So...

even though I just posted a complete different comment, I agree with the greatest part of your analysis. About the ring, I think the explanation is very simple, and I am surprised nobody offers it. When Keiichi ordered it, he meant it as an engagement ring. He didn't make two because he meant to propose - that is what he finally did, is not like they are really married now. Shingo can buy him a ring as he likes, if he wants to. I think the mangaka should write something more about Jin and Kei's family, because there lies the reason he's who he is. I never forgot the crazy way he acted against his brother- not to talk the time he practically abused Shingo on the floor while Jin and Rio were outside the door, that was unbelievable. If you accept something like that from your partner, then you have to tolerate everything. Keiichi somehow is very insecure himself, but he's an actor and he acts like everything is fine. If I have to judge from his older brother, they have some serious issues too. Jin is pathetic, even though adorable. They definitely have something wrong, but yes: there should be something more explicit in the plot. Again, I can only hope it is meant to be a longer story, so the author leaves something suspended.

This is a relationship between two guys, just because one of them is a seme and one is an uke doesn't mean that the seme does not want to be treated the same too, maybe he wants shingo to get him a ring, who knows ┑(￣Д ￣)┍, why does it have to be keiichi all the time who give extra attention to shingo while shingo did so few attention to keiichi about such thing. and he did bullied shingo once when he ate ramen all by himself and not sharing it with keiichi, and sensei make that whole extra chapter about the ramen incident specifically lol. there you can see how keiichi is a little bit, he wants to be pampered too! ε=ε=(ノ≧∇≦)ノ and it's the extra chapter here http://www.mangago.me/read-manga/kuroneko_kareshi_no_afurekata/mf/v01/c003.5/4/ so that has got to be something as a background story to keiichi.

You have to keep in mind the whole story so far not just this volume. Keiichi is a dominant and possesive character who is head over heels for Shingo and he gets jealous easily, plus likes to bully his uke (a total S). So from this volume you can take that Angelo (the director) is well known to Keiichi, Jin and Ei, it is stated that Angelo likes cute things and have no problem wooing either women or men so both Keii and Ei are trying to keep him away from their loved ones. Also Angelo is a respected director in America and Keii was going to be working with him so he had to keep a good relationship with him, thats why he is accompaning him every night. As for his behaviour on this volume I dont blame him Shingo was all over the place and kind of piss him off by doubting both his feelings and his love with all that talk about the loss of his scent and not wanting him. Then Shingo suggested breaking up because he did not think he would be able to remain faithful when Keii leaves (and told him while in bed, talk about crushing a mans pride). Then when Keii left Shingo went to the photographer house and suggested to either top or bottom him and Keii was called and was told all that so that might have added to his anger. Dont get me wrong of course I undertand about Shingos past and I totally love him but given his behaviour on this volume I totally shipped and pittied Keii...

You obviously did not get the greater part of my commentary at all. And here's a news flash a relationship is a relationship be it between a man and a woman or a man and a man. Please get this straight my argument has nothing to do with gender identity or gender roles. It was Keichi who bought the ring in the first place as a symbol of ownership hence the onus of providing two rings to symbolize an equal relationship was inferred toward him. This is not about whether Keichi has to run after Shingo to give him more love and attention nor whether Shingo has to spoil Keichi. In truth as I said earlier this relationship is unhealthy because they are both in the wrong for their actions. However I still don't understand why this character Keichi does things that will ultimately undermine his relationship with Shingo if he values him so much. You can link to that ramen chapter all you want and in turn I will remind you that Shingo in the very first manga left Keichi he ran out of the house and into a box to escape. This means Keichi knew from the very first Shingo has a history of abandonment issues. You don't treat a partner with these problems this way.

The managaka has made no attempt to explain why Keichi behaves the way he does. Its a very lopsided depiction in fact of their relationship with Shingo having a very unhealthy and very dependent and unequal stance in the relationship he’s in with Keichi. The only true tool Shingo has at his disposal is sex and his ability to leave the relationship. Kiechi bought the house they live in, he bought more clothes for Shingo, he wants to control who Shingo goes out with and who he’s friends with. I just don’t find this behavior attractive. Also if you want to talk about Keichi not being spoiled by Shingo I can point out many instances where in fact he is spoiled including in this book where Shingo purposely comes home early to make sure he is ok after his meeting with his brother.

As I said before this is a very unhealthy relationship. I do not like or approve of Keichi’s behavior here nor do I understand it. The mangaka oversimplified the ending of this book and made it seem as though both of their behaviors were somehow ok and IMO they were not.

What on Earth are you talking about? "I have to keep in mind"...its because I have not understood Keichi's behavior throughout this entire series let alone this last volume, as I said before which YOU should keep in mind, that I wrote this comment. Please - it is one thing to accompany someone for work and keep them in your favor it is entirely another not to draw a firm line between what is acceptable and what is not in a working relationship. Any mature adult and a person in a serious relationship would know this. So to keep my boss happy I will let him kiss me even when I have a live in lover? How does that make any sense at all? Your argument is totally flawed. Somehow its ok for Keichi to behave this way while still in a relationship with Shingo, but it is unacceptable of Shingo to come on to the photographer after he and Keichi had already broken up? What is that sexist and totally unequal viewpoint?

Keichi didn't even want Shingo to sit on the cameraman's lap in the 2nd volume before they had an established relationship. The entire point I was making with my comment is that BOTH Shingo & Keichi are in the wrong. Keichi's behavior was undermining of Shingo's history. Shingo's immaturity and inability to trust was undermining of Keichi's commitment to their relationship. And the majority of these behaviors stem from the unequal footing both of these two have in this relationship.

