"After falling asleep on the last train, I woke up in a bizarre place called Saihate Station..."
Oh this surprisingly made me cry. The art, the characters design, the pixels just everything is a genuine 10/10 for me. This explores the themes of codependency, envy, and emotional conflict. The tense central relationship, the push and pull, the shame and longing, the contrast between closeness and distance. Haru's inner conflict, his whole character being defined by self-doubt and insecurity as he sees Shion as everything he's not yet Shion himself cares for Haru but also unknowingly reinforces Haru's feelings of inferiority. Both are emotionally tied in a way that's comforting yet suffocating. Haru depends on Shion for validation, while Shion depends on Haru to feel needed. We see how affection, guilt, and resentment blur into each other. Not only that, this also explores the themes of guilt, punishment, and forgiveness as the story unfolds. They are haunted not by monsters, but by the weight of their actions. It's fascinating how the "station" is not a place of escape, but of confrontation.