#cheum x april

[isbelevans]

Cheum & April In Only Friends Episode 12

[sunsetandthemoon]

✨communication✨

Only Friends (2023)

[waitmyturtles]

THE MORNING AFTER: ONLY FRIENDS, EPISODE 12 -- WHEN ONLY FRIENDS GOT 2GETHER-ED

TRIGGER WARNING: EVERYONE'S UP FOR CRITICISM HERE, JOJO AND TEAM, FORCEBOOK, FIRSTKHAO, ALL OF THEM. Read at your peril.

Well. Big deep breaths. I spent a lot of time on a show that had been marketed as not-a-BL, that ended as a BL. As a mom with not that much time to spend on watching and writing on dramas that were marketed incorrectly, I am feeling some kinda way (fucking pissed off).

So many people had amazing takes yesterday, on both sides of the aisle, regarding how the show ended (pro-ending here, anti-ending here, here, here, here, here, and here, and my dear friends @neuroticbookworm and @lurkingshan did heavy lifting on reblogs yesterday, so stroll on over to their blogs for more).

I want to set up a constellation of points to touch upon before I get into the meat of this post.

1) I referred quite a bit to my review of Theory of Love throughout my watch of Only Friends. In that review, I meditate on how the majority of the general global public judges sex, and casual sex, and people who have sex and/or casual sex. Generally speaking -- even in countries that makes as progressive art on sex and sexuality as Thailand and the United States -- that's a rule of thumb that I can rely on. Sex is judged by the majority of the global public.

2) I hate to say it. I cannot believe this happened. But I was right about monogamy being an ultimate theme in Only Friends. Not just a theme, fam. A theme by which people judged others for having open, casual, and consensual sex. Queer sex. Queer sex that is so very often had outside of the constraints of a monogamous relationship.

There was a reason why that holiday party was populated by couples, except for Boston, and Boston had to grovel to them in apology for their friendship. In Only Friends: monogamy wins, and casual queer sex loses.

3) Unfortunately, in part though an analysis of Cheum inside of last week that I accidentally started (ha), I see that points 1 and 2 come together to have created a fabric and framework of judgement that Only Friends ended on.

The last paragraph in this excellent post by @benkaaoi notes that the assumption by a large portion of the OF fandom that the creative choices that were made to end this series were designed to save the sanctity -- economic and otherwise -- of the shipped pairs of ForceBook and FirstKhao. This rings true to me.

Most of the BL shows that I've watched this year are older shows, through my Old GMMTV Challenge, in which I've been studying the changes over time that GMMTV and other Thai networks, have made towards their editorial choices, attitudes, and risks in producing BLs. I included Only Friends on this syllabus to note the show's impact as a kind of zeitgeist measure of how much heat and literary controversy GMMTV could take in airing increasingly progressive queer media -- even though Only Friends wasn't originally intended to be a BL.

To the theory that Only Friends needed to save the ships... and to another theory that the ships needed to be saved in the most moralistically judgmental way that I could have ever imagined (I was actually blown away by how heavy-handed this messaging was) -- I look to the ending of 2gether.

The majority general reaction to the ending of 2gether from within the existing BL fandom in 2020, was one of guffawed incredulousness. BrightWin/SarawatTine did not kiss in the first season of 2gether. It took Aof Noppharnach to come in to make Still 2gether to indicate that these two young men may have been at least vaguely sexual with each other throughout the course of their fictional relationship.

Yet, 2gether was a massive success. Many theorize it was because 2gether was the first big BL to air during the start of the COVID pandemic, and new BL fans had time to be at home and watch shows. But I posit in my 2gether/Still 2gether review that 2gether was also successful PRECISELY BECAUSE IT LACKED SEX (and by sex here, I mean plain old kissin').

As I stated earlier: sex is judged by the majority of the global public. With BrightWin NOT kissing, new fans who may have been implicitly and/or explicitly turned off by physical depictions of queer love could glom comfortably onto 2gether, and watch a BL without the "threat" of physical depictions of two men expressing their love to each other.

