With “Make Our Days Count,” the creators of the HIStory series prove yet again that they are brilliant in producing sweet, lovable, high quality BL (ending here notwithstanding—more on that later). Although this latest installment in the compilation gives us no novel or unique plotlines, what it does provide are stories that are relatable, endearing, and genuine, and the actors deliver beautifully in bringing these tales to life.

Making up our primary couple is Xiang Hao Ting (popular, confident, and charismatic) and Yu Xi Gu (reserved, studious, and a bit of a loner). Their dispositions could not be more different, and it makes the perfect contrast. Xi Gu was beyond adorable—words cannot begin to describe!—and I loved seeing Hao Ting dote on him and turn into a sweet, adoring boyfriend.

Our secondary couple is Sun Bo Xiang and Lu Zhi Gong. This is another storyline we’ve seen before—one pining for the other in an unrequited love—but I think the age difference between the two characters (and how it relates to their dynamic in the relationship) adds a nice, differentiating touch. I don’t think the chemistry between these two is quite as good as the chemistry between Hao Ting and Xi Gu, but by no means is it awkward or unbelievable. These two were very fun to watch and made for a good second storyline.

With both couples we experience alternating moments of doting, adorable sweetness and well-executed, passionate sexiness. The romance was earnest and pure, and I felt that the pacing was good for the number of episodes. Each couple was given just the right amount of time to develop their relationship and tell their story. As for the series overall: solid writing, likeable supporting cast, minimal filler, and although (like I said earlier) the storylines have been done before, nearly nothing felt contrived or manufactured. Nearly everything flowed smoothly, which is what we’ve all come to expect and appreciate in a HIStory series.

THAT SAID, I was disappointed with the ending. Like others, it’s not that I can’t stand sad endings or don’t appreciate them, but this one did feel contrived. It came out of nowhere and didn’t fit with the rest of the story. The shock value it added to the show seemed to outweigh anything else, and it created a jarring, disjointed finale. I totally get the other argument that this ending gives meaning to the title of the series, but I feel like it would be more compelling if more time was spent on the immediate aftermath, rather than ending after a huge time jump with no explanation or reflection in between. I don’t think it got the development and attention it deserved, and the series as a whole suffered for it. Had more time been spent on it—or had the time been better spent—I think it wouldn’t have felt so sudden and out of place.

Overall, I do recommend. I think the series could have ended perfectly right before the end of episode 18, but in terms of acting, writing, production quality, and chemistry, it remains high on the list.