Looking at your logic in justifying such poor behaviors makes me grateful that I’m a gay man. I don’t understand why so many viewers on this site find behavior that would be appalling in their own heterosexual relationships ok because the relationship is between two men. Seriously wtf is that double standard? I'm out!

I think your comments clarify why there are so many fans to this kind of story. It is because it is realistic. Everything you pointed out is correct. But in real life people are far away rom being flawless. It's easy for the omniscient reader to say "the character should…" but when it comes to us, we go wrong. Mistakes are our best friends, but we cannot forgive them when a character we love makes them. That's not fair, if we think about it. If we try to consider both Shingo and Keiichi as human being, they we'll be allowed to simply go wrong and still be in love with each other. They are supposed to learn from each other (the story is not ended, yet!). I know for sure this story reminds me of my past mistakes - fundamental ones I will pay for the rest of my life. Of course I'd love to have been capable of not doing them. But I did - so did my lover. That's why, in the end, I think that this ability to portray human misery is one of this mangaka's strongest points. Nice to know there's some lgbtq people reading this kind of story, I really love the fact that so many heterosexuals find it so appealing, it's somehow "weird" (we could talk forever about the reasons why they love it) but I'm happy they do. It's a step in the next direction, my friend. Much better than those times when the word "gay" was forbidden. I want to live in a world where you are not "gay" you are who you are, period. Sorry for commenting twice unrequited ;) I am practically "studying" this author's writing style, and I'm interested in people's comments.

"as a symbol of ownership" HOLD IT RIGHT THERE. You sir, must have a really negative way on looking at love, relationship and life, because there are tons of other possibilities on why he gave that ring to him but YOU choose the most negative way to interpret it. Oh look, here one possibilities on why he bought the ring, He could bought the ring because he wants to erase all of shingo's insecurities about abandonment (things that you actually fuss on about), or maybe as a symbol of his love and devotion to shingo, he would not made the ring with a custom made green diamond same as shingo eye color just because he wants to own him, there has got to be tons of consideration that keiichi think of before he made that ring, and i think that is super romantic, his attention to details, his proof of how much he actually care and love shingo all of that symbol bind to that ring and it's all only for shingo and belongs to shingo and no one else. and if you can't see that at all i feel so very sorry for you.

well how else do you want others to view it when keiichi didn't buy one for himself lmao and it's clear as day that it's for ownership otherwise that ring would be able to take off but no it can't.

You make some good points. But I wonder about this, "If you accept something like that from your partner, then you have to tolerate everything." I don't think that's true. I think you can have some things you tolerate, and some that push your personal limits too far. I think communication is the key to deciding which things go too far and what isn't acceptable. What I am saying is, I think it's possible for Shingo to accept all kinds of sex that others may think is inappropriate and still demand to be treated like an equal outside of the bedroom. :)

I also hope that will be dealt with later on. I do want to know about Keiichi and his brother, but even more, I want Keiichi to realize he was wrong too regardless of whatever reasons lay behind it. Maybe wanting Keiichi to say that out loud to Shingo is too much--but I can dream.

I substantially agree. I didn't mean that is right for someone to tolerate whatever their partners like. What I meant is that once you cross a line, the line stands. I mentioned that particular episode because that is more than sex, it included his brother and even a child. And I think it's clear that Shingo loves little Rio and even that he wants Jin's approval. Keiichi is aware of how much he can humiliate Shingo before he reacts. I always defended him when I comment on this story but not because I like his attitude, which is simply crazy. It is because I think most people forget this is a story, and a good plot needs substance. In real life it would be better if they were more mature and correct to each other, but when a story turns into that, the public immediately starts to complain in a loud voice: "how boring!!!". So, I trust the mangaka has something in her mind. The story is not over and she's headed somewhere. In my opinion, there's material in this plot for further volumes, and I really hope the last chapter will not be the final one, as I read somewhere. The more she writes now, the less she will have for the sequel. But it's clear to me that there's much more to say. Something bad happened with that Angelo. I hope Kei was not that stupid to sleep with him.

That makes sense. : ) I too hope there is more coming. Some of my comments are just as a reader being in the moment, if you will. I can see where there is room for more to develop later.

sorry if my comment sounded rude, english it's not my language so sometimes I'm afraid people think I'm "judging" and of course I'm not! I love this story, I hope it will last long.

LOL Some people mistake my wordiness and sometimes tangential comments as judging or even attacks. I think strong opinions are cool as long as we don't insult each other. But then, some people find insult where none is intended, so there is that. It's cool. I like discussions.

...me too, even because a lot of people see a lot of details I couldn't notice alone. But the linguistic barrier scares me, sometimes, it is easy to sound rude just because one does not have words enough to express complicated ideas. This story is so rich in the underline…if it will happily end and stop, it will be a huge delusion for me.

This is actually the best comment I've read so far, especially for this: " I always defended him when I comment on this story but not because I like his attitude, which is simply crazy. It is because I think most people forget this is a story, and a good plot needs substance." That is my position since the beginning, and I said it before, if we get into the story like really get to in, every move Keiichi has made has login in the context of the plot and the drama. I really like both characters, they've made the story really great to read (apart from the smut of course). But yeah, essentially I wanted to high five with you because we're in the same path!

logic* not login, sorry I wrote it so fast and english is not my first language either! sorry for the mistakes.

well, thank you(づ￣ ³￣)づ, I think we all want the same thing: the story to continue… I hope we'll get some more of Ei. I like that man's style. Keiichi should lean something about dignity from him. Big bro did well.