2n2n

[2n2n]

Hello Avvy, I would like to ask an indiscreet question about Hananene and Tsunene, so it's okay if you don't want to answer.

I would like to know how you would imagine the possibilities of Hananene having sex for the first time. I once read that you said that you think Hanako would be out of control (not in the context of a first time), I think about that sometimes, but at the same time I think about Amane who is more gentle (human form) and Amane who likes to be submitted to an older woman, he gives himself completely to her.

That's why I wanted to know your vision, I can imagine Hanako's three forms, but I don't know exactly which one would be the strongest when the moment comes. (Or if he would become all three in turns).

Come on, he collapses when he receives a kiss on the cheek, I wonder what something more intense would be like.

When she takes the initiative, he melts.

I agree with you about him losing control, but I wonder about the other two situations.

And lastly, I like to think about what it would be like with Tsukasa too. He's too innocent to think about these things, but he's the type to spy and imitate his brother. If Amane kisses the girl, he kisses her too. (I know he might have a crush on her, which I find cute). So if Amane has sex with her, would he do the same? Imagine him spying on them doing it is weird but funny.

Let's think hypothetically about what it would be like and ignore for a moment the chances of it being possible or not in canon (of Tsukasa getting involved with her to that degree).

I wonder how Tsukasa would get involved in the context of sex itself, would he initiate, would he wait for Nene to make the first move.

He wouldn't worry about satisfying himself or using his mouth, but since it's his first time, I wonder how it would be in a more positive way, with him going all the way with Nene specifically.

What do you think?

I've got discretion for miles………………. I'll answer it sooo discreetly~~ I don't mind raw questions like this at all heh. It'll go under a cut.

Amane, he's so complicated, isn't he… you're right, that he can be tepid, sensitive, hesitant, paralyzed by intimacy. He can try to act earnestly, it comes out in times… his tenderness, the real Amane, filled with poetic romanticism…

and he has fantasies about forward, horny oneesan… he would love to be, taken on a ride, WOOOHOO.

He always wants to stoke Nene-chan into being the one to admit she's horny...

of course, he's so basic… he would like to be shoved down and molested by a cute older girl. Wouldn't that be so convenient. Receive goodies without efforts.

My thing is, Amane… doesn't actually like relinquishing control, not for long! He's terrified of it, it's why he doesn't tell anybody anything, trying to give them little to work off of, keeping his vulnerable core hidden.

He's still a kid… I think if evil Nene-chan seriously started going to town on him, I think it would be like… haha.. AWESOME…!!! ahhh hot ahhh yesss yes yessss [gets cock grabbed] [immediately physically overwhelmed, feels like he's going to throw up] WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT!!!!! haha ahahhahah ahhh AHHHHH ahhh…. WAAIIITTTT . emergency make her pass out attack…………………………………. TOO FAST!!!

… but it's not actually satisfying to envision such a shenanigan, it's not grounded in their development. I don't think she could physically overpower him, and I honestly don't…. think …. he would let himself be raped, he would want more dignity and manage his impression more than that…! He cares about how he's presented!!!

The thing is… in the instances Amane is flustered in canon, he quickly turns it back around on Nene-chan, to wrench control back from her. I know everyone likes to focus on this kind of Amane...

... but just as important is this Amane, who has to assert a kind of dominance over the situation, to crush Nene-chan back down... even turning the volume UP, UP, UP, pulling her into HIS thrall

... leave the situation on top of it, not beneath it.

NASTY BOY isn't he? It's so convenient to remember the cute one, but he's quickly going to assert himself...

often, he can be spellbound, touched, awed....

... but then, he will turn Nene-chan's own investment against her...

get the better of her, even preying on her own romantic weakness.

He can be challenged… but he cares about keeping the score.

I seriously think this is a huge central component to him…! He's insecure, he can't give himself up completely. Amane needs powerrrrr.

I think "when the moment comes", he would want to steel himself, would want to call the shots, would want to be impressive, would want to amaze Nene-chan, he would want to be cool… and he wouldn't want to do it, if he couldn't manage that…!

Though I think he could falter, he could be caught off-guard by her, but I think he would then grab her by the wrist and want to subdue her…! And Nene-chan would like to completely submit to his whims & desires… she's so interested in what he is compelled to do, proof he loves her, she would love to be completely passive for him to do as he so pleases…! She IS weak to his thrall!!!

The end result would be shakey and clumsy, they are just two stupid little virgins… for all his bravado, I doubt Amane can instantly be incredible…

HanaNene could have a very sincere first time… honestly I can, imagine something so conventional so easily, sigh. Nene-chan is a simple girl. It's sweet. She'd love to be pushed down… Amane would be trying... to flip & spin her... !!!!

but ah, generally, I actually imagine Amane extremely averse to being touched, to being undressed, to coming… he's buttoned up tightly. His hat flying off his head generally symbolizes a loss of his facade, in the manga. He's always in multiple layers of clothes… typically just putting any accessories or whatever on top of the fullbody gakuran. Le metaphor...

I really think he'd like to just finger the hell out of Nene-chan, make her come over and over, peel her, see her body in totality, grope every inch … while keeping himself under tight confines, firmly redirecting her hand if she tries to unzip him. It is at times, so HARD to imagine a guy as guarded as Amane, OK with being seen twitching & whining & gasping & writhing, EEEVEN IF HE REALLY REALLY REALLY WANTS IT!!! Actually, especially if he really really wants it. Really wanting things is scary!!!! It's too honest! You can't take it back!!!

And I think it's very HanaNene for poor Nene-chan to feel kept at a strange distance, to be desperate to get to see his cock, touch it, feel him come against her, or into her, anything…!!!! Not understand why he doesn't let her, worrying it has something to do with a lack of interest or trust… I really like that kind of conflict, between them. Amane, he just, he does as he wants, he doesn't like to give a girl autonomy, he wants to direct, control....

I really like situations like, Nene-chan needing help from Tsukasa to make progress with Amane…

As for Tsukasa… and sex… of course he would love to watch Amane do what he does. Though I do think he would assume it being Amane is an essential, that this is one of the things he & Nene-chan get up to. He has a fairly normative idea of couples................

