These Two Continue To Ask Each Other The Most Insanely Intimate Things While Staring Into Each Other's

These two continue to ask each other the most insanely intimate things while staring into each other's eyes, and it's bonkers

But this whole episode was just... one long conversation that answered Sailom's first question here:

"Do I have any influence over you?"

Now, ignoring the fact that this is handily answered by Kang's renewed interest in studying after the "Can you do this for me?" exchange in the pool (another totally normal and not at all insane conversation).

And then we see exactly how Kang's relationship with Sailom has influenced him (and, y'know, the whole "the windmill needs the wind" candlelit conversation, holy shit).

First, right after the question, Kang has an existential crisis and thinks about how Sailom has influenced him so far (pool scene included)

(There's also the whole study montage, which is gonna have to be its own post, but we see Kang be serious and dedicated to his studies, and then playful with Sailom, and allowing himself to be vulnerable enough to fall asleep on him.)

Then, we get midterms day.

Kang is anxious, he's struggling, he's lost confidence, and is also likely still thinking about how Sailom keeping his job as his tutor is dependent on him passing. Him continuing to be able to spend time with Sailom is dependent on him passing. Babygirl is feeling the pressure.

But then, Sailom passes him the eraser, and you can see (in the scene, not these screenshots, oops) that Kang is surprised, he's not sure what to expect-- is it another tell off? is it a cheat sheet because Sailom wants to keep his job and because he doesn't think Kang can do it?-- but then, it's encouragement. It's "trust me, you can do it".

And Kang goes from panicking and stressing out to Determined Boy immediately. Because Sailom believed in him.

After Kang fails chemistry and Sailom is no longer his tutor, we continue to see how Sailom has influenced him.

He and his friends don't cut the line, they move on. Kang isn't actively playing games on class, he goes to eat and ends up staring at the place where Sailom sat last time he was at the restaurant and thinking about how much Sailom enjoyed the meal.

He signs up to work on the organizing team instead of the sports team, practically vibrating with hope that he will get to work with Sailom (Sailom is, too, look at his face in this scene! They both want to stay in each other's lives, but don't know how), and they're both devastated when they aren't paired up.

When he sees Sailom with the man at the cafe, he goes through like, half the stages of grief in three seconds as he processes Pimfah's question and then realizes what's happening.

He's so distracted by his concern that he can't stop staring.

He asks his grandmother to hire Sailom back, and it's enough for her to change her mind, and to recognize that Kang has changed.

He says this cuckoo-bananas line to his grandmother.

A month ago, he wanted to beat this boy bloody, and now he can't function without him, and he doesn't want to.

And if Sailom doesn't understand that he has an absurd amount of influence over Kang at this point, then the boy is not as smart as everyone thinks he is, because Kang is studying on a day off.

Kang, who used to swear he was studying as he booted up his game system.

And! He only steps away from studying when Sailom initiates a product placement themed twist on "playfully spray your crush with a hose"!

In a very short time, Sailom has become so important to Kang that he was just in a sad boy haze until he figured out how to get Sailom back.

I wonder if he realizes that he's become important to Sailom, too. Because Sailom was also at peak sad boy while they were separated by circumstance.

This is all obviously super unhealthy, that Kang is wrapping so much of his motivation and self worth up in Sailom and his approval and presence in his life, but like... that's why we're here, right? (Also, the dynamics that are at play here are fascinating, and if I ever get my thoughts about it in order I'm going to write a damned essay)

Anyway, I will not be normal about them until they figure out how to be normal about each other, which is going to be never, so I hope y'all are in this with me.

I asked myself this morning if there was anything I hated more than infidelity plots in BL season 2s and, while the answer is still "NO," nonsensical amnesia storylines are now in consideration.

In the end, there were a handful of special moments in the finale. Talented actors eeked out what organic sentiment could be found.

I'm curious to hear everyone's thoughts on what the final episodes could have been ...

Minato's Laundromat 2 Ep 12 (Finale) Stray Thoughts

Last week, one of my favorite shows continued to shit the bed with this ongoing amnesia plot, severing the compelling mirroring between both couples in service of what feels like a ratings play. I enjoyed getting to hear Nishigaki Sho’s more relaxed voice again compared to the bright one he typically uses when interacting as regular Shin with Minato. Minato went on a date with Shin at the insistence of the rest of the cast, and he tried to remind Shin of some of their moments, heavily leaning on their season 1 moments. It proved ineffective, and then the show hurt us by having Shin finally say Minato’s given name. Seeing that Shin doesn’t remember him, Minato has ended things for now.

