80 replies to this topic

[svines85]

For whatever reason I've always had trouble appreciating josei romance stories. Real Clothes is an exception to that though, I've liked Kinue's character from the very start and found the story of her challenges in her work environment to be very engaging. Her struggle to balance her work and personal life is something I think most people can identify with.

Even at this point the story is only really starting, this manga is 13 volumes complete so there is a lot left to see how things turn out for her. Hopefully everyone can use this thread to discuss this great story.

In chapter 24-25 I'm not sure whether her boyfriend was really that angry or just trying to "act" and manipulate her into becoming more submissive. Real or fake at this point it looks like it's going to backfire on him. Instead of making her submit it looks like what he did was awaken her deeply held feelings of wanting to achieve independence. And it frankly looks like he might not care either way, from all the things we're seeing, he might just figure he can lose her and still be ok since he's got his old friend the salon lady on the line. I'm starting to think he's quite a bit of a jerk.

[p3pe]

The way I see is, they have such different values and wishes. Kinue wishes to continue working, and doesn't really think much about marriage, while her boyfriend (Takuya? Kazuya? forgot which one) wants her to accompany and help him in his hometown. I think the bf is the kind of man that women don't have to work. To him, working is way to earn money for living, and it's his job to do it. If he's working he prefers his wife to become a housewife rather than working. Kinue, on the other hand, enjoys working and sees it as an achievement. She really is the depiction of modern career woman, as you can see in real life too. So, if they want to save their relationship, it's better to postpone the wedding, and talk it over. But I think this won't happen. Kinue loves her work, it's likely they'll break up.

I don't think he's a jerk, he's just frustrated with Kinue, who, after agreed to marry him, doesn't look serious to get married (from his point of view). Well I'm rooting for Kinue break him up anyway XD

[svines85]

@p3pe

Yeah, I think you're right, I've decided I was maybe a little too harsh in calling him a jerk....after all they've been together for like six years I believe, so I was probably being a little unfair to him. I think the biggest thing happening in their relationship right now is that she's doing some serious growing as a person......and he's not dealing with it very well. Of course in all fairness he's got family issues of his own to deal with and as things look right now the actions he feels he has to take may well lead to a separation or outright breakup for them.

And yeah, same here, I'm more rooting for a breakup than not, she's got a lot more going for her right now than deciding to settle for being a house wife out in the country side.

[svines85]

Chapter 28 is out..........and her BF really accomplished looking like a cad. An ultimatum he knew she wouldn't accept and now he claims she's the one dumping him. Glad he's gone (for now at least), that was really manipulative of him.

[inzaratha]

Just caught up on several chapters.
The thing is when she was wanting to progress at her job he told her to go for it and then he just gives her an ultimatum that she will have to quit or else out of nowhere. He never discussed moving out of the area with her either. Just said move with me quit your job or break up.
I think he is the type of guy who feels threatened by a woman's success, and for a while all they did when they got together was eat and have sex, like they don't do stuff together as a couple or even talk a lot or not enough I guess. He didn't really care about her success or her personal goals but he didn't make it seem that way for a while.

However I do think he actually more serious about their relationship than she is.

She doesn't really want to talk about marriage with him and has put him off and ignored him, so I sort of get where he is coming from too.

I thought he was fine when he told her to go for it at her job, but then he just completely turns that around like he didn't say it and blames stuff on her and even lays a guilt trip on her after he yelled at her and broke her stuff. However I think that is out of frustration feeling that she is not putting enough into their relationship.

Granted she is growing as a person and he is not... Or she is growing beyond him. Well, that isn't right either, they are both growing - just in different ways.

I think that he realizes she doesn't really want to marry him.

But the moment I saw him checking out that other girl, I knew they would break up.
But I have to say he didn't cheat or anything he just sort of feels he needs to shake her up but it backfired on him.
And if your gf completely ignores you and would rather work, your going to wonder if it's worth it.

And her boss told her to break up with him, I'm wondering how things are with the bosses fiance and all since he seemed sort of possessive of her at a level beyond just a boss and he asked for her to work with him and all. They get along well together and I think there is some chemistry there.

There is a timing to relationships though, like going out that long without getting married but the romance has cooled off a bit already, if they were going to get married it should have been right after college, right??

Edited by inzaratha, 26 February 2013 - 01:30 AM.

[svines85]

Yeah, I'd agree, the long term nature of their relationship (what 6, 9 years (?).......i can't remember now) with him pushing for marriage and her demurring was somewhat of a red flag from the very start of the story.

And though what happened with her job I think had a lot of impact on the relationship, I honestly don't think it was the actual straw that broke the camel back. I really think that was the combination of his deciding he had to go home for his family's sake along with the re-meeting of an old, pretty, and obviously very much interested female friend. My thought is the ultimatum of "marry me now or we're done" came form his interest in the hair dresser that just so happens to live where he's moving back to.

