Bai Hehuai Lover

I mostly enjoyed this, but I do feel like it kind of started losing its way with the last few episodes. So the set up is that Toko, Minami, and Nishino all fell for Kita-kun and out of fear that someone else will tempt him away from them, the three of them enter an agreement where they all agree to share Kita-kun's attention equally. Cue the first half of the show being hilarious shenanigans of the three of them struggling to figure out cohabitation as they initially don't really get along, but as they deal with outside forces, they start to appreciate each other and become friends. They also have to confront traumas of their past and (in most cases) help each other work through it. A lot of it was genuinely sweet, and I love that the three of them grew to view each other as family.

But I can't lie, I did find it a little frustrating how it felt like the show would tease that Toko, Minami, and Nishino were developing feelings for each other too but then it didn't go anywhere with that. Case in point: around halfway through the show, Nishino and Minami are stranded in the wilderness together and Minami, being a nurse, tends to a wounded Nishino. This leads to Nishino developing romantic feelings for Minami, which he is very conflicted about - 1) because he feels guilty to have feelings for someone besides Kita-kun and 2) because of trauma related to his only romantic relationship with a woman. There's a few episodes of Nishino clearly pining and it seems like there might be a shift in their dynamic as he shares some emotionally vulnerable one-on-one time with Minami.... but then Toko makes a rule that they can't enter secondary relationships and his feelings for Minami are never acknowledged again. Toko talks about how she likes sharing Kita-kun with Minami and Nishino, that she likes making food for the three of them; and Minami completely freaks out when she thinks Toko has started crushing on an older man in a way that gives jealous vibes, but... that's the extent of anything that could be read as sapphic. And it doesn't help that there's so little content between Kita-kun and any of the three that is explicitly romantic. Despite this annoyance, one thing that I do really appreciate (that seems to be a common thread among the JDramas I've watched) is the way the show reaffirms these characters choosing to be together - Toko and Minami get a glimpse of the future where they achieved their dreams but decide it's no longer what they want and they now prioritize their dynamic with Kita-kun, and Nishino discloses the story of his previous relationship to Kita-kun and unburdens himself of that trauma and shame and after letting go, he asserts that he still wants this relationship with Kita-kun.

Also relatively minor side note, but I have to say it: the person trying to break up the quad is set up to be so ominous and threatening and then the reveal is extremely underwhelming and honestly kind of boring. (Also whyyyyy did this go the half-sibling incest route???? out of all the possible choices???????? HUH?????)