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poisonheart · 2 years ago

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I think a lot of people who like Nol x Shin Ae—whether from the start or as the story progressed—feel hesitation to outright declare "this is romantic" even after 219. Some of us endured the Great Ship War of ILY that Webtoons promoted by fostering discourse and competition, even forcing Quim to add scenes that would balance the ratio to sell a cliche triangle in what could be arguably their most popular genre. Others may not want to outright call it romantic, just in case it turns out to not be, or in an effort to not invalidate others' ships.

Which is kind and sweet, but I am an older fandom person, and I am kind of tired of this practice, particularly when so many folks want to invalidate shippers they do not agree with.

Or worse, insult Quimchee for "ruining the story" she had set in stone since it didn't go their way or validated their headcanons.

It would be an insult to Quimchee's storytelling to dismiss the gradual and beautiful narrative she has woven—one that is about more than romance and "end game" but nonetheless has romance, even if it was always meant to be a drama first; it's a sort of "follow along to see how these characters evolve" journey.

I admit that I never saw Kousuke as a love interest. Not because of an age gap, his personality, or even an inability to see why he would be a popular candidate for shipping.

Simply put, whether rightfully or wrongfully, I always saw his and Shin Ae's relationship as a bridge for the brothers. Not so much in a "she's going to fix their relationship" but in a "she will set things off."

And she did.

This all started on Kousuke's birthday. It wasn't that Shin Ae had patience to deal with his overbearing mother and did something that was thoughtful (cooking him a meal) but that even after all the weird, embarrassing things that happened, she got him a slice of his fave cake on his birthday to thank him for helping her even though he had been in an awkward position too.

What follows isn't romantic introspection, but a reminder of the many times his little brother tried to be there for him on his birthday. All the subsequent interactions have brought Kousuke closer to the undeniable truth that he has been cruel to Nol. Perhaps he has tried "atoning" for those choices through Shin Ae, opting to be "on her side" because he could never be on Nol's side.

Despite Shin Ae being someone who "barged into his life" (like Nol) and being unsightly—"the worst" he's ever seen (like Nol) he tries to be there for her.

Are people who ship them valid for these reason? Absolutely. But if you see a potential in a pairing that doesn't mean it was ever a canon option or even intended to be read as a romantic possibility.

I think a lot of people forget this.

You can absolutely have all the headcanons you want, but if it clouds your judgment of what is actually is being told, then it is a problem.

It's not the author's failure.

It's not wrong for readers to feel joy when their theories and reading comprehension is rewarded. 219 is a reward for many who have, for years, seen the cues Quimchee has beautifully added through the story and at last got validation that their estimation wasn't off.

This chapter validated so many things, beyond just the romance.

Like the friendships, for example.

Many people thought Nol would be furious with Soushi having been Kousuke's spy, but we can infer from his concern that Soushi spent money on those burgers that he has always known. And he was okay with it because whatever gain he got from Kousuke was worth it if it meant his friend wasn't as stressed about finances. We saw a bit of his family situation and how they might need extra help.

Nol knows. And he still embraced Soushi. It was still so real to him—their friendship. "I love you guys" is probably one of the lines I have most wanted Nol to say, to Dieter and Soushi.

Yes, what Soushi did was shitty, but so was what Nol did, and it isn't a competition of who is worse or who deserves to be worse. It's simply a story that shows people make mistakes, shit happens, and it's how they choose to respond and act thereafter that matters.

Nol has felt like he doesn't deserve anything—not happiness, not true friendship, not love, not even his own life. I've said it before, but a lot of people slept on Nol's suicidal thoughts.

He was going to give up at the Formal.

As someone who struggles with mental health/suicidal ideation, this hit really close to home. It annoys me to no end that people will leave comments like: "Why can't he get over it and just accept love? That he is worthy?" It's not that easy. When you're that down low it's not easy to believe that truth even when you have a support system.

We also have no idea what he endured in the mental institution for nearly two years. If therapy can help someone overcome trauma, the wrong therapy and psychological manipulation can do the opposite.

People who expect a boy who has been trivialized his entire life, who has been made to feel like his very existence is a curse, would just suddenly believe differently is wilding.

It will take time... but his friends have proven they love him and would be willing to stand at his side. In fact, they are telling him, "even if you don't let us stay with you, we'll be here when you come back."

And that's not just coming back from jail.

I really applaud this entirely positive depiction of male friendship. It's okay to hold and tell your bros you love them. Nol is very affectionate, with words and deeds. I am so happy he allowed himself that; to love and hold the friends who chose him.

It's absolutely crazy beautiful.

Shin Ae knows the most yes, but Dieter was there to witness the entire exchange between Nol and Kousuke, down to the punch that made him fall and hurt himself. The one who was most in the dark (yet had his own perceptions due to his keen intuition) was made aware of just how dark and deep the hurt/trauma went between the brothers. This isn't your average sibling fight; this is very deeply rooted resentment.

Despite seeing all that, even Nol's jagged edges, they chose to be there for him because they love him too.

Soushi could have gone to Kousuke, could have stayed behind, but the friendship was real to him and he went with the person he loved and cared about—Nol. As Kousuke said, despite all the terrible things said about Nol, people gravitate and choose him. Kousuke has been painfully aware of his brother's charisma in comparison to his, and had purposefully sabotaged him so that he wouldn't stay in the darkness of his bitterness.

When I say I cried when the guys had this moment...

It was so good.

It's everything I wanted.

I'm also on Patreon, so I had an idea of what was coming, but I had no preparation for the sunrise.

(Which calls back to the significance of the school project Shin Ae and Alyssa did—please stop, Quimchee, stop the weaving, I can't.)

I don't know what the future holds, I don't, but nobody can take this segment away from me... or from everyone who had to quietly shut up and bite their tongue during discourse about the nature of the relationship between these two.

