Does anyone else understand or is it just me
One of the biggest reasons that Zayne bewitched me is that he reminded of Ryu from Kimi Ni Todoke (that I reminisce on what feels like a yearly basis 🥹).
Mild-tempered and patient, where their calmness and quiet nature is their strength. They are unyielding, and kind in their love.
Ryu is stoic, struggling with registering his emotions from a young age (how the author shows this is an actual stab to the heart. When Ryu’s mom would bundle him up in hats and scarves to keep him warm in the winter, he would complain about it being too uncomfortable and painfully tight. The word that he would use in Japanese means physical discomfort, but it can also mean emotional agony. When their mother passes away, his older brother asks him “It hurts doesn’t it?” when brushing snow away from his hat. Little Ryu can only utter this word “it’s painful” 😭)
Ryu is not quite awkward, as child Zayne was. It is more that he is “too relaxed” (it runs in the Sanada household). Despite coming across as his total polar opposite, Chizuru is the more reserved and awkward one in their relationship, always feeling discomposed.
Their tropes are slightly different. Of course child ZayneMC were separated, having to look after themselves for a time. Chizuru is a lonely rabbit who is very dependant on Ryu. She is fiercely loyal of her loved ones, and has a strong sense of duty. Like Zayne’s MC, she is full of life, colouring their childhood together. Chizuru and Ryu become a comfort to one another, only showing their sadness to each other. Chizuru is especially unable to handle her emotions, while Ryu kind of doesn’t overindulge his emotions.
Please do excuse all my feels, this childhood OTP was my actual precious 😔