Please Be Happy

很温馨的故事

This was a really comfy story I enjoyed all the way through! Even outside of the romance, the development each character goes through was great! I also loved the combination of fantasy elements in a setting where it's all normalized. Plot discussion: [spoiler]I really loved all 3 main characters. Starting with Miho, it was fun to watch her adapt to human society. I loved seeing her slowly realize that having companions is worthwhile as she bonds with the people around, and the part where she realizes the person she was searching for had already passed away was such a striking moment both since it really shows how unaware Miho is of mortality and life. The introduction of Silver (or Eunbi by the end) was also a great decision. Miho is able to see someone who reflects how she behaved near the start of the story, which really emphasized how far Miho had integrate herself into regular society.[/spoiler] [spoiler]For the two love interests, I personally preferred Juliet's route more. Aspen is great too, don't get me wrong, but I felt like Juliet's route provided a lot more emotional depth. With Aspen, they are already dating at the start of Chapter 4. I loved seeing all the cute moments between the two as they flirted around in front of everyone (especially Lena). It's great that Miho was able to help Aspen realize that being so self-destructive while pursuing her writing goals was not worth it, as well as the other moments where Miho was able to give emotional support to Aspen despite her initially being so distant with others. However, where Aspen's route falls a bit flat compared to Juliet's is Chapter 5. I liked adopting the dog, but it didn't feel very impactful to the relationship between Aspen and Miho (though it lead to Miho finding her passion for the animal sanctuary, which was great). However, I have to mention Miho giving up her immortality, which was a beautiful way to show her growth as a character while also avoiding the worries I had in the back of my head about Miho outliving Aspen. Overall, I loved Aspen's route, but Juliet hit a lot more emotionally. [/spoiler] [spoiler]Ever since the Cosette scene in Chapter 3, I really fell in love with Juliet's character. It's really beautiful how such a kind and compassionate person only came to be due to the influence of one person, since Juliet apparently used to have some wilder days before she raised Cosette. Plus, seeing a more vulnerable side of someone who is usually so dependable and composed made me appreciate her personality even more! I also really enjoyed the development of their relationship. At the start of Chapter 4, they aren't dating yet. But, we get to see Miho slowly fall in love with Juliet, leading to the confession scene at the beach that was beautifully written. No huge event, just two people gazing at the ocean before Miho casually drops that she's in love with Juliet. Plus, getting to see Miho's love develop from her perspective made her love feel even deeper. And, after they start dating, I really loved to see how Juliet learned to also rely on Miho, since Juliet was the one who provided so much to Miho at the start. Great move on Miho for sitting down with Juliet and having a serious conversation about their relationship! Another one of the best parts of this route was the emphasis on mortality. Juliet is grappling about whether to return to the Underworld to slowly pass away, and Miho can relate to Juliet's thoughts as someone who has lived a long time herself. Chapter 5 of Juliet's route is where I think it takes the cake over Aspen's. Lyra was a cute character herself, while also giving closure to Juliet, who decides that it's worth it to raise Lyra despite the loss she experienced from losing Cosette. God, Juliet is such an amazingly written character![/spoiler] Overall, this game was delightful to play through. Even the side characters were fun, though Lena's the best. Would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys a nice slice-of-life story that still has a bit of stakes and unique theming!