A STEP UP TO LOVE

Probably the best Chinese BL Drama adaptation of the year 2023 so far. Addicted Heroine had issues back in 2015 after the NRTA stripped it down from airing before it was even concluded for having way too many bed scenes which was very tragic and since the beginning of the year didn't go well for shows like A League of Nobleman and Justice in the Dark which suddenly stopped airing without any news, Stay With Me has not only taken me by surprise but I'll highlight everything that makes the show splendid.

This time round, Stay With Me has a much darker tone attached to it than the original series and not to mention the longer run time gives us a more deeper understanding of the series since a lot of more scenes have been included to make it more interesting.

Secondly, the chemistry of the main leads is second to none and they have a more realistic evolution from enemies to lovers the fact being that each of them is a lonely and broken individual that eventually ends up finding refuge in the other, as the show progresses we can feel there compatibility becoming more and more intense.

Thirdly, boyslove is boyslove and we'll keep it at that, very much like the untamed, despite the fact that the series was deficient in kissing scenes one could literally read the sincere affection of both characters, Su Yu and Wu Bi have delivered it best yet again as I last felt the intensity of such a lovestory back in 2021 with the dramas KILLER AND HEALER and WORD OF HONOUR which I find to be the most appealing construct taking boyslove to a whole new and more humane and meaningful level as something more than casual sex between boys to a development of sincere and intimate feelings.

The wuxia fighting scenes were pretty much unexpected for a modern drama but as it wasn't overdone, I found them slightly more interesting to take in. While the Characters played by Su Yu and Wu Bi are more captivating since aside from being scripted, there is that understanding that can be seen on the screen instantly and felt that the actors opened up more sincerely to themselves and embraced their characters to give them the best reality. This for me is the most intense forbidden true love weathering the storms of life and standing the true test of time.

Finally, besides not being an overdone romantic show, Stay With Me is mature with very many heartwarming scenes, clear character development and growth, unrestrained compassions and bitter moments, feelings of regret and reserve which narrate the common, unseen hardships of life which make it a more realistic coming of age drama as we have gone through most of this in real life and watching the show is like a therapy that enables us best understand the characters played on top of just enjoying them.

Ultimately, Stay with Me has that urge that keeps you wanting more and more of the show, not boring at all but every scene only suspensive will have you on edge worried about what will happen next to keep you fully indulged which makes it so far my favourite Cdrama of the year 2023 having set a milestone in this industry and even perhaps my drama of the year but most importantly because it impressed me in more ways than I could have imagined.

At this rate, nothing can stop me from longing for a second season.

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WE COULD HAVE BEEN BEAUTIFUL

"In the heart of Seoul’s electric hum,
Where towers scrape the sky, and dreams collide,
I found you, a fleeting ghost in the throng,
A silhouette dancing in the neon glow. "

I'M CRYING WHILE WRITING THIS

I felt this, entirely, every bit of it, laughter at its sincerest, a symphony of unspoken hopes, echoing through the alleyways of solitude, two men wear their hearts like a fragile charm, amidst the shadows, their secrets intertwined. It is very hurtful, very sickening but it is the true testament of the life of every gay man with HIV. This is beyond a lovestory, it is a tragedy and if you can not handle pain it is going to break you because it is one of those shows that will teach you that you can't always have everything that you want.


I am in love with the cast, they did pull it off, with perhaps the deepest understanding of their characters, you can feel the frantic pursuit of love in a very vast city, the characters are but small insignificant people, but they make themselves matter, every emotion gets deeply etched, once again if you are after depression you are on the right track.


Damn, who wrote the bloody script, I can't forget that one too, every word feels deep enough to cut the soul and you feel it in your marrow and ask yourself how is it that fate could be as heartless, but luckily enough they told no lies at all, this is what has always been happening in a patriarchal society like Korea where for gay men survival can be a living hell.


They shouldn't lie to you, this isn't fiction, this story is the true awfulness of a country like Korea to gay people. But will you love the story? Yes. Everything about this series has been executed to perfection, from the sombre scenes, the cruel heartbreaks, the longing of all characters for a place to call a loving home, rejection from the family and persecution of the world, its all in here and it is enough.


