Rating: 3.5/5
I felt deceived! The summary promised "a sweet campus romance," which is why I chose it. While the novel does have its tender moments, the tension between the main character (MC) and the male lead (ML) before they became a couple was quite frustrating for me.
The MC appears to be a sheltered, spoiled character throughout, lacking growth. They're clumsy and constantly getting hurt, causing the ML to prioritize their care, delaying work and barely sleeping. Both characters grapple with familial issues, with ML needing to care for his sick grandmother while working long hours.
When they meet, it feels like the author intentionally placed a dependent character on ML's shoulders. Although MC provided some companionship, ML is also burdened with catering to a pampered young master. Despite MC's good looks, their character development is underwhelming, as is ML's.
Given their teenage age, the lack of character evolution is understandable to some extent. However, the characters remain stagnant throughout the story.
After their relationship blossoms and they enjoy some sweet moments, they are exposed at school due to jealousy from MC's ex. MC's face is revealed, but ML's remains hidden. To protect ML, MC takes the fall, leading to their parents finding out. The MC's timidity then leads to the end of their relationship, leaving me disappointed.
Years later, they reunite, with ML having a child with someone else. At this point, I lost interest and just skimmed through. Eventually, they reconcile, and the story concludes. There's inconsistency in the early chapters regarding MC's initial curiosity about ML, which was initially about ML kissing someone but later portrayed as a forced situation.
As someone seeking a heartwarming read when I was feeling down, my expectations might have been biased, which is why I gave it a 4. Honestly, it's more like a 3.5, but I'll stick with the rounded rating.
