the short of it is that i enjoyed reading this. it's mature, but not gritty; fun, but not dismissive. i recommend it to anyone with a strong stomach and a mature mind. keep reading for a more in-depth review.
quick background to help explain my reasoning: i grew up reading trashy and harmful bl with every toxic trope you can imagine and enjoyed it. as i matured, i started to see those faults and my tastes have changed accordingly, HOWEVER, i can appreciate unsavory plots and events (i.e. rape) without condoning it and distinguishing it as fiction as opposed to reality.
onto the review: there's nothing about this story that is in any way groundbreaking, nor is it paced particularly well. that aside, the characters are believable, the main couple is interesting and, while still problematic, fairly well-written. overall, i enjoyed reading it and i found the characters endearing.
as for the more unsavory aspects, i see them less as "coming out of left field" or an arbitrary means to an end -the catalyst for the relationship, and more as a grounding point. it serves to add consequence to an otherwise consequence-free setting. it is a little like "fridging" or lazy character development, but it IS some much-needed character development; namely for Asaichi. it serves to give him a period of reflection and become believably vulnerable. the subsequent relationship also does not immediately "flourish". while rushed, it at least MAKES SENSE in the context of the narrative.
