Sofie’s Reviews > A Sign of Affection, Vol. 6 > Status Update

THE INTIMACY THE PUSH AND PULL THE RESPECT OF BOUNDARIES THE AGENCY AND ACTING ON DESIRE FROM THE FEMALE PROTAG!!!!!!!! this just keeps getting better and better!! i love how itsuomi can read yuki so well and that he gives her the unspoken reassurance she needs to grow as a person and get more comfortable with initiating physical intimacy. i love a balanced couple and they are definitely an example of that!!!!!

first off, that scene was fucking terrifying oh my god what kind of person GRABS someone like that instead of just walking away?????? what a dick. SO glad itsuomi took care of him and hopefully scared him shitless
second of all, this look on itsuomi is CRIMINALLY hot jesus christ i would be on my knees already if i were yuki (she’s understandably a bit distracted but once she catches up???? she’s gonna lose it)

i fucking love oushi and itsuomi's banter!!!! i feel like oushi really brings out the best of itsuomi's dry sense of humor which is super fun to see.
is oushi gonna fess up about hugging yuki????? that would be INCREDIBLE and yet another great subversion of the miscommunication trope

here i am giggling and kicking my feet yet again
their communication is just so lovely to see, and i really hope i'm not about to eat my words!!! but i have faith that yuki will tell him and that he's mature enough to not get all weird and insecure about it

......do i officially like oushi now.....the power of a sign of affection, making me genuinely like the rival love interest!! cause he's NOT a bad guy, he clearly cares a lot about yuki and doesn't want to say anything that might make her sad even if it could increase his chances of getting together with her. it feels like the bare minimum, but for his character type it's A LOT. i'm endeared, sue me

see THIS is why a sign of affection is one of my faves!!!!! oushi could so easily be the tropey annoying rival love interest but he has enough depth and self-awareness to actually make me sympathize with him. i still firmly believe he shouldn't be with yuki, but i don't feel like the manga is trying to force me to think otherwise. it feels secure enough in its writing to let the reader form their own, nuanced opinion

love the detail of emma bringing itsuomi to a noisy arcade to have this convo that she suspects will break her heart. it really represents how unwilling she is to accept his rejection and sit in her disappointment about that. she needs to face the music if she's ever gonna truly move on

emma girl you are hilariously down bad and too relatable unfortunately!!!! pointing out his collarbones and hands as his most attractive features???? she gets it. but i can't wait to see her get over itsuomi and eventually get with shin cause they would be such a gorgeous couple

okay let's see how a sign of affection handles this trope after it just pissed me off to no end in a clear moonlit dusk

god i just love how this manga talks about communication and empathy and the joy of being understood. little itsuomi's joy is so palpable when he realizes that the true trick to language is using it in context, and the fear of potentially saying something wrong melts into relief at being understood. he's such a confident and chill guy in present day so it's really nice to see him so animated and clumsy as a child