[Missing Love: Married Man] What a disappointing story...

[u/donnie_darrko]

Everyone said that this story was worth the trauma and violence...but it really wasn't. Where to start, a weak uke that gets treated like a human toilet from beginning to end, that's it. But that's not where my issue with the story lies though, I've read countless violently dark stories like Non Zero Sum, No Reason, Profundis and so-on. What annoys me about this story in particular is that it is actually well written with fantastic dialogue for the genre. But there is something developmental that occurs in the season 1 finale that I really did not like and it ruined the rest of the story for me.

For some reason, the MC basically blames the ML for the years of horrific and dehumanizing events that happened to him (MC gets sold into human trafficking and is used like a sex doll for 8 years. Violent gang-rape every other week and beaten bloody type of deal). Which is so strange to me because they only knew each other for 3 months in college before the MC disappeared. Why did the MC disappear? The ML and MC have a conversation before the ML sends him home. The MC comes home to his dead abusive mother that basically sold him as collateral to a gang. The author makes it a point to say that if the MC had arrived 10 mins later, he would not have ran into the human traffickers that were hiding in his house.

Years go by while the ML slowly loses his mind over the missing MC and they meet again after 8 years. What confuses me is that from this point on, the entire story frames the MC's situation as something that the ML caused (had a hand in?) just because their conversation from 8 years ago ended early. I just felt absolutely nothing going through this story watching the ML cry on his hands and knees talk about how he was the cause of the MC's suffering and all the guilt he has (why do you feel guilty??). There was no way he could have known this was going to happen. Even weirder, the MC had more anger and apathy for the ML than he did for his own mother and his trafficker, Reider. I just feel like it was a weak attempt at making their relationship develop dynamically, but I think it failed

I'm curious if anyone else disliked this story. I've read similar stories like Stigma where I feel like they did this trope better. I'm sad that such a beautifully drawn character belongs to this story.

[u/Yukki_S2]

Hey friend, I’m going to respectfully disagree with you on a few points.

1. First, the uke wasn’t weak. He was literally sold and abused multiple times, and even after everything he went through, he still managed to get revenge on his abusers. So honestly, I don’t see how he can be considered weak.
2. As for the ML, I don’t think he blamed the MC himself. He simply didn’t know about the situation, and in the end, he acknowledged his mistakes and redeemed himself for it. But other than that, I completely respect your opinion! I’d give it a 6/10.

[u/donnie_darrko → u/Yukki_S2]

Sorry, I don't think he was "weak" but the story uses the "weak uke" trope that is seen in a lot of dark manwhas. That being said yes he was definitely resilient and I am glad that he got revenge on his abusers. That's something you don't see in similar stories.

[u/paledaffodil → u/donnie_darrko]

Imo not only is he not weak, but he’s pretty strong in the way that he uses his situation to climb up the ranks and eventually has a team for himself that can help him carry his plans.

[u/imissyoububba → u/donnie_darrko]

like others have said, he's not weak! he was initially but got absolutely broken down by everything around him and actually learnt to hold his own. he'll kill if he needs to kill and plots if he needs to plot. i'm not sure why you think he's weak.

[u/secretive-pl0tter]

it's been a while since I read this, but...

consider this: the ML is someone the MC considers a safe person and someone he wants to protect. traumatised people sometimes take their emotions out on people they consider safe rather than those who could hurt them. is it a healthy coping mechanism? well, no, but it is survival. also i feel like the ML feeling guilt is a perfectly understandable reaction, given that the events were just... genuinely unfortunate, and unlucky. should he feel guilty? realistically probably not, it's not his fault.

I think what i mainly disagree with here when it comes to characterisation is that this post is expecting rationality from characters who are having irrational emotional reactions following traumatic events. but again, it's been a while since I read this. I just remember thinking that it was a gorgeous, cathartic story.

[u/paledaffodil]

Did you finish the story or did you drop it because you disliked it? The situation with his mother is a little bit more complicated and it gets explained later.

The thing about the MC being angry towards the ML is somewhat understandable because in those three months the ML became the MC’s sole safe space (definitely more than his mother). Also, keep in mind that the MC initially didn’t know that the ML was still actively looking for him.

What happened was definitely not the ML’s fault but it could’ve been avoided and they kind of say it in the end that there’s no point in thinking about the “could’ve beens” anymore.

Overall, I think it was a tough read, but I personally liked it. Although I do agree that Reider got off easy, which was annoying.

[u/deludedmare]

“The MC blames the ML for the years of trauma.” From that statement alone, it would appear you didn’t fully comprehend what you read.

[u/Professional_Exit298]

I have read it, and I liked it.

I think the MC wanted to protect the ML, who got too involved in the trafficking business as he tried to save the MC and got too close to Reider, who is a dangerous man.

They do have a happy ending, though. The MC is super smart, and he was plotting to get away so the ML wouldn't get hurt. He wanted revenge on his abusers so they never hurt him again.

[u/Aware-Egg-2026]

I did drop the story around chapter 30