Subsequently, BrightWin gained massive social media followings, 2gether made GMMTV buckets of money, and GMMTV went -- well, hot diggity.

Many of us had impressions of Only Friends as...something else than it ended up being. Early on, Jojo Tichakorn, for instance, cited an early non-GMMTV, non-BL show, Gay OK Bangkok, that he and Aof Noppharnach worked on in 2016 and 2017, as being referential to Only Friends. Gay OK Bangkok centered on a group of queer friends, mostly cisgender men with Jennie Panhan in the mix, as they lived their lives and dated away in Bangkok.

I'll tell ya, GOKB didn't end the way Only Friends did, and I'll get into that more in a bit. I believe @benkaaoi, @lurkingshan, and others are absolutely right that the ultimate moralization on casual sex that this show depicted -- and how Only Friends punished Boston for his casual sex -- was an economic decision designed to reflect on the sanctity of monogamy that shipped couples like ForceBook and FirstKhao can sell back to their fans, fans that may have actually flocked to GMMTV shows from 2gether, and that demand a fantasy of devoted monogamy from both fictional characters and professional actors who are actually only just doing fan service to earn their livings. GMMTV has known for a long time how to make money, and money the network doth has made from Only Friends, and from shipping their ships around the world to service the growing fandom.

Casual sex in fiction, casual sex that breaks up the ships.... fucks that economic shit all up.

GMMTV has taught us our lesson, a lesson that we had already learned from the no-kissing rule of 2gether. Loose lips shall not sink ships at this network. And I think we lost a chance for a big and progressively artistic zeitgeist that GMMTV could have taken risks on, if it had the courage to risk depicting something truly novel.

I want to note quickly another framework that I dug into while I was watching this show. I sent a flare to @lurkingshan before I started watching the episode that I was going to, in part, watch this last episode from my personal Asian lens. I wanted to ask myself, as I was watching this disaster -- is there anything happening here that strikes my heart with fear and doom as an Asian?

Indeed, yes. I didn't expect it, but there was a dialogue on individualism vs. collectivism.

Boston. My dear, sweet Boston. Boston, named after a city so very distant from Bangkok.

Boston was punished by his group of friends because he didn't adhere to the rules of the group. His individualistic actions and preferences -- his preferences to "roll alone," as Nick stated, would not work in the frameworks of either monogamy with Nick and/or the group dynamics of the hostel crew.

The link I linked above is an amazing answer to an inquiry I posed to dear @absolutebl last year about how Asian social collectivist paradigms are depicted in BLs. In that question-and-answer dialogue, I asked ABL Sensei about the motif of queer revelations in BLs, and how seemingly straight characters respond in kind to being approached with a proposition to a queer dalliance and/or relationship. Generally speaking, the Asian collectivist mindset is to at least attempt to respond in kind to those kinds of propositions, as one's behavioral habits are designed to be responsive to others instinctually, as opposed to only servicing oneself. To only service oneself is not only seen as selfish, but also as disturbing to the general flow of public existence among one's societies. To respond in kind means that you will not cause potentially disturbing angst to another individual or group. (Collectivism explains why Asian countries performed much better with mask mandates during the pandemic than we in the States did.)

So -- Boston filming Ray, Boston sleeping with Top, created waves in the friend group. He was so severely punished for it.

And the show iterates, and repeats, Nick's preference that Boston move forward alone in Boston's life, because of Boston's tendencies to make decisions that suit himself. As an Asian-American, I mutter to myself: god forbid.

Nick will not commit to Boston -- and yet, will also condemn Boston for making his own decisions outside of the specter of a monogamy that does not exist between Nick and Boston, and that Boston will still get judged for, as referenced in the Sand/Nick conversation depicted above.

In other words: if Boston makes a decision for himself? That's punishable. Because it might hurt someone else's feelings -- a someone else that actually hasn't committed to Boston, and/or allowed Boston to commit himself to.

