Only Friends (2023)

Esse BL❤️‍?

Primeiramente, eu amo os atores então já ganha um ponto comigo.
eu amo um caos porém também odeio, estou vendo que vou sofrer um pouco por causa desse BL, eu realmente quero que o sandray fiquem juntos, é o único casal que eu realmente quero que fique juntos.

Para mim, eles são perfeitos juntos, eu sou cadelinha deles. Mas sinto que o Sand, vai sofre muito, eu espero que o Ray perceba.

falando no geral, a trama é boa. É como vê um dorama de mistério, com suspense. Não se sabe quem é pior, literalmente eu desconfio de todos.

Os casais ainda não estão desenvolvidos, mas daqui a pouco talvez desenrole.

Spoiler
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Então eu peço Ray case com Sand, ele tá caidinho por ti, mas como você faz isso com ele!!!??? Não venha ficar com teu Best, volta pro Sand!

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Stumbled In the Final Quarter

For a show that warned viewers to leave their morality at the door, the ending is what lost this almost-masterpiece an entire star.

I'm just going to say it: Boston deserved better writing. Neo Trai's acting performance was easily the strongest across the heavy-weight cast, but even I tired of his sad eyes and out of character whining by the end. He should have stood firm, he should have been allowed to be a non-monogamous king in peace, and he should have gotten to end the series with the threesome he was promised in the beginning. I just hope he gets the last laugh while off in New York.

Edit: After sitting with this show for a bit longer, I'm dropping my rating to a 7/10.

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Vale muito a pena assistir!

Não tenho palavras pra descrever o quão esse elenco é maravilhoso e a produção é incrível. Gostei bastante e já estou muito apegada ao elenco. Espero que continue assim, pois minha avaliação não mudará facilmente. O First está impecável, como sempre, todos estão muito lindos?? Os personagens e história são maravilhosas e merecem 10 em tudooo

A trilha sonora é excelente e toca nos momentos certos, realmente não tenho o que reclamar sobre isso

Gostei muito do trailer e também da abertura, fiquei feliz em ver a Nonnie atuando, não vejo a hora de conhecer sua personagem melhor?

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The only "BL" that would have benefited from 18 episodes

I'm a lover of messy characters and messy storylines so this was truly the best series for me to watch.
What I liked
- the acting, like wow this cast gave it their all and I couldn't imagine any other actors playing these couples/characters
- the music, AMAZING ost by khaotung and jojo series always have good music
- the writing of ray's character and nick's character, I loved how much growth ray went through in these episodes and I love a desperate loser character like Nick who isn't naive but also a lil messed up

What I didn't like
- the pacing, Boeing's character came in WAYYYYY too late to have to really make a punch with the amount of damage he could have done, if this were 18 episodes, Boeing coming in at ep 10 would have made more sense
- production, this is personal preference and a little bit meta so I won't get too into it but yeah, stop cutting scenes based on fan's perception
- the flatness of Top's character, I feel like with how dynamic Mew is he deserved a partner that also had some depth to him but we know as much about Top as we do Cheum

Overall, I really loved this series and I hope we get a season 2

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The most painfully realistic BL GMMTV has ever made

Only Friends is the sauciest BL GMMTV has ever made to date (definitely as adult as adult gets for GMMTV), and this should raise some initial alarm bells. So many BLs have gone down this route, in a desperate hope that extended, cringey scenes of two handsome guys going at it would make up for the lack of an actual storyline.

But no. No, thankfully, this isn’t that kind of BL.

While you can expect a storyline full of action (....!), you can also expect some marvelous twists and turns in the narrative, woven together with stunning visuals. Thanks to the stellar acting of a stacked cast, the show delivers on emotions when it’s most needed.

There’s just so much going on here. But FINALLY, GMMTV has given us a BL with realistic characters and complex motivations. 

The narrative sloshes around the lives of a group of friends, each messed up in their own way. Yes, there’s really no other way to describe it except for “slosh”, partly because the relationships are so messy and entangled, and also because they’re sloshed (drunk) half the time.

I liked this show so much because the relationships were so intricately thought out.

The characters in Only Friends illustrate different aspects of self-destruction and how the utter lack of self control can lead to awful consequences.