Definitely one of the best Korean BLS of all time, I'd trade a lifetime for it, even Netflix after all life isn't just rainbows and butterflies and if you feel you can not take in too much tragedy, don't bother otherwise, watch at your own risk

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BOY ISSUES JUST GOT BIG

TO ALL THE BOYS

Boys don't cry, boys aren't emotional, boys are supposed to be strong, But what's the most beautiful moment of my life?

This show is a lot for an average person to take in, when dealing with abusive parents, poverty, family pressures, PTSD, suicide, promises, and everything that is part of a teenager's life. Seven beautiful boys from Seven different families living in Seven different worlds come together and are obviously trying to navigate the complexities of teenage hood, growing up, I'll be honest until now I'd never thought that Boy issues could get as big as Girls make theirs seem or even worse.

This is one hell of a bumpy and perfectly toxic friendship if you could sum it up and there'll most probably never be another show that beats this drama at that. A detailed account of the pain most people go through but you do not notice, the lies most people tell themselves to feel better and people who feel they get more than they deserve and those who get less instead, I had never imagined there could be a show that sheds more light on the meaning of youth and the pain of survival, the true meaning of perseverance.

The bromance is swoon worthy, every bit of it tastes no different from hot chocolate on a cold night. We've seen kids dealing with serious issues in EXTRACURRICULAR, WEAK HERO CLASS, THAT MOMENT AT EIGHTEEN, SCHOOL 2013 and AT A DISTANCE SPRING IS GREEN but perhaps none of those shows could hit deeper and more real than BEGINS YOUTH has

This is a show for the heavy hearted especially because it deals with primarily broken characters that are trying to heal. All relationships come pretty intense and vibrant and yet the characters seem very fragile but persistent when enduring everything. Besides, It is commendable enough that most of this series speaks to people who have gone through some of the worst extremes in life than one could imagine.

No show made me smile and cry just as much eventually especially when dealing with overbearing parents, rigid societies and corrupted institutions because you would be surprised that high school life could become a physical and psychological living hell where we are all trying to survive. No show made me understand the meaning of living life and the need of not wanting to give up on it.

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DON'T STOP

Eun Seom, Sa Ya, Ta Gon, Tanya, Taelha, You'll get blown away, with a set of more ruthless and ambitious characters, much deeper and intimate actors, there is no way you'd want to stop watching the show that might be the ultimate fantasy kdrama we have been waiting for all year and I'll give my reasons why.

After learning earlier this year that I had to say goodbye to Song and hello to Joon Gi, I can't say that I was disappointed so I spent much of my time stalking Joon Gi's Instagram where I couldn't get enough of the teasers, first looks and small scenes, lemme cut the long story short.

The execution of this drama this time round is something that I found very interesting and I have loved every bit of it, as our characters have become more mature, they have become complicated as well but don't get me wrong the story won't be confusing because I love complicated characters.

There's much more to tell.

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A BLOODY ROMANCE

Officially China's first LEGIT BL series since the airing of WORD OF HONOUR and KILLER AMD HEALER back in 2021, JUSTICE IN THE DARK brings a whole new trope on the Stage.

Luo Wei Zhao is a hot headed officer whose always up and about trying to seek justice on one hand and Pei Su, his fellow main lead being a victim of past trauma is a reserved person which gets the story very interesting because of many reasons.

To begin with, there's one of these three things that I like the most in any bl theme drama, a cute age Gap between the main male leads, the fact that the leads are polar opposites and the thought that if it's not an office set up it's a police plot.

Putting all that aside you'll definitely enjoy the melodrama within the series as first and foremost every event has a way in which it takes an unexpected turn which makes the drama at least for me highly unpredictable which curiosity keeps me propelled to keep watching as I don't find the show boring.

Secondly, I admire the fact that the chemistry of the main couple is very intense as they each probably have a way of keeping their thoughts concealed from one another but somehow it feels like their psychic connection has a way it pulls out their innermost feelings and portrays them even in their silence.