This group caught Boston in a moralistic and collectivist catch-22, the likes of which I just would have never expected from Jojo and team, even if the creative team faced the economic pressures of the GMMTV bigwigs. I'm sorry to state that I am beyond disappointed in this condemnation of individualism, sending Boston alone, judged, and friendless, off to New York City to live in, what, the immoral boundaries of Chelsea? Homey, get a fucking SWEET-ASS PAD, and FUCK THESE LOSERS, leave 'em BEHIND in your cloud of airplane gas emissions. See you at the La Quinta rooftop bar on 32nd Street, friendo.

Only Friends could have ended so much better. And I understand that in the Only Friends novel, published AFTER the script was finished, that it did end somewhat better for Boston (cc @jinitak, reporting from Thailand, thank you for this heads-up about the novel!).

So. Any-fucking-way. Do y'all know how Gay OK Bangkok ended?

Of many lovely endings for the various GOKB characters, an older main character, Aof, was dating a much younger character, Big. (CC to @neuroticbookworm for our quick convo on this last night.)

Aof was sex-averse. Big wanted lots of sex. Big slept with a lot of people. He loved Aof. Aof couldn't handle Big having sex with other people, and they broke up. It was a lovingly handled break-up, written just gorgeously by Aof Noppharnach.

After their break-up, I thought Big would disappear from the show. Instead. Instead! Nong Big, the little brother to the core group of queer friends that centered GOKB, was welcomed back with open arms. Arm, Pom, Sathang (played by an effervescent Jennie Panhan), and others toasted to Big, telling him he would always be family, no matter if him and his ex, Aof, had broken up. In the queer circles of friends that I'm a part of, exes are not as commonly excommunicated as they are in straight circles.

Only Friends could have been this. Something, a little something, like this.

Instead, Only Friends punished a friend for acting outside of the rules of their group.

Boston was punished because.... because Only Friends had to end up being a BL. For the sake of the moolah, for the sake of collectivism, for the sake of the shippers who'll buy tickets around the world to see ForceBook and FirstKhao perform fan service on stage.

I just didn't think that the show would be so brutal, on so many levels, in the end, to people who want to have casual sex. I don't think any of us expected this. But, it's over, it's done, and the piece has been said -- GMMTV said, no casual sex today, and here's how we actually feel about it.

I'll see you over on Gagaoolala for Playboyy. Deuces, OF.

(It was an absolute pleasure writing meta with the Ephemerality Squad -- onto the next one! @lurkingshan @neuroticbookworm @ranchthoughts @twig-tea @slayerkitty @thatgirl4815 @distant-screaming @clara-maybe-ontheroad)

[pickletrip]

This preview is ending me. Mew is drinking and doing "bad stuff" (Top failed to protect Mew and now he wishes he could protect Mew).

There's a Halloween party and Mew is dressed as Harley Quinn and Ray as Joker! Damn. Serving looks.

Ray is being a little shit as usual.

Nick seems hung up on Boston but we finally get a new entry - Whoever Pappang is playing!!!

And we have the police and drugs. Shit.

This part of the show we barely know about. We're in new territory and things can go South any moment.

[multismileee]

after ep. 8 OF updated feelings

UPDATE AFTER EP 8:

Mew -> He needs to get himself together, the path he's going down is not good for him at all. I also think he is realizing that he doesn't love Ray, but more so the "thrill/adventure" and "difference" Ray brings. In the end he is sticking with Ray because he knows that Ray "loves" (yes I'm putting that in quotations) him and he won't get hurt like he did with Top. ALSO IDK WHO NEEDS TO HEAR THIS BUT HE IS A GROWN MAN... NO ONE IS FORCING HIM TO DO ANYTHING, HE IS CHOOSING TO DO THIS.

Top -> At first, I was like wow look at him actually being kind of decent this episode but I saw this theory, and now I just don't know. I think it just shows how I can never guess the intention of this man. The theory was that he was the one who called the cops; which would explain why the cops immediately asked about drugs, went straight upstairs and caught Ray instead of finding Mew who was also drugged out in the kitchen, how they knew Ray would have something on him, and why Top had a wad of cash ready IN AN ENVELOPE to give to a cop that just happened to be a dirty cop.... it's all way too convenient. If that is the case, and he did it to seem more trustworthy and the "hero" FRICK HIM. I also saw people be like "aw look at how he cared for Mew" AS HE SHOULD, HE SHOULD BE GROVELLING. Idk maybe it was just me but cuddling someone while they're unconscious felt kinda weird to me.