Does that make him a bad guy? I don't know, he wasn't a bad guy all those years they were together............but things, and people, can change. These last few chapters have shown some of that for both of them I think.

[svines85]

Great new chapter, looks like she's still working through the break-up......I guess we'll see how it effects her work from here on out.

[svines85]

Oh wow, what a great new chapter...........I was glad when she started finally getting to the "anger" point of her breakup recovery, and now look what's happened. Wow, I guess it shouldn't really be a surprise, but he really didn't waste any time making his move, did he?

[inzaratha]

He sure didn't waste time,  I didn't think he would,  it was sort of obvious -  but now she will get angry with him and move on and forget about him.   

[svines85]

yeah, agreed. it might hurt her feelings quite a bit at first but it's bound to be a good thing in the long run. hopefully it'll sweep all that self-doubt out the window and help her move on. 

[svines85]

Awesome, looks like we're "over" the BF and on to bigger and better things. I'm kind of glad it's over (though I'm not betting on him never showing up again XD), it had kind of stalled her character and now we should really start moving in the story. Looking forward to it. 

[inzaratha]

She is acting the way I've seen a lot of women act after a long term relationship,  she is crying it out but moving on,   shopping for clothes, realizing she's changed.    That guy she met at the restaurant at first I thought he was flirting but then with what he said about her boss,  she got offended,  I wonder if that was in a professional way or as a woman,  cause I really think that would depend on your relationship with them,   like if you are friends with your boss you might be offended,  if you just think of that person as your boss and coworker you wouldn't,  but if you are taking it personally as a reflection on yourself and your company you would but you also would if you personally Liked the guy as a guy.    Maybe I'm reading too much into it. 

[svines85]

She is acting the way I've seen a lot of women act after a long term relationship,  she is crying it out but moving on,   shopping for clothes, realizing she's changed.    That guy she met at the restaurant at first I thought he was flirting but then with what he said about her boss,  she got offended,  I wonder if that was in a professional way or as a woman,  cause I really think that would depend on your relationship with them,   like if you are friends with your boss you might be offended,  if you just think of that person as your boss and coworker you wouldn't,  but if you are taking it personally as a reflection on yourself and your company you would but you also would if you personally Liked the guy as a guy.    Maybe I'm reading too much into it. 

Oh I think you're quite right, that really was a complex little exchange for her................and I think it's even more so than it would have been because of her feelings with the break up. Being defensive right now as far as her identity in regards to  her professional life seems like a perfectly expected  reaction for her given how that seemed to have so much bearing on the failure of her relationship. 

 

And yeah, me too, first thing I thought was "here comes the new romantic interest"

[svines85]

I'm not sure if this new guy is being introduced as a romantic interest or not............it did seem like his criticisms started Kinue thinking about her boss though, even she wasn't entirely sure why she was taking offence. 

[inzaratha]

I thought it seemed like she was into her boss even before that, but still the new guy is interesting,  more interesting in this current chapter as we are seeing more of him and there seems to be a business rather than romantic rivalry. 

[svines85]

I thought it seemed like she was into her boss even before that, but still the new guy is interesting,  more interesting in this current chapter as we are seeing more of him and there seems to be a business rather than romantic rivalry. 

You know, I've never thought that about her and her boss but you're by far not the only person who has...........I'm assuming I've just missed the signs

[svines85]

Ah well, I was wondering if that wasn't the problem all along......the pretty boy has swept him off his feet, of course they've got no chance of convincing him now. "All's fair in love and war"  I guess...... >_<

[inzaratha]

Huh,  frankly I couldn't tell if that knit designer was a guy or a girl, but no matter,  I guess he fell for that dude from the other store and they have no chance.    She tried hard too. 

[svines85]

Huh,  frankly I couldn't tell if that knit designer was a guy or a girl, but no matter,  I guess he fell for that dude from the other store and they have no chance.    She tried hard too. 

I couldn't remember for sure.......it's been quite a while now since the character was first introduced (like back when she first made the deal which has been a lot of chapters/months ago) and..........yeah, I just don't remember for sure either way now.

 

WC used a masculine pronoun this time though, so if it was different in the past it might be they've just now corrected themselves......it might have been ambiguous before and just not specified until now too. 

 

And yeah, it is a shame after all her effort and how emotionally invested she was with the deal. I had wondered about a contract too when all this started shaping up last chapter.....I guess it's just not worth the effort for such a big company as theirs to bother about though. 

[svines85]

In this chapter is actually the first time I've personally thought Tabuchi was really thinking of Kinue.........I wonder if this isn't the beginning of something between them or not. 

 

And I might just be slow but this chapter was also the first time I've started to think Tatsuya might be gone from the story for good. I suppose I've though he might have a place later on ........maybe a crawling back, asking for forgiveness one that is........but after being privy to her thoughts about getting over him I wonder if that'll be the case.