If he could voyeur it, I don't think he'd ever get tired or bored, or even feel left out… I tend to uhm, imagine Amane becoming aware of being observed, and, wanting to… get to perform for the two of them… maybe not let Nene-chan know Tsukasa is watching, keep it a secret as long as he can; maybe strive to not let even Tsukasa know he knows he's observing… his ego could enjoy being the center-of-attention, not only making Nene-chan whine, but being seen doing so by his little brother, seeming impressive, capable, dominating, sexually potent, COOOOOL---!!!! I could see Amane escalating to greater extremes, sometimes focusing less on Nene-chan (steamrolling her… ignoring any plea for a rest) and more on the observer Tsukasa, switching between who he is performing for, who he wants to look amazing in the eyes of…. ahh and other times, getting lost in Nene-chan, de-prioritizing Tsukasa, forgetting to censor himself in certain ways....

learning more about Amane is always interesting.

But with just Nene-chan and Tsukasa… I, think Nene-chan is crazy open to the idea of Tsukasa initiating, it not being her fault, simply being subjected to another lover, but poor girl, it's so unlikely to just happen...

I think within the realm of the imagination though, oh anything could be possible between them, with the right inputs, with the right narrative. After so much observation, voyuering, I think Tsukasa could feel itchy to get to touch her, taste her… exposed to so much temptation, I could see him overwhelmed by his curiosity, the new sensation that is lust, sexual desire… precisely because it's so incredibly unfamiliar. I can't tell you how exactly one could get there, alone with Nene-chan like this (I don't know... can she be masturbating in the school somewhere, lol?) ... Amane is used to burying things, redirecting his sexuality… but Tsukasa isn't. So, maybe he could reach for her, though I think he would be in a strange state, nonverbal & unusually tentative, aimless, confused, not so directional. Too engaged in every micro-second. More investigative, towards smells, textures, tastes… I often like to think about Tsukasa's 'first' temptation being something like, just licking her pussy for ages, lacking the ah ………………. sense of time or awareness, a kind of disordered, strange experience for Nene-chan. I'd like her feeling the same kind of desperation as she could with Amane's strange limitations, left hanging, wanting for more than she's getting… waiting to be ah, ravaged, penetrated, taken, but, only more licking............. feeling toyed with by the two of them, boys playing with a body.

It's novel to think of both Yugi arrested from sex, Nene-chan like, trapped between these freaks with respective issues,, improper order of events, strange obsessions, WOULD LIKE TO JUST BE RAMMED @@ FOR THE LOVE OF GOD--!!!!!!!! SOMEBODYYYYY!!!!!!!!

… so I do often think about her being the one to JUST grab cock & open her pussy, AND… while I think Amane would be capable of wrestling control, refusing to let her dictate how it goes, just finger her to oblivion anyway… I think Tsukasa would uhm, just be like, ouhhg okay--!!!! Nene-chan wants that…? Put this in there… OKAAAAY….! [brain falls out of his skull]

… in this way, it's actually easy to imagine Tsukasa having sex with Nene-chan first… because he lacks reasons to avoid or run from pleasure. If Nene-chan wanted it from him… then she could get it. I know one of my earliest scenarios was them getting to know one another, and Tsukasa just winding up plowing her, because Nene-chan can't maintain distance, has very direct fantasies, & unlike Amane, Tsukasa doesn't obfuscate anything. If he got a boner in her presence, he wouldn't think to hide it. If he wanted to sniff her, he would… his animalistic nature, uhm, that could work in Nene-chan's favor, if she wanted the most uncomplicated sexual exchange ever. The only stopper is that Tsukasa isn't thinking about it on his own. Oh but what a moldable mind.

I am always like. Ohhh the Tsukasa ... he could wind up HanaNene's kind of odd sex toy, just utilized for either of their fantasies or self-image... Nene-chan's fantasy of being a widely-lusted hot girl with multiple guys clawing for her... Amane's fantasy of being sexually impressive and cool..... Tsukasa, he is so agreeable actually.

[2n2n]

Although it is impossible (from my perspective) to predict what Aida Iro thinks. What do you think will happen in the next chapter?

Since from my perspective your theories and analyses always seem quite credible. I love the way you write. I would love to hear your opinion, if you don't mind. 😁😉

Thank you for appreciating my brain............

I've said it before, but I don't tend to think in terms of immediate-next-chapter, but about the overall arc, what we've accomplished, what we're waiting to accomplish, and what the story is missing on the whole, what would seem to contrast what's happened (since we don't expect things to be repetitive within the same arc ... more likely it could echo or dive deeper or even disprove a way of thinking or behaving in a previous arc!)

..... my main feeling is that, we still need to investigate Tsukasa, in order to answer or correct anything about this world. We've had a lot of leading scenes with him... Amane doesn't seem to be a reliable resource... I would like to be stuck with the other Yugi.

We have the 'Tsukasa-kun' in the school, and we have this kitty, who may be some remnant of Tsukasa... the only past we could be looking to 'turn back' would have to be Tsukasa's, as it's not safe to return to the Red House itself to turn back Amane's.... and of course, Nene-chan's past doesn't turn back that far. So there's no use in her using it on herself. As far as I understand. even if the kitty has a connection himself to Tsukasa, he has no memories, so he could simply accompany Nene-chan to tracking down the rumor.... and there is some mythology to 'ask Tsukasa-kun questions', so, well, that feels intended to lead us back to him.

just going off of vibes, I'd assume the kitty is going to impulsively start helping Nene-chan, because she's charmed him... the Clockkeepers don't seem kind to him....Nene-chan prepared him a tasty warm (alcoholic) beverage, also he might be slightly buzzed from that .............. I think the two could form a dynamic not dissimilar to early-series HanaNene in some ways... though I would kind of love for it to have its stark differences... maybe she could just expect or command the kitty to help; maybe as more of a pitiful servant figure, he'd be easy to bark at... he's not an egomaniacal leader like Hanako hah.... haha. I wonder what happens if she takes the hourglass... does she gain some dominion over him, if she can control time, if he's property of the power....? Tsukasa has wanted her to take over this power from the start of this festival arc............

one of my earliest wishes for this arc was for Nene-chan to become Tsukasa's kannagi... I would really love for her to become bound to this cat in order to progress... we know binding to a mortal increases a kaii's ability, so maybe it would be mutually beneficial.... but since becoming a kannagi, binding, is symbolic with marriage, relationship forming, it could be loaded. I would like Nene-chan to deal with that sort of difficulty... no longer only bound to Hanako. Its possible she herself wouldn't think twice about it, but the cat might... Hanako obfuscates the implications of binding, but the cat seems more honest...? Would love to have even a tiny bit more perspective on being a kannagi....................... and I would like Nene-chan to be bound to both Yugi.

