Let's talk about Yayoi, and what we understand of Akihiko and his changing feelings towards Ugetsu and Haruki through her eyes and behavior.
I call it the curious case of one Kaji Akihiko.
I feel like Yayoi has known Akihiko longer than Haruki.
They're in the same year, so it seems feasible.
And one of Yayoi's first impressions of Aki is that he wouldn't hide whom he loved at all. His eyes always followed them.
(Yeah its not like he changed. its just that NOW HE CAN BE HIMSELF)
So she knew of Ugetsu and should've known that she had no chance?
But still she jokingly confessed to Aki, and he turned her down.
Yet she didn't give up entirely.
I'm guessing Aki's behavior towards the person she thought he had a crush on changed somehow, and that gave her hope that she could still have a chance, even if a little bit?
So, even after she was rejected we had seen her riding together with Akihiko. Or them being friendly in the campus.
Aki seems pretty fond of her. He has a tendency to take care of people he likes anyway. And he likes Yayoi, that much is evident.
So much so, that Haruki thinks that she is his girlfriend.
Akihiko's behavior is pretty curious here too. We know that he was trying to hide his shameful gigolo image from Haruki.
Like here, in this flashback, he noticed Haruki and he is all like, 'don't talk to me now.' to his companion.
It's more like he wants Haruki to notice him with this respectable beautiful girl, (who also happens to be Ritsuka's sister. Yayoi is NOT harmful for his image in front of Haruki.)
It's more or less clear that at this point of time Akihiko wasn't thinking of ever trying to woo Haruki, or date him. He was just hiding his true self and his ugly relationship and his shameful lifestyle from Haruki as not to make him hate him, or see him as inferior.
But it didn't change the fact that he was inadvertently falling in love with Haruki.
(Here's one thing I am sure of, Akihiko met Haru right after Ugetsu broke up with him out of nowhere, and twas from the very first meet that Haru became his savior, his go to comfort blanket if you will.)
Well, so going back to Yayoi, she went to the summer competition, of course for Ritsuka, but more importantly to try to get closer to Akihiko.
She totally wasn't aware of Haruki at this time. But she was wary of Ugetsu, as she should've been. 🤷🏽♀️
Just look at her face.
(Also notice Akihiko's expression here please! He is so on edge that Ugetsu actually showed up at his safe place, his band's performance! 😭 I always say every panel and every expression in given matters and just please please please pay attention to it.)
Ah! These panels are hilarious, they were funny the first time I read them, but in retrospect, they are even funnier.
Haruki jealous of the person he thinks is Akihiko's girlfriend, that alleged girlfriend Yayoi wary of the person she thinks Akihiko is in love with but may be slowly getting over.
And ugetsu all smug.
He has no idea what's gonna hit him LMAO.
Anyyyway, here's where things get interesting.
At this point Aki had trauma bonding with Ugetsu, but he had fallen in love with Haru.
From right after Ugetsu showed up, Akihiko's behavior is noteworthy. He is on edge and extra clingy to Haruki.
Just look at his face here. He didn't have any reason to be that shaken here in normal circumstances.
And then in the very next panel we have this Yayoi, noticing the look on Akihiko's face looking at Haruki. We can't see his eyes, keeping true to Kizu's style.
But yeah it's the very next panels. And what she sees is Akihiko for no reason at all following Haruki like a lost puppy.
Really, he didn't need to follow Haruki like that that very moment.
Ritsuka had already took off, things had been taken care of.
He just needed to be closer to Haruki to calm his nerves, what with Ugetsu's presence putting more pressure on him.
And notice these panels of Yayoi, uncanny similarity with Ugetsu's "bye bye Akihiko" while he goes chasing after Haruki.
And then we see Haruki as the one totally in charge here. Looking after everyone, calming everyone down.
The moment Haruki is trying to go do things a little away from Akihiko, Aki is all like, I will go with you too.
He is not needed there, Haru isn't even looking at him, Take Chan is one of the organizers and obviously Haruki is the one to set everything up for their band.
He just can't be away from Haruki for a moment.
And he needs Haruki to look at him, pay attention to him.
Yes, he wants Haruki to know how important Haruki is for them and their band, but that's more for his own sake than Haruki's sake here.
Haruki might not have noticed, and we might have not noticed the first time reading it, but really, Haruki just saved Akihiko here again too. Not the band, but Akihiko himself.
And how cute is his “I might end up dying too?” Knowing full well Haruki would react the way he did? He just wanted Haruki to care for him😭
And Yayoi witnessed it, and witnessed Akihiko looking at Haruki during the performance. And how heartbroken she must had been, to know that Aki is surely getting over one person, but has fallen for another one like this, too deep, too desperate? And it's not her?
😭
Her love remained one sided.
Thank God for Take Chan!
He is way better for Yayoi than Akihiko could ever be anyway. 😭
