Tetora: Ah~! Taisho! I didn’t expect that you’d be waiting backstage! So glad that you made it!

You seem kinda depressed though… Did something happen?

Scenario Writer: Kino Seitarou (with Akira)
Season: Last year / Spring
Characters: Kiryu Kuro, Nagumo Tetora
Proofed by: @ryuseipuka​, Skyress

<Spring. One year before Ensemble Square was established.>

Kuro: Phew. Today’s match was an easy win, as usual.

Keep reading

Before I let you read, I want to remind you that this is only MY interpretation. It is written quite emotionally in some moments (mainly in the comments to chapter 159), because it really hurts me that most people do not even try to look at them differently and blame everything on Koko, deifying and pitying Inui.

Friendly reminder: other interpretations have the right to exist, no one imposes anything. Please do not forget: the beauty of the relationship of these two is that they allow different ways of understanding their history.

The article is arranged in chronological order: from childhood to adulthood. The relationship between Koko and Akane will also be touched upon here, because I believe that Inupi’s sister is a very important factor in the formation of Koko’s personality, and she also plays an important role in the Koko/Inui relationship

For maximum understanding and ease of information processing, some frames will be repeated in different contexts. If you didn’t understand something in the text, most likely I attached a frame that pushed me to a certain conclusion, so be sure to review them.

Please , enjoy!

TEENAGHOOD

Hajime Koko — 14-15 years old

Inui Seishu — 14-15 years old

After the death of Seishu’s sister, about five years pass and Wakui shows us a scene with a kiss. Before proceeding to it, I want to remind you of Akane’s words, said shortly before the fire, and which made an impression on little Koko. I think that they can be considered as a “third promise” or “principle” that he will be guided by in the future, because Koko agreed with her judgment, which means “I will only kiss those I like”.

Now we can move on. I want to draw your attention to the fact that in the kiss scene, Koko pronounces the name “Inui” and moves directly towards him. He KNEW who he was kissing and this COULD NOT be a projection of a failed kiss with Akane, because he was fully aware of who was in front of him.

I have several interpretations of this scene, which I will write about in a separate post, but now I will take the most likely one in my opinion

Koko kissed Seishu because he realized that he needed to move forward and he could finally let go of Akane, realizing his feelings for Inui. The nervous breakdown that occurred immediately after the kiss scene happened just because of a sharp understanding of the fact of fading feelings for Akane, to whom he swore love to the grave, as well as the repeated realization that he could not keep the promises he made to her, except for the “third promise\principle” (see above).

• ────── ✾ ────── •

Why Inui was convinced that Koko sees Akane in him.

• He knew that Koko had confused him with Akane when he took him out of the house;
• he believed that Koko needed the money only to save her sister. In his opinion, when Akane died, the mission should be closed. But Koko continued to earn money, as if “possessed by the spirit of a dead sister” who can no longer be saved, so he “did not believe” and “did not accept” her death;
• most likely, he heard Koko say Akane’s name after the kiss, which further strengthened his opinion about Koko’s obsession;
• “survivor’s syndrome” and their own lack of confidence in their value.

For Inui, this list was sufficient. Perhaps that’s why he became more feminine, because he thought that by “playing along” with Koko, he would compensate for the price for staying alive instead of Akane. In his case, it was disastrous not to see other options, because it brought them both a lot of pain that could have been avoided. Because the fact that Koko stayed with Inuii, just because he is Seishu, and not anyone else, remains a fact that Wakui poked us an infinite number of times.

Why Koko didn’t actually see

Akane from the very beginning.

When Akane died, he REALIZED that she was dead, because he literally tells her “finally you can easy rest ”. This kid is fully aware and understands the situation! Koko was never obsessed with Akane, he was obsessed with money. Koko couldn’t stop himself anymore. His only light was Inui, which did not allow him to completely go to the “ dark side”.

Seishu and Koko are first shown together alone in chapter 92. Here, Inui asks why Koko is following him, because he thinks that he is only doing it because of a promise, but in fact it is excluded. The fact is that there were no promises between Inupi and Coco, but it was between Akane and Koko. And Seishu always KNEW about their promise, because Koko himself said it when Inui was in the hospital. The indication that it is the 158 chapter that reveals the promise that Inupi spoke about in 92 is in a tweet from the official account of the mangaka, so there can be no mistake.

Seishu believes that Koko sees Akane in him and next to him because of his promise to protect her.

Koko says that he “forgot about the promise.” This means that he follows Seishu not because he looks like his sister, but because he wants to stay close to him.

His sister’s promise to Inui does not apply in any way and has long been broken. Koko had already moved on, releasing her.

Probably because of the “survivor’s syndrome” and his own insecurity, Inui wants to remind himself that Koko is still with him and he is safe, and therefore in chapter 107 he repeats his question, but Koko’s answer remains unchanged. He stays with Inui because he cares about him and wants to protect him, because Koko has already lost his first love, he does not want to lose his best friend as well.

• ────── ✾ ────── •

Koko, even despite the absurdity of Inui’s decision, still began to support and help him in realizing his dream — the resurrection of Black Dragons. And not just in words, but in actions. Koko was not sorry to sacrifice her life for the happiness of Inui (not Akane). Taiju agreed to deal with Black Dragons, only because of the fact that Koko will be under his power, and not just because it is wonderful for him to be the head of a gang Taiju didn’t care about such “children’s games” at all, he was cared about Koko, who could make money out of thin air and Hajime was aware of this.

• ────── ✾ ────── •

Koko went to the Tenjiku not because he needed money, as many people mistakenly believe for some reason, but because Mucho threatened the safety of Inui, literally exposing his face to be beaten in front of Koko. Hajime wanted to keep Inui safe no matter what. A little later, Wakui confirms this through the words of Takemichi.

Mucho also returns to Koko the idea that he has no other option to live this life, except to be a financial genius in criminal gangs. And Koko understands that Inui will be exposed to danger from time to time if he stays close to him, because it is Seishu that is his weak point, which such type of persons as Mucho do not hesitate to hit. Wakui showed us their loyal and kind attitude to each other, how close and devoted they have become, as well as how much each of them values the other. The most beautiful thing about this part is that Seishu felt that Koko needed this help; I felt that right now is the very turning point when it needs to be “rattle”; he felt that Takemichi is able to “direct” Koko. But it was too late to decide something, because Koko had already made his choice to follow the “wrong path” to the very end.

In chapter 159, we see how Koko calls Inupi to go with him to the Tenjiku. He offers him this option, because he has not yet realized that Inui has found those people who can ensure his safety, except for him. Therefore, he is still trying to protect Inupi, only in a different place. Up to this point, Inupi had only protected Koko, and there were no such shots as Takemichi Hanagaki in his field of vision. But the train started moving when Koko saw the determination in Inupi’s eyes when he mentioned Takemichi, and even in such a loud context.

In the next scene, we see how Koko got angry at Inui, but this happened not because “the truth hurts”, its just because Inui behaves as if he knows what is in Koko’s head, but is actually wrong. Akane has long since left his head, but Inui thinks otherwise.

Koko says that the only obssessed person here is Inui himself, thereby completely denying his words about Akane. There is absolutely no reason not to believe the words of Koko, given all the information presented above. You may think that he is lying or that the reason for his anger is completely different — this is your choice. My interpretation remains the same, because in my understanding of the personality of Kokonoi Hajime is the most likely option.

eden cnstars ‼️

𝗐𝖾𝗅𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹𝘆𝗽𝘀𝗲 ♪

— eden: icon + header.