Boston -> Man was really just minding his business this episode and wow look at that, he's so much more bearable when he stops causing unnecessary drama. I think Boston was starting to feel something for Nick, like hello sir you're telling me you just stare at all your ex flings in the bar while nursing a drink??? Yeah I didn't think so. He is still messed up for what he did to Mew, and it makes sense that everyone is mad at him BUT him comforting Atom was sweet of him (Ik sue me, I found it cute... I like them as a platonic duo and i'm probably going to gauge my eyes out next ep.) and he ate Cheum up in the one scene outside, and I think that's what pushed him to say yes to Atom at the end of the episode. He must be thinking that since everyone already thinks i'm a bad guy, I might as well be the worse I can. I hope that next ep. he accidentally calls Nick's name and/or finds out about Nick and Dan. Also, I can understand why he didn't want to see Nick, he must have felt betrayed not once but twice. Not saying that he didn't do bad things, if not worse, but I can see why he said for Nick to leave him alone.

Nick -> I just don't know man. LMAO THAT"S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

Ray -> Oh Ray. Listen I have mixed feelings for this man, I think in general, he wasn't particularly in the wrong for dancing with Mew because like I said before, him and Sand were never officially anything. Sand knows this, he knows this, so while it's not wrong, it just sucks. I liked that Sand talked to him and put up his boundaries but IT HURT... "When I'm with you, i'm so d*mn happy" like please open your eyes and realize the one you care for is Sand!!!! You can also tell how sad he was when he realized that Sand was distancing himself like UGHHHHHH. What I don't agree with is how at the party he stopped Sand from kissing that dude (he was definitely jealous, did you see the way he basically ran? But he has no right to.) and him kissing Sand while he is trying out a relationship with Mew is wrong. Mew doesn't deserve that and neither does Sand. Also I hate the way Cheum acts with Ray (we'll get to that in her part). I felt his pain when he was screaming at the party, and I truly think he needs to learn to love himself first before he can love anyone. OH AND I ALMOST FORGOT BECAUSE I BLOCKED IT OUT OF MY MEMORY, BUT HIM TELLING SAND "stop fooling yourself, Sand. You like me. You love me. You can't walk away from me." WAS SO CRUEL AND DISRESPECTFUL. He needs to start apologizing for all the out of pocket things he says to Sand, because he is starting to use him as a punching bag and I will not stand for that. The whole confrontation at the party was so uncalled for, he had absolutely no right. Also how does he not realize that Mew doesn't genuinely love him?? He kissed Ray just for vengeance in front of Top, that's all it was. #getRayglasses:(

Sand -> CONTINUES TO BE THE BEST CHARACTER TO EXIST. Okay first of all, we love a man who knows his standards, and upholds his boundaries. He was having none of it from Ray, and would keep reminding him that Ray has Mew now. I noticed this small detail and idk if anyone else saw it but when Ray asked for the lighter, Ray put the cigarette in his mouth like he did last time they were outside, probably waiting for Sand to light the cigarette in his mouth. However, Sand handed him the lighter instead AND Ray looked so freaking disappointed. (Not only am I taking this as a sign of Sand distancing himself but also how much that distance is going to effect Ray). He stood up for himself at the party, "I'm not your second option" YESSS WE LOVE KNOWING YOUR OWN SELF-WORTH. What gets me is that even after all that and the way Ray has treated him, Sand still runs to protect him when the cops came because he knew that Ray was doing dr*gs. He came to the party because he felt bad for what he did to Nick, he comforted Nick after his confrontation with Boston... everyone say it with me: SAND BEST BOY!!! If no one else gets happiness, at least Sand should. (preferably with Ray after he goes to rehab and apologizes for all he has said).