The most important thing however is the fact that this plot feels slightly more original than that in many other bl dramas since it has some elements of sci-fi esque and every emotion feels so real while the pacing is on point and the character design and development will get you hooked immediately as every character in the tale is given enough attention and in a way, we still keep our lead couple at the forefront and don't end up losing them into the story.

Silent reading being a new drama trope has got me swoon over as there are moments that you're gonna just cry because the tragic and sombre moments have a way that they make you witness the love between our lead couple that stands the true test of painful time.

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OFFGUN IN THE KITCHEN HITS SWEETLY DIFFERENT

I must say that people are being just too paranoid about this. After Not Me, Senior Secret Love Puppy Honey, Theory of Love. Everything about Offgun makes these guys undoubtedly one of the best and most successful onscreen couples in Thai BL. While of course each of these shows portrays them as relatively mature characters, I guess Cooking crush has given me something different.

We've seen these guys act cute before, I mean there was I'M TEE ME TO but that was literally like a pure bromance, Cooking Crush on the other hand has given me a chance to appreciate these guys as a pair of naive Campus kids and the Comedy in this story feels right.

First and foremost, I feel it's worth noting that for me, seeing these two in a rom-com kind of plot after a full year is quite good, I have seen funny shows like VENUS IN THE SKY but on Screen I have never seen a couple that makes it seem that they are so meant to be like Offgun.

The Offgun Chemistry never dies out as I feel each of the actors are comfortable in their roles. Besides, I feel that they have got a more sincere progression in their onscreen Cooking Crush relationship than in pretty much any of those other shows that make the actors look like hungry sex addicts that I do not want to mention.

On top of that, a rom-com like trope is one you'll hardly expect to see Off and Gun executing very well but Cooking Crush will surpass your expectations. Trust me, the storyline feels simple, and we have seen how very many so called "simple and complicated storylines" have ended up this year, but Cooking Crush is nothing like that.

Is the show worth it? Yes. Cooking Crush will most likely drop in my top 10 BLS of 2024 because it has a catchy opening theme, it is a well paced narrative and shows you that even something simple doesn't need a lot of effort to become beautiful as long as it is sincere. Besides for Offgun fans, I dunno about most of ue but for me, this show hits just right.

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BRAIN DRAIN

Firstly you are going to enjoy the Character Played by Wang Yi Bo as I have ever since the beginning of this month.

The whole plot is not too shallow and you enjoy the characters very much, furthermore, the chemistry between all three main leads is something worth watching.

The Crime drama has no shortcuts and shortcomings as it really involves you to think critically but no offense, I like the literary sense behind the story and I wasn't as disappointed.

Is it me just or Wang Yi Bo and Huang Xuan have that very cute Bromance that pushes me over the edge and keeps me screaming plus if you are a fan of Wuxia, you'll have to agree with me that the props are very lit and the kungfu is top notch unlike any that I have seen second to THE UNTAMED, WORD OF HONOR, NIRVANA IN FIRE and moreso I must say that after Wang Yi Bo's characters in the Costume Dramas THE UNTAMED and LEGEND OF FEI his follow up in LUOYANG won't disappoint you as of now I really think this guy deserves an Oscars.

You'll definitely enjoy the story and if you're worried about being confused trust me you won't be as I'd gladly say that this is one of those series that has smart leads and won't waste your time when you decide to take a leap of faith and watch it.

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IT'S A CANNONBALL

Firstly, there are tropes you'll agree with me are made for some countries and just incase another country adopts it even if by chance and executes it well enough, that's going a bit higher and matching up to a standard. Originally Thai BL'S from being as scanty as 15 shows annually between 2018-2021, every trope was good enough because for the first time it felt new since we were having BL couples instead of heterosexual ones but after that 2022-2023 was a massive wave of close to 80+ BLS in each. The exposure was good but it seemed that some plots either felt too bland, some actors aren't the right choices for the shows or simply, BL fans are getting bored and we are looking for something unique.

