And I LOVE HIOKI SAUR MUCH. He’s fighting for my ‘most favorite uke of all time’ spot, you don’t understand. I will never get the hate from people calling him annoying like are we watching the same show??
I mean, objectively speaking, this isn’t the strongest bl in terms of writing (especially, Watarai’s characterization) but who cares?? it’s teenage romance after all
it’s the first one in a LONG time that dragged me into that ‘overly attached, emotionally unwell’ zone since Eternal Yesterday and honestly, maybe even more than Kiekoi, which was my 3rd all-time fave bl. At this rate it’s snatching Kiekoi’s spot. I’m genuinely losing it LOL
this might be the most cliche bl or whatever you wanna call it but you cant deny the chemistry they hold. the sparks, the giggles, the way the leads look at eo?? be so f*ck1ng real, they are giving what other bls arent giving.
I just cried rereading the novel bc the series ended so differently. It's been three years now, and there's still no English translation, so here's how it really ended. The fans and the world also deserve to know how beautiful the novel's ending was
Time has passed, and everyone has become an adult. Everyone except Koichi. He’s still seventeen. Still in his school uniform.
“Yamada, the world’s in trouble with this new virus. Please watch over everyone so we can stay safe” Hashimoto said earnestly, putting her hands together in prayer again. We all joined her, pressing our hands together in the same way. But Koichi might be a bit puzzled and there’s probably not much he can do about a new virus. Well, we’ll do our best down here, so just keep an eye on us… I spoke to him silently in my heart.
How many years did it take before I could stand here with such a calm heart? For the first few years, everything was a blur. During the funeral, I think I was only able to stand because my father was there, supporting me. All throughout high school and even after entering university, when everything around me changed. The sense of loss was just too heavy. In classrooms, in the streets, in crowds, I was always searching for Koichi. Even though I knew he wasn’t there, I couldn’t stop myself from looking.
Even in the summer rain, I found myself searching. And in the winter snow, even more so, I couldn’t let go. I wanted to see him. I wanted to see him. I wanted to see him. I never thought the day would come when the pain would fade. And indeed, it never disappeared. It just changed shape. Like a sharp stone gradually rounded by waves, my grief softened over time. By the time Hiro-chan, the youngest Yamada sibling, entered elementary school, I could finally talk about the past again. I wanted to tell him about Koichi, how kind and wonderful his oldest brother was.
“I’ll go return the water pail” I said. “Oh, I’ll come too. I wanna use the restroom at the temple office~” the class rep said, and she and Hashimoto walked down the gentle slope lined with gravestones. To them, Koichi was just a classmate who suddenly passed away. The memories of those bizarre days when his body moved even after death were gone. The same went for everyone else in our class. No one remembered those strange days anymore. Except for me… and probably Kagami. I never confirmed it, but I have a feeling she remembers.
“The other day, I got a letter from someone nostalgic,” I said. Kagami looked at me, as if asking, “Who?” “From Tamaki-sensei” Tamaki-sensei now lives in America with his partner. Not Ogawa-sensei—his partner is an American man. After everything that happened, Ogawa-sensei took a break for a while and then transferred to another school. He came to one of our reunions a few years ago, and his gentle smile was just the same as before. “Apparently, during the stay-at-home period, he had too much free time and started organizing his old photos” I continued. He found some nostalgic pictures from his teaching days, several from biology class. And in those photos, Koichi was there. So he sent them to me. Tamaki-sensei shouldn’t have any memories of Koichi being… alive after death, but maybe he felt something, somehow.
“Koichi looked so sleepy in front of the microscope. I couldn’t help but laugh” “I can picture that… But, wow, how did the teacher even find your address, Aomi-kun? Oh, did he search your name? It’d probably come up on a hospital staff list or something” “Bingo. He sent it to the hospital” When I saw the photo, I suddenly remembered. ‘Isn’t it okay if we tie for first place?’ That’s what Koichi once said to Tamaki-sensei. Back then, I didn’t understand what he meant. But now I do. He was worried about me... worried about the me who’d be left behind. He didn’t want me to forget him, but he didn’t want me to never love anyone else either. Still, the thought of someone else becoming my “number one” probably bothered him a little. So, he said: “Let’s tie for first place”
Micchan, I hope you meet someone you can love just as much as me. Man… that’s so like him.