Cheum -> Listen I know I said to give her more scenes, but this is not what I meant. It was incredible that she got on my nerves so much. I can appreciate that she is trying to be a "good friend" to Mew, and she doesn't like the way his personality did a full 360, and the actions he has gone up to but blaming that on Ray??? Like girly what? Firstly, Mew is a grown adult (As April said, I love her she kept saying everything I was thinking), he makes these decisions. MEW is the one who keeps going to Ray to get this escape, he's the one who wants to try these new things. It makes me question if Cheum genuinely likes Ray, I mean it seems like she always sees the worst in him. THEN he meets with Top, and says, "who do you think made him this way" when Top said that Mew has changed... oh so it wasn't all due to Ray?? Crazy. But what's even crazier to me is that after a 2 minute talk, she instantly folded and decided to help Top. After everything Top did to Mew??? She invites him to a party without even consulting with Mew if he would be okay with his ex being at the party, and then got an attitude with Ray after he tried to kick Top out even though Mew was the one who threw the drink at him. Her saying "Or I can't because I don't own the place" LIKE GIRL WHEN DID ANYONE IMPLY ANYTHING?? It just really gets me how hypocritical she is with her response to Mew vs. Ray. With Mew she's like "Oh he's so innocent, he needs help because he's making so many bad decisions" which I'm glad because this IS out of character for him, but with Ray, she never tries to understand and instead says it in a way that sounds like she's blaming him. I mean she wasn't wrong when she told Ray to take responsibility for his actions, he was being reckless but idk the vast difference is dizzying to me. Then she interrupts Boston and her brother's conversation, and while I understand that she's protective of her brother and has bad feelings towards Boston, Boston was actually just being a good listener at the moment. HE ALSO ATE HER UP WITH THE "Consider what kind of big sister you are and why your brother is not telling you anything" like maybe just maybe instead of being in everyone's business, Cheum should focus on her girlfriend and her own family/ personal life. Idk maybe this has been building for a while because she's suddenly saying "you never cared for us". I guess I'm just confused because from ep 1, it seemed like Ray's friends only cared for him during parties/ his money.

SORRY FOR THE RANT OMG

[djeterg19]

These two are adorable but I'm a bit disappointed they are already together? Hopefully we still get lots of them

[thedooristhebluecushion]

What’s keeping me up tonight? Thank you so much for asking…

I think someone is going to die on Only Friends.

My first guess is Ray because “how many people do you think would cry for me if I actually died” and “I can be addicted to you for the rest of my life, can’t I?” kind of reek of foreshadowing.

But it could also be Boston if his dad’s campaign somehow gets f-ed up because of him & he becomes a target / collateral damage & with how shitty the crew has been that may be the only way they forgive him.

So yeah. Sleep tight everyone. 1 week & 3 days until I can rest easy.

[earthfluuke]

L E S B I A N S 💖🤍🧡 ONLY FRIENDS (2023)

[spokenfromtheheartandsoul]

ngl boeing and boston showing up in the preview together for next week's episode had me laughing out loud because it just took me so off guard

like say what you will about the plot cohesion and character arcs etc. etc. and it's all fair! but also objectively i must admit that it is soooo funny to me that boeing was introduced to the show purely to be yeeted around from one couple to the next like he's Only Friends' gay version of a final boss level enemy that each pairing must battle against in order to win their happy relationship endgames

[aprilblossomgirl]

Lookjun Bhasidi as Namchueam & Nonnie Pitchaporn as April

Only Friends (2023) | Ep.8

What the f*ck is wrong with you Ray? Didn’t I tell you that being friends was good enough? Why did you have to complicate things? And this damn hostel, you never wanted to run it with me in the first place. You did it just because you wanted something you could share with Mew. Boston and I are just the third wheel. You never care about us. And if you think you're going to keep on seeing Mew, then I wish you good luck. But if you guys are not going to quit this behavior, I quit.

[isbelevans]

CHEUM AND APRIL in ONLY FRIENDS EPISODE 8

[statiny9]

Only friends, 11/10

Aún no está acabada pero con lo que lleva le he cojido un odio a un personaje en concreto que no pensaba que me caeria mal, esque es una persona horrible, pero por lo demás es un serión.

