Noa and Yoojin are absolute sweethearts, and Ritte is trash <3
I think we’ve all noticed how similar Yoojin and Noa are (something that is even mentioned in the novel). This is likely due not only to the fact that they serve as parallels—representing "what-ifs" of each other—but also to something else entirely. It might just be my hatred speaking from the deepest depths of my being, but I believe another reason Yoojin identifies so strongly with Noa is Ritte. Both have been victims of Ritte: she attempted to sexually assault Yoojin (and one could argue that she *did* assault him, given that she touched him inappropriately and tore his shirt), while she subjected Noa to incessant humiliation throughout his entire life. Yoojin feels this immense affection for Noa—not just because he views him as a child, or because they are parallels, or because Noa is one of the few people who hasn't tried to rip his arm off—but because he can identify with the fear that Noa feels.
Throughout the novel, I couldn't help but notice how my precious boy tries to avoid being alone with Ritte, or how uncomfortable he gets whenever Yerim mentions she’s going to hang out with her. Like many things in this novel, this isn't spelled out for you directly; you have to look for the details—though in this case, I didn't even have to look; they were glaringly obvious. Whenever Yoojin is attacked, he typically ignores it, downplays it, and continues to act normally around the person who harmed him; but with Ritte, it was different. Yoojin actively tries to avoid getting too close to her or being alone with her. I also noticed that Yoojin grew even closer to Director Song after he turned out to be the only person who took the fact that he had been assaulted seriously. Sadly, it wasn't at the right moment, so nothing could be done about it, but that was a nice touch. If you’re a reader of the Webtoon, this might sound a bit strange to you—since, unfortunately, this topic has turned into something of a running joke—but the novel delves much deeper into these small details I just mentioned, particularly regarding Yoojin’s fear.
Of course, Yoojin thinks Noa is an angel—and I feel the same way; the only downside is that he’s French. But even so, after what I’ve seen, I believe their connection goes beyond just "he’s a guy I get along with." Yoojin sees him as a reflection of who he himself could have been, and as someone who understands—at least in part—what he is going through.
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