kou manipulate her. To imply that asking her to date him after she had been rejected by Kou as manipulation is to negate her self will and reasonableness in making her own decisions. She might not be in love with Kikuchi, but she admires him enough to see him as a potential love interest. They both entered the relationship with honesty and all their cards laid openly on the table. He treats her very well, so even though he doesn't make for the most interesting character in the drama, he is certainly a boyfriend for the books in real life. And what is more important, from his perspective, he sees Kou constantly making Futaba unhappy with his actions which led to his blow up that Kou should make up his mind. Kou's yo-yo-ing was causing Futaba undue stress and unhappiness. From his perspective, Kikuchi wanted to make her happy. I daresay, if Kou and Futaba were in a happy relationship, he would not have had the chance to make his move on her and he would have remained a dear friend to her.

Notice that I am phrasing my arguments for what is in the best interest of Futaba, not Kou, not Kikuchi and certainly not Narumi. Futaba is strong, resilient, caring and positive. It's no wonder that Kou and all her friends gravitate to her. But even the strongest person needs care and comforting and to be made to feel important to their loved one, and Kou, at the moment, is not capable of meeting her emotional needs until he has resolved his own needs. Not all relationships are meant for the long term and I do not expect Kikuchi and Futabi to go the distance, because she doesn't love him. But for right now, he is ably meeting her emotional needs, and she is caring and respectful in turn. Imho, it's a good match for right now, even if it is not for the future.

I don't have a problem with the FL refusing intimacy, although I know a lot of commenters have mentioned their problems with it. From her perspective, it's her first relationship, they didn't discuss birth control or anything like that (and I daresay she may be too shy to bring it up), she could quite possibly fear getting pregnant, especially when she has a lot at stake with her career, parental expectations and the relationship still being hidden from her family. It's not like the family has consented to their romance and they are established to be married. They are still feeling their way and learning each other. I think she's sensible, holding him at bay until they can work out more details about their future.

He's something else isn't he, so classy and so cool? Originally I thought he would pose a problem for the main leads, be difficult and oppose their romance. But the drama did a 180 on my expectations and he has been nothing but supportive, sincere and very realistic. I like the mutual respect between him and the ML. I hope he too can have a resolution in his love line.

No he is playing the role of Chang Yu Qing

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

If only we had more episodes than 40, then they could explore the SML as being the love of her life. They are so well matched, it's unfortunate that they are from opposing sides.

She wasn't helping Chen Qi, she was helping Chang Yu Qing.

I would have preferred it, if they had just let it be the way of the novel. I can't take her and the ML seriously because I don't see the attraction between them. Actually, I can't take the ML seriously period. He's too childish and indecisive for the way he looks (a man in his thirties). She has loads more chemistry with the SML and I hope for a kiss scene between them but I'm not holding my breath, lol.

Yeah I hope he dies and the Crown Prince takes over. Seems like the Crown Prince has better priorities of keeping the people safe. Plus he’s a sensible man.

Yeah, the ML isn’t doing anything for me either, I wished they’d casted someone else.

The drama loses its steam after it reaches episode 23 and they get together. I personally just found it boring and the chemistry between the FL & ML fizzles. So I’m going to drop it.

Fear for her life is enough to make any man who loves her lose control. ESPECIALLY after he lost her once. She could have drowned if her foot got caught in the moss and she couldn’t free herself. I personally thought it was VERY hot!

I know right? I’m fanning myself. Just kiss already! Whew!