This is so molecular, but I've wondered HOW we will reveal the kitty's identity, will it be more of a pure text thing, if his memories of living life will return to him as he assists Nene-chan in investigating this timeline & the Yugi's history, or if binding to her could free his mind from the fog the Clockkeepers may be enforcing upon him, or like, could some circumstance come to pass that has kitty manifesting his human form again physically? Could the binding do that? THOUGHTS...

We don't know what Natsuhiko or Sakura are doing in this arc at all, so a thought put to them... will they become pieces? or maybe they aren't relevant? In our main timeline, Sakura is some sort of overseer to the Mysteries... it seems to be her burden, perhaps something she was born into... we don't know. The Mysteries don't exist in this arc, and neither does Tsukasa as yorishiro instigating Sakura to make moves... I can't even be sure she exists, or if she's still a magical entity in some way.

Natsuhiko, we know next to nothing about, so he could be anything in this world... I don't know what he could act like without Sakura.... we don't know what he was like before her. We don't know why he's so cursed with stinky blood....

well....................................................

much potential.

I think I'd like the takeaway from this whole arc to be a greater curiosity towards Tsukasa, from Nene-chan... some sort of lingering attachment to the kitty, sadness to have to 'leave him behind', maybe a wish to help or 'fix' his sorry life, too (useless, can't do it.... have to pursue what you already love... and I doubt kitty will care to be helped, as fine with submitting to his fate as Hanako is in our usual timeline, uninterested in ideals or dreams)... and an understanding that circumstances, not nature, make the Yugi what they are .... friend or threat.

[2n2n]

Hi!

In chapter 110, there’s a scene that left me confused. It’s when Tsukasa discovers the yorishiro of the clock keepers and demands that Yashiro fulfill her promise. At that moment, Hanako attacks him and arrest him to the ground.

But Hanako still had his hands cuffed. To restrain Tsukasa’s arms, he first uses a knife to secure the sleeve of Tsukasa’s shirt to the ground. Then, he holds the other arm using his cuffed hands.

What confused me is how exactly Hanako managed to secure Tsukasa with the knife. Normally, for a knife to stay fixed to the ground, it would have to pierce something solid, like wood or dirt. But in that scene, he only uses the knife to hold the sleeve against a floor made of water. How does that work? Wouldn’t the knife just sink or float instead of staying stuck?

P.S.: Sorry if this question isn’t very interesting!

this is kind of an uninteresting question, but I guess one I feel like I can answer................. and may enrich your life ...........

First I will say: this kind of questioning isn't what like, literary analysis, is for, or about. It's not really important or meaningful... it doesn't add to the narrative or inform anything about the story.

Secondly,,

the floor of this specific area is probably wooden, right? I would assume the pews the owls are sitting in, the desk the Clockkeepers are behind, the large chairs they are sitting in & the stand the accused are presented upon, are carved wood. The water in a boundary is typically very shallow, only a few inches deep. We see Tsukasa's hand held with all Amane's weight to the floor... it's only deep enough to bury his palm, not even his fingers. We see the dropped yorishiro key rested beneath the surface on the ground above them. Thatssssss normal for a boundary. Usually Nene-chan is not even ankle-deep when trudging through....

if you want, you can imagine Amane jammed his knife-tip just into an old ??european?? courtroom style hardwood floor, something which would take a lot of force....

I guess then we could ask "why can't we see the planks or grain of the hardwood floor beneath this glassy, shallow water?" to which I would say "because art has to be concise & Aida-sensei didn't feel such a detail would add to the composition".

Which is like. My real point here .................... you can think about how stories are created to intuitively understand why perhaps visually confusing things may happen, and thus become accepting or forgiving of them.

Aida-sensei and Iro-sensei are an artist & writer team. They collaboratively create the story we are seeing. They meet & call regularly to discuss arcs, forming the narrative & visual identity in tandem, probably trying to reach a kind of parity with their understanding and interest.

Let's assume that Iro-sensei pitched a rough outline for the Clockkeepers arc, including a little imageboard with some photo insp, or series of notes regarding the design/architecture of the boundary. Notes like... what eras of clock to pull from, what countries of origin to pull for furniture or embellishments, what materials, the scale...

Perhaps Aida-sensei took those notes & synthesized them into sketches, creating the visual for the Clockkeepers Boundary.

Then, Iro-sensei creates the moment-to-moment script, containing the dialogue, conflicts, maybe indicates key scenes that should get full page spreads.

Aida-sensei then draws from these texts.

You can imagine Iro-sensei's script may have said something like, "Hanako, still handcuffed, pins Tsukasa's hand to the floor with his knife, held tightly in both hands."

while writing that, Iro-sensei may not have thought that deeply about the material the floor was made out of. The focus is the sheer spectacle of Hanako tackling Tsukasa, and the ensuing intense conversation.

While drawing it, Aida-sensei likely had to consider what would be visually interesting or make a clear, easy-to-read composition (not too cluttered, taking away from the action). She made the decision to have the floor beneath them be the shallow, rippling water of the boundary... pretty, reminds us of where we are, evocative.

It's a beautiful scene, seeing Tsukasa's fingers peeking out of the surface of the water, palm held under, Amane's hands almost feel like they're choking his wrist like a throat... I think it evokes a drowning... it feels violent, yet desperate, trying to anchor him. Keep him from floating away again, like he wants. Incredible. Much symbolic import

....................... so that's what we should value. 'Why did the artist or author make X decision?' can help us pursue or discard lines of questioning as useful or useless.

I mean, sometimes, Aida-sensei can mess up by doing something like placing the wrong symbol on Kou's staff................... or Iro-sensei can pen the wrong year on a calendar. (both of these mistakes present in the magazine release, but corrected in the final volume compilation)

[2n2n]

What are traits Tsukasa and Nene have in common, that you think is overlooked by others? Is there anything you wish people thought more about, their similarities?

I wish their similarities were thought more about, in general! It's something on Hanako's mind, obviously….. Nene reminds him of playing with Tsukasa. When you look at them, it feels like, "ah, of course..."....

More than anything.... I wish their earnest feelings towards Amane, could be understood as genuinely very similar...

longing to see him again, longing to know more about him, longing to reach under his surface..... trying to draw out his true desires, his heart's wishes, wanting to see the Amane kept hidden.... ah, he's so rarely known.... so little known.