You only need look at their other friendships and compare how they act and respond to those to understand how different they are.

You cannot disgrace Quimchee's writing, her seasoned and slow roasted meal, and not call it what it is. This is the beginning of love. Whether it works out or not or is end game or not, this is what it is.

Even if 10 years from now it turns out Shin Ae falls in love with another person and the story ends doesn't matter.

This is love.

This is romantic love.

Reciprocated in every gesture, every glance, every unspoken word.

Can it become platonic and pure friendship later? Yeah, sure. I am old enough to know how time changes people and how things can and do morph into something different from what began.

But 219, in every sense of the word, is romantic awakening.

They love each other.

They may not have a name for it, they may not want to explore it, they may not have time or space... but it is what it is.

How they respond to each other is not platonic.

Shin Ae has other male friends.

Not even Dieter receives this from her.

When Nol asks if he can lean closer because he had previously thought he drove her away and made her uncomfortable and didn't want to repeat that—didn't want to lose her warmth, her peace, her comfort, but found himself leaning in like a moth to the flame...

Please.

I mean this at people—not OP, who understands what is going on and expressed as much in their post—but the naysayers who are trying to shit on this story, this episode, and the people who are over the moon that 5-7 (if on Discover) years of weaving, we have come to this point. And it doesn't matter what happens later because no one can take away this validation.

They might try... and fail.

There were so many call backs. The Orange of Fate, the orange soda she threw at him, and the orange juice that was spiked that brought them together after. The face she drew on him with marker. Yes, that people suck but he didn't suck that much. But there is more.

Nol wanted to reach for her in Min Hyuk's room, reach for that tender spot near her scar, but he stopped himself. And then he said that his role in her life was perhaps to cause more misery.

Yet he is hovering over her again, reaching out, asking for permission, and allowing himself to rest in the peaceful calm she brings him.

Nol, whose descent that night began by taking shots to numb the pain that Shin Ae texted she missed him... who went to a party for that hug she said she would give him and got hurt badly in the process, has finally allowed himself to lean on her and hold the hand he dared not reach for before.

Shin Ae, who has been betrayed time and time again—by family (her mother) and friends—going out on a limb for someone who lied to her because she loves him and doesn't want to lose him. Letting him into her space, willing to see him for exactly who he is and know what kind of torment made him say the things he does... holds him.

Deranged doesn't even begin to describe how this episode made me.

ILY FP 219 (or, The One That Went to the Top of My Favorites List)

Hehehe is that an enticing enough, non-spoiler preview for you? lol I want so badly to tell everyone WHY they should be sure to FP this episode, but I don’t want to ruin it for anyone. Not that I think knowing what’s in there will ruin it, but I think the impact of going into it without knowing is just SO MUCH MORE POWERFUL. It’s BEAUTIFUL okay? That’s why you should read it - it’s beautiful!

Keep reading

#i love yoo #non games #anyway I'm screaming from the rooftops #and it's fine if it ends badly #nobody taking this one from me #also this me mostly rambling #OP I’m sorry for hijacking your post

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somebody-909 · 3 years ago

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Stalkyoo After the Formal (pt.2) - Role Reversal & How Cracks in Yeong-gi's Mask Reveal His True Feelings

The black and white formal spurs fast-paced development for Shin-ae and Yeong-gi. They become friends, and perhaps begin to feel even more as they're given moments of romantic tension. This culminates in Yeong-gi realizing romantic feelings for Shin-ae on the balcony. But we see how he reacts to that and he doesn’t like what he’s feeling.

As a result, we see Yeong-gi actively try to distance himself from Shin-ae, and putting on a facade (part 1). However, we are occasionally given scenes where just for a second, he drops his guard, and we are given glimpses into what he's actually feeling.

Ep. 93 | The Earphone/Balcony Parallel

Shin-ae suddenly touches Yeong-gi to put his earphones back in and what happens next strikingly parallels the balcony scene, in both composition and sequence of events. However, his expressions are different, indicating different points in his journey of understanding his feelings.

At the balcony, his first expression is more of extreme genuine shock. What we can make out from his partially hidden face later (panels 3-4), seems pensive and reflective; he doesn't understand or know what to think of what he is feeling — this is also why we can't see his face. Something truly significant is happening internally. The strength of these new emotions is emphasized by choice to make the background white.*

*this technically doesn't happen in the earphones scene, the white behind them is actually from the building windows. If you look carefully near his mouth, you can see the window panes.

In the earphone scene, his first expression is less shocked. This isn't something new to him, just a sudden reminder of something he is already familiar with. But his later expression (panel 3-4) is actually shown this time. His brows are furrowed and he frowns; he looks tense and troubled — he knows what he is feeling and he doesn’t like it.

This difference between the two scenes is due to the amount of time he's had after realizing. When he first realizes (at the balcony), he hasn’t had enough time to understand, let alone verbalize what he’s feeling; he only feels a difference. These new feelings likely give him a sudden jolt to pursue his desires, and he tries to break up with Alyssa. But even just within that conversation, he starts to “come back to his senses” (return to a feeling of low self-worth) and "be realistic" (aka self-sabotage and listen to everyone else) and he shackles himself to Alyssa.

This is the first instance where Yeong-gi tries to distance himself from Shin-ae and it's only within minutes of realizing his feelings. When given even more time to understand his feelings, the ramifications of his feelings for Shin-Ae become more obvious... Along with Kousuke's request to stay away from Shin-ae, which essentially says, "You're no good for her. Leave her alone," he doubles down on creating distance.

But when she suddenly touches him again, he is reminded of those feelings that he was trying so hard to deny, and he understands enough now, to know that he should hate it.

After all, he isn’t worth anything good; he should just listen to what everyone else says, and that includes Shin-Ae who has consistently accused him of wanting more than her friendship. Liking Shin-Ae is bad.

