Bai Ke’s first eighteen years were extraordinarily difficult – With his peculiar eyes, frightening birthmark… And a father who was usually abnormal, but became even more disturbed during thunderstorms.
He thought life couldn’t get any worse until he picked up someone. The tall man in black clothes, knelt down with a thud upon seeing him for the first time, with eyes so complicated that Bai Ke could hardly understand, and exclaimed, “Master!”
Bai Ke: “…First, put down the heads you’re holding in your right hand, and then we can talk about other matters.”
Author: This text contains various types of absurdity, enter at your own risk.
Bai Ke (Bai Lingchen) x Huo Junxiao (Yun Zheng)
The protagonist is plagued by insecurity, longing for someone to appreciate her for who she truly is. However, no one besides Odagiri has glimpsed her authentic self, as she consistently conceals it beneath layers of hairspray and makeup. As a reader, you're caught in a dilemma with the female lead. You empathize with her plight, and some female readers might even identify with her, yet you can't help but criticize her for her insecurity—she never gives anyone the chance to like her for who she really is.
It's a poignant and cyclical situation. Fortunately, Odagiri arrives to break this vicious cycle. This raises the question of whether her previous boyfriend might have liked her for who she truly is, but alas, we'll never find out.
In my opinion, the story was excellent, and I wouldn't mind revisiting it. While I'm not typically drawn to stories about insecure girls, this one was compelling in its progression, and the artwork was superb. Regarding the characters, I appreciated them because, despite being a one-shot, the story managed to evoke emotions for the two leads, which is always the hallmark of a successful mangaka. As stated, I thoroughly enjoyed it, so overall, I give it a solid recommendation.
Bear in mind, it's a fairly average story, but the characters resonated with me and left a lasting impression.