Warning: contains spoilers Summary: Season 2 carries and makes the manhwa a 10/10 easily, great character development and art really change for the better to be more distinct. Touches on topics that are very sensitive and hard to do in a very well-done manner.
So, this manhwa is a LOT. The first season honestly was not my favorite, the characters weren't very fleshed out and Seok was honestly very creepy/stalker-like. The plot hints at an unknown trauma of Kiwoon that unfolds over time through memories as Seok breaks down those walls with his persistence. If you aren't creeped out by Seok, overall it's a cute section but it is needed for the second season, where Jaeha (the perpetrator of Kiwoon's attack) becomes the main interest for Hyun.
The second season... redeemed everything. I have never seen such growth in an author/artist between a season. This season focuses on Hyun and his unrequited love for Jaeha for years, and everything becomes so well done. Jaeha now actually has an artistic direction that isn't just a slightly different Seok, and we see their relationship take twists and turns in all the ways first loves can. Hyun is very respectful of Jaeha's boundaries and I wish the adults in BL series would take notes on consent. Hyun asks for consent for everything from hugs to kisses, and understands when things are taken too far, and stops even when Jaeha doesn't admit that he is uncomfortable vocally!
There is a massive warning for domestic abuse and self-harm/suicide in this manhwa, as well as extreme manipulation and emotional abuse from pretty much everyone in Jaeha's life. The author did an amazing job of tying in the trauma Jaeha went through with the reactions of adults in his life. It seemed like absolutely no adult in his life seemed to care about being visibly abused, with the school nurse telling him to go home this time instead of avoiding the house HE'S BEING ABUSED IN. Unfortunately, there are a lot of cases of kids being abused and completely ignored by adults in their lives who have the power to help.
Both Hyun and Jaeha have massive character developments throughout the season as they begin to understand each other better. Hyun goes from an aggressive, lazy teenager with a bad temper to a soft, kind-hearted, patient boyfriend who is willing to put everything on the line for Jaeha. Jaeha changes too, from being an always sad, emotionally distant, and bratty person to being more happy, hopeful, and actually caring about someone in a way that isn't obsessive and leeching. They take a very long time to reach that stage, which develops in the side stories more, but I find it to be more realistic considering the levels of trauma Jaeha went through as well as how Hyun has to learn to just be honest for once in his life.
The only thing I wish we saw is a later reconciliation with Kiwoon and Jaeha so that they can put their pasts behind them, but I understand why the author chose not to go that route because of how Kiwoon could be deeply affected. It felt a little too open-ended after Kiwoon found out about Hyun lying for all those years, especially with how big of an impact the reveal was. Hyun spent years lying to everyone simply because he wanted to be Jaeha's first choice, and his jealousy led to the unsalvageable (currently) friendship between Kiwoon and Jaeha. Tbh I just really want to see everyone in the group have a massive hangout even though I know that'd be logistically improbable with how much Seok and Kiwoon don't like Jaeha and how Seungha threw away Jaeha and reopened his old trauma. I think there's a chance they could all be happy around each other if Jaeha and Hyun met up with Seok and Kiwoon together so each of them could see how happy they were now. But then again, trauma isn't the same for everyone, so it'd be up to the author to decide if Kiwoon could make that leap in forgiveness for the accident with Jaeha,
The part that made me really just over the moon in this series was finding out about Hyun's tell when he lies. When you go back and reread, you can see all of the little things you missed and how much of the story told by Hyun through dialogue doesn't match up with what he feels in his heart.
I haven't read the third season really because I don't like Seungha, but I know I will eventually. To be honest, I hope Hyun and Jaeha come back together later because they are the entire reason this manhwa is my fav and I recommend it to everyone. Hyun is in the third season but I have not seen Jaeha yet so I am hoping either they have side stories with them after season 3 or the group thing happens later and they can all have their happy endings without the feeling of hiding and avoiding one another.
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