It also hints at redemption - maybe, just maybe, even those capable of the most f***ed up behaviour are capable of change.

Full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/11/01/only-friends-2023-bl-review/

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A good BL that won't leave a lasting impression

Coming straight to points let me jot down the positive points first:
1. It had excellent entertainment value. I mean for people who enjoy chaotic drama, this was good.
2. It was realistic most of the time starting from how friendship and relationships can be in university days, especially amongst teens in 2023.
3. With so many actors, the drama could have major execution issues as all of the characters were linked to each other. They did a good job making it a hot mess that landed pretty well.
4. Love the fact that they were using "gay" and "bi" terms instead of making straight characters gay just like that. They also showed how difficult understanding sexuality can be and people at times mess up when they're understanding themselves.
5. I love the fact that Ton doesn't change in the end and atleast Nick accepts him how he is and moves on. Shows that some people should be alone while some should move on and never lower their bar.
6. The actor playing Ton did an awesome job cuz we all hated Ton to the core and as far as I know, the actor is a very cute and decent person in real life.
Now comes the negative points why it won't be remembered in the long run:
1. Chaos is good but there was nothing to learn from this drama. No message no nothing. Just chaos.
2. Anyone who's not studying in university will hardly relate to the characters cuz this infact is more like a sandwich of Queer UK webseries and any US teen drama. The concept itself is immaturity, so relating to the characters was difficult.
3. Some characters are too detestable and no backstory is provided so that we as audience atleast sympathize with them. Top and Ton being central characters are not detestable cuz they did the deed but the way they felt the remorse. I mean Top has a really shitty attitude and was too confident about himself althroughout flaunting dad's money whenever he could. No backstory about why he is what he is. Ton is rather down to earth but truly backstabbing and shameless which became irritating at times. Same no backstory.
4. The revenge sub plots fell short cuz nothing eventually happened. It was always nipped at the bud to add more melodrama.
5. I didn't like TopMew coupling. I don't know why it didn't work probably there wasn't much chemistry. Instead, I think SandRay were the star of the show. They need to have their own sequel.
All in all it was a good watch but I am unsure if I will recommending it to my friends. I had very high expectations and I guess that's why I am left a little unsatisfied.

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Too realistic to be realistic

First time here, I never thought I'd write a review, but 'Only Friends' made me want to share my thoughts because why not.

Only friends is a true queer experience. it's not just about surface-level representation, but about capturing joys, struggles, and complexities of being queer. Only Friends had a promising start, but it started to feel tedious and lacking in the later episodes. While I was disappointed with the direction the show took, I still have a lot to say about the complex and compelling characters.

Spoilers ahead



Sand : Sand has to be my favorite character in the show. He's the greenest flag, he has a very big heart and is the perfect ideal boyfriend. Despite everything Ray did to him, he still stood by him, and the way he took care of Ray. Sand stole the clip from Nick and gave it to Ray, which was hella wrong, but it earned my respect. He never thought about his own feelings, knowing that Ray would leave him. He cared so much about his friends. He is a true definition of friendship, love and trust. It is natural feelings for an ex, and there's always a soft spot, but Sand should have avoided Boeing. He shouldn't have used the word friend for him. But he is truly a good guy. I'm glad he got his happy ending with Ray.


Ray : Ray is one of the most troublesome characters in Only Friends, but I'm glad he didn't hook up without anyone, like Sand didn't also hook up with anyone either. His drinking and loneliness stemmed from his sad home life. He was the most miserable character in the show and he was always drinking during his scenes. But thankfully, Sand saved him. I'm glad he got over his feelings for Mew. To be honest, I don't think he loved Mew. He was just lonely, and Mew happened to be there for him. You can't say you love Mew and then sleep with Sand multiple times, that's not love broo. Asking Boeing to kiss sand was not only annoying but also wrong like tfff. Who does that? But I'm happy he realized his mistake. Ray's story showcases the struggles that children of irresponsible and neglectful parents face. It shows what it takes to escape that kind of life. I love that his story is the best in that show because it's so inspiring. And I loved seeing his cute side amidst all the Intense plotlines. It was refreshing to see a softer side of him.


Ray and sand : Ray and Sand's relationship's eternal, as shown in the show. They both realized what they wanted, and they were able to achieve it in the end. I love that they got a happy ending.