Both are... so familiar, with Amane's emotional struggles, his inability to be honest or express his feelings. Both had a period of time just feeling in the dark, like Amane's heart was a mystery to them-- does he even like you? Are you annoying to him, a stupid, childish pest? Are you funny to him, sortof beneath him by nature? Both of them wavered in uncertainty, if Amane loves them... (he does)

doesn't sound dissimilar to Tsukasa, to me.

ah, a childish vision of an ideal future.....

the childishness is so distinct, isn't it?

a love of toys, plush, doodling little animals and things.... singing little songs, too

Many are too convinced it's nothing but creepy ambiance, Tsukasa's own toys, games, propensity to doodle, singing little songs to himself... but it's all stuff Nene is known to do, too. It's unfair to draw much distinction between them... they do just the same things. And, of course, it's unique to them, to be this indulgent and frivolous and goofy.

I wonder what a younger Yashiro is like?

she feels similar to someone, doesn't she? ahhhhh, do I hope we meet her properly.....

mm... but, most of all, I wish their servile nature, their self-sacrificial hearts, were seen for the similarities they have. Tsukasa really does give up his life for Amane's happiness... and Yashiro tries to do the same. Hearing Amane sob for his unachievable dreams.... or hearing him finally speak an earnest desire....

.... Yashiro goes and packs a bag not long after, to throw her life away to be with Amane forever.... and Tsukasa, not long after hearing Amane's wish, throws himself down the well. It's so simple seeming, for them... making this sort of decision... they'll, just do it.

They'll both do anything for him.... the moment Amane finally lets them into his pining, for whatever it is, they would drop everything. Nothing else is precious in comparison.... both would forsake their parents, would offer no goodbyes or explanations for disappearing .... beautiful!!

The intensity, the extremeness of their love, is the same. Their devotion, and their lack of self-preservation is the same. So sweet, that this kind of childish daydreaming playful person, is so weak to the miserable and aloof and mysterious Amane... you would think these simple people, with their capricious joy, would seek something else....but it is Amane alone who captivates them! Ohh the mystery of him, oh the urge to save him from his own hopeless nature....

[2n2n]

*laughing* ah another tiny beloved wife

[2n2n]

*Nene-chan voice* auuhhhhrr what if my boyfriend's twin brother wanted me carnally... that would be soooooooooooooooooooooo nasty and weird and bad and *drooling*

[2n2n]

ohhh now that youve said that you feel like tsukasa having a crush on nene is canon, can you show panels/moments that you feel solidify it? i really like that aspect but to me it always felt a bit more like a fascination on tsukasas side,,, 'what girl is amane so enamoured with?' id love to be convinced... also, do you think nene in some way also likes tsukasa? or is does she see him purely as amanes (creepy, adorable) younger brother? either way,,, tsunene my beloved,,, tragically overlooked by almost everyone </3

I can't say Tsukasa is completely self-aware of his crush on Nene-chan, but I think he enjoys & looks forward to interactions with her in a unique way...

he clearly sees her as Amane's Property, this obviously tempers him & I don't think he sees himself 'having a chance' with her or ever being liked back ..... but I think over their years & timelines of intersection, he on-and-off feels something flickering in his chest for her. But I think it's rather obscured to Tsukasa himself, who has only had the priority of Amane, for his entire life.

It's irrelevant what he might like, or want. It couldn't mean less, in the grand fate of the world, that he feels something for Nene-chan. His purpose is to die for Amane's happiness. Not seek his own. He isn't important in that way. He's not meant to have this ending.

I think hints are peppered in their entire dynamic-- the very trusting of Amane's life story & fate to Nene-chan speaks to a very charitable view of her, in my opinion. She's key to everything. Tsukasa surely sees this as a special, sacred, wonderful thing... Amane's heart, Amane's happiness, Amane's future. He's willing to open dozens of doors to give it all to Nene-chan. That in and of itself is an act of love, to me .... I guess in some way, I don't think it could be less? He must see her as lovable. It must be clear this is the person who can deliver Amane a happy future, finally. Something he could never give Amane.

I can name a few small moments that give me pause... when Tsukasa forsakes his own body by impulsively rushing to catch Nene-chan, he's shocked/confused at his own impulse to do that. As he plummets, holding her....

it's small, but sweet.

for the Clockkeepers arc, Tsukasa is seemingly convinced his journey is almost 'over'.

They can peel the Clockkeeper's yorishiro, Mitsuba is being dealt with by Natsuhiko, & he anticipates Nene-chan handling him.

Maybe there's no better time to give her one single kiss, before he'll be vanished for good to bring about Amane's ideal future.

we're so close. He can have one little moment, at the very end.

.... I really think Aida-sensei is a master of quiet, deliberate paneling. Moments that give you pause. this soft, brief panel of Tsukasa parting from kissing Nene-chan, suggests something strongly, to me. This isn't entirely a silly gesture.

In their first meeting on the roof, Tsukasa pulls Nene-chan close, & his expression confuses her, but is obfuscated to us. I think this is a reveal we're waiting for Nene-chan to reflect back on, at the right moment.... but for now, it still doesn't make sense to her.

small still....

I can't think of another reason why kid Tsukasa was DOGGED!!!! even ANGRY!!!!! about forcing Kou to tell him if he'd kissed Nene-chan, & then subsequently pleased when Kou confirms he hasn't.

................ but to be honest, the 'biggest hint' is just, the entire way scenes & panels with them are framed, drawn, handled, written, emphasized, important to the story. How to say this. Images are drawn a certain way for a reason, to make you think about the possibility of something, to suggest it. Nothing is accidental.

I think AidaIro-sensei dance around Nene-chan & Tsukasa in a delicate way, & drop interactions between them very preciously, peppered at core beats of the story, nothing superfluous, always making you feel mystified & drawn into a strange miasma. That's uhmmmm, cinematography or whatever ........ you know ? There's a certain 'feeling'.

to me, I think "it's obvious from the structure of the overarching narrative, that this is a story where both twins fall in love with the same girl"................ also, AidaIro-sensei have literally written a story about exactly that before ......................................... and it shares plenty of similarities in structure to JSHK.

would you believe one even only kisses her before he's planning to kill himself....

So uhm... to me, it goes without saying. It's why there is a set of twins, and a girl, and not, some unrelated bishie or villain mans. It's why images like this exist.

