Nothing causes a person to get a grip on their romantic feelings quite like jealousy. Will Futagami’s constant presence help Ninomae realize how he feels about Otogi?
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My thoughts on this volume
My prediction from the last volume was right on the nose: there is indeed a love triangle! I don’t think Otogi will ever reciprocate Futagami’s feelings, and I have the feeling that he understands that too. I feel a little bit bad for him, as he can be seen constantly reflecting on how much it hurt to see Otogi be depressed in the previous volume, and now in this volume he has to watch her make googly eyes at Ninomae all the time.
Ninomae and Futagami clearly can’t stand each other, and without so much as saying a word to the other, they understand each other as a rival. Ninomae, trying to claim he didn’t have romantic feelings for Otogi in the previous volume, having a romantic rival in this volume is quite the interesting development… I think he did really have feelings for Otogi all along, he just needed that little bit of fire under him to give him a push.
This all came together at the fireworks scene, where Ninomae took Otogi’s hand and stole her away from Futagami!! This scene was extra romantic as though Ninomae still has difficulties expressing his emotions, he knew he didn’t want to let go of her hand.
Things getting interrupted before they could even really get started was a theme in this volume, for both boys. When Futagami tried to invite Otogi to the firework festival, Ninomae pops out of nowhere asking if he could tag in too. Poor Futagmi couldn’t even properly make his case before he was interrupted. Likewise, before anything really romantic could happen between Otogi and Ninomae at the fireworks, Futagami finds them and yells at them for ditching him. Poor Futagami.
I kind of hope Futagami comes to realize that Otogi won’t leave Ninomae for him sooner than later. It’s not even as though Otogi is keeping him on a string, as she clearly tells him that she likes Ninomae. He’s just holding onto hope, and that hope will probably lead him to a lot of sadness down the line.
Things I particularly enjoyed
❤️ Ninomae secretly putting the note Otogi gave him into his binder so he could hold onto it!! He’s such a cutie.
🧡 Ninomae not letting go of Otogi’s hand at the fireworks!! He even goes as far as saying he just wants a little more time! He clearly likes her, he just needs to find the courage to admit it!!
💛 Ninomae and Futagami clearly hating each other—they’re fast rivals, and all of their interactions are just so funny.
💚 Both Otogi and Ninomae being surprised at the sight of the other wearing a Yukata to the festival—they’re so cuuuute.
💛 Futagami trying to one-up Ninomae in literally everything—literally everything is a competition. From height, to number of piercings, no victory is too small for the petty Futagami.
🧡 Ninomae quite literally smacking Futagami in the middle of his face when he almost bumped into Otogi on the train—no one was at fault here, but Ninomae couldn’t take any chances.
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