A soft flower petal quietly landed on the polished granite stone. Kagami looked up at the cherry blossoms. I did the same. Through the branches, spring sunlight poured gently through. The cherry tree above Koichi’s grave was past its full bloom, scattering petals every time the wind blew. The pale pink petals reminded me of that snowy night, the night Hiro-chan was born, the winter night Koichi was there, the snow falling silently, the tears falling on my face, drop by drop, from Koichi, the freezing cold of the morning I was left alone.
Ah, but now it’s spring. I wanted to feel the warmth on my cheeks, so I took off my mask. I wanted to show Koichi my face, too. I’m 37 now, but I still sometimes get told, “Doctor, you’re cute.” Well, mostly by middle-aged and older women, but still. “Whoa…” A sudden gust of wind blew. A shower of cherry blossoms surrounded me, as if to say, “You’re still cute, Micchan” One petal brushed gently across my lips, and I couldn’t help but smile. Kagami pretended not to notice.
Koichi, unfortunately, there’s still no one who’s tied for first place. You’re still the one I love the most
I just hope they have some sweet kiss scenes because I am so disappointed by Japanese BLs.Like wtf is wrong with…
tbh i actually prefer when they dont kiss bc japanese drama kisses (bl or straight) are dry asf. like bro stop fishing each other's lips and just make it slightly more intimate, like cant they let that lip inside just a bit damn but tbh i dont even care if they kiss or not, just dont give me that dry kiss bc sometimes it's actually hard to watch
The series as a whole is quite compelling. It delves into a range of LGBTQ+ themes, from confusion and denial to internalized homophobia and the cruelty of societal prejudice. It captures those emotional layers with surprising depth. Im not sure why did I just decide to watch it now, maybe because Im not a sucker of "bully and victim” trope (or whatever that dynamic is officially called) but it still pulled me in
If I had to nitpick tho, I kinda agree with what one vlog mentioned that Mishima and Yumeno romance feels off. Like, going from an abusive setup and where Yumeno seems finsexual/gynesexual. The show skips over that growth entirely, and also turning a repressed gay man into a high school rapist is just… a harmful, problematic, and unrealistic take.
But outside that, it's genuinely good. The rural vibe, cinematography, and acting performances all carry the story so well. It's one of those shows that stays with you even after it ends
P. S. I honestly feel so bad for Kirino. he's the one that really hit me the most. As someone who's queer person who's still in the closet. I saw so much of myself in him. that fear of not being accepted, of wanting to be understood but not having the space to be.
Ngl, there's been a serious decline in japanese bls lately (actually, BLs in general). The overproduction since 2022 really watered down the quality, everything started feeling rushed and unnatural (Well, except for Eternal Yesterday, still the peak BL of all time in my book) But I have to give it to Japan, they're never afraid to give us something odd and this one proves it. Who would've thought we'd get a Meteor Garden-type story but gay, minus the toxic traits and weird character writing? The first episode genuinely surprised me, it's cute, wholesome, fluffy, and naturally funny. That's rare nowadays when most teenage romcom BLs are drowning in forced fluff and cringe dialogue. This one actually doesn't try too hard, something I haven't said about a BL in a long time
Ngl, I was expecting a slightly more powerful, climatic and subtly executed ending, but honestly, that’s not the only reason to judge this drama. From start to finish, it’s been nothing short of spectacular and stellar. The leads did an excellent job. This is easily one of the best jbls of all time and has secured a spot in my top 5
i made a spotify playlist for our youth if you wanna check it out. AHHH they are running rent-free in my head 24/7 😭😭 I NEED the finale episode like RIGHT NOW!!
it’s the first one in a LONG time that dragged me into that ‘overly attached, emotionally unwell’ zone since Eternal Yesterday and honestly, maybe even more than Kiekoi, which was my 3rd all-time fave bl. At this rate it’s snatching Kiekoi’s spot. I’m genuinely losing it LOL
Time has passed, and everyone has become an adult. Everyone except Koichi. He’s still seventeen. Still in his school uniform.
“Yamada, the world’s in trouble with this new virus. Please watch over everyone so we can stay safe” Hashimoto said earnestly, putting her hands together in prayer again. We all joined her, pressing our hands together in the same way. But Koichi might be a bit puzzled and there’s probably not much he can do about a new virus. Well, we’ll do our best down here, so just keep an eye on us… I spoke to him silently in my heart.
How many years did it take before I could stand here with such a calm heart? For the first few years, everything was a blur. During the funeral, I think I was only able to stand because my father was there, supporting me. All throughout high school and even after entering university, when everything around me changed. The sense of loss was just too heavy. In classrooms, in the streets, in crowds, I was always searching for Koichi. Even though I knew he wasn’t there, I couldn’t stop myself from looking.
