This review may contain spoilers
I know all the warning signs that this would be toxic were there, but I still wasn’t prepared.
There’s just zero consent whatsoever. Tuo does whatever he wants whenever he wants and makes Jun Xi out to be the bad guy if he doesn’t like it. And it’s not like Jun Xi not liking it or saying “no” stops Tuo either.
They go to a movie and Tuo essentially feels up Jun Xi while pretending he’s just picking up fallen popcorn. Jun Xi looks shocked, displays zero welcoming body language, and asks what he’s doing, but it doesn’t stop Tuo. Jun Xi gets aroused and goes to the bathroom, and Tuo follows him and asks if they should help each other out. But he doesn’t give him the opportunity to answer. He repeatedly kisses Jun Xi and reaches into his pants while Jun Xi pushes him away and tells him to hold on multiple times, all while displaying extremely uncomfortable body language. Jun Xi eventually gives in after probably the 3rd time Tuo reaches into his pants after being told no.
When they’re playing the lead roles in a play, Tuo kisses Jun Xi for real even though they had agreed upon a fake kiss. He acts like he did nothing wrong and says that Jun Xi should be happy because it got a good audience reaction and would lure more club members. When Jun Xi says that he should have asked first, he doubles down and says that Jun Xi is the one that kissed him this time, even though that only happened because Tuo pulled him in. And then Tuo backs Jun Xi into the wall and noncon kisses him again, confessing his feelings, until Jun Xi pushes him away.
There’s also a scene where Jun Xi is lying in bed with sunburn, and Tuo pins him down and physically restrains him and Jun Xi is protesting, saying no, and clearly thinks he’s about to be sexually assaulted again. I don’t care that he was just trying to help with the sunburn. No means no, physically or verbally. Silence means no. Discomfort means no. Nothing except an explicit yes means yes, and that extends beyond just sexual activities.
Tuo is also just extremely manipulative. He will lie about his intentions to try to get Jun Xi to do or feel what he wants. For example, feeling him up while pretendisg he was just picking up popcorn. Or telling him he’d help him confess to a girl while instead intending to get close to him and convince Jun Xi to like him instead. Or telling him that what happened at the movies was just him helping and that close friends often do that. Or telling him that he didn’t initiate the kiss during the play and that Jun Xi should be thankful for attracting club members, which is straight up gaslighting.
After Tuo confesses his feelings and starts giving Jun Xi the silent treatment when he doesn’t respond positively, Jun Xi tries to talk to Tuo. He says he’s confused about his feelings, but Tuo takes that as permission to pin Jun Xi against the wall and noncon kisses him again. He insists that Jun Xi likes him the way that he likes Jun Xi. Jun Xi repeatedly tells Tuo to let him go, but Tuo refuses, doubling down that Jun Xi likes him, until Jun Xi forcibly pushes him away. And after that, Jun Xi mentally excuses Tuo’s behavior, thinking that he shouldn’t have pushed him and that he only acted that way because he likes Jun Xi.
When they get together, Tuo chases Jun Xi down on the street, grabs his wrist and refuses to let go despite repeated verbal and physical protests, drags him all the way home, steals Jun Xi’s keys, lets himself in, and then refuses to leave when asked to. He noncon hugs Jun Xi from behind, says he’s always liked him and was only dating others to try to get over him, and when Jun Xi is uncomfortable and makes an excuse to leave, he noncon kisses him again. This kiss eventually turns consensual and from here on, Tuo takes it to mean they’re together.
Except Jun Xi was never given the time to process what he was feeling, even after communicating that he was confused. And not one physical interaction between them has been consensual. Jun Xi constantly looks uncomfortable. It’s like he was just pushed into this and not given any real opportunity to say no. Even at school the next day, he tries to stay with his friend instead of walking home with Tuo but Tuo pulls him away by the wrist once again. When they’re hanging out and Tuo kisses him, Jun Xi immediately makes an excuse to leave.
There’s also a number of boundary violation issues. Tuo repeatedly invades Jun Xi’s personal space, getting in his face, backing him up, and touching him after being told not to. There are a number of scenes where he grabs Jun Xi’s wrist and refuses to let go, either trying to prevent him from leaving or dragging him along. He’s extremely jealous, to the point of not even letting him talk to a girl that shows interest in him. He’s the type of caring that’s really just controlling, because it removes Jun Xi’s personal agency and right to make his own choices. Like forcibly carrying his suitcase when Jun Xi wants to carry it himself, or forcing him to take a shower first by threatening to join him if he doesn’t. He’s domineering, controlling, and pushy, and will persist and manipulate until he gets the outcome he wants, regardless of what other people want.
Jun Xi tells Tuo that it’s annoying that he gets jealous over everything and that they got together too fast and he needs time to adjust. Tuo responds by once again trying to kiss him, and Jun Xi stops him, telling him to not just kiss him whenever he wants until he’s adjusted. Tuo says that he likes Jun Xi and therefore wants to kiss him, and somehow it turns into a game of rock paper scissors where Jun Xi wins, saying no touching or kissing unless he says it’s okay. I’m sorry, but why are they arguing about whether Jun Xi has the right to consent before Tuo just does whatever he wants? He had to win a game of rock paper scissors to get Tuo to agree to wait for his consent? And the worst part is, Tuo says he’ll agree, but only for a month, and in exchange Jun Xi has to do something that he wants him to do. Like why is this a negotiation?
That scene disgusted me so much that I just called it quits. I give up. It’s only been 3 episodes and all I’ve seen is a whole lot of sexual assault. There’s nothing sweet or romantic or entertaining about any of this.
