Ourmoonlitdreams - Moon

'WE ARE' THE OFFICIAL PHOTOBOOK, B&W PHOTOSHOOT: WINNYSATANG

BONUS: COLLECTIBLE CARD (front & back)

@winnysatang

"this is a romantic scene."

4MINUTES (2024)

The thing about Yu and Ai, the thing that really gets me, is that they're both so aware of each other.

Yu is so careful with his feelings for Ai, and so careful with Ai in general; he listens and immediately apologizes when Ai asks him to stop teasing him, he comes running with a flashlight when the power goes out to comfort Ai, he offers help but makes it easy for Ai to accept by asking for help in return...

And Ai is so worried about his dreams, and Yu being hurt, about missing something that would help him to save Yu, and trying to make sense of his feelings and make sense of the desire in his dreams, and not letting the dreams create a distance between them, because for everything else that they might be, they are friends who are deeply important to each other.

The push-pull between them is internalized within each of them, instead of externalized where it alters their dynamic. There's still tension and the feeling of inevitability and the careful negotiation of what is allowed and what isn't, and it's all beautifully done, but they keep their personal struggles with their feelings from keeping them apart, or creating a jumpiness and a distance. I find myself so pleasantly surprised when a lingering touch -- or waking up cuddling -- doesn't result in a scramble to disconnect and justify and redirect (the toothbrush incident notwithstanding, lol).

Yu's jealousy could have been made into an unnecessary argument, but instead he approached it with subtle curiosity and managed to get a little dessert date and a pinky promise for a honeymoon trip.

It's refreshing and so uncommon for a romance, to have the characters approach their relationship with such maturity and consideration, and I am enjoying the heck out of it.

(This maturity and consideration also carries into how Ai talks about school, and his future, and his non-literal dreams, and how Yu speaks to Ai about those things in a way that validates, reassures, and encourages him. And into how Ai makes a point to relieve Yu of his guilt over his fear of the dark, and apologizes for not doing it sooner. And in all the little ways they take care of each other and show how well they know each other. It's just so lovely and honest, and I love it a lot.)

(Also also, Yo and Ing are such a great foil to this dynamic, and it's so much fun to watch. I will maybe probably also ramble about them.)