@H_Skye1st The darkness helps the story work. MC's unusual behavior is more plausible in that context.
I agree with you about Ayano though, even from early in the story. I remember writing something like this and checked, and sure enough a year ago on ~ch 5 I said she's not written like she's 13 lol. I stand by that assessment. I haven't been that age in a long time, but I can't think of a single kid I knew back then, myself included, who was anywhere near as capable as Ayano shows in the story. Even a few years older than she's supposed to be, there wouldn't be many.
In one sense, her acting older than she is makes age gap romantic tension more plausible...if she actually acted 13, this story would either be entirely different or more creepy. However, it also makes her specifically less plausible as a character. A lot of manga/anime like to make a young-looking character much older. This is a rare case of the opposite played straight...where someone who is young according to the story does not act it. Fortunately, it's fiction! I'm curious whether the author will make them cross the line, do a time skip so they can have a functional relationship, or actually go for a more realistic outcome where they grow apart and MC falls for someone else then they just wind up reminiscing 10+ years later or something. Story could probably pull any of these off.
I agree with you about Ayano though, even from early in the story. I remember writing something like this and checked, and sure enough a year ago on ~ch 5 I said she's not written like she's 13 lol. I stand by that assessment. I haven't been that age in a long time, but I can't think of a single kid I knew back then, myself included, who was anywhere near as capable as Ayano shows in the story. Even a few years older than she's supposed to be, there wouldn't be many.
In one sense, her acting older than she is makes age gap romantic tension more plausible...if she actually acted 13, this story would either be entirely different or more creepy. However, it also makes her specifically less plausible as a character. A lot of manga/anime like to make a young-looking character much older. This is a rare case of the opposite played straight...where someone who is young according to the story does not act it. Fortunately, it's fiction! I'm curious whether the author will make them cross the line, do a time skip so they can have a functional relationship, or actually go for a more realistic outcome where they grow apart and MC falls for someone else then they just wind up reminiscing 10+ years later or something. Story could probably pull any of these off.