[waitmyturtles]

This post was making its way around last night, about how viewers could/should recognize when female characters in dramas are written by men, and how we as viewers can rejigger our minds around how we then see and interpret these female characters. I'm thinking of Cheum in Only Friends, and how she's been written by an all-male and all-queer team of writers.

Somewhat separately, I'm noting a reblog from my OF Sunday meta by @fromthedepthsandbeyond about how Thai audiences vs. international audiences are receiving Cheum. Holding myself accountable: in my original post that I just linked, I chunked up the deuces on Cheum (and I do still hope April dumps Cheum's ass).

But I gotta ponder what it means that an all-male team wrote Cheum. And as well, I gotta think about what it means for me to interpret a female character in a drama, generally speaking.

What are my implicit biases towards a female character to hold people around her accountable? To hold her brother accountable for making false rape claims against Boston? To hold herself accountable for calling Boston a slut and making judgements against his sexual predictions? To hold herself accountable for continuing to suggest to Mew that he date Top, because Top is top-tier?

What are my implicit biases that a female character in a drama would be written to transcend above the bullshit she is witnessing, to be a cipher of macro-level sensibility and to cut through everyone else's bullshit to speak on the truth of their shenanigans?

What are my implicit and/or explicit expectations that the older sister of a younger brother who lied about rape claims would hold that younger sibling accountable for his falsehoods?

I just wrote on a reblog from @ranchthoughts, as we head towards Saturday's finale, about my giving these characters the space and grace to be imperfect twentysomethings, and I think this ties into how I need to possibly adjust what in the heck is going on with Cheum. And I note that especially from @fromthedepthsandbeyond's thoughts on Thai vs. international interpretations of Cheum.

Could I generalize a Thai interpretation on Cheum as: Cheum is doing the best she can in what we assume to be a Thai/Asian society that still holds in expectation certain roles of peacekeeping that a female should uphold?

I might be able to safely make that assumption, with sensitivity to overgeneralization. (I've been thinking a lot about sexism in Asian families vis à vis my re-watch and re-rewatch of Bad Buddy lately -- and how Pat's traditional Thai-Chinese family upholds lingering notions of sexism towards Pat's younger sister, Pa.)

And could I generalize an international interpretation on Cheum as: we have made so much progress on women's equality, that Cheum should feel free to burn all these assholes down to ash for their inconsistencies and/or lies?

I think there's a tension there, in the interpretive lenses, that I'm playing around with, as I think about getting more open and accountable towards my biases of what I might expect out of a character like Cheum that was written by men.

I don't know, I'm feeling unsettled by this, because in a way, I want to know what Cheum, as a fictional storytelling device, was meant to achieve by way of her placement in the Only Friends story and script. She has extreme judgement against Boston, for instance, and.... I don't know where that judgement stems from, what it means.

Does it mean that guys (like Jojo and the OF team) assume that all women judge sex? I can't think that that's it, considering Jojo's past works, but... I don't know.

So, yeah. I'm struggling with this and pondering it. How do I relate to Cheum now that I'm thinking about her as written as a fictional narrative device by guys? Oof. I wonder if I should have recalibrated my expectations all along.

---

P.S. I think this also touches on a thought I had a few weeks ago about implicit biases towards lesbians -- that a lesbian couple like Mew's moms could be wiser, sharper, and more attuned to their son's implicit angst towards Top; when clearly, when they first met Top, they weren't, at all. I thought that was a brilliant spin by the OF team on biases that we may have about lesbian couples, and what that meant for commentary about the general aloofness of Asian parents in fiction.

[gaykey]

CHEUM X APRIL!!!!!!!

[multismileee]

Ranking OF Characters + their relationship because I need to rant before I combust :)

Wow what an episode this past one was… down below I’m going to break down my personal feelings and thoughts for each character so enjoy I guess & feel free to lmk if you agree or disagree.

