We know that tianshan will be together in the future. but in your opinion, at what moment will either MGS or HT will realize they are in love. and now in middle school, do they like each other romantically even a little? Thank you in advance!
Good afternoon, dear anon-san! <(_ _)>
Your question was probably the hardest one I’ve gotten so far. This is my third time starting my answer to this. Outlining this turned out to be quite a nut to crack because I don’t think there is a simple answer to your question. Tianshan is a continuum, so pinpointing or giving amounts of feelings is rather difficult. After scratching everything I had written the second time, I decided to take the long route and outline how I see the arch of Tianshan. Hopefully, that will show how hard I found your question. <(^_^ ‘‘)>
In another ask, I divided Zhanyi’s story into segments, and I will be doing something similar to Tianshan. I went through the comic and in my eyes, there were some turning points that mark how their relationship has developed. I’ll be using these to give some structure to my answer.
TL;DR: I think HT has already come to the conclusion that he’s romantically interested in MGS. But he hasn’t found a comfortable way of expressing that quite yet despite expressing quite a lot of affection and dedication. MGS, on the other hand, is much trickier. I don’t think he’s in love with HT yet or even likes him in a romantic sense but he’s started to care about him. And even more importantly, he’s started to let HT have an effect on him and letting go of his need for control. Is he in love with HT in the future chapters? I think we’d need to know more to say for sure…
“You’ll answer to me from now on”
From the beginning, they were two forces colliding. MGS was distrustful and full of resentful sneering (ch. 138, 150, 155):
HT no doubt reminded MGS of SL, and he had learned not to trust rich guys like him the hard way. They were fake, cunning, and dangerous, merely looking for ways to take advantage of people less fortunate than them. They thought they could own MGS and look down on him.
For the most part, HT let MGS spit accusations in his face. The fact that MGS despised people like HT and thought they were scum, only showed his set of values. He was someone HT could respect for thinking like that. He saw himself in “fake”, “sinister” and “dangerous”, but they were also things he was looking to change about himself.
But when MGS went too far, HT was quick to dominate MGS and show which one of them was the boss (ch. 130, 138, 144, 150):
HT’s tone with MGS was rather different from what it is these days. MGS was allowed to diss HT’s kind of people but he wasn’t allowed to talk back. HT gave direct orders that were not to be ignored, threatened MGS, and often made MGS submit by physical force. This kind of behavior is often seen as abusive among the readers. HT made clear there was a power imbalance between them and his word was the law.
However, I think the way HT took control also created a sense of safety and security. In a similar way than parents set rules and limits to their kids, so there is safety and structure in their life. Another anon once proposed that HT was a father figure to MGS in that sense, and I would agree with the anon up to a point. By showing strength, HT showed MGS that he was someone who could be trusted and relied on. He could take the reins and MGS can follow him instead of trying to fight by himself. By taking control - albeit forcefully - HT said “it’s okay, let me worry about things”. Because MGS’s behavior ultimately stems from his distrust of people. Over the years, his defense had grown high and strong, and HT needed to be forceful to get through to him. MGS’s life was heading in a dangerous direction that could ruin his future, but MGS himself had kind of accepted his faith. HT needed to turn it around for him and decided he wouldn’t be using kid gloves.
And the thing is, MGS wasn’t exactly difficult to make submit. He might have cursed and spat when HT ordered him around, but it didn’t take that much from HT to make him listen. MGS’s delinquent act was very convincing and did scare off a lot of people - as it was meant to do. But when HT got that dark look in his eyes and grabbed MGS’s shirt, it didn’t take long for MGS to surrender. I think the same applies to MGS’s relationship with SL and Buzzcut. MGS is scared of SL but is respected and somewhat feared by Buzzcut (when MGS gets angry).
I wouldn’t say this first “phase” of Tianshan had any romantic feelings involved. I don’t think Tianshan was love at first sight. HT got interested in MGS for his own selfish reasons, and MGS’s resistance to him was much deeper and darker than what it is these days. It wasn’t about a tsundere just being a tsundere but rather about distrust and MGS not even wanting to know if he was in the right doing so.
After that, though, it gets more complicated and difficult to tell one feeling apart from another.
“Don’t try to shoulder everything by yourself”
This is when HT’s project “Outstanding Person” kicks off in earnest, and he continues using the carrot and the stick with MGS (ch. 160, 180):
One of the goals is to “hone down” MGS’s personality. And HT is pretty damn perfect for the job. In a way, he’s the “safest” person for it. On one hand, he has the strength to put MGS in his place when he’s acting out and the resources to keep him out of trouble by directing his focus on things that will benefit him. On the other hand, he’s also someone who won’t turn his back on MGS or get scared of him. He doesn’t believe MGS is a villain and won’t allow MGS to push him away by cursing and punching.
HT also doesn’t shy away from being harsh with MGS (ch. 150, 174):
As much as HT agrees that MGS has been wronged and unfairly made the villain by others, he doesn’t stand for giving up or “woe is me” attitude. MGS has had a difficult life in many ways, but it’s up to him to move forward. Clinging to the hurt and resentment is the easy way but it also affects his future when he accepts that kind of role. The unfair truth is, the world won’t apologize to MGS, so he might as well make something out of himself instead of spinning his wheels. And HT is there to help him with that attitude adjustment.
MGS started to realize he wasn’t alone when the gang helped him sort out the assault case. HT showed that all the strength he had - and there was a lot of it - was on MGS’s side and he should rely on HT (ch. 183, 185, 188):
For the first time, MGS saw HT as someone who wouldn’t use his power to take advantage of him. Perhaps HT was someone who was ready to fight for him, and - even more importantly - thought MGS was someone worth fighting for. The sense of relief and security when realizing you’re not alone anymore is one powerful feeling. And I think MGS came to see the first glimpses of that in his relationship with HT.
The ferocity with which HT stood up to SL has always made me think that maybe it was already about something deeper for him. Maybe it was about something else too rather than just making MGS into an outstanding person and HT trying to use his strength for good. Was his interest in MGS getting deeper than a pet project? Either way, I think it was the beginning of HT’s very personal war against SL and how much MGS’s connection to SL bothered HT.
In this “phase”, we also started to notice a change in how HT acted around MGS (ch. 155, 160, 173):
He went from threats and orders to mischevious grins and finding MGS’s feisty personality rather amusing. He started to tease MGS and grew devil horns and a tail to fit this new hobby of his. At the same time, MGS’s countless “fuck offs” and “scrams” started to lose their edge and became more comical when they were soundly ignored by smiling HT.
If I had to pinpoint when HT started having the first inklings of romantic interest in MGS, I would say it’s somewhere around this phase. There were two moments that make me think so. Firstly, perhaps the one that has confused the readers the most (ch. 160):
It was later revealed that he was lying, even though I have somewhat mixed feelings about the note MGS discovered. Personally, I read it as HT being conflicted about his own budding feelings towards MGS. Especially if he was lying about them as it said in the note. What he said went kind of against how he was often behaving around MGS. Perhaps this was the first time he was having feelings for another guy and needed a moment to figure things out for himself. Either way, I think it showed things were changing.
Another moment that might suggest other interests were starting to get involved was when HT was rather intimate while trying to intimidate MGS and got “sidetracked” (ch. 170):
To me, HT touching MGS’s lips like is an interesting, titillating dance between scary and sexy which I think is a pretty fitting tune for Tianshan even in the future. There’s always a sense of danger in HT, and I imagine he can get pretty intense in a sexual way. I think that caressing of lips can at least be read as a sign about which direction the tension between HT and MGS was going to head. Also, I know the groping was meant to be comedic relief and this kind of behavior isn’t new to HT, but still…I’d say it’s a weird thing to be distracted by if you have zero such interest in someone.
In addition to that, the comic also started to point out how innocent and inexperienced MGS was when it came to love and romance (ch. 160, 170, 174, 186):
He was grossed out and often lashed out in a fit of embarrassment. And of course, HT found this endlessly amusing and interesting and teased him about it even more.
However, it was their infamous first kiss that truly showed him he couldn’t be too careless with MGS (ch. 174, 175):
Even though I said earlier that I think this phase was when HT was starting to get romantically interested in MGS, I don’t think that kiss was about love or like or romance. He was simply teasing MGS, and it went quite epically wrong. He misjudged how seriously MGS would take it and massively overstepped the line. He seemed genuinely surprised by MGS’s violent reaction and how upset he was. As unfortunate as that was, it at least served as a learning experience. HT needed to have a serious mind and heart if he was looking to approach such matters with MGS.
I also think the kiss was a catalyst for something in MGS’s mind (ch. 177):
After calming down, he seemed dazed and confused, a bit out of it. I’m sure he was still upset but also something else. It doesn’t necessarily have to have anything to do with HT precisely, but despite everything, I believe it was MGS’s first kiss. That ought to make your head spin a little. After that, he started to become increasingly conscious of HT which moves us on to the next “phase”.
“I’m so bothered by you…”
This is when I think HT was starting to court MGS more seriously as if he had made up his mind. Although, his affections are still layered with other feelings: being guarded and not wanting to show his darkness, not quite having the courage to be openly serious about his feelings and masking them as teasing, fear of abandonment and the possessiveness that comes with it.
But I would definitely say his feelings for MGS are deepening. The different ways he looks at MGS alone are a good example fo that (ch. 210, 216, 263, 282, 296, 297, 205):
Admiration and respect. Possessive and anxious. Vulnerable and affectionate. Sometimes it’s as if MGS takes HT by surprise and he can’t help but halt to look at him. Other times HT can’t contain whatever he’s feelings - hide it behind his mask - and lets it show on his face, perhaps without even realizing it. I think all these different looks and expressions tell how many feelings MGS has evoked in HT who set out as a solitary savior with a strong mask to hide behind. HT has gotten more and more comfortable around MGS and trusted him to see more sides of himself.
Another thing that caught my eye was the increase in casual physical contact between HT and MGS (ch. 203, 205, 220, 221, 223, 237, 261, 280, 310):
HT seemed to be touching MGS whenever he could: hand over his shoulders, tussling his hair, grabbing his hand or just messing with him in general. And often he wanted to keep MGS bodily close - which in MGS’s case, also required physical contact since he isn’t too fond of HT touching him. Besides teasing and affection, the touching could also be comforting and protective.
Soon, both HT’s teasing and touching also started to become more and more suggestive (ch. 190, 202, 236, 261, 269, 280, 284, 288, 289, 290, 306, 311):
HT seems to enjoy teasing MGS and amused by the embarrassed reactions he manages to draw out of him. He likes to watch MGS blush and squirm. But what’s interesting about this is that HT is paying more mind to the invisible limits. MGS is still reluctant to the affection, but HT is taking his time, sneaking a glimpse of MGS’s ass here and a peck on the cheek there. He also seems to enjoy putting MGS in compromising positions and feigning innocence.
In return, MGS has become increasingly conscious of HT and bothered by him (ch. 214, 216, 222, 264, 268, 270, 273, 277, 284, 285, 298, 305):
HT’s close presence makes MGS nervous and conscious in a different way than in the beginning. He sweats, blushes, and overcompensates for his nervous energy and embarrassment by lashing out. And god forbid, someone implies that maybe - just maybe - someone or something is bothering MGS. He will rain Hellfire upon anyone suggesting such things, especially if they hint that HT might be the cause.
Of course, MGS’s “don’t tell me what to do” attitude hasn’t disappeared (ch. 200, 277):
And it never will go away. And HT never wants it to go away. MGS being someone who stands up to HT is something HT very much admires about him. Not to mention, what their relationship absolutely requires in order to work. This type of resisting is what’s in MGS’s nature, it’s out of pride. In the beginning, MGS resisted because he was suspicious of HT and despised him because he thought HT telling him what to do was him trying to take advantage.
But of course, it’s not like HT is letting MGS run his mouth as he likes or disobey him when it matters (ch. 210, 222, 287):
The power dynamic has leveled out but there are still times when HT lets MGS know, in no uncertain terms, when he’s crossed some line or needs to listen to HT. The unwritten rule remains that when HT is helping MGS, he’s not allowed to ignore HT. Also, HT seems quite sensitive to MGS talking about HT in the context of his family. He doesn’t want to be compared to them or MGS to think he’s one of them.
In addition to all the feistiness, MGS is also showing his duality as a tsundere (ch. 234, 236, 243, 246, 254, 255, 259, 309):
He curses and struggles against HT - and I don’t doubt he is annoyed by him - but also shows concern when HT is not around or is hurt. And that’s the thing about MGS. He will keep telling HT to fuck off and scram and “are we supposed to be familiar” but at the same time, if something happens he gets worried. He shows concern while averting his eyes, acting nonchalant, and griping his pants so he won’t reach out. He won’t try on the earrings - the ones he specifically asked HT to get him - in front of him but would rather escape to the privacy of the bathroom.
I would say this phase that we’re reading at the moment comes down to MGS being “bothered” by HT. In other words, HT is affecting him and it threatens MGS’s sense of control over himself. HT is persistently getting closer and closer, and MGS finds himself more and more affected by him. I don’t think MGS has fallen in love with HT yet or even romantically likes him, but he is doing something that is similar to those feelings: giving up control. And I think MGS asking for the earrings was a major sign of that. To him, it was a big deal and something fundamental.
When will MGS realize his feelings for HT? Is he crushing on HT in the Christmas and hot springs specials that take place in the future? My Tianshan heart wants to say “YES!”, but my more objective mind wants to remain cautious. I don’t think we know enough about the future to say anything for sure just based on the special chapters.
What we do know, however, we know for sure (ch. 224, 230):
The black studs are very much present in both future-related specials. Even if they don’t necessarily see each other that often due to HT’s traveling or just not being around, MGS is still wearing them. Let me say it again: MGS got them when he was in middle school and he is still wearing them when he’s at college (?) age. If that’s anything to go by, I’d give in a little to my Tianshan heart and say MGS has gotten further with his feelings for HT. (And I suppose it’s worth mentioning they seem physically more intimate in the specials, but then again, that might be just HT pushing it.)
The thing about Tianshan is that I’m not sure if MGS would ever confess his feelings out loud or even admit them to himself. He might just…let them be there. To me, Tianshan is the kind of relationship that they just let things develop without making explicit confessions or declarations. Even in the future, their relationship won’t probably have a specific category or term for it. They just are without necessarily needing to make it official. They just care about each other and let the other care about them. It’s about HT showing up and MGS sharing the bed with him. In MGS’s case especially, his love is in the gestures and actions rather than words. But at the same time, they’re both well aware of how much whatever they have means to them.
…Or I’m just too wrapped up in my own personal Tianshan aesthetics again.
For sure, I could’ve given a shorter answer but whenever I tried that I always felt like I needed to give more context. So…sorry, it’s a bit long. Again. And I don’t know if I even managed to give a proper answer, dear anon-san. Hopefully something satisfying enough. Thank you for your question! <(_ _)>
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