Valerie

damn i was thinking abt this one way too hard... first of all, im not gonna count yuria/tamaki (bc obviously yuria takes the prize for me), so just other characters that don't really get much time especially later on. i have 3: usshi, i thought that at the beginning she had an interesting perspective on dating and romance in general, and how gender identity can tie into that

the obvious read here is that uushi isn't a woman, but i would disagree. there isn't really as much of a trans specific theme here, and it's more about her not wanting to betray her individuality to fulfill some societal role (which is pretty much the constant struggle throughout the manga for many characters). and as much as sometimes we say that relationships/sexuality and gender are independent, in the sense that they aren't influencing each other, it's true that one of them may bring up feelings about the other, in particular about other people's perception of us. anywho, usshi is cool and levelheaded, very likeable and a good friend.

then there's shiho. this one's obvious. she's comphet represented in a person. the reality of her turning down miwa was just brutal. it's such a beautifully constructed moment. we understand her trauma, her pessimistic worldview. it's impossible to hate her because her decision is so fucking valid. for that, i love her so much

it's a thing i haven't really seen in any other queer media, comphet characters who simply, for one reason or the other, can't be out and open. it's really cool to see a character like that, showcasing the different kinds of journeys people have.

the bit of self reflection miwa has about her being proud of falling in love with her is so real. being able to appreciate what people you've fallen in love have left you with, even if you're no longer in love with them, is a great lesson from this manga also she's fine as hell. miwa has great taste in women. finally, my boiiii LUCHAAAAA he is just goofy what can i say

at the beggining of this turning point, she's: -distant with miwa -struggling with having to conform (pretending to be het to her social circle, having to be more femenine for her mom, etc) -still having trouble with complete sexual intimacy with yuria -hasn't processed her middle/high school trauma

she's at a very conflicting spot, and we see all these issues pile up (as often happens irl, when we ignore things until our breaking point). where she ultimately makes several breakthroughs. she's able to have sexual intimacy with yuria and it's implied that she orgasms for the first time in the story, which is a pretty big deal up to this point.

and then, in a moment of desperation, when she has no one else to turn to (she ran from her friends, her mom, and yuria isn't available) she runs into miwa, where she finally realizes that the thing she's been loathing so much, others putting their own standards and expectations onto her, is the same thing she's doing all this time by avoiding miwa simply because they're exes.

it's this epiphany that she comes to which finally pushes her to be open and sincere with miwa (and maybe with herself) for the first time. the first time we see the true, authentic saeko show, just for a moment. which then lays the foundation for the rest of her character arc and the relationship that will eventually bloom with miwa.

obviously things aren't perfect and sunshine after this moment, and there's still so much of her journey to go through, but i see this as a crucial moment for Sae as an individual, where she learns to trust a bit more and to be emotionally vulnerable. and also for the pair, since this is basically the thing that sets in motion the chain of events for them to basically become best friends and eventually date again (i think they were always, in some level, in love with each other(or at least sae was from the start))

i think it's beautiful, this series shows the imperfection of being human and what it takes to grow as a person, to be better at loving others (which truly, comes from loving oneself) and all the pain that comes with it, especially all while being queer

genuinely so sad this ended but also happy it happened