Sofie’s Reviews > A Sign of Affection, Vol. 5 > Status Update

i love how even though we're in yuki's perspective and we only get her thoughts about this moment, it's so clear in the storytelling and parallel paneling that itsuomi is having the same exact experience as she is. they're both struck by how beautiful the other looks in the wisteria and i am in fact smiling like a maniac bc they're just so fucking adorable

yuki assuming that her face probably looks stiff when she's with itsuomi is HILARIOUS cause as we can see here she is quite literally a ball of sunshine and sparkles. cutest shojo protagonist ever and i'll fight on that!!!! this artist has some of the best chibi i've ever seen, they're so lively and sweet

damn okay so that immediately explained why yuki puts up with oushi's moodiness. i genuinely hope that he does the work to become more straightforward cause i also think he has a lot of good in him. there's no way he's ever ending up with yuki, but that emotional growth could set him up for a different relationship down the line OR even just allow him to form genuine friendships with yuki and itsuomi and their group

oushi grabbing her like that is CRAZY. like i'm sorry but you don't get to micromanage her speech when she's talking about her boyfriend just cause it makes YOU feel insecure. he really needs to grow up and i'm interested to see how it happens cause i don't see how he can continue to be in the story like this. idk why yuki tolerates his bullshit but i think SHE needs to be the one to give him a reality check

itsuomi can't bring himself to hate oushi and neither can i, he's just like a little chihuahua nipping at people's heels and never doing any real damage. and i like how he represents the type of guy who stifles their partner in the name of "protection", so him potentially growing out of that as he gets to know itsumoi more could be an interesting and satisfying development

oushi says that his reason for learning sign language is less superficial than itsuomi's, but i feel like it's even more superficial?? he wanted to get and to HOLD yuki's attention. but itsuomi wanted to COMMUNICATE with her and understand the way she goes about the world. oushi never prioritizes yuki imo even though he thinks he does, it's always about himself

AHHHHH I FORGOT HOW MUCH I LOVE ITSUOMI!!! he's all about communication and the importance of empathy and understanding people, so of course his tactic with oushi is simply to get to know him better. and if oushi feels threatened by that, it says way more about him than it does about itsuomi