I feel like ...................... just genre savvy????????????????????????? ANYONE ELSE READ MANGA?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? DOUJINSHI??????????? I feel like I'm going crazy. of course both twins will entangle with her.

it's like recognizing a song is folk or jazz. Like YEP, many such images, many such manga! I wonder if anyone else has ever paroozed a lot of girly romance manga or twin-centric media .... like. Yeah .......... the-- there's 2, for .......... the girl . yeah!! Obviously ... and, she'll have teasy scenes with the two of them. Yeah!!! AS YOU KNOW. It's like recognizing the tempo of a song, saying ahh yes, this is Jungle!

I feel so certain about it I feel confused I have to try to defend it, or others don't see it plainly.

Me I see Nene-chan suddenly getting to embrace a baby Tsukasa and I go OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! its THAT kind of manga... I see. & then I play Narisokonai Snow White & I'm like fuck lol oh but seriously for real though... yeah. Obviously. You have your mainline twin & your tragic loves-her-too-but-fated-to-die twin.... I love AidaIro-sensei but they're not inventing the wheel... there are tropes in here. Recognizable patterns....

meanwhile as for Nene-chan. I think she's a slut & obviously cannot control from having horny fantasies about two guys lusting after her, that is canon. She daydreams of harems. Though it's pretty unserious & she's not very earnest about how she feels about that (I think it just makes her feel hot & desirable.......). This is pretty fuckin charitable to Tsukasa if you ask me.

I think if we looked into Tsukasa's mind & Nene-chan was like a hot seductive babe we'd all be like WHOAAAA!!!!!!!

she low key flushes & awaits the thought of Tsukasa, having isolated her, suddenly pursuing her.... nooo~ don't ~~~ ahhh~~ oh no~~~ but I'm, taken~~ already, I....! Love your brother.....! No you, can't/////////////....

I would describe her as "disappointed that is not what is happening" here, lol

I think Nene-chan is just in the early stages of intrigue & interest in Tsukasa's nature, closer to where she was at with early manga Amane... still capable of complete denial. Curious, about the depth, while also flippantly writing off the possibility of anything 'happening' between them. I think there are moments.... Tsukasa has the same melancholy that draws her to Amane, & she's just a tiny bit seduced.

I think there's a moment he's comforting, beautiful...

but, we're only just starting to explore this.

Personally what I'm waiting for, is a prolonged situation of Nene-chan & Tsukasa alone, perhaps in a circumstance similar to what drew Nene-chan & Amane closer.... ? maybe that's what's happening now, in the current arc. I can't say. But I could see it being the next logical step.

If Amane wasn't there, if she only had Tsukasa for comfort ... I wonder what could happen. I think many feelings could develop, but be confusing with the context of her already loving Amane. It could feel misdirected, or as a result of sheer lonesomeness, them being twins ..... that kind of assumption could have her refusing to acknowledge any of it. But she was reluctant & resistant to love Amane, in the first place. So she can be reluctant & resistant towards Tsukasa, too. It's the Nene-chan way.

[2n2n]

If you have any, could you share some headcanons about the yugi twins?

If you don't have any headcanons for them then i would like to hear your craziest theory about them

I guess it depends on what is a 'headcanon' to you! A lot of my blog is probably 'headcanons' (about Amane's nature, his motivations, etc) though I do personally see most of it as canon-supported or suggested.

There are things I believe are intentional by AidaIro-sensei like "Tsukasa is feminine/Amane is masculine" or "Tsukasa is innocent & clueless about sex" or "Nene & Tsukasa are similar, Amane acknowledges this to some extent" which a lot of people would see as 'headcanon', though I see it as plain text or artistically obvious. "Tsukasa has a crush on Nene-chan" is also something I think is canon, but isn't agreed upon by all readers.

But you've read a lot of my posts based on the +likes so, I'll assume you mean something like "not indicated or suggested by canon, entirely your own delusion" and I-- I-I'll be honest, probably,, that's mostly the sexuality headcanons... that might also qualify as 'craziest'. So...

Biggest HC is Tsukasa naturally having a difficult time maintaining an erection... the scatterbrained-ness, the unfamiliarity with sexuality entirely, the inability to parse his own desires or motivations towards it, even as it's happening... I like this manifesting in him, even when accosted by Nene-chan or Amane in some beautiful future, unable to come, often half-hard, unfocused, overwhelmed, taken on a ride by the more er, cumrotted Nene-chan (all that right-hand strength...) and Amane (all that binging porno on Kou's phone...).... but I don't think he needs to 'finish' to have fun, nor has any kind of self-consciousness about being half-hard.... more likely to get fixated on sucking or licking, someone else, anyway.

But I think Amane would really like this about his otouto ... lol. Makes him feel superior, stronger, older, cooler, puts him in a position of "awe, poor thing, don't worry... it's OK...." pet pet Tsukasa. "awe you're not so good at it are you?" "dummy, that's not how you do it... haha" oh the older-brother-disease... sick sick sick...

Conversely Amane, sssscary hard cock, frightening focus and deliberate. Even if it's consensual, it kinda has an aura of a rape. Because of the way he is. You feel like you should be saving the person beneath him, whoever it is. Get away from her!!!!! Or like his ego really shouldn't get this fuel... yabai!!!! Noooo you've let the bad guy win.....!!!! RUN TSUKASA!! NENE-CHAN!!!

I've liked to think of Tsukasa developing slightly differently from Amane (epigenetics! post-puberty, even identical twins can develop uniquely! I've read that they can even have differently-sized wangs...), in particular, I like Tsukasa developing gynecomastia... not uncommon in young boys at all. Nothing dramatic, just small bumps; but as the twins are so used to being perfectly identical, it would feel extreme & surreal to Amane, like he's imagining something... or like his unseen feelings are leeching into, corrupting Tsukasa physically, somehow.... Amane's own washboard chest, nothing at all... I like to think Tsukasa prefers an untucked, slouchy top as a result, while Amane likes things buttoned-up tightly.... Tsukasa has more sensations potentially bothering him. A top like the gakuran jacket is enough to flatten him out entirely... but it is uncomfortable, for long duration.

For an AU where they fully aren't biologically related, like the Ryokan AU AidaIro-sensei made for the cafe event, I like to just go full bore & make Tsukasa intersexed. Something about his suite being nicknamed "room-sabi" in reference to tortishell ('sabi') coat cats, and tortishell being exclusively female or intersexed as a biological rule, made my mind go on such a journey... he's not really a cat, but I like the thought of Amane playfully calling him a 'sabi', due to his traits. Maybe for a cat, that's brazen, rude, explicit.... too openly jeering about his sex.