Mew and Top : Mew is the most innocent character in Only Friends, but he became more jaded after Top came into his life. Top did love Mew from the beginning, but he never trusted anything Mew said. Even though Ton showed Top the clips that he had secretly recorded, what happened two years ago was none of his business. Top having sex with Ton was not related to the clips he had seen but rather what Top wanted lol, especially because the kiss between Mew and Ton didn't even last ten seconds. Mew didn't immediately agree to date Top. It's clear that they weren't dating, and Top was just pursuing Mew when Top and Ton had sex in the car sleep, but I guess it's all about being realistic. He even had the gut to show his face to Mew the next day, it was also selfish and wrong of him to keep the airplane model from his ex. Like who does something like that? After Mew found out what happened between Top and Ton, he shouldn't gone out with Ray to spite Top. it was immature and wrong for him to change from a good person to a bad one, but heartbreak kills, so I get him. While it made sense that they got back together, I'm not sure that was the best decision. It's possible to forgive, but not to forget, and I think Top did change doe the better. He truly loves Mew, but he was stupid to make that mistake. I really loved Mew, but he made a huge mistake by allowing Boeing to gaslight him. I think it was very out of character for Mew to consider sleeping with Boeing out of revenge. It's good that Top was able to make him see reason and stop him from making a huge mistake. Top was truly sorry for what he did, life isn't always perfect, and he learned from his mistakes. I personally think their relationship could last a long time, maybe even forever. After all, we're all human, and we all make mistakes.


Ton: Boston is a major red flag in the show. He sleeps with anything that breathes. He betrayed his friends for his own selfish desires, and he almost ruined Mew's life in the process. He is not a good person, and people like him deserve to be alone forever just like Nick said. I'm glad that Boston never forced anyone to sleep with him, but he is still a bad person!!! I know he can never change, he deserves all what he got trust me. Atom's actions were wrong, even if Boston was a bad person. It's not okay to lie about someone, even if they've done terrible things, I must admit I felt a little bit of pity for Boston. He has a lot of issues, and those issues are likely to affect him for the rest of his life.


Nick: Nick was the true good/bad guy in the show. Ton was so lucky to have him, but he was a fool to not realize what he had until he lost him. If it weren't for the car being wiretapped, the truth would never have come out. Boston didn't deserve someone as good as Nick. I'm glad Nick and Boston didn't end up together, Nick deserves better. He's not innocent, but he knows what he wants, and he acts accordingly. He did a good job tho.


Boeing: Boeing's character felt very unnecessary. He was just like a ghost in the show, adding very useless character added nothing to the plot. The pool scene was nonsensical and pointless. His entire character should have been cut from the show (if anyone is watching Only Friends I would recommend skipping his scenes)


The acting: The actors in 'Only Friends' did a great job with their roles, and their chemistry really shone through. Even though the writing was a bit messy at times, the actors were able to carry the show through. I look forward to seeing them in future projects that showcase their talents. It's clear that they love what they do, and they give it their all. My favorite pairing was first FirstKhao


Romances: No episode went by without me screaming and jumping up and down. The actors gave me butterflies. The romances were on point, which was the greatest thing about this show. All the actors cast were so fine and hot.

The story : the writer was when writing some parts, because it's all full of unnecessary kissing. What was the need for every character to kiss three or four people? The writing was mediocre at the beginning, but it got interesting in the middle and ended poorly. 'Only Friends' is a show about friendships but the theme wasn't executed very well. Everything seems very messy. If it weren't for the talented a actors, I don't think anyone would have been interested in a story with such a dark theme.


Overall, 'Only Friends' is one of the most emotionally impactful series from GMMTV. It made me cry hard and laugh out loud. It's not for the faint of heart. I don't think I'll get over it anytime soon. It showed us that life isn't perfect and that it isn't a fairytale, sadly. This show portrayed the complexity and imperfection of real life.

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Enjoyable and funny but far from a masterpiece !