Mew: I have mixed feelings about him, there’s no better way to explain it. He’s entering his villain era which ngl I love for him, they need to stop messing with the nice ones and expect them to stay quiet and sane. However, I have a bad feeling about him going to deep in his revenge against Top and Ton, and losing himself. He’s actually such a mastermind, the way he gets revenge is so satisfying. I truly don’t think he loves Ray like that and instead he thinks well maybe he’s who I need to, because at least I know he’s in love with me. Which explains why he said “perhaps the one I should love is you.” I don’t blame Mew, I think he’s genuinely confused rn, especially since Top was his first relationship. I just hope he's not using Ray, and he actually wants to explore how that goes. I just have this weird feeling that Mew is smarter than he looks, and he is purposely giving off a naive look to get away with things. UPDATE: I just saw this tik tok about how Top shared his trauma about fire with Mew (I actually completely forgot about that) and that’s why Mew decided to burn the paper / memory… that would explain both of their expressions, I NEED AN INHALER, THESE THEORIES ARE TOO GOOD.

Top: FRICK THIS MAN. Deserves everything that’s coming his way fr (#1). I felt bad for him slightly but that’s only because I do think he was slowly becoming better because of Mew. However, if he was insecure about Mew and Ray, he should’ve just asked. Instead he let Boston (I’ll get to him soon) of all people talk him into believing that more happened that night. Then, sleeping with his bf’s best friend to ‘even the playing field’ was so disgusting. I give him like half kudos, actually more like 1/8 kudos for stopping Boston in the elevator (the bare fricking minimum but it’s a lot for him) but he should’ve just owned up to what he did and talked to Mew. Instead he had the nerve to be jealous of Mew and Ray, even going as far as to accuse Mew of sleeping with Ray EVEN AFTER he got revealed for cheating. I also hate the way he says stuff like “I will make you fall in love with me again” he always sounds so conceited and arrogant. I hope he realizes that Mew is the best thing to happen to him and grovels to his feet.

Boston: I’m in awe of how awful this man is, like just when I think there’s no way he can be worse, he proves me wrong. Deserves everything that’s coming to him fr (#2). (Side note: can we talk about how talented of an actor Neo is??? He’s so good at playing Ton!!! I think he is narcissistic because I don’t understand how he can be so oblivious or ig non-caring of everyone else’s feelings. Even when it was discovered that he slept with Top, he turned it all around and told Mew that without him, he wouldn’t have been able to get Top… THE ABSOLUTE NERVE OF THIS MAN. Mew was so real for kicking him into the pool and punching him, because he needs it beaten into him. I also find his character fascinating, I noticed a couple of times how he will purposely change his calculating expression to one that is drunk and oblivious to everything. There was the time they were at the bar and he calls Ray a burden (I need to make a whole new post if I wanted to rant how much I hate that they call him that), and again when they were celebrating Mew's birthday. I do think that some of this detachment and not caring stems from the fact that he wants to move to pursue his photography, so he thinks "why care, if I'm leaving it all behind"

Nick: He's another confusing character, I just don't know how to feel for him. I mean at first I felt bad for him because he genuinely likes Boston for whatever reason, but seriously the way he goes about EVERYTHING is so wrong. Firstly, his interest stems from him snooping in Ton's phone and then proceeding to j*rk off to him like... that's so messed up. Then he takes a photo of himself, and okay that leads to them sleeping together. No matter how much I dislike Boston, he did say from the beginning that he wasn't interested in a relationship, he made it clear. Therefore, really Nick didn't have any reason to do the things he did. THE TAPE????? That was so so messed up. He not only recorded him without his consent, he then shared that with Sand. I can't even feel bad for him anymore, he's just so delusional and lost, and I just want him to find someone else and realize there's better out there then Boston. I wanted him to stop trailing over Ton like a lost puppy. Also side note: the way he said "I'm nasty too" when talking to Top, okay Nick go off ig. I need him to have his "idc" era so Boston will be the one beginning for him instead.

