Hey had a question about the latest chapter where he tian is kissing the phone do you think he was just doing that to be funny or was he being genuine and another thing when he tian asked mo if there is something he would like to ask him do you think he wanted him to ask a serious question or was he just joking and by question I mean ask him his feelings tords him
Both of your asks had some similar topics, so I decided to put them together. I hope you won’t mind. I picked up two main things in your asks: distance (knowing more about each other) and HT being or not being serious and I have touched upon those topics a couple of times before:
HT’s words in ch. 297 and Tianshan’s development
Will there ever be a Tianshan confession?
I will probably repeat some things. Also, it should be mentioned that the translations of ch. 323 for this answer are the courtesy of @hm-translation-groupThank you for your speedy work!
“he tian is kissing the phone do you think he was just doing that to be funny or was he being genuine”
Before we get to the new chapter, I would like to take a second to talk about this side of HT in general. I think it’s difficult to tell when HT is being serious and when he’s just trying to mess with MGS when he’s like that. I wouldn’t say the new chapter was the first time (ch. 202, 263, 290, 297, 305):
Some of those instances were perhaps more obvious cases of him teasing MGS but I think all of those times had some “fuzziness” about them. I doubt HT’s leg was really cramping but did he want to just get on top of MGS or was he actually enjoying a little moment of physical contact? Is he actually scared of the dark or was he just joking in his usual “I don’t really care” way? When he wanted to share a bed with MGS how did he picture them ending up? I’m not saying he would have forced MGS to do anything but how different the situation would have been from how it actually went down? To us readers, HT asking MGS to not abandon him sounded like it came from somewhere deep but how did those words come across to MGS? Did he take them seriously? Sadly, we didn’t see his reaction to HT’s confession of sorts. Or when HT gave MGS the studs he seemingly jokingly asked MGS to marry him but how much of that was also about him asking MGS not to leave him? Accept him and not give up on him? Especially with a soft facial expression like that?
This kind of ambiguity I think is rather typical to HT. Despite his pushiness and confidence, it’s not easy for him to be open about his true feelings. It’s clear he’s interested in MGS - I don’t think that’s unclear even to MGS anymore - but instead of saying his feelings out loud, he tends to tease, bully, and flirt. Of course, that’s a part of his character in general, but I think hiding behind jokes and pushiness makes it easier for him to express his feelings for MGS. Both the teasing and MGS’s angry-flustered reactions allow HT to hide his serious, vulnerable feelings.
I think HT’s kisses in the new chapter fit in this behavior (ch. 323):
You asked if I think he was just trying to be funny (and to rile up MGS) or was he being genuine, and I would say it was both. Again, fuzziness and ambiguity. His facial expression suggests to me that the affection was real; relaxed face, no devil smirks or horns. But at the same time, the way went about it - sneakily asking MGS to move closer and joking about how MGS cares so much about him - gives the chus the usual pushiness and teasing tone.
“do you think he wanted him to ask a serious question or was he just joking and by question I mean ask him his feelings tords him” // “Do you think he's trying to level the playing field/make Mo feel less exposed by offeing to divulge his own dark secrets, or just being soppy and testing the waters for Mo's interest in him?”
In my head, I see these questions under one umbrella term: distance. Tianshan has worked on both physical and emotional distance, and both of them have been linked to the growing trust between them. Both HT and MGS are quite guarded characters, and they both protect their physical and emotional perimeters in different ways.
HT has always been touchy about MGS bring up HT’s family or what kind of a world HT comes from (ch. 170, 274, 287):
In the beginning, HT was at his most guarded about himself in general. He was a strange mix of being lonely but also keeping people at a distance and isolating himself. It seems his family’s connections to some potentially shady things wasn’t that big of a secret, but HT didn’t want it to be brought up and he most certainly didn’t want anyone walking in on him interacting with that shady world.
There has been a lot of development since then, but in general, HT has always wanted MGS to see him as himself - not as a part of the world he has grown up in. He doesn’t want MGS to think of him as one of those people because he is not one of them. He’s working very hard not to be something else but he is also ashamed of being a part of that world of cheating, lying, and oppressing others.
That being said, HT has kind of let MGS discover things on his own. MGS knows HC is his brother, where his family lives, and what kind of people are around there. It seems MGS has always known HT is connected to shady and dangerous people, but a lot of that has also been based on rumors and assumptions. Now, he has seen some of the things by himself.
However, I think this was the first time HT offered to answer MGS’s questions on his own (ch. 323):
HT has given some details about his life in passing (for example, that he went to the aquarium as a kid) but I think this was the first time he’s offered to answer any question and basically given MGS a pass to ask whatever. He’s taking it even further by almost asking the questions himself by prompting a question about his past.
First of all, I think HT was being serious. I don’t think he would have offered if he wasn’t fully prepared to at least hear MGS’s questions. There might have been some things he wasn’t ready to talk about (his mother? his nightmares?) but MGS was allowed to ask.
Secondly, I think it was because he had pushed MGS to reveal something deep and vulnerable about himself, and HT wanted them to be on equal grounds. HT has worked hard to gain MGS’s trust, and this feels like him both “rewarding” MGS for opening up and also showing that he trusts MGS as well. HT offering to tell things about himself also most probably has to do with making them closer in general by making MGS know him better.
Personally, I don’t think HT expected MGS to ask about HT’s feelings towards him. I don’t think MGS would have asked about that either. That is just not the kind of conversation I could picture them having. At least brought up by MGS.
“Do you think Mo will ask or just hang up next chptr? Ask him at school next day? And what is Mo most curious about - He Tian's family, their jobs, if Tian's done something bad? Ex-Girls? THE SHARKS?!”
I’m doubtful that MGS will actually ask about anything. I think there are things he’s curious about HT (how come they’re so rich? aren’t there really bombs at his brother’s place? who’s the pale giant and would he let MGS ride on the bike? has HT seen real fights? HOW BIG ARE THE SHARKS AND CAN HE FEED THEM?!) but him asking would imply he is actually interested. And god forbid, that ever happens! Overall, I could see MGS ask about somewhat immature things, not to prompt a heart-to-heart about relationships and feelings.
That being said, though, I think if something “deeper” than that came up, MGS would let HT talk. He could be quiet, seemingly reluctant to listen, and even grumble about it but I think he would at least let HT talk. He would probably even listen to him. Perhaps even offer a comment or two, especially if HT said something that rubbed MGS the wrong way. Like, imagine HT implying that he feels guilty and MGS - in his usual frank way - tells him that he’s a fucking idiot for thinking like that and if he’s going to waste MGS’s time spewing nonsense, MGS might as well go do something else.
I have to admit I was a bit taken aback by HT suddenly volunteering to answer MGS’s questions like that. It felt a bit weird 180 on his part but given that MGS had told him his deepest and darkest secret, I suppose it makes sense. After the initial reaction, I have started to get quite excited about this because MGS learning more about HT’s vulnerable side is one of my favorite things in their development. I don’t know if MGS will ask anything but at least the “issue” of HT opening up has been brought up.
Thank you for your questions!
ellievsbear
blakekathryn
theartofmadeline
dededos
andulkaphoto