There are a lot of good stuff like the acting, the messiness or people theories so I enjoyed myself.
But we need to talk about the sl*t shaming in this story. You cannot sell your story as really sexy, explicit and progressive and then have all characters who don't want to be in a relationship and just want to enjoy s*x be the bad guy in your story, they're just bad to be bad, no background, no reasons for their actions. They are just sl*t because life I guess (Boston best example). For me, it's really problematic.
That's being said, almost all characters don't really make sense too, they act to make the plot move forward :
- Mew calling Boston before having s*x with Top when they don't seem to be that close
- Nick putting the listening device in Boston car before the party for no reason
- Ray having a breakdown in front of everyone after telling the truth to Mew
- Mew hitting Ray in the face after the breakdown even if he does the truth
- Daddy Dan character just came and disappeared
- Boieng character same
- the token lesbien duo
- the r*pe accusation plot....
And it's just what came out of the top of my head.
Now, the relationships and characters !
- Mew and Top were really boring for me sorry, I don't like the virgin who's gonna change the bad boy from his bad habits because he's just soooo perfect. Not my cup of tea I guess. And I didn't like their characters as individuals too. I just remembered that Top used to take dr*gs and stopped thanks to the power of love ! With no consequenses
- Ray and Sand were cute but Ray did a lot of f*cked up things. Not respecting Sand boundaries and all of it being played as if it was funny just doesn't sit right for me. (The scene were Ray interupted Nick and Sand vacations after Sand told him not to come...) Or Ray calling Sand a bunch of names when he's mad and never really apologised for it either. Like there is nothing cute about this relationship if you think about it. They could have shown us the impact of that kind of codependancy but no. I'm happy they take Ray alcoholism kinda seriously even if he's pretty clean, his friends drink next to him as if he was not an addict, no discomfort... It could have been really interesting to also see the burning for Sand, being the only reason for someone sobriety is not easy.
- Nick and Boston were cute, I really liked them at first but they didn't get enough screentime in my opinion. It could have been really interesting to see their characters and the reason behind their actions. But I think the writer's opinions really shaped their story, especially for Boston.
And I'll finish by saying that if you don't know how to write about serious topics like addiction, abusive relationship, r*pe accusations, you SHOULDN'T !
But yes, It was an entertaining show ! So watch it if you want to have fun ;)

(sorry for the mistakes

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A rollercoaster in the most positive way possible!

This was the very first series that got me to ACTUALLY wait impatiently for every new episode. Usually I watch one or two episodes during their “premiere” and then wait till the whole series is out but this one? Once you get into the story you’ll keep on wanting more and more and you won’t even notice when the final episode ends. Trust me.

Since there are 4 couples I want to kind of “rate” their storylines separately and then sum up everything at the end so bare with me through this long review ><

Couple no.1 - Mew x Top
Since the series basically starts off from Mew’s pov at first I kind of automatically assumed that they’ll be the “main couple” and at the beginning it was true - most of the screen time was dedicated to Mew and his personal experiences but (thankfully) it all evens up as you go through more episodes.
As for Mew - a “good boy gone bad” trope really came through with his character throughout the whole series and I’m so happy that happened. It’s like he finally got out of the nerd cage he’s trapped himself in. A truly interesting character development, despite the toxicity he served his friends because of it but I’m glad they didn’t try to make him that one angel with no flaws (cause at first that’s the vibes you’ll get from him).
As for Top - man had a true “personality glow up” and I’m here for it because it wasn’t done in that cliché way that’s supposed to play on your emotions just to make you feel bad for the “poor lost bad boy” he’s introduced as.
Together they make a really predictable yet somehow unique couple. They turned the cliche trope into a more interesting one with the whole “revenge plan” of Mew’s which shifted their storyline onto the new track. And I really like how it wasn’t only Top chasing after Mew with a big sign “I’m sorry that I slept with your friend” but also Mew having to swallow his pride in order to save the relationship once Top was about to give up on “trying”. It made it all more unique.
Acting on point, both Book and Force have a great chemistry especially for this type of a simple sweet relationship. One thing I wish for is for the scriptwriters to plan out the last two episodes a bit better since it was just too much. So many things happening at once and even more “quick answers” for the questions that formed throughout the series.
Would love to see how their relationship develops in season 2 since there’s still so much to their characters that can be told (hopefully we’ll get it soon).