There’s just zero consent whatsoever. Tuo does whatever he wants whenever he wants and makes Jun Xi out to be the bad guy if he doesn’t like it. And it’s not like Jun Xi not liking it or saying “no” stops Tuo either.
They go to a movie and Tuo essentially feels up Jun Xi while pretending he’s just picking up fallen popcorn. Jun Xi looks shocked, displays zero welcoming body language, and asks what he’s doing, but it doesn’t stop Tuo. Jun Xi gets aroused and goes to the bathroom, and Tuo follows him and asks if they should help each other out. But he doesn’t give him the opportunity to answer. He repeatedly kisses Jun Xi and reaches into his pants while Jun Xi pushes him away and tells him to hold on multiple times, all while displaying extremely uncomfortable body language. Jun Xi eventually gives in after probably the 3rd time Tuo reaches into his pants after being told no.
When they’re playing the lead roles in a play, Tuo kisses Jun Xi for real even though they had agreed upon a fake kiss. He acts like he did nothing wrong and says that Jun Xi should be happy because it got a good audience reaction and would lure more club members. When Jun Xi says that he should have asked first, he doubles down and says that Jun Xi is the one that kissed him this time, even though that only happened because Tuo pulled him in. And then Tuo backs Jun Xi into the wall and noncon kisses him again, confessing his feelings, until Jun Xi pushes him away.
There’s also a scene where Jun Xi is lying in bed with sunburn, and Tuo pins him down and physically restrains him and Jun Xi is protesting, saying no, and clearly thinks he’s about to be sexually assaulted again. I don’t care that he was just trying to help with the sunburn. No means no, physically or verbally. Silence means no. Discomfort means no. Nothing except an explicit yes means yes, and that extends beyond just sexual activities.
Tuo is also just extremely manipulative. He will lie about his intentions to try to get Jun Xi to do or feel what he wants. For example, feeling him up while pretendisg he was just picking up popcorn. Or telling him he’d help him confess to a girl while instead intending to get close to him and convince Jun Xi to like him instead. Or telling him that what happened at the movies was just him helping and that close friends often do that. Or telling him that he didn’t initiate the kiss during the play and that Jun Xi should be thankful for attracting club members, which is straight up gaslighting.
After Tuo confesses his feelings and starts giving Jun Xi the silent treatment when he doesn’t respond positively, Jun Xi tries to talk to Tuo. He says he’s confused about his feelings, but Tuo takes that as permission to pin Jun Xi against the wall and noncon kisses him again. He insists that Jun Xi likes him the way that he likes Jun Xi. Jun Xi repeatedly tells Tuo to let him go, but Tuo refuses, doubling down that Jun Xi likes him, until Jun Xi forcibly pushes him away. And after that, Jun Xi mentally excuses Tuo’s behavior, thinking that he shouldn’t have pushed him and that he only acted that way because he likes Jun Xi.
When they get together, Tuo chases Jun Xi down on the street, grabs his wrist and refuses to let go despite repeated verbal and physical protests, drags him all the way home, steals Jun Xi’s keys, lets himself in, and then refuses to leave when asked to. He noncon hugs Jun Xi from behind, says he’s always liked him and was only dating others to try to get over him, and when Jun Xi is uncomfortable and makes an excuse to leave, he noncon kisses him again. This kiss eventually turns consensual and from here on, Tuo takes it to mean they’re together.
Except Jun Xi was never given the time to process what he was feeling, even after communicating that he was confused. And not one physical interaction between them has been consensual. Jun Xi constantly looks uncomfortable. It’s like he was just pushed into this and not given any real opportunity to say no. Even at school the next day, he tries to stay with his friend instead of walking home with Tuo but Tuo pulls him away by the wrist once again. When they’re hanging out and Tuo kisses him, Jun Xi immediately makes an excuse to leave.
There’s also a number of boundary violation issues. Tuo repeatedly invades Jun Xi’s personal space, getting in his face, backing him up, and touching him after being told not to. There are a number of scenes where he grabs Jun Xi’s wrist and refuses to let go, either trying to prevent him from leaving or dragging him along. He’s extremely jealous, to the point of not even letting him talk to a girl that shows interest in him. He’s the type of caring that’s really just controlling, because it removes Jun Xi’s personal agency and right to make his own choices. Like forcibly carrying his suitcase when Jun Xi wants to carry it himself, or forcing him to take a shower first by threatening to join him if he doesn’t. He’s domineering, controlling, and pushy, and will persist and manipulate until he gets the outcome he wants, regardless of what other people want.
Jun Xi tells Tuo that it’s annoying that he gets jealous over everything and that they got together too fast and he needs time to adjust. Tuo responds by once again trying to kiss him, and Jun Xi stops him, telling him to not just kiss him whenever he wants until he’s adjusted. Tuo says that he likes Jun Xi and therefore wants to kiss him, and somehow it turns into a game of rock paper scissors where Jun Xi wins, saying no touching or kissing unless he says it’s okay. I’m sorry, but why are they arguing about whether Jun Xi has the right to consent before Tuo just does whatever he wants? He had to win a game of rock paper scissors to get Tuo to agree to wait for his consent? And the worst part is, Tuo says he’ll agree, but only for a month, and in exchange Jun Xi has to do something that he wants him to do. Like why is this a negotiation?
That scene disgusted me so much that I just called it quits. I give up. It’s only been 3 episodes and all I’ve seen is a whole lot of sexual assault. There’s nothing sweet or romantic or entertaining about any of this.
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