Ep. 117 | Hands and Distance - Finally Reaching Him

Since Shin-ae first extended her hand to him at the formal, she has consistently been interrupted; despite wanting to be there for him and letting him know she cares for him, she hasn’t been able to. And after weeks of avoiding her, when Shin-Ae sees Yeong-gi at WcDonald’s, she makes sure to fight against his resistance so she can actually talk to him.

While Yeong-gi waits for Shin-ae’s break, her manager tells Shin-ae that:

“He comes pretty often [and] asks the employees if they’re doing alright or how everyone is getting along… Thought it was very nosy of him.. It makes sense now though. He’s probably just checking up on you.”

Despite trying to seem as distant as possible from Shin-ae, and purposefully avoiding her, Yeong-gi actually cares about her enough to secretly check up on her. As much as he tries to pretend otherwise, he cares about her. But he does not want her to know.

When they speak to each other on her break, he finally gets the chance to truly find emotional support and vent about how he feels:

"I’m getting really tired… I feel like things will never get better… I should just accept things will remain the way they are for the rest of my life. It feels like the world is always against me.”

And Shin-ae wants to comfort him in response. She places her hands in his — she closes the distance and they finally touch. She emotionally connects; at the same time her hands do, her good intentions and desire to support him finally reach.

Shin-ae says:

You've got a lot of people that really care about you and got your back. We're here for you whenever you need us.

Shin-ae explicitly includes herself as part of the "people that care about Yeong-gi." She explicitly states that she will also be there for him when he needs it.

This contrasts when Yeong-gi spoke to her earlier in Ep.86 about her financial situation; although he wants to support her, he doesn't include himself and instead says, "your friends". He doesn't presume nor assert his friendship and lets Shin-ae decide whether he is included or not.

We see the contrast in how the two treat this relationship with how they try to support each other. Shin-ae doesn't hide her intentions; she cares about him and wants him to know. Whereas, Yeong-gi hides his intentions — although he cares for Shin-ae, he doesn't want her to know since he is scared to get any closer to her.

Additionally, when Shin-Ae starts to get embarrassed about holding hands, we see a similar expression on Yeong-gi's face as earlier, a slightly muted version of The Look™.

Later, when Yeong-gi shares his music with Shin-ae, we get an ambiguous thought bubble, similar to on the balcony, where it is difficult to tell who is thinking it.

I argue that this bubble is ambiguous because it is meant to roughly reflect what both characters are feeling... They both like this.

Ep. 118-9 | Lingering thoughts

Later, we see how significant the moment was to them, as they interlock their own hands, trying to recreating the feeling, and thinking back to it.

Yeong-gi recalls specific things Shin-ae said that stuck out to him:

You looked like you were having a bad day.

It means a lot to him that she noticed how he had been feeling and was worried about him enough to reach out.

You looked like you were running away from me.

He has been running away from her. Not only does he now recognize that Shin-ae has noticed this, but her statement essentially confronts him with that fact and asks him, why.

Things will get better for you… I’m sure of it…

Yeong-gi: “God, I sure hope so.”

Her good thoughts reach him and comfort him slightly. He goes from saying, “I should just accept it'll be like this forever” to hoping for it to get better.

The WcDonald’s scene finally shows Shin-ae truly reaching Yeong-gi; her good intentions, her concern, and her desire to be there for him are wholly communicated. And we see how much it means to him, as he recalls the feeling of holding her hands and thinks back to what she said.

Ep. 133 | Intimidating and Out of Reach

When we see Shin-ae “stalk” Yeong-gi at work, we see another reversal of their old dynamic, where Yeong-gi used to be Mr. Stalker. Instead, we see Shin-Ae is actively seeking out Yeong-gi to spend time with him.

While waiting for him for lunch, she reflects on her feelings for him.

She thinks about how he seems at work:

“He looked a bit different… Not really scary…But almost… intimidating? Out of reach? … Huh? Why does that make me feel a bit sad? Maybe I miss the “usual” him?”

What Shin-ae describes as "intimidating" is more than his ability to blend in at work… it’s how he closed himself off from her. He’s emotionally unbreachable and out of reach, and she's stuck viewing him from the outside. This opposes Shin-ae's desire to reach him which feels intimidating.

She even misses him, and how they used to more simply spend time together. She doesn’t want him to be out of reach. Here, she realizes the emotional distance between her and Yeong-gi (that he carefully created).

Later when Yeong-gi arrives, he seems somewhat… rude Standoffish? A bit of both? (My guess is that he accidentally lets his feelings of not wanting to talk to her slip).

Shin-ae also gives him The Look™.

They start to talk and the topic of Yeong-gi’s apparent aptitude at work comes up. Yeong-gi admits that he’s just as lost as Shin-ae is and puts up a façade to appear competent. This causes Shin-ae to wonder — does he do this to her as well?

Yes. But not to appear competent. Instead, he does so to hide his fears, his insecurities, his grief, and his affection for her… anything that is emotionally vulnerable. He carefully distances himself from her without letting her know, and crafts a friendly enough image so as to not hurt her feelings while doing so.

Yeong-gi is suddenly confronted with this fact when Shin-ae asks him,

“Do you put on a persona with me too?”

This is a tough question, and one he chooses not to answer (making the answer obvious). Now in a more emotionally volatile state, he’s easily caught off guard when Shin-ae suddenly gets close to him…

His persona drops for a second… and he blushes.

Keenly aware of his new flustered state, he turns his head away shyly — he’s embarrassed!

Yeong-gi’s response to Shin-ae is not unexpected as we’ve seen small glimpses into his true feelings. At the balcony, the earphones scene, WcDonald’s, and now here — we see the core beyond the layer beyond the mask.

This scene chips away of the layers of his mask.

1. First, we see his overall appearance of being friendly.

2. Then, through his standoffish behaviour and Shin-ae's questions, a layer is chipped away to reveal his "wishes" to distance himself.