Couple no.2 - Sand x Ray
Personally my favorite ship of the series but I may be biased since I’m a big fan of First and Khaotung’s acting skills. They’re one of the most talented yet still underrated actors in the industry and I’m so happy they were offered these roles because they really delivered their characters.
As for Sand - man deserves all the love from this world and is truly a walking green flag among all the red ones in this wonderful (feel the sarcasm) friend group. His character brought so much safety and comfort to the series yet still didn’t lack strong and characteristic personality - it just amazes me how well done his whole presence along with his own personal storyline was.
As for Ray - a character with so much hidden trauma it makes your heart ache. He’s basically a self-destructive, broken to the core man standing on the edge ready to push himself down the cliff and it’s all done in this raw, unfiltered way. So good and so… human. In my opinion he’s the one who makes Only Friends the series it is. There’s not a lot of characters with this type of a story and it was a fresh breeze in the BL world (or just cinematography world overall).
Together they’re like the missing pieces of one another and the development of both characters is so damn satisfying. Sand rescuing Ray from the self-destructive wheel he’s been living in and Ray teaching Sand that you can’t fix everyone is the most intense thing you’ll see in the series since it influences all the other couples.
And as I said - SO glad they chose First and Khaotung for these roles. Not only their chemistry and acting skills are a great match for this series but also their level of awareness of the characters they’re playing… While watching “behind the scenes” and different interviews of Only Friends you’ll find out how many of their scenes were improvised (for example: the iconic “cigarette kiss/smoke kiss”? Khaotung’s idea!) and it makes everything even more impressive.
Some things I wish for to be developed deeper in season 2: Sand & his father, Ray’s trauma & how he’s copying with it, building their relationship while healing and IF the healing is successful.

Couple no.3 - Boston x Nick
The most “whatwhyhow” couple in the series. Both want something completely different and end up in this weird (but somehow so close to the real life) type of a relationship which can’t lead to anything good. The Romeo and Juliet but drunk version of the 21st century.
As for Boston - I didn’t like him from the very start and I still stand by that (which honestly only proves how GOOD was the acting and the whole “concept” for this character) Man needs to talk to a sex therapist and work through his desires and narcissistic personality and I don’t say this because I hate him, cause I don’t. I don't LIKE him but not HATE him if it makes sense.. I just think that he should in the first place focus on himself but in a different way than he’s used to - work on your problems, figure out why are you hurting the ones you love and just overall notice that sometimes it’s you who’s the problem (even if you don’t mean to be the problem). That’s why his character is so real. Cause how many Bostons do we know? I can name a couple and I’m sure you can do that too. Sad reality but I’m glad they decided not to give him the “happy ending” for this season since it only adds humanity to it. Let’s normalize characters who need a bit more time than 2-3 episodes to heal/fix their issues.
As for Nick - the hopeless romantic who fell for the wrong guy and missed on the right one (yes, I’m talking about the green-flag-Dan). But who's to blame? It’s not like we can control our heart, right? Honestly even though he’s done some messed up things for love and caused a BIT of trouble (chaos even) I still can’t hate him. He’s just the type of person who needs to be loved and cared for just as much as they need to breathe in order to survive and his character in my opinion is so underrated. He started off as that “creepy stalker” and went through the “lovelorn boy” era just to end up as “finally ready to love myself” and I couldn’t be more happy to see him choose himself over the destructive love he was stuck in for a very long time. This is one of the most unexpected yet precious character developments I’ve seen.
I wouldn’t mark their story as any “unhappy ending” but it’s not the happy one either. Would love to see more of them and I’ll look out for season 2 mostly for these two. Hopefully we’ll get to see these two happy together some day in the future!

Couple no.4 - Namchueam x April
I have so many regrets regarding this couple. I was really hoping for them to be in the same group as other “main couples” but they didn’t do these two justice. It’s like they were in the series just to keep the plot running when there was a need for some push or “gender equality” cause they only focused on the male couples completely ignoring Chueam and Pril…
As for Chueam - she took the role of the real “caretaker” of the friend group and I feel like if it wasn’t for her they would have split their ways a long long time ago. She strikes me as that one lively, out-going but a bit silly friend that we all have and love and I’m sad they didn’t give her more chances to show herself or at least have her own storyline that isn’t based on what’s going on with the main couples…
As for Pril - girl really got like 5 minutes of the screen time for 12 full episodes. HOW?
This couple had so much potential. They could show them more especially after Ray’s iconic drunk expose of his friends’ secrets at Mew’s bday party but they literally cut off their thread after Chueam admitted to “not understanding” April’s indie movies. Why not give them an actual storyline? Well, maybe in the future GMM will notice what they’re sleeping on.

