So when i first read it, , i didn't feel anything in particular since it wasn't completed but basically thats how the story is set up. We see this doctor who offers these massages to relieve his clients' stress. He has a permanent business smile but his hands are gentle: hence "Minori's Hands"
Then we see that he is a nice guy albeit self critical and self punishing, he cares for his clients enough to help them out with favours. Plus, we see that the distant Minori is all but a front he keeps, while his closed heart is deeply missing Souta as he continues to punish himself but this changes when he decides to be a part of a broadcast, wishing deep down to be found and hopefully forgiven by Souta. They haven't been in contact and he knows that him running away caused Souta grief so he's decided to stay away.
Cue Souta finding him, him wanting Souta to hate him because that's how Minori sees himself- someone worth hating.
But that's when we get to know: Minori hates himself for something the audience deems very small but that's precisely why certain characters don't resonate with everyone. Minori hates himself for not helping Souta enough, for not magically fixing him when Souta tends to bulldoze his way through practice. But he's just a club manager who knows limited massages and mind you, they were in Uni (basically young) and that he couldn't be there or help when Souta inevitably collapsed.
So yes, those 5 years were unnecessary when they could've just talked it out. But i also blame it on the youth thing. But on the brighter side, it helped both of them to move forward a little. Him becoming a chiropractor and him becoming a coach. While Minori kept suffering from the guilt of abandoning him ultimately I don't think he's a bad trash seme and so does Souta because Minori only has the deepest of loves for him and isn't toxic.
So when i first read it, , i didn't feel anything in particular since it wasn't completed but basically thats how the story is set up. We see this doctor who offers these massages to relieve his clients' stress. He has a permanent business smile but his hands are gentle: hence "Minori's Hands"
Then we see that he is a nice guy albeit self critical and self punishing, he cares for his clients enough to help them out with favours. Plus, we see that the distant Minori is all but a front he keeps, while his closed heart is deeply missing Souta as he continues to punish himself but this changes when he decides to be a part of a broadcast, wishing deep down to be found and hopefully forgiven by Souta. They haven't been in contact and he knows that him running away caused Souta grief so he's decided to stay away.
Cue Souta finding him, him wanting Souta to hate him because that's how Minori sees himself- someone worth hating.
But that's when we get to know: Minori hates himself for something the audience deems very small but that's precisely why certain characters don't resonate with everyone. Minori hates himself for not helping Souta enough, for not magically fixing him when Souta tends to bulldoze his way through practice. But he's just a club manager who knows limited massages and mind you, they were in Uni (basically young) and that he couldn't be there or help when Souta inevitably collapsed.
So yes, those 5 years were unnecessary when they could've just talked it out. But i also blame it on the youth thing. But on the brighter side, it helped both of them to move forward a little. Him becoming a chiropractor and him becoming a coach. While Minori kept suffering from the guilt of abandoning him ultimately I don't think he's a bad trash seme and so does Souta because Minori only has the deepest of loves for him and isn't toxic.