3. Then finally, at the inner-most core — he feels something that would cause him to blush and turn away...

On the surface, he appears to simply be friends with Shin-ae. Below that, we understand he is actually trying to distance himself in accordance to Kousuke's wishes and his own. But even deeper than that — we see the real reason he's distancing himself and his truest feelings... We see his insecurities... and fond feelings for Shin-ae.

Conclusions

After the formal, we see Yeong-gi's attempts to distance himself from Shin-ae. Now under a whole new kind of pressure, from Kousuke, Alyssa, his family, and the trial — Yeong-gi feels as though he has no choice to put on a mask — a façade that convinces those around him that he is fine and which allows no one to understand how he feels.

However, one other source of this newfound pressure is himself.

He starts to feel something for Shin-ae on the balcony.

But he can't entertain those thoughts, let alone show them — so even these feelings are hidden behind this façade. But when Shin-ae suddenly gets close to him, the facade cracks just slightly, giving us glimpses into what he actually feels.

And... he likes her.

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den-artss · 4 years ago

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Shin-ae Yoo | Kousuke Hirahara | Yeong-gi Hirahara

Ep 26 (chapter 28) ~ I Love Yoo Webtoon by @quimchee

Watercolor art by den_artss

#i love yoo #quimchee #shin ae x kousuke #kousuke hirahara #yeong gi #nol hirahara #nol #shin ae yoo #denarts #anime #manga #watercolor #watercolorseries #artists on tumblr #digital art #attack on titan #haikyuu #ibispaint art

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aurorafulcrum · 4 years ago

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Yeong-gi x Shin-ae

Unspoken Feelings

Part 1

As soon as my shift at Wacdonalds ends I'm up and out of there. My clothes are dripping from coffee that some stuck up customer poured on me when she didn't get her way. Manager didn't see it happen so I still had to stay at the register until my shift ended at 12:30. I grip my coat tightly as I feel a cold breeze blow up my shirt. It's December now and the temperature has dropped. I continue to walk faster so I can get home and change. My damp, coffee-smelling, uniform doesn't help with the chill at all. All of a sudden I trip over a dent in the sidewalk and take a fall. My hands brace me for impact and take the pain instead of my face. I look down to see the gashes and cuts on my hands and blow on them. "What great luck I fucking have.." I say under my breath.

"Need some help?" . 'That voice..' I swear I can feel my heart drop to my stomach and head feels heavy. I look up to see his familiar silhouette standing over my with a hand out.

"Huh.... no" I say looking away embarrassed. Apparently he doesn't hear me and moves in closer anyway. His familiar scent of citrus and woods fill up my senses. It's been forever since I lost myself in his warm demeanour.

Instead of grabbing my hand he moves his arm under my armpit and hoists me up. "Yeong-gi, where did you come from?" I say keeping my distance. I don't know how he'll react if I am friendly towards him so I play it safe. Ever since he was leaving for England he was avoiding me and seeing him here now, after being away for university, was all the more confusing. "I just flew back today..." he pauses mid sentence to look me up and down. " And I went to WacDonalds to look for you." He says quietly and avoiding my eyes. "Wh-why didn't you say hi or something?" I ask kinda hurt. Dusting off my pants and avoiding his eyes. I didn't realize just how distant we have become from one another. I know it's partly my fault. When I found out he was going away I didn't want to say a teary goodbye like I did for min hyuk. He means more to me than that. So I didn't send him off because I knew it would be too painful. He looks at me and I can see his pain. "Why didn't you say goodbye?" His voice cracks as he whispers. I want to walk closer to him but the guilt holds my feet back. He looks down and his beautiful ginger hair falls to his face. I stare at him for what seems to be hours. Neither of us answered our questions. It seems we both have things holding us back. I don't even know why but I grab his hand and start pulling it. My feet ache and I haven't sat down since my shift start hours ago. He looks just as surprising as I am for dragging him. I sit down at the bus stop and let out a sigh of relief. God did it ever feel good to sit on my ass again. I turn my body towards Yeong-gi which causes him to turn away. For a second I swear he was looking at me before he turned away. The ruffling sound of his coat catches my attention and he pulls a bandage out of his inner pocket.

"Here" he says grabbing me hand. He rips the bandage with his teeth and wraps my hands. I can feel the buzzing sensation in my chest. The same buried feelings that I had before he left are still going strong. "Thanks...." I say taking me hand back into my pocket and shifting my body to a slouching position. The wind is stronger now and my fingers feel like ice. Sudden I feel pressure on my shoulders. I look behind me and see those same bruising hands placing his red coat on my back. "You looked cold" he says adjusting himself to the temperature. I let out a surpressed laugh and he looks at me, puzzled. "Déjà vu am I right?" It takes a moment but he soon realizes what I'm recalling and chuckles. " At least you're accepted the jacket this time. And you don't look so smol in it anymore ahaha" his laughter sounds so sweet and genuine. It's been a while since I've heard it. "Yeah I guess I have grown.." I say think about how much taller I've gotten. Not only me but Yeong-gi has got to be at least 6'4 ft now. He's gotten a lot more mature looking and it's only been about 3 years. "Yeong-gi... I'm so sorry I didn't say goodbye. There's no proper excuse for my distance.." I say out of the blue. I just can't stand how awkward were being. He looks at me with a sad smile and a little laugh. " it's alright shin ae. I would never hold a grudge." He says. At first I believe him but I look to see him gripping his shirt like I often do when I'm uncomfortable. I know he's lying and I know I hurt him. He hurt me too. He's been hiding so much but I don't want to pry, I'm in no place to pry. He's shivering from the cold which only makes me feel so shitty for taking his jacket. I move closer and he hits me with a what are you doing type of looks. I lift up the jacket and place it around both of us so we can share. "I'm not gonna lie, I'm freezing my ass off. So don't you dare refuse because I know you are too." I say. " there's the shin ae 'no shit taking' attitude I missed so dearly" he says laughing and covering his mouth. Our sides are pressed together but we're both pulling our heads away. "Shin ae" he turns his head and quickly noticed how close he is. "Yeong gi?" I say trying to surpress my blush to no avail. " We're friends right?" He asks me. That question seems all to familiar. I don't know how to respond to it. He sees my hesitation and his face drops. "Yeong gi... of course we're friends.. I just don't know if you want to be." He looks at me confused. " what do you mean?" He asks. I hate to bring it up but here goes nothing. " well before you left you started to distance yourself from me. I know you said you're not mad at me but I can't help but think you're lying. So I'd rather you tell me what I did wrong." I say feeling sick. I don't feel comfortable pushing yeong gi to open up. But I need answers. "Shin-ae I was never mad at you." He says with his voice trailing off, indicating that he has more to say. " I think we're just both hurt. And I'm so sorry. You mean so much to me and I hurt you"