Hmmm. Well that's a lot of nonsense. Embarrassing....

as for theories pertinent to the manga... I have plenty of off-the-wall ones. The most significant are on the blog here and there, but boil down to...

-I feel the period of time Amane was covered in wounds, was consensual. I feel he allowed it to happen, either as a display of acceptance of Tsukasa (if it was Tsukasa harming him), or as a sacrifice he happily made in Tsukasa's honor (if his parents were harming him). Either way, something he was 'happy' to endure, something he was proud of, something he didn't fight to stop. I think his wounds were a point of pride... no desire or intention to be seen as a victim, or saved. Among his wounds are rope burns. He was being tied up. It was that extreme, but yet, he was obviously being regularly untied & released, re-tied, again & again. So perhaps it was ritualistic in some way. I like to think he was offering his wrists to be bound. Maybe he felt protective, or noble, to go through it. Maybe it felt good.

(I'd like the 'jibaku' play on words in the title to be a clue...)

-??? I've thought of Amane as having been Tsukasa's Kannagi ??? at some point in life ??? if Tsukasa merged the God of the Well into himself, & Amane offered himself to Tsukasa, in some sacrificial or devotional way, would that make him Tsukasa's Kannagi...? Could this have been an aspect which bound their souls, before their death? What happens if a Kannagi kills their God? And what could that mean for Amane & Nene-chan's potential interactions? I could see a lot of potential here, but it's soupy.... Tsukasa made Nene-chan his 'assistant' (kannagi...) & then wanted her to destroy him, in the Clockkeepers recent arc. So perhaps it's a repetition.

-??????????? I feel as if Nene-chan's very life must be owed to Tsukasa ?????????? Her name evoking '8' & the anime OP singing about an '8th wonder'... if the '7 wonders' are all broken-up aspects of the Well God's power, perhaps Tsukasa-- as the God-- pulled out a fragment of himself in order to bless Nene-chan's life into existence. Perhaps this is why her life is short, temporary, only just long enough to meet Amane & participate in this plan. I otherwise, have no idea why destroying all yorishiro would kill her. I feel on a smaller tinier level, her red eyes evoke the red house itself.... I can't see the Red House god as a completely 3rd, unrelated entity. I guess I kind of think of it as being Nene-chan in some way...

Hope that suffices...

I don't think I have much new to say....!

[2n2n]

Do you think amane might be possesive towards tsukasa as well?

Yes! I think this is plain text, simple fact. Amane is a very possessive person. He loves Nene-chan and Tsukasa. He wants to save & protect them, he wants them to look up to & admire him. He wants ownership of their fates.

There are many, in my opinion, intentional parallels between Nene-chan and Tsukasa. Amane's sacred belongings. His Kannagi & his Yorishiro. Making these individuals into his possessions isn't a fact to shrug away...!

I've talked about this many times however, so I'll link you a few posts already extant on the blog.

Amane is the possessive twin.

could emotions of possessiveness, or taking control of Tsukasa's fate, have been a driving force of the murder?

another ask about Amane's possessiveness, concerning Nene-chan. How Amane treats the people most important to him inevitably bare many similarities, and we should consider the narrative being woven.

and a minor addition about moon symbolism.

and a funny little note.

my final note is that, I don't feel this manga sees possessiveness as a negative, bad, toxic, or evil trait. It's romantic. Amane does not need to learn how to be a less obsessive lover, he only needs to learn how to communicate with the people he loves. Both Nene-chan and Tsukasa would be incredibly happy to learn the extent of Amane's desperation towards them. I think that's sweet and the appeal of the love story .......

[2n2n]

torn butterfly wings. it's too direct. even if you ignore the boner

[2n2n]

why was this image made

MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!!! every day i wish this image didn't exist. but we have to accept the reality we are in. I can never use it in posts seriously, it feels like too low hanging fruit. We can't acknowledge any of this image in civilized conversation. Looks like a BOYS LOVE MANGA COVER

[2n2n]

I think whether or not one wants the Yugi to literally kiss or have sex, *waves hand* is a matter of taste, preference, whatever. Take it or leave it. Perhaps a purely platonic tale about childhood attachment, the undying protective love of an older brother. Knows no bounds. Noble and sweet.

My personal preference is that, there's something narratively unsatisfying about the Yugi twins journey being.....

sweet funny playful twins-> some bizarre unknowable painful middle period-> murder-suicide, soulbinding, eternal imprisonment, tied fates-> back to normal sweet funny playful twins. Hooray shrimp birthday! Catching bugs! Woo.

Sure I think the Yugi, would be happier if they could act as they did at age 4, cuddling and napping and holding hands once more.............. but if that was our only goal, to return to a previous status-quo, I would kinda be like................................................................. OK but what was the emotion that somehow turned into murder-suicide? something would feel left unsaid. Anybody gonna ... ?? gonna explain .....................................

If Amane only loved his little brother the normal conventional way, why would he refuse to ever say it out loud? Is he that besot by toxic masculinity that he can't allow himself a mundane platonic affection? Why would he dance around their history & obfuscate everything... like he's afraid of something being discovered. Why can't his girlfriend know he liked his brother normal style? Why even be shy about Tsukasa getting cuddly in Picture Perfect? Oh yeah, we endured a bad situation together and then I saved him the only way I could... pretty sad but like, acceptable, you know.

if you would just like to eat donuts and watch frankenstein forever contentedly, why would it look like this 😂

[2n2n]

Why do you think the twins are incestuous? 👀

its a complicated question to answer, isn't it?

I don't think the Yugi ever consummated anything physically, in their living life. I don't think anything sexual ever occurred. I'll remind that Tsukasa is very childish & innocent-minded, to the point of completely missing sexual innuendo from others... there is noooo, absolutely nooooo evidence he was sexually abusive, or honestly, could even understand the concept fully. In many ways, that's half the problem........................

I think if the Yugi did partake of any intimacy, there wouldn't be so much left unsaid, misunderstood, and aching between them. There is far too much LONGING here for there to have ever been CLIMAX in ANY sense. It's a long, slow, festering mess, which ended in a murder, not in fucking.

Amane's key flaw is that he doesn't talk about his feelings; he doesn't explain what he's doing or why he's doing it. This is his perpetual conflict with Nene-chan, who is always left wondering, in situations like Picture Perfect and the Severance, "why did Hanako do this to me?""What does Hanako truly want?". He's obtuse, he's afraid, he's avoidant. He would like to disappear from situations without ever having to explain himself properly... after he's exerted some kind of control, or perhaps grand gesture of his devotion. He does this to both Tsukasa and Nene-chan....