Here is THE SIGN. First and foremost, the fact that this is the first Thai BL original that deals with Special forces was enough to intrigue me and just as I had mentioned that I felt this kind of plot had become more of a western monopoly a part of me was rather eager. The trailer delivered it well to have me quite expectant but after watching the first episodes I say the long uneasy wait was worth it. Of course the Special Investigation Forces part of it might feel unreal and rather having it too easy if you're to compare with Western Series like FBI and GANG RELATED. No offense, for Thailand I do respect that they could take this gr8 shot and it doesn't bother me that much since it was never the gist of the story so it didn't occupy space unnecessarily.

Also considering the fact that we are moving out of the bedrooms and condos and getting more into the real adult world. I felt that highschoolers and campusers had overdone it and for some reason high school and university settings were making the BL STORYLINES lose an aroma. We have seen from Until We Meet Again back in 2019 the notion of lost lovers but never a profound and rather intensely chaotic couple like Celestial lovers who were never meant to be which makes the sign yet another one of those BL series that is exceptional.

I equally came to admire the fact that the character design here is quite mature and we are moving away from some stupid couple fights which were starting to get annoying to some point. We have seen love that challenges gender and social norms in my perspective but never one which challenges religious ones like the Sign which I had always anticipated at some point. The Lovestory of Billy and Babe unlike many challenges what you would considered some of the most powerful cosmic forces in existence.

Thirdly, finally beating an office romance, you’ll find out from this show how it is very cute when a special agent is playing hard to get and another is practically a naive big baby that's struggling at expressing themselves. Of course even if there is a progression of feelings, the top knotch of this chemistry is that two people with different personalities start to create a common ground for intimacy

New faces and ships to the genre who have gotten their jobs right is also the real deal, I don't believe that being a rookie actor justifies one to be a bad actor and in any case The Sign proves it right. Everyone seems to comprehend, fit in their role and even grow in it with literally every scene that it starts to feel more like a sincere portrayal than a very flat pretense. I have seen series that have gone South when they could have been better because of this annoying excuse.

Besides, the Supernatural fantasy in a cop drama hits different and right, Billy literally flirts the scene well and quite unobviously which keeps the show interesting, these guys are so past the point of stereotyping gay couples as sweet people with nothing to do, for once I feel a gay couple has real work to do in line with promoting law and order now you get to see them in action and in a way even offering a civil service apart from struggling with anger issues, overkissing and I think I literally LMAO at the fact that these guys each had way many sex dreams or thoughts.

All in all the pacing of the series seems quite right and after all this I can certainly say, coming from Thailand, they have found a way to end the year and begin a new one in style by giving us a show that is quite unique and hints on personal and spiritual diversities which have been confined to perfection and give us an unspoken warmth, sweetness despite the cruel designs of the world, fate and karma which make you see how every character lives every day as if it were their last.

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DEFINITELY NO SPOILERS

After the trailer was released I was kept on the edge of my seat for two whole weeks waiting for the series and much unexpectedly when it came I had very high hopes which in deed weren't let down you must check it out if you haven't.

I have just watched the series and I am very much impressed by the rather powerful start because they don't linger around the past story too much and yet I can entirely understand the whole series as the background is brief and precise you don't feel anything lacking in it.

I was excited when I saw the poster and moreso the cast list which was full of Handsome and cute actors, some of my favourite by the way, along with their characters in the series which are easy to tell from the start, you feel from the first episode that this series is very original and not cliche while it's like a gang romance so you'll definitely be dying to watch it while if defining the chemistry between all actors and their roles, they seem to understand how best to play their parts as I found the first episode flawless from the beginning to the end.

The plot in addition was very remarkable along with the graphics and the scenes, what I really have admired so much about the series is the in depth feeling of emotions being well portrayed that is anger, sadness, curiosity as I got totally immersed in the show it almost felt so real. Besides another much deeper analysis is that the mystery leaves you with so many questions which I like because it makes the scenes much more unpredictable as you are always driven from one extreme to another when you least expect which puts so many suspects in question and at times I can't easily tell whom to trust or who the protagonist and antagonist is towards the innocent White.