He looks so distressed at this moment and he squeezes his hands in a fist. All of the moments that we shared together come back. Before I even realize it, I'm grabbing his hands all over again. He tenses up and let's go. He takes his hand back into his pockets. It's painful to see how he won't let me in. This is how he must've felt from me all those years ago.

"Sorry." I say bitter. We wait like this for a while for the bus. His warm demeanour is long gone. His smile is more fake than ever. This isn't the man I met who cheered for friendship points. "I broke up with Alyssa." He says suddenly. I look at him in surprise. Why is he even telling me this. "It set off a chain of events for me." He says leaning back and looking up at the sky. "What kind of 'chain of events'? I ask looking back to his tilted head up to the stars. He gives a long sigh before continuing.

"You know how spiteful Mrs.Hirahara can be. Alyssa was like her little pet. She was...looking up to her and was easy to control. I was pressured into a relationship with her." He says with a tone of scorn in his voice. " after I got with Alyssa, Mrs. Hirahara used her to keep me in check. To stop me from confronting her in fear of embarrassing Alyssa. In turn Alyssa would get her career. But once I ending things with Alyssa about two years ago, I noticed my grades were dropping. Mrs.Hirahara was bribing my teachers to fail me. I honestly didn't care about it that much until her threats included, you." He says sadly turning his head to see my reaction. I look down to my hands and fiddle with my pants. I feel like shaking but my body is frozen. I try to take this new information in. 'That spiteful woman was after me? Even after all this time she still remembers me. Poor yeong-gi. This is my fault she's still hurting him.' I feel a pair of hands grasp my fists. "Shin ae are you alright?" I look up to see his faces inches away from mine. He's searching my eyes from tears. He's grip tightens in my hands when he sees my visible fear. "I never wanted anything to do with that woman..." I breathe out. "I know ShinAe and I'm so sorry you got dragged into family drama. But she won't hurt you or threaten you again. You have my word." He lifts my chin to see that his serious. His word is always kept and I'm so glad O can trust him. But one thing is not right. He sees my face turn to confusion. "Wait. What happened. How did you get her to stop?" I say with concern rising in my voice. 'Don't tell me he...'

" I gave up my spot at the company." He says looking guilty. I pull away and shoot up out of the bench. His jacket falls off my shoulders. "Why- I never asked you for that! You shouldn't have done that for me. We're not even in a close relationship! I could have handled her in my own Yeong-gi!" I shout. He stands up and over towers me. But I don't care. He shows no anger, only sincerity. " I have no doubt in that Shin Ae. I know your incredibly strong but I just couldn't bare to lose you.." the pain in his voice makes me believe it's something more. "Yeong -gi , what was the threat?". He looks surprised at my cold tone.

" she said something about a repeat of what happened at the party." ShinAe's mind goes back to the horrible events at the formal. Those events that are still causing collateral damage three years later. "ShinAe," he calls me out of my thoughts. " I came back as fast as I could, to make sure you were okay..." he says looking at his feet. "Yeong-gi I'm okay. But you're obviously not." I say taking a step closer. I study his features. His head hangs low but I can see his tired eyes. It looks like he hasn't gotten any sleep after his flight. His nose is red and the chilly weather looks like it's bringing on a cold for him. I bring my hand to his head to check his temperature but before I touch I ask, because I remember he doesn't like getting to close or something. " hey you look like you're getting a bit sick. May I?". He tilts his head up and brings his head to my level. I place my hand and he flinches but let's me continue. "Yea your burning up. You should get some rest."I say putting my hand back in my pocket. "Okay Doctor. Smol." He laughs. "I'm serious. Do you have a place to stay tonight?" I say. He looks embarrassed. " No I kinda just hoped to check in a hotel but it's really late."

"Okay come with me then."

#i love yoo #webtoon #quimchee #shin ae x yeong gi #shin ae x kousuke #shin ae yoo #yeong gi #yeong gi hirahara #nol hirahara

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kirosenee · 4 years ago

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you know who I miss ? quimchee and kousuke hirahara, I’m tryna see the angsts argument between shin ae and kousuke

#i love yoo #kousuke hirahara #quimchee #shin ae yoo #shin ae x kousuke

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taleofblossoms · 5 years ago

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Ok I have a new obsession and yes I should be ashamed for not knowing it sooner but for the past week I've been obsessed with Webtoon. Especially with I love yoo by quimchee. I've spend 2 days reading it and I am enjoying it so much that I am reading it again until the next update.

But now to the point why I am making that post...this picture....

I think it was a patreon reward like 3 years ago so it is very old. Anyways I was creepin on the creators Insta account and looked at it for like 5 minutes and remembered reading many theories just because of that drawing. Until it hit me.... I think quimchee said something along the lines how the picture has hints which will be relevant for the story but also misleading hints. So I am pretty sure the handholding of Shin Ae and Kousuke is SPOILER the time Kousuke tried to comfort Shin Ae in the cafe by holding her hand. So that was true.