Once again, we’re back to some early dynamics with Minato being sick and Shin insisting it’s okay for him to help since they’re friends.

Oh they are finally fighting. I get Minato’s frustration, but I’m also with Shin. It’s pretty lame to learn you were abandoned by what apparently is the love of your life during a moment of crisis.

I guess I’m relieved that this head injury hasn’t interrupted Shin’s plans of becoming a doctor.

I really am a sucker for heartfelt letters written by characters who struggle to express themselves, but I am always frustrated that they never deliver them themselves. Perhaps it’s too realistic for them to end up not working since only one letter like this I’ve ever delivered has worked.

It wouldn’t be Japanese BL if we didn’t have a track and field segment in the finale.

And now we’re back at the beach.

He can remember because Minato’s letter expressed the love that Shin has been asking for. 😐

High-key annoyed. “I remember everything,” is one of my favorite phrases in romance. Hate amnesia plots so much.

On the plus side, Nishigaki Sho and Kasukawa Takuya are good.

My goodness. It took us 24 episodes but we finally released the tension.

Oh, wow, Minato said the thing and kissed him on the street.

Final Verdict: 6, The Finale Doesn’t Erase the Stupid. I’m so sad that I can’t bring myself to give this show a 7. 7s are reserved for shows that stumbled around but were trying to do something appropriate with their characters. This show abandoned reason for madness at the end of episode 9 and gave up on the paired storytelling of its two couples to use a stupid (and honestly ableist) story trope in order to create a false balance shift. Did Minato need to be more open with Shin? Yes. Did he need prove his devotion to reassure Shin? Yes. Was this the best way to do that? Absolutely not. I really love continuations where we get to see the couple grow together and manage the challenges of commitment but this regression at the end of this season really pissed me off.

I still love Minato so much, but I’m deeply frustrated by the cowardly choices of this creative team in the final arc. I don’t know what order came down that made them scramble to do this instead, because I was in love with the slow, painful peeling back of layers of internalized homophobia on Minato for the first 9 episodes. Please don’t use my frustration here to argue that adaptations leaving behind source material are bad. That is not what went wrong here for the first 9 episodes. This feels like ratings nonsense and I hate it.

Lord here comes this thieving ass gigolo please

It’s giving

The casts looks very promising so far

The fact that Segasaki is still touch starved in spite of having a physical relationship with Yoh speaks volumes to me. They have been intimate in many ways, but when the question comes to emotional intimacy, that's when Segasaki gets surprised.

He gets giddy when he's holding Yoh's hand on the ropeway. He gets surprised when Yoh kisses him or initiates touch first.

He feels content when Yoh cuddles up to him.

gif by @taikanyohou

He gets happy when Yoh gets jealous. Because for him, these are the ways to confirm that Yoh is not just an emotionless companion for him to get off with. It's at these moments Segasaki realises that Yoh likes him back. That Yoh is also willing to give himself emotionally to him. That Yoh also sees him as a suitable partner to be vulnerable in front of.

I need to stop watching previews because they make it ten times harder to wait for a new episode. I’m looking at you My Personal Weatherman!

The miscommunication is strong between these two, and while I’m usually not a fan of that, I think it works really well for this story and these characters. Yoh has incredibly low self esteem and thinks poorly of himself, and thinks Segasaki is better than him in every way. Segasaki is a man of action and rarely uses his words to express his feelings. Even if Segasaki uses his words, Yoh doesn’t understand his meaning and thinks he means something else (usually something negative). Man-san’s husband had my favorite lines in this episode when he talked about how a person can misinterpret another’s words based on their mood. Which is exactly what Yoh did, he thought Segasaki was being demeaning and unappreciative about his job, when Segasaki was trying to be comforting (though his word choice was not great, admittedly).

Anyways, we got a glimpse of Yoh and Segasaki in college and how Yoh fell in love at first sight (basically), though he seems to deny those feelings. The tension between them was insane, especially when they stared at each other while passing in the hallway. We also kinda get an idea of where Yoh’s low self esteem comes from, which seems to be from other people telling him that he is a nobody, a loner, and a weirdo.

Im excited to see how Mizuki fell in love with Yoh in the next episode, and it obviously has to do with Yoh taking care of him when he was sick. And the CURRY! Yoh’s terrible curry that Mizuki wants to eat again, probably because it shows that Yoh cares for him.

And a confrontation/kiss in the rain?!! Potentially Segasaki realizing that he could loose Yoh because Yoh doesn’t understand their relationship. There are so many ways that I would personally write this scene, so I am curious how it actually turns out.

And now the countdown to next Friday begins…