The two characters that are played by Atthaphan Phunsawat are very captivating in their own way and the somewhat unspoken innocence of Jumpol Adulkittiporn makes it a to die for series after their success as a couple in THEORY OF LOVE, PUPPY HONEY, I'M TEE ME TOO made it seem worthwhile for me to watch and the chemistry wasn't disappointing at all as one way I promise you start almost soon enough to feel a cute romance that is between them even by them just looking at each other there's a total rush of readable emotions on their faces and romantic heartbeats.

All in all, the drama was well executed as a whole with those remarkable fighting scenes which for a Thai series were above the charts that I wasn't as well disappointed and If you are a bl fan this is going to be one of the best gang bl romance series you have ever watched whose story is easy to understand, the plot unpredictable, the characters very intimate and the Bromance very sincere starting off as a feeling of mixed emotions it doesn't feel too rushed.

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A PERFECT MISMATCH

Honestly, 2022 wasn't the best even if on record it polled the highest number of BL series that aired and hit our big screens. It was awful that of all series that were expected to air in 2022 from China never made and since the success of WORD PF HONOUR and KILLER AND HEALER back in 2021, I was very worried that I wasn't expecting too much since A league of Nobleman aired having made its way through the rigid severe BL censorship of China's NRTA, in fact, news of its release on YouTube hit me hard the past couple of days.

Anyway back to the point of interest, even though the series doesn't really have the highest budget you are in for a rollercoaster ride, the chemistry between the Make leads is so on point and they have the cutest gazes they share that Will just blow you away, on top of that the storyline being original is filled with a remarkable twist that evolves from a mere investigation to a relationship that brings the two main characters together.

additionally, there are tropes that I feel tired of in the BL industry like bodyguard issues and Senior Junior plots, the sudden mixture of suspense makes the story worthwhile while I also found myself in love with the fact that our cute BL couple might not seem like it but they are perfect polar opposites that fit their characters just right and give us a kinda hard to get feeling which I really love.

I can't ignore that some scenes are hilarious but I fear any moment from now I might end up spoiling it. However I appreciate that the drama is mature, acting well executed and the cast is lovely and lively the OST at times makes me feel like crying but this is a *bromance* that will get you screaming your lungs out.

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A BLOODED PALACE

The series primarily narrates infighting between Royal wives in the Namyeongbu (Inner Court). For some Reason you get to enjoy watching women vying for power and supremacy and another reason that I loved the series was because I was so caught up with the endless scheming of the female leads and the villains.

There is so much Political intrigue and the Constumes were very splendid moreso the dialogue and while the drama tends to depict how strong the women are, for a while they have stolen the show from men who tend to dominate in a number of sageuks.

The Plot too is very original and even though sticking to historical accounts you don't feel the story too boring you are simply caught up in the endless drama and every character is loveable because for some reason the intensity of their ploys got me hooked and on edge.

The drama being 60 episodes isn't as boring and surely you might feel discouraged but I don't know why I am a fan of long series that is between 50 to 90 Episodes, moreso if you feel like tasting what a real poisonous harem is then this is a very good series to pick up courage and watch

Lastly the schemes lack monotony so you won't see them repeating themselves over and over again which makes a large number of them original you won't stop loving them.

I'd highly recommend this sageuk if you haven't yet tried it.

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AN UNINTENTIONAL LOVESTORY

        From high school heartbreak to time travel, this is a very exciting romantic fantasy that will get you hooked from the very beginning and even as the series progresses.

         It's been a long while since Kris last starred in a BL drama and I can tell that in BE MY FAVOURITE that he has made an outstanding comeback.

         The series is interesting because of a number of things which I am going to point out in detail.

         First and foremost, the chemistry of the main leads is very outstanding and can instantly be felt from the very beginning which I admire, Be my favourite touches the spot rather than rotating around in circles which doesn't make it too confusing.

         Secondly, since TRIAGE aired back in 2022, it has another  element that I have been very eager to see in another THAI BL DRAMA which is TIME TRAVEL which is not much of a cliché, besides the series does away with a lot of our high school BL LOVESTORY STEREOTYPES because this I feel is one of the first mature dramatic plots that have been executed where characters act with some degree of emotional depth rather than psych.

         I was about to scream wild ever since our second main male lead FLUKE delivered a heartthrobing performance as a support character in NOT ME the series UNAR and I  can't help but keep falling for him in almost every scene.