Ray: I was literally defending Ray since the beginning (still kind of am) but honestly, I'm so disappointed. There's so much more to his character then what meets the eye. I firstly want to say this and get it out of the way, FRICK RAY'S FRIENDS... every single one of them. It was obvious from the beginning that he had drinking problems, and yet it doesn't seem like anyone has tried to talk to him, to help him realize he's struggling with alcoholism (I know Ray is an adult, but addiction is not always easy to see, if a friend of mine was obviously struggling with something, I would help however I can). And before anyone goes "But Mew was there.. blah blah" I will shut that down rn. I appreciate Mew being his emergency contact, I really do but the way he acts sometimes sounds condescending. DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THE CONVO IN THE BATHROOM ON MEW'S BIRTHDAY: Him saying "You're going to die before 30"???? How could you say that knowing he was/is su!c!dal. (Sorry I went on a tangent when I was supposed to be talking about Ray's characterization). Anyways, I feel like since he's never had a genuine friendship or someone who wants him not for his money, he latches onto Sand. (I know their "relationship" starts off of money but later it's more). Another reason I say this is because at Mew's birthday, he tells Sand "If you want money, sleep with me" which I think is from his insecurity that Sand doesn't actually want him, and that he would end up alone again. His mom is dead, she was never comforting or close to him. His dad (frick him) only cares about the car and didn't care that he was in hospital. (I'm still curious what he asked Sand to do). However, I think this shaped him to start taking advantage of Sand. Just like Boston, Ray did make it clear from the beginning that this was in no means a relationship so he's not technically in the wrong. It just sucks, because you can tell he is at least attracted (it actually runs deeper, I know it) and I truly think he only loves Mew as a friend, and because he was just so glad someone was there for him when he needed someone the most.

Sand: BEST CHARACTER OF THE WHOLE SHOW FR FR. He deserves the whole world, and I will defend him until the end, he can do no wrong. (Okay so it was wrong how he manipulated Ray into exposing Top and Ton but honestly, it needed to be done.) I love how he was just minding his own business, living life until Top made him angry.. Then he woke up and chose violence, causing everyone's dirty laundry to be aired. I really felt bad for him and Nick in the scene when they were hugging because they are literally two feathers of the same bird, they are in the exact same situation. I love him and I'm glad he knows his worth (I say this because in the preview of ep 8, he says "I'm not your rebound") IKTR SAND, YOU TELL HIM!!

Cheum: Girly needs more screen time fr :( They need to show more of her and April, I loved that they showed them communicating their issues. I also think it's hilarious how she tries to stop fights, like she screamed for Boston and Mew to stop fighting but didn't jump into the pool LMAO or when she sprayed everyone with water when Top came to see Mew at the hotel. I think she knew about Ray's feelings for Mew, or at least she found out at the party for sure. Either way, sometimes she needs to think before she says stuff, but I still love her anyways.

RELATIONSHIP RANKINGS

Ray + Sand -> even though Ray is on time out right now for the way he keeps hurting Sand, I still want them to be endgame. I truly think Sand brings out the best in Ray, and Ray understands Sand is a way that others don't. I do however want Sand to make Ray jealous so he will open his eyes and realize that Sand is the one for him. (Side note: I need the sad edits to stop, why does every freaking romance song fit them???) Traitor by Olivia Rodrigo and them >>>>> (that's literally their song, don't try to fight me).

Cheum + April -> cuties that haven't done anything wrong yet, and just love each other. I NEED MORE SCREEN TIME OF THEM THOUGH!!!

Ray + Rehab -> This would also be cute <3 I want this along with Sand and Ray, a throuple if you will.

Nick + self love -> he just needs to first learn his own worth before he can get into a relationship. I'm hoping the guy in the promo for next episode is an ex, and that they end up being good for each other. I do not want him with Boston, that's for sure.

Mew + therapy -> I feel like he's going to need some after dealing with Top and Boston, I hope he finds someone way way way better than Top.

Boston + detention center -> someone get this man and let him isolate to himself. Since he's so narcissistic, this shouldn't be too bad, he can listen to himself talk all day <3

Top + no one -> Since he thinks everyone wants him, I hope he ends up alone and realizes that he sucks, and how he treated everyone was not okay.

[earthfluuke]

Only Friends Ep. 8 + Kisses