One more thing I really want to mention is the OST choices and visuals Only Friends is serving left and right. I’m a sucker for any good soundtrack especially when it comes to series kept in that old-vintage-cigarette smoke-raw-unfiltered-vibe. And this definitely passed as one of the best eye and ear pleasing series (similar to Not Me so if you’ve watched this one you’ll know what I’m talking about).
Camera work is amazing, acting is so on point, script is well-written (a bit rushed since they had to fit all that in only 12 episodes but still did a good job), OST matches the scenes, every character is unique in its own way yet they make a perfect mix together… Deserves 10 stars cause I honestly cannot name any similar (storywise) series/movie to this one. And since episode 12 ends by introducing a whole new character I hope we’ll get another season soon.

So happy I was able to watch this while it was coming out :)

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Love hexagon

GOD!! what did I just watch!! my literally going crazy but I can't just stop watching it . I don't perticularly understand what this drama is about Problems before love? Problems facing in love? dating life? ( absolutely not) . Non of them are actually dating. Even top and mew didn't confirm their relationship but call themselves boyfriends and sometimes not .

TOP:-
such an a*shole . he can't really love anyone and get bored with them soo soon . but I guess he have some special feelings for mew but still he he cheats on him whenever he doubts him or get bored .

MEW:-
Nerd?? I guess not ! May be in further episodes he might show his true colours. He can't be that innocent to date a top tier .

RAY:-
I can't really confirm his character because everyone are saying he is using sand but I think he is just a coward how can't express his true feelings. because in episode 5 he showed his feelings for sand and he might actually fall in love but Boston suddenly created a dispute. But I agree that in starting episode he is really such a Playboy who wants to play with sand feelings.

SAND:-
MY MOST BELOVED CHARACTER from this whole drama . He literally deserves better. I can't see him sad. I wish he'll get what he deserves. Why would anyone hurt him like that ?? he is too good for anyone.

BOSTON:-

The most hated character. If he likes top then why would he sleep with nick . if he thinks Nick is special then why would he again go to Top . Okay but , why the hell would he interfere in Ray's relationship. He is the person who literally ruin all the relationships .

NICK:-
At first he was my favourite character. I mean he still is but I guess he changed a lot . now everytime I see him he either sleep with Boston or do some pathetic thing for Boston or obsessed with Boston. I wish he would leave Boston and find him own happiness.I want to see Boston to beg nick to love him lol.

so the mind map i pictured from this messed up relationship is ..

Top likes mew , mew likes top, Boston likes top and thinks Nick is special, nick is obsessed with Boston, Ray liked mew now he is slowly developing feelings for Sand, Sand absolutely love Ray

( I may change this after all the episodes are released)

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Can't even finish it.. It's so bad. (Characters are CREEPY!!)

The story was eh then it just became horribly unwatchable. After they made Ray do that whole thing at his best friend's birthday I knew where this show was going and I was praying and hoping it'd get better. And then when they made Ray cheat with Sand then I had enough. I don't understand how anyone can say this is good. All the characters are terribly written and it's way too fast paced? Mew says he doesn't want to sleep with Top and then takes him home?? Then after that they start acting all lovey dovey, it's so forced.. They don't even have a reason why they like each other. Top can't sleep with Mew right away so he decides to chase after him? Really, that’s the reason why Top likes Mew? Why were all the characters sleeping with each other in the first ep too? I stayed for Sand and Ray but of course they ruined them like the rest of the couples.

Now the real issue I have with this. Why is everyone just sharing these videos and Audios; and why are these characters so creepy?? Why are people skipping over the fact that Mew literally THREATENED Boston using that tape? I'm sorry but I don't think that's normal??? How am I supposed to root for anyone in this show when literally everyone is a terrible person. Top and Nick were the worst in my opinion. Why did Top have that recording in the first place..? AND WHY IS NICK SUCH A STALKER AND A CREEPER. And when Top cuddled Mew when he was obviously out of it… The only thing good about this show is the Ost.

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