         He adds a tone of humour to the series and self realisation, while he is equally the outgoing type of person I admire his role of being the charmer that he is.

         There's also the cliffhanger effect which though rare in a number of BL TROPES, BE MY FAVOURITE seems to have adapted it much better than a number of other series, generally, as there are yet a number of more episodes to air, the best that I can say is that this series has delivered a remarkable message that even mature lovestories are very sweet and the fact that the love between our main characters is unintentional but progressive with every scene, it doesn't  get too boring along the way and the pacing seems to hit the spot just right.

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DEFINITELY A HIGH SCHOOL LOVE ALARM

There isn't much to say about Japanese BL because it's undoubtedly the best Japanese BL drama that I have watched.

I commend the original plotline which isn't common because this is definitely your most original high school jumbled romance story and realistic exchange of affections if you had hihh expectations then you won't be disappointed.

All characters are loveable and the portrayals are very accurate with the chemistry between the actors unparalleled this is a series that takes you on a roller coaster ride full of so many emotions with some of the cutest Japanese actors that I have seen, you will certainly be impressed and trust me you'll love it.

Lastly the character development is top notch and the series is full of cute abd wonderful moments that make you appreciate the whole story and leave you amazed.

If you are looking for a series to get you through the festive season you'll learn from this one to appreciate all the little moments because they are very valuable.

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DON'T MESS WITH THE BOYS

Another Puss in Boots trop and to get that better, a first of its kind. After Mysterious Lotus Casebook, it was pretty hard to get another show with handsome main leads and I must say I greatly anticipated this and wasn't disappointed when it started airing.

First thing's first, legendary bromance, I love this, it would be a bit bland though but you notice there's literally one woman and a support role in an ensemble of seven men. No worries, it's not like there's any love in this since the show is pretty much centered around investigations.

Those costumes came off cheap too, I can't believe they would be so plain and simple but I wont mind, I have literally seen worse especially in terms of CGI if i must mention L.O.R.D CRITICAL WORLD which made my eyes feel like they were anoit to burn out.

Oh my God, did I forget to say at least 60% of all the guys in this series are good-looking and the other 40% are so so, nothing looks better on screen than a team of uncanny handsome youth, you'd even love the red haired maniac.

Shape shifters, thats quite legendary, the white cat looks cute as a white cat just like he is handsome in real life except that through the rainbow lenses he seems terrible at making a pass at another sweetly dense guy, I was saying things for starters.

I guess the story is original, far too different from A LEAGUE OF NOBLEMAN and in my PERSONAL OPINION even much better since we have got some really on point fighting scenes and they are sufficient enough seeing that there isn't too much talking which makes the whole series easy to understand.

Besides, I never imagined that a show like this one would make me cry. Honestly speaking, broken brotherhoods, sworn friendships, nothing tastes better. The show wasn't really as sad as I had hoped but what's more is that MR. PUSS will definitely be my ideal type of pet and I don't seem to see any reason as to why I wouldn't recommend someone to watch this epic fairytale drama of Stupid little big men.

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BEAUTIFUL MISTAKES

Thought I'd hate this show but I am loving it even for all the wrong reasons.

None of this show is going like I expect it and It's not a bad thing, honestly, the fact that this is a BL series where pretty much everything is unpredictable is the best thing that has ever happened to it.

Every character is f***ked up but this is a hot mess. If you tell me about it I have always admired stubborn and headstrong characters but what makes these guys epic is that they have this tendency of swinging from one extreme to another, it's like 90% of everyone in the series is Bipolar.

The Obsessions, don't get me started, every character is obsessive, spiteful, I even get the BDSM Vibes, grooming feels. Nothing about this show or its characters seems normal but I suppose the execution of their abnormalities isn't so bad, in fact it isn't bad at all.

Thumbs up, this show gives me the creeps in 1000 ways and I suppose it felt new to feel something new other than being lovey-dovey from our old-fashioned fruity series, it might qualify to be in my best BL series of the year 2024 since shows like Kiseki Chapter 2 even exist.

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