What Amane feels for his brother, Tsukasa, is left unsaid. Amane's love takes the form in strange, abstract, poetic, obtuse gestures of possessiveness and capture. He loves to save, to keep, but he hates to explain just why he is motivated to do that.

Tsukasa is convinced his brother hates him.

So I think it's safe to assume, nothing heartfelt was ever directly offered to Tsukasa... not in touch, not in words. There was always this ambiguity with Amane. Within that ambiguity, Tsukasa's surprisingly pessimistic nature, assumed obvious hatred. Of course, Amane is more likely to snap or get mad defensively, than he is to say "I love you".

for as little resistance, for as much support, for all her dogged pursuit of his truth, even chasing him into a corner and slapping him, Nene-chan still hasn't heard a lot of things from Hanako. She has a kind of confidence, and the conventions of their genders, to help her reach the conclusion that Hanako likes her. Between them, it can be somewhat 'obvious'! AFTER SO MANY DERANGED DEBACLES!!!!!

But Tsukasa is only Amane's annoying little brother. So how and why would Tsukasa ever make the leap of logic that Amane loves him?

Tsukasa doesn't ever make that leap. There isn't obvious enough evidence.

Amane however, wishes his saving, protecting, keeping of Tsukasa, was the evidence and extent of his love. He threw away his 'future' for Tsukasa. Amane does not want Tsukasa to believe he hates him. He wants Tsukasa to just get the message that he loves him very much. But all of his efforts tink off the surface of the obtuse Tsukasa.

All of this reached the plain-text head in the Clockkeepers chapters. Amane actually went so far as to hastily conclude "if you can't understand my gesture, you're NOT REALLY MY LITTLE BROTHER!! HE WOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS DOING!!!!!!!!!!! FAKE!!!!! YOU'RE NOT REALLY HIM!!!!!" <- crazy guy at the end of his rope, who apparently believes his 'real' little brother could never misunderstand the bizarre, epic love-proclamation of shinjuu->yorishiro......................

Personally, I think Tsukasa waited years to try to understand what it is that Amane wanted of him, and yet, it never quite became clear. Because Amane never said it!!!!!!!!!!

No matter how you choose to perceive it, the Yugi have a long, complicated, deep, extreme level of attachment to one another. Enough for Tsukasa to become Amane's yorishiro. Enough for the two to have seemingly, never had other friends or lives outside of each other, during their time alive. Enough to not dream of a life without the other there. Tsukasa would never dream of a future without Amane, and Amane obviously could not simply live placidly in a future without his little brother.

I think it's an attachment outside of acceptable societal perceptions and boundaries. I think it is, "weird" and "freaky", if anyone could see the extent of it. It would look "worrisome" "scary" "bad". If it could be seen, probably one would want to stage some kind of intervention.

*staring out the window* what does 'incestuous' mean to you, to me, to anybody? "Emotional incest" is claimed in psychology for fffffar less extreme situations.

I think Amane is unbearably in love with his little brother, with such a reverence and intensity, it's terrifying to himself, too terrifying to speak. A tremendous weight he doesn't know what to do with ... because, what does he want to do? I don't think even he knows. At least with Nene-chan, she's a hot girl... so... there are some cultural norms to clue him in on what could be satisfying, outlets to take like sexually harassing her. But having these bizarre, unreasonable, possessive fits about his brother-- unable to deal with Tsukasa just helping his peers out with a school play without jealous snarking-- what are they for, what do they terminate in, what does he WANT to happen? How would he LIKE Tsukasa to respond?

I don't think Amane knows at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buried deep.

And honestly, I don't think Tsukasa has it in his pessimistic mind to dream or fantasize or wish for 'something more' or 'something else' with Amane. His only dream is to DIE for Amane over and over and over. To offer something to Amane through sacrifice. I don't think Tsukasa can or would ever ask more from Amane!! He's happy to observe Amane's whims, be they killing him or capturing him!

I think if Amane wanted to do anything to Tsukasa-- anything-- he could, Tsukasa would be eager to receive any action from Amane. Amane could literally kill him! It goes without saying that if Amane wanted to kiss or fuck him, Tsukasa would be excited and curious to receive that!!!

AND AT THIS POINT, WE SHOULD ALL WISH TSUKASA COULD BE SURPRISED BY SOMETHING SO DELIGHTFUL AND WHIMSICAL AS A KISS....! And we should all wish that Amane could work out his feelings in some gesture more productive than screaming and stabbing and imprisoning!!!!!

The Yugi are still figuring out a lot of things...!! I don't believe either is 'happy' with the way things are, but neither of them are smart or self-perceptive enough to explore alternative answers. They are stuck in this sick loop! They can't escape the other's flaws preventing consummation!!!!

It's up to Nene-chan to help them understand what they want or how they feel, as a generous 3rd party observer...

Does Nene-chan think the Yugi are incestuous? At the moment, not at all, in my opinion. She holds respect for the tragedy, appropriate for the tone of all she's seen. She can see that somehow, in some way, they mean a lot to one another... Amane looks at Tsukasa a certain way, but... maybe it's just painful to reflect on everything that happened (which she doesn't know much about). Because they are family, she distantly can register there's 'importance' here.

I almost think it's a little too crude or a misdirection to focus on "incestuous", and personally I would rather think of the question as, "are Amane and Tsukasa in love with one another?". The answer to that question I think is yes, of course. Madly so... unendingly so. Being brothers however, I think obscures things, prevents something like 'confessions' or 'epiphany'. How do you 'realize' you are in love with someone you've been with your entire life? How does one determine that love is 'different' or 'special'? When did it change? And what does that love want for itself? You can't 'date' or 'get married' or 'have a future' together. The expectation is that you grow apart. Obviously the Yugi can never manage that.

I think Amane's painful yearning to be understood, is beyond the bounds of the sort of emotion one would typically feel for a family member. His love is so monumental, it killed Tsukasa, it bound their souls, it altered time itself. I don't think I could call such a love non-romantic or 'platonic'. It's explosive, destructive, it demands gesture and expression somehow. This emotion is trapped in the body of a boy who can't even tell the girl he likes that she is pretty, and is more likely to kill her best friend in ritual sacrifice to save her life instead. What the Yugi are is helpless!!!!! Their love resulted in one terrible crime of passion, but it should really result in a different one....