Even in the summer rain, I found myself searching. And in the winter snow, even more so, I couldn’t let go. I wanted to see him. I wanted to see him. I wanted to see him. I never thought the day would come when the pain would fade. And indeed, it never disappeared. It just changed shape. Like a sharp stone gradually rounded by waves, my grief softened over time. By the time Hiro-chan, the youngest Yamada sibling, entered elementary school, I could finally talk about the past again. I wanted to tell him about Koichi, how kind and wonderful his oldest brother was.
“I’ll go return the water pail” I said. “Oh, I’ll come too. I wanna use the restroom at the temple office~” the class rep said, and she and Hashimoto walked down the gentle slope lined with gravestones. To them, Koichi was just a classmate who suddenly passed away. The memories of those bizarre days when his body moved even after death were gone. The same went for everyone else in our class. No one remembered those strange days anymore. Except for me… and probably Kagami. I never confirmed it, but I have a feeling she remembers.
“The other day, I got a letter from someone nostalgic,” I said. Kagami looked at me, as if asking, “Who?” “From Tamaki-sensei” Tamaki-sensei now lives in America with his partner. Not Ogawa-sensei—his partner is an American man. After everything that happened, Ogawa-sensei took a break for a while and then transferred to another school. He came to one of our reunions a few years ago, and his gentle smile was just the same as before. “Apparently, during the stay-at-home period, he had too much free time and started organizing his old photos” I continued. He found some nostalgic pictures from his teaching days, several from biology class. And in those photos, Koichi was there. So he sent them to me. Tamaki-sensei shouldn’t have any memories of Koichi being… alive after death, but maybe he felt something, somehow.
“Koichi looked so sleepy in front of the microscope. I couldn’t help but laugh” “I can picture that… But, wow, how did the teacher even find your address, Aomi-kun? Oh, did he search your name? It’d probably come up on a hospital staff list or something” “Bingo. He sent it to the hospital” When I saw the photo, I suddenly remembered. ‘Isn’t it okay if we tie for first place?’ That’s what Koichi once said to Tamaki-sensei. Back then, I didn’t understand what he meant. But now I do. He was worried about me... worried about the me who’d be left behind. He didn’t want me to forget him, but he didn’t want me to never love anyone else either. Still, the thought of someone else becoming my “number one” probably bothered him a little. So, he said: “Let’s tie for first place”
Micchan, I hope you meet someone you can love just as much as me. Man… that’s so like him.
A soft flower petal quietly landed on the polished granite stone. Kagami looked up at the cherry blossoms. I did the same. Through the branches, spring sunlight poured gently through. The cherry tree above Koichi’s grave was past its full bloom, scattering petals every time the wind blew. The pale pink petals reminded me of that snowy night, the night Hiro-chan was born, the winter night Koichi was there, the snow falling silently, the tears falling on my face, drop by drop, from Koichi, the freezing cold of the morning I was left alone.
Ah, but now it’s spring. I wanted to feel the warmth on my cheeks, so I took off my mask. I wanted to show Koichi my face, too. I’m 37 now, but I still sometimes get told, “Doctor, you’re cute.” Well, mostly by middle-aged and older women, but still. “Whoa…” A sudden gust of wind blew. A shower of cherry blossoms surrounded me, as if to say, “You’re still cute, Micchan” One petal brushed gently across my lips, and I couldn’t help but smile. Kagami pretended not to notice.
Koichi, unfortunately, there’s still no one who’s tied for first place. You’re still the one I love the most
If I had to nitpick tho, I kinda agree with what one vlog mentioned that Mishima and Yumeno romance feels off. Like, going from an abusive setup and where Yumeno seems finsexual/gynesexual. The show skips over that growth entirely, and also turning a repressed gay man into a high school rapist is just… a harmful, problematic, and unrealistic take.
But outside that, it's genuinely good. The rural vibe, cinematography, and acting performances all carry the story so well. It's one of those shows that stays with you even after it ends
P. S. I honestly feel so bad for Kirino. he's the one that really hit me the most. As someone who's queer person who's still in the closet. I saw so much of myself in him. that fear of not being accepted, of wanting to be understood but not having the space to be.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/06s0EMcmoLriRFyzZTVeno?si=2U_ZRjM4TJa_dT9CzMBc5g&pi=o7pqj5jJRJePn