Fernan Caesar, the ruler of the North who came back from the war.
The man, who was perfect in everything, was the only good memory of Julia’s unhappy childhood.
When she was told that he was going to be her husband, Julia believed in the existence of God for the first time.
But…
“If there’s anything you want, feel free to do it. It doesn’t matter whether you remodel the castle, buy jewelry, or throw a party.”
“…….”
“But I don’t want to see you in the morning, so refrain from doing that.”
The gentleman of her memory was no more.
There was only a cold man standing there who did not have a trace of affection or warmth.
“Your heart is of no use to me.”
But loving him to the end was Julia’s biggest mistake.
****
Standing at the edge of the cliff, Julia slowly carved her husband’s once-worldly face into her eyes.
If not now, she would never be able to escape it forever. She would come to love him again.
She didn’t want to be bound to him any longer.
“Julia!”
Looking at her desperate husband, Julia threw herself down the cliff.
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Let me clarify - this manhwa isn't really a conventional story; it's more like a secret being whispered.
It's enigmatic, yes, even the title itself is an analogy that suits the two protagonists perfectly. The opening lines are also used as a metaphor for something you can never obtain no matter how desperately you wish for it.
Certainly, the main focus wasn't romance, but rather the unspoken love harbored deep within. The protagonists embrace their feelings for each other without internal conflict often seen in other mangas, such as "I can't be by his side" or anything similar.
Their acceptance of the reality of their situation, combined with the use of figurative language to express the purity and depth of their love, demonstrates that even unspoken love holds immense beauty.
My immediate thoughts after finishing this were, "Wow. This is a masterpiece."
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The artwork is impressive, yet I felt the mangaka could have utilized the space more effectively. Backgrounds were occasionally omitted, which left me feeling something was amiss. Additionally, the girl's hair color fluctuated between black and white, almost making me think she wasn't the same character initially.
The characters are somewhat challenging to understand, given that it's a oneshot. I struggled to fully grasp them, although I picked up on nuances like their playful teasing of each other. Nonetheless, the core message comes through clearly—that they are in love but obstructed by their parents' marriage. Their feelings of sadness and longing for freedom to be together are conveyed exceptionally well.
The overall enjoyment was quite good. With only 24 pages, it packs a lot of story without feeling rushed. I've read other reviews and don't understand why some couldn't follow the plot. If you read the summary, you'll be fine.
Overall, it's a pleasant oneshot with art as its primary strength. The symbolic meaning behind the title is clever—it essentially sums up the story: a cat that loves a fish. Cats eat fish, right? Thus, they can't be together. I recommend reading this manga even if you're short on time because it's so brief. I finished it in 3-5 minutes and found it truly worthwhile.