skip to loafer chapter 74 analysis // spoilers
the arrival of winter brings change in the air: a chapter about puppy love, new experiences, and growing up. soon, the final year of school arrives, carrying new challenges to be faced.
i like it when we have a breather between one arc and the next, especially when we finish a chapter full of surprises and notice the beginning of an era with more and more hidden things. we are now entering a period of change: new year, new class, new challenges. and maybe... new loves?
i confess i'm a little sad to see mitsumi retire from her position as student council president. of course, this was always her plan, since now her dedication must return completely to her studies, but being a part of it was such an important milestone in her growth. thanks to the student council, we saw a much more responsible and courageous mitsumi, but without ever losing her usual charm and sparkle.
anyway, we can't escape the main topic of this chapter: love.
it's not uncommon to have senpais back to celebrate the achievements of those still in the clubs, but the return of makoto's ex-(current?)crush took me completely by surprise. i didn't expect him to show up again, even though his departure left a bit of a cliffhanger, where he reflects on how good his "date" with makoto was. but... wow! what a surprise.
i can't imagine how the two would develop from here on out. i don't know if sensei would give this love another chance to blossom, or if makoto will show she's no longer interested in him, but in someone else. i myself believed she'd found another crush somewhere. well, maybe the girls are right: there's still a hidden opportunity in his invitation. we'll have to wait for the next chapters.
i'm happy to see that mika's flirtation with the new guy is progressing casually. i like that he continued to show genuine interest in her, always texting her and wanting to start a conversation with her. i think this shows that the date invitation wasn't completely impulsive, but i still have my ears pricked up (we never know with teenage boys…).
i'm happy to see how much she's matured and is facing this whole situation in a much more mature way than before. of course, her anxiety about all this is very palpable and present (after all, things don't change overnight), but her admitting that she doesn't know him well enough to have any feelings for him is a big step and shows how she's trying to face all this with a more mature mindset. the fear and insecurity of someone who's felt ignored her whole life is still there, but the new confidence she's gained over the years also appears.
now, on the other side, in another café: the boys, of course. first of all, i wanted to comment on how cute i think yamada has been showing himself to be increasingly calm, happy, and confident. i think not only his romantic relationship, but the closeness with shima and mukai has made him even more comfortable with who he is. this makes me happy, since he's a very dear character and full of funny and youthful moments for me.
another thing i found really funny in this chapter was everyone's reaction to learning about shima's hug with mitsumi. now that everyone basically knows their history, it's impossible for them not to have a negative reaction, since mitsumi is deeply loved by them and, whether they like it or not, shima's insecurity and fear ended up hurting her in some way. even though she seems okay with all of this, she still feels very confused and doesn't quite know how to read shima's reactions and advances. after all... i don't think even he knows how to handle his impulsiveness.
i'm glad that none of the girls diminished mitsumi's desire to focus on her studies or advised her to forget everything and jump headfirst into the relationship. this shows, to me, how much they feel the need to protect mitsumi, but never enough to forbid her from doing something they really want or from making up her mind about something completely different from what she normally does. they respect their journey and embrace it without a second thought. not only them, but mitsumi herself is also very kind with her journey and wants to embrace her wishes more than what other people want from her. seeing her thinking of herself makes me proud.
i'm also very grateful that shima has someone like mukai in his life, someone who isn't afraid to speak his true feelings to his friend's face. for a long time, mukai has been irritated by shima's actions and tries his best to talk some sense into his friend so he can start breaking down his barriers without hurting anyone along the way. even though he knows shima's insecurities about relationships (romantic or otherwise), he knows there's no point in acting impulsively without first reflecting on what really matters and what doesn't. and now he has an even greater advantage in all of this: yamada is by his side.
previously, surrounded by people who only wanted status for themselves and cared little about him, shima barely knew how to open up to others in situations where he felt completely lost. often, he even believed he didn't have the privilege of being true to his feelings and seeking help from others. now, not only mukai but also yamada are there to lay all their cards on the table and give shima the chance to choose the right one, even if he makes some mistakes along the way. having two people by shima's side, speaking to him about what he often struggles to see, is a huge step.
it's quite clear that shima has romantic feelings for mitsumi—and now, even he knows it. but he still can't completely silence the voice inside him that keeps putting him down and reminding him of all his past "romantic relationships" that went wrong. in his mind, not only does he have no right to be loved, but he also sees himself as a ticking time bomb: it's as if everyone he's involved with is about to explode at any minute and have their lives ruined (whether from envy, gossip, jealousy, or even just his own barriers that are way too high for anyone to climb).
it's time for shima to look in the mirror and ask herself: if i don't pursue this opportunity that i feel was stolen from me, who will?
finally, the high point of the chapter for me: yuzu reflecting on being left behind while all her friends are moving forward.
perhaps a lot of my own experience comes up when i talk about this topic, but it's something that makes me think a lot about my teenage years when i discuss it. the fear of never seeing yourself fall in love with someone, the desire to connect with your friends when they're discussing romantic relationships but never feeling ready to, the loneliness that comes along the way. it’s hard to try to put your feelings into words when you don’t have a big vocabulary to begin with.
yuzu had a very complicated childhood when it comes to how other people saw her. always seen as just a pretty shell, she had a hard time opening up completely to others, and often when she did, she was deceived or tricked, as happened when she moved to a new class and tried to make new friends. so, it's not completely out of the ordinary for her to feel completely uncomfortable trying anything romantic with someone.
but, when we're teenagers, doubt, desire, and questions are always following us. it's very hard not to feel left behind when we grow up with the idea that the next steps always come with a romantic relationship in the middle. for many people, the idea of advancing in life is only possible if they are living life with a loving partner (high school is a great time to fall in love for the first time; in college, you can meet your life partner; work = finding someone to marry.). it's not hard to imagine what a teenager's mind is like when she sees all her friends following this path except her. what is wrong with her? is she somewhat broken?
my reading of yuzu is that of someone who grows up with a lot of aroace thoughts. i don't think she'd be aro, but i see a lot of ace doubts in her. and i also see her coming to terms with herself as a lesbian woman. for me, an excellent future for yuzu's arc would be her discovering she's queer and opening up to the people around her. it would be another huge step for skip to loafer to take, and i don't think sensei is afraid to explore it.
we'd better prepare ourselves for the birth of a winter arc marked by many, many changes. whether it's the way they all relate to other people or even their new life at school, since now the next giant step in their lives is choosing a college.
thank you for reading 💛!!! don't forget to support sensei if you can!! see you next monthhhh