[2n2n]

i always love and appreciate your analysis of jshk, but ive grown to appreciate it even more as ive spent some time on the tbhk subreddit and read some of peoples questions, discussion and analysis on the yugis. theyre over there trying to understand the basics of checkers while youre here teaching us all an absolute masterclass in chess

unfortunately what little glimpses I have had to the average western fan's predictions or conceptualization of the story, is, unfathomably grim or shallow. Almost tinged with mistrust and fear... weirdly 'worried' about what they 'might' see.... seemingly never using established arcs to guess at story themes or even just tropes/archetypes AidaIro-sensei might like. I feel like Iro-sensei is very willfully repetitive & concise but it's Lost on the dogs.

It'll rot my brain out if I look at it so I avoid it like the plague lol... I don't need anyone whos favorite character is Yamabuki Lemon coming up with a """"theory"""""

[2n2n]

I guess I can make a separate post about, why I feel kitty as Tsukasa could be impactful & meaningful...

somehow, this festival/Clockkeepers arc in general has been very focused on making the reader curious about Tsukasa & Nene-chan. We begin with Tsukasa guiding Nene-chan towards taking control of the clock..

(much like how he encouraged Nene-chan to upend Shijima-san's world...)

and ahh we ensue so many funny, silly shenanigans between them. we see them play, Tsukasa highly entertained even as he's hurt, then we see Nene-chan spirited enough to fucking punch & bite him, throw him for a loop... him successfully charm & connect with her, rescue her, then her free him in kind, and she's teased with these glimpses of melancholy beneath his surface (much like she was teased with glimpses of Hanako's darkness early in the manga). it was an incredible speedrun of bonding.

it's difficult to imagine this thread of information being dropped or disregarded, as Iro-sensei is typically very deliberate with plot beats! I feel we were informed of "Nene-chan & Tsukasa's dynamic" perhaps to make us more open-minded and keen as we watch this kitty.... be teasing, but able to be thrown for a loop by Nene-chan. And of course, bait her with the mysterious tragedy of his life. The Yugi aren't so dissimilar, and I think this point has been made time and time again, as Nene-chan is unexpectedly freed or saved by Tsukasa, as much as she may be tricked or lied to by Hanako.

I think we've thoroughly seen Amane transformed into the villain of many arcs, with Picture Perfect (wherein Tsukasa guides Nene-chan to intimacy with Shijima-san to enable her escape) and Severance (wherein Tsukasa pities Nene-chan for being refused the romanticism of choosing to die to be with Hanako) doing so

it would be interesting then, to fully & completely display Tsukasa's capacity for heroism or kindness, as much as we've utterly displayed Amane's capacity for pure murderous cruelty in the dramatic circumstance of the Red House's curse.

We should think of it as perhaps a consequence of plot, that one twin is our ally while the other is seemingly our enemy... and not a consequence of the goodness or badness of any Yugi's heart.

does either twin ever really have the autonomy, or the position in life, to make some noble moral choice? Kaii have compromised existences by nature. Fate always comes for one of the Yugi, as one of them was always intended to die. They do the best they can with what they have access to, but may subjugate others as much as they may be subjugated by others. Becoming prisoner to a system, or becoming an arbiter of some aspect of the system.

I don't think either Yugi ever has meaningful agency over their position in life, whether they will have opportunity for 'good' or 'bad', or their ability to see their actions from the mundane perspective. And kaii positions on life's value are naturally inhuman. Yugi-sensei speaks only of some beautiful assimilation into God's oblivion. For someone who perhaps had no choice in the fate of those he loved, maybe that's the best way to understand it.

We've seen plenty of Amane trying to make the best of a bad situation... at the cost of other's lives or autonomy. (And I think we do see the same with Tsukasa, but in a way I think readers can deny or refuse to acknowledge... )

If Tsukasa were put into a more Amane-like situation, tasked to a life of servitude to atone for a crime, what would he behave like? What would his concept of morality be? I don't think Tsukasa is any more 'naturally' inclined towards evil madness than Amane is.

Maybe he could become a plain & simple victim of a system which saw the best use for him as an empty-headed slave. And maybe in that position, he could do his flimsy best to steer children away from being caught in the Clockkeeper's gears, as much as Amane stops meddlesome kaii as Number 7.

I would just see that at the moment, anyway, as more interesting than a repetitive situation wherein Amane is, again, a kind of prisoner-servant, as he already is in our main timeline. Stories generally have repetition for a ... reason. To teach you something or pronounce it. I think Iro-sensei is a great storyteller, honestly...! I really do!!! Reveals are trickled out with a lot of precursor! To me, the precursor would suggest we don't understand enough about Tsukasa yet ...

the 'rotten root' we are committed to cutting out to make the world 'better'. Does Tsukasa always make the world 'worse'? It couldn't be more blunt at this point, right? We aren't meant to agree with the Clockkeeper's grim assessment of 'correct' timelines. We love what we love even if it's 'wrong' or 'strange' or 'dangerous' or 'not meant to be'. That's the entirety of HanaNene....! How do we determine what timeline is 'better'?

If HanaNene relies on Tsukasa's sacrifices being part of the timeline, how can we see him as bad for our story? So, shouldn't the story gradually work to make us see him as not bad? We don't want to see him blown up. It won't help us. We need him. But why? What is he trying to do, what does he want, what is he like?

Perhaps some readers can be tricked into loving him if he's a cute kitty cat (:

[2n2n]

not only tsukasa deserves to win a lil but nene-chan! she wins her dreams of a harem X3

she's such a good and hardworking girl, so thoughtful and patient, she deserves to be spitroasted by a pair of twins until she can't tell them apart 🤧 so cruel to ask her to be happy in a normal bog standard monogamous relationship... after what she's been through...? when it's so convenient her boyfriend has a twin

[2n2n]

if you imagine Tsukasa having a crush on Nene-chan, doesn't his life become rather miserable and painful to dwell on? If you can visualize his concept of 'reality', where his brother (who he adores) hates him, and this cute girl, she adores his brother too (just like he does) and so naturally won't want anything to do with him either. There's simply not a version of reality where anything he could want is really within his grasp, to a point he doesn't even dream of it being any different. He just accepts it. The people he likes, like eachother more than they could or would ever like him. He's happy for them. He could make their wish to be together come true.

but it should take this kind of situation to drive pity out of even the most monogamous reader, once all is on the table it must come to mind, "can't he win just a little bit?". and as Nene-chan is more or less our reader-surrogate often, she should inevitably come into that thought herself. And maybe she would let him win a little bit.