And I think the meaning of Shin Ae and Nol sharing an earphone has also been revealed in chapter 117 but I am just 70% sure with that one. Anyways looking at Nol he has his eyes closed and that makes me think what if quimchee is pulling a your lie in April on us? Or worst an I want to eat your pancreas?????

Idk if someone already made that theory before since this drawing is 3 years old lol but it just hit me. Since quimchee stated more than once that she hates clichès and that we might get an ending that's not 100% considered an happy ending....

But I have many more theories up in my head that I want to share....

PLEASE IS THERE SOMEONE WHO WILL TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS AMAZING STORY

I WANNA SHARE THEORIES SO BAD AND COMPANY TIL THE NEXT CHAPTER UUUGH

#i love yoo #i love yoo webtoon #webtoon #Quimchee #shin ae yoo #yeong gi hirahara #kousuke hirahara #shin ae x yeong gi #shin ae x Kousuke #nol hirahara #it is sooo good #team yeong gi #sorry Kousuke #stalkyoo #yootip

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nxcxc · 4 years ago

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#i love yoo #kousuke hirahara #shin ae x kousuke #kousuke lp #webtoon #i love yoo webtoon

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tooningtheweb · 4 years ago

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I was wondering who YOO (ha get it omg I hate myself XD) ship shin ae with from I Love Yoo? And also if you have read Phase?

Initially I rooted for the Shin Ae x Kousuke ship, but with how the story has progressed overtime I LOVE Shin Ae x Dieter. Like... Dieter is sooo sweet how can you hate him especially when he stands up for Shin Ae and can get serious (sometimes)

As for Phase, yesss. I even read it during its “discover” days and I’m shocked at how different and more detailed it is now. And I’m all for it!

I made some posts about it under the #phase and you can see the difference in the art and a sneaky peak of what you’re getting yourself into 👍

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kittyeditz · 4 years ago

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#webtoon #i love yoo #shin ae yoo #i love yoo shinae #shin ae x kousuke #shin ae x yeong gi

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giuliamanga88 · 6 years ago

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What I think when I see Yeong-Gi with Alyssa😂

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somebody-909 · 3 years ago

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Stalkyoo - Black and White Formal Romantic Subtext Analysis

The beginning of I Love Yoo up until the Black and White Formal shows the development of Shin-Ae and Yeong-gi's relationship from strangers to reluctant acquaintances and eventually to friends.

Their relationship's development up until the present comic, in my opinion, reaches a peak during the formal arc, where we see both the completed development of their friendship (neither are reluctant) but we also see the fast emergence of new possible romantic feelings. The arc is pivotal in defining and developing their relationship and we continue to see its effects afterwards. So, in order to better understand the two characters' relationship, let's take a look at the key moments in the arc that explore their friendship and romantic tension.

Ep. 49 | Makeup - A Friendly Face and Romantic Tension

Shin-Ae is forced to attend the black and white formal to take care of her father. She is in an incredibly difficult position, with college exams the next day, her father ill, and now having to deal with this incredibly unfamiliar situation and this horrible dress.

When she sees Yeong-gi however, it’s great to see a comforting and familiar presence. We get a chance to see their friendship in this uncomfortable setting when Yeong-gi shows concern for Shin-Ae.

That is not all, however. The makeup panel (which was removed by Quimchee later on, but is included in the mid-season recap), introduces us to the first instance of genuine romantic tension between the two in the arc (and the whole comic up until here, really).

The two are very close together and look at each other softly. Shin-Ae seems to be blushing, as well. This moment is intimate and romantically tense.

This first scene does a great job at introducing the two major dynamics in their relationship that are explored in this arc: their established friendship and new romantic tension. These dynamics lead up to what occurs on the hospital balcony.

Ep. 49-51 | Hands - Distance and Desires

When Yeong-gi gets up to get Shin-Ae food, she reaches for him and grabs onto his sleeve. This panel introduces Shin-Ae's desire to stick with Yeong-gi throughout the night. We understand how comforting she finds it to be near him.

She extends her hand — showing how she is now also "reaching" for him and his companionship.

In Ep. 50, when Yeong-gi is scolded by his father and leaves to wait outside for Alyssa, Shin-Ae notices he seems down from across the floor. And for the first time, she tries to reach him. Up until now, she has been wary of Yeong-gi and his intentions, but now we see that their relationship has truly progressed to real friends. Shin-ae genuinely cares for Yeong-gi. But before she can reach him, she is interrupted by Sang-chul.

In the next episode, we see Yeong-gi respond to her call, reflecting what Shin-Ae did in Ep. 49, and extending his hand back towards her. Both characters' reciprocal desire to connect with each other is shown through their hands.

This scene, where they reach for each other but don't connect, introduces the arc's recurrent motif/theme of DISTANCE. Shin-ae and Yeong-gi want to connect, as they care for each other and find comfort in one another, but because of the circumstances at the party they are torn apart repeatedly.

And despite (literally and figuratively) reaching for each other, neither their hands nor their good intentions (like Shin-ae’s desire to be there for Yeong-gi) actually do reach each other. This repeats a few times in the arc, causing significant tension; due to the obstacles of the events around them, they can’t reach each other despite how much they may want to. As such, readers also feel relief whenever the two characters do manage to get together.

Ep. 55 | The Dance - A Kousuke and Yeong-gi Parallel

Kousuke, while having good intentions, struggles to understand what Shin-Ae wants, and instead goes for what makes sense to him. Yeong-gi, on the other hand, consistently shows an understanding of what would truly help Shin-Ae.

It is certainly true that Kousuke’s method was pragmatic. If the problem is that Shin-Ae feels humiliated and that he is embarrassed by her, what better way to show that he isn’t than by dancing with her in front of everyone? It’s a well-meant gesture that would show that he cares more for her than what others think and regardless of what they think. However, although his intentions were sweet, the outcomes were less so.

Shin-Ae DOES NOT want to dance. A scene that may have been beautiful, is tainted by Shin-Ae's true feelings of discomfort.

The truth is, Shin-Ae doesn’t want to go back in front of them. She doesn’t want to prove something to them. She doesn’t want to dance. But she feels like she has to. She can’t say no. The dance is actually… sad to see. She doesn’t want to be there.

But as she dances and feels terrible, Yeong-gi shows up. She is immediately excited and put at ease but is also worried about him since she hasn't seen him since he left to go outside.

But then Yeong-gi acts a goof. He understands that Shin-Ae doesn’t want to be there, but she has to. Because he understands the feeling of putting on a performance, despite being miserable… he immediately recognizes Shin-Ae's going through that too. So being the lovely friend he is, Yeong-gi goofs around. What better way to make Shin-Ae feel less tense in this too formal environment by reminding her of a friendly presence and doing something hilariously inappropriate? And of course, he knows how to help alleviate some of her discomfort, because they’re friends, after all, right? Yeong-gi shows a deep level of empathy for Shin-Ae.

The scene also develops a contrast between Kousuke and Yeong-gi — and the differences in how they affect Shin-Ae — that is paralleled many times later in the series.

Yeong-gi is the one who gets Shin-Ae to smile. He's the one who turns this scene from something uncomfortable to wholesome. And yet, he's not the one dancing with her. He stays to the side, in the shadows of the crowd, with distance between him and Shin-Ae, and with his head down. It fits his overarching character arc — staying hidden and away, and unable to chase for what he wants because of a quiet sense of shame and low self-worth.

The significance of him not interrupting and staying off to the side is purposefully emphasized in Ep. 57, when Kousuke says:

"I'm surprised you didn't interrupt my dance with Ms. Yoo."

Yeong-gi doesn't respond and simply looks away and slightly frowns. This emphasizes that there is a reason Yeong-gi stays away, and it's likely because his low self-esteem issues cause him to think, "Who am I to interfere?"

Overall, this dance panel achieves a similar effect to the earlier scene when their hands reach for each other, adding to the tension caused by distance — it feels like Shin-Ae and Yeong-gi should be together, but because of the circumstances, they can’t. They are reaching for each other, emotionally, but just can’t close the gap.

Ep. 55 | “We’re (just) friends... right?” - More Romantic Build-up

Although Yeong-gi knew exactly how to cheer up Shin-Ae, what he didn’t expect was her laugh… or rather the way he feels when she does.

Look at Yeong-gi’s expression — his eyes are widened. He has a look of awe and he seems shocked. He felt something unexpected. Maybe his heart skipped a beat... Could it be possible…?

He also has a resigned smile after, choosing to look at their dance from afar.

After the dance, Yeong-gi asks Shin-Ae to confirm their friendship.

But the panel and his tense smile seems… eerie. Faked. Like Yeong-gi might not be asking this question for obvious reasons. Even Shin-Ae notes that he seems uneasy, with a confused look and a nervous sweat drop.

We’ve already seen their completely established friendship. But as soon the two explicitly acknowledge this out-loud, we seem to have something new to deal with. Why does Yeong-gi suddenly want confirmation of their friendship, and in a manner that seems quite… sad? Why does his smile seem faked? We can look just a few panels prior to have a better understanding of what’s occurring internally for Yeong-gi.

Yeong-gi's shocked expression and widened eyes are similar to other moments of romantic tension, namely the hospital balcony scene and the earphones scene (albeit in a more muted manner). This is the second moment in this arc after the makeup scene that adds to the romantic tension leading up to the hospital balcony scene.

I believe Yeong-gi seems sad when he asks, “We’re friends right?” because when Shin-Ae laughs, he subconsciously feels the pangs of possible budding romantic feelings (it isn’t quite there yet, it is slight, but he is feeling something new) and he immediately subconsciously tries to deny those feelings by having Shin-Ae assert their friendship.

He feels dissonance between two facts:

“Shin-Ae is my friend”

“I felt something when she laughed”

This dissonance is uncomfortable, so he seeks to deny what is implied by the second part (that he may feel more for her). Additionally, we understand Yeong-gi struggles with self-worth. With the added pressure of those around him, as well as Shin-ae who has consistently accused him of being too pushy and a player, it is no struggle to understand why he immediately tries to avoid this feeling at even the first slightest hint of it.

But by looking for an affirmation of friendship to refute what he felt when she laughed, he unwittingly makes a link between what he felt to something beyond friendship.

Ep. 57-8 | The Bar - Brief Respite and a Kousuke/Yeong-gi Parallel

Due to the aforementioned tension, moments like the bar where Yeong-gi and Shin-ae are able to interact and joke around (about boobs in this case) feel incredibly refreshing — everything else is uncomfortable, but being with each other is comforting.

Once the others join them, we also get another slight Kousuke and Yeong-gi parallel. When Alyssa mentions Yeong-gi could dance with Shin-Ae, Yeong-gi refuses, likely due to pressure from Kousuke to be faithful to Alyssa. (We don’t quite know what he would’ve said otherwise). Shin-Ae responds to him refusing the dance, thinking:

“It would’ve been awkward anyways like my dance with Kousuke.”

The phrase "it would've been [negative adjective] anyways" usually implies a sense of settling for an outcome and sometimes slight displeasure.

I will admit that is hard to firmly state she’s disappointed that he said no. But the phase most certainly implies that she would’ve gone along with it if he said yes. (If this is hard to understand, Shin-Ae doesn’t think something like, “Good. I didn’t want to dance anyways.”) Her thought is relatively indifferent, especially in contrast to Kousuke whom she explicitly didn’t want to dance with.

Ep. 61 | Yeong-gi Takes a Stand - Relationship-driven Growth

When Yeong-gi learns that Shin-Ae is in trouble, but is yelled at by his father for his behaviour and not being with Alyssa, he is absolutely terrified at first (poor boy).

Randulph: "What are you doing? Fooling around again? It hasn't even been that long since I last reprimanded you!"

*Yeong-gi flinches*

Randulph: "How many times am I going to have to scold you tonight??? How hard is that head of of yours that nothing I say gets through to you! And Alyssa isn't even with you!"

Yeong-gi: *meekly* "Well — my friend was —"

Randulph: "I'm not through talking!

*Yeong-gi flinches*

Randulph continues scolding him, then says, "Forget about your friends."

To which Yeong-gi replies, "No... Castigate me, humiliate me. Do that all you want after I've ensured her safety!"

Upon thinking about the possible danger Shin-Ae is in, we see him, for the first time, advocate for himself and stand up to his father. Yeong-gi's concern for Shin-Ae allows him to stand up to the man who terrifies him. Shin-Ae takes easy precedent over the politics of his family and it shows how far their relationship has come and how it drives Yeong-gi's growth.

Ep. 62-3 | Sang-chul — Anger on behalf of Shin-Ae & a Shin-Ae and Alyssa Comparison

When Yeong-gi sees Sang-chul with Shin-Ae's jacket, he confronts him.

Sang-chul: "Back off bro. I don't want to start any trouble here."

Yeong-gi: "Too late for it now, innit? You asked for trouble as soon as you tried to take advantage of Shin-Ae."

Yeong-gi gets personally angry on behalf of Shin-Ae. It's another example that emphasizes their friendship.

We also see a contrast developed between Shin-Ae and Alyssa by Sang-chul:

"What is this Shin-Ae person to you anyway? You didn't react this way when I mentioned kissing your girlfriend... Where is she anyway? I still need my selfie and my kiss since you're fine with it."

Sang-chul assumes Yeong-gi must be romantically and sexually involved with Shin-Ae partly because he's a disgusting, sexist dirtbag, but also because, frankly, Yeong-gi seems to just generally like Shin-Ae more than his actual girlfriend.

I also want to draw attention to the fact that Sang-chul has mentioned kissing Alyssa three times: once before when they first met, and twice now. All three times, Yeong-gi didn't react.

In Ep. 63, Yeong-gi begins to move away from Sang-chul to get to Shin-Ae.

Sang-chul: "Heh. That's right. Wuss. Go run to your b*tch."

*Yeong-gi stops*

Sang-chul: "I'll go keep Alyssa company while you're at it! I still haven't gotten my kiss! Should be easy. She must be dumb as hell if she's dating you."

*Yeong-gi turns around, glares at him, kisses him, then punches him* "There's your damn kiss, you gobshite!"

Yeong-gi: "Don't you dare call Shin-Ae a b*tch ever again. And stay away from Alyssa."

Why is it, that now, he suddenly becomes agitated after already ignoring three taunts by Sang-chul to kiss Alyssa? Especially when he was in the middle of getting to Shin-Ae? I'm going to argue that Yeong-gi actually decides to punch him as soon as he first stops after Sang-chul insults Shin-Ae. Additionally, after the punch, Yeong-gi's first demand is to never insult Shin-Ae again, placing emphasis on this. It is also said more forcefully then the second: "Don't you dare... ever again" vs "And stay away". Alyssa is added almost like an afterthought.

There is a purposeful comparison here between the way Yeong-gi treats the disrespect towards the two women. Yeong-gi immediately gets angry enough to get violent when Sang-chul insults Shin-Ae, but barely responds at first when he calls Alyssa dumb and threatens to kiss her. He cares more for Shin-Ae than he does for his romantic partner, Alyssa.

Naturally, since the comparison is between his girlfriend and Shin-Ae, it also paints his feelings for Shin-Ae in a romantic light.

Ep. 63 | Yeong-gi Saves Shin-Ae

When Shin-Ae falls in the pool, it is Yeong-gi who saves her. Kousuke does not. This is another narrative parallel meant to contrast the two's relation to Shin-Ae. They both fall into the pool (parallel) but Yeong-gi, not Kousuke, saves Shin-Ae (contrast).

The episode also focuses almost solely on Yeong-gi's response to Shin-Ae's injury. He is absolutely terrified and feels terrible guilt, thinking he did this to her. But he is the one who saved her. He is the one shown to panic, yell for her, and scream for help. (We can also get into the authorial choice to focus on Yeong-gi's reaction and not Kousuke's... At the very least, it emphasizes that this moment is especially significant for Shin-Ae and Yeong-gi.)

Conclusions

The black and white formal arc serves as a climax for development between Shin-Ae and Yeong-gi — we see how in the face of adversity, the two value each other deeply as friends, and are given romantically tense moments.

There are also multiple narrative parallels, where Kousuke and Yeong-gi are put in similar situations, but the way they impact Shin-Ae are contrasted. Despite having multiple moments with Kousuke, Yeong-gi is who impacts her positively and who she wants to spend time with. This is continued in the hospital finale, when despite literally “reaching” Kousuke (he is with her and holds her hands), it is only after chasing Yeong-gi and being with him that she finds cathartic emotional support and finally cries. (Although these parallels jab at YooTip, I want to focus more on how it emphasizes that Shin-Ae and Yeong-gi's bond is beyond that she has with another person she has known for the same amount of time. It shows the difference between the more basic-level bond she has with Kousuke, vs. her bond with Yeong-gi that is surprisingly strong for people who have only known each other for a few weeks.)

Overall, this arc builds a base for when Yeong-gi first feels true romantic feelings for Shin-Ae: when she holds onto him and cries on the hospital balcony (you can see that analysis here). In this scene at the end of this arc, the two who so desperately tried to connect during the gala, finally do (although their hands still do not touch).

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