A review by morthos
The White and Blue Between Us by Kiyuhiko

3.25

That one person who was like Mishima deserved so much better followed by three throwing up emojis, I felt you. Your energy was so powerful and I felt you.

What do you mean we were going to have a "proper conversation", did absolutely nothing, and then have a sex scene...? What do you mean. Don't put emotions in front of my face like keys and then throw the keys out the window for a sex scene! Sure, they finally did talk but to should've been at the end of chapter 2 not whatever the hell that was.

On top of that, Kiyuhiko kind of rubed me the wrong way when making Mishima take on some of that blame. To recap:
Hozumi broke up with him so he wouldn't be sad when he moves off the island for college but did not properly explain that. He comes back after 7 years to an angry Mishima and pesters until he eventually gives up and spends that time with him. To which Hozumi takes advantage of the situation and in a dubious consent kind of way haves sex with him instead of having that conversation that we all were promised, that they should've had and didn't happen until chapter 3 (which I still have a problem with how that went, to be honest). This felt Mishima frustrated and dazed to the point where he didn't attend to the lighthouse causing the boat Hozumi was working on to get into a little accident and Hozumi falling off. After that it all became his fault in Mishima's head. Even the high school stuff?? He already feels like he doesn't have his own backbone to say "no" or "let's wait" because of "those eyes" (I'm rolling mine), I'm just not here for that. I'm not ok with the person who has every reason to raise hell taking the blame and it's seen as a good thing. It's not like Hozumi doesn't blame himself for the shit he's done but Mishima shouldn't be blaming himself for anything. Even the lighthouse incident. Not after that chapter 2 ending.

Also... What thought processes did Kiyuhiko have to write Hozumi's brother coming out for him to their parents when previously she wrote was nervous about?? You don't do that. You don't come out for someone else no matter how understanding anyone is. I don't know, fiction is fiction but Jesus to fucking Christ.


Other than all of that, along with the art style not being my favorite to look at, this was just ok which I'm very sad about because the bonus chapter was everything to me. If this was just their high school year together followed by the breakup and a vol 2 with a better get back together story, peak 4 stars. I don't tend to look at reviews before hand but I kept seeing fine to mediocre being thrown around and yeah. Yeah, I'm feeling that. It's no My Summer of You, no Seven Days, and it damn sure ain't I Hear The Sunspot. I did like the beginning, it was actually emotional in a way I wanted from Send Them a Farewell Gift for the Lost Time but then the end of chapter 2 kind of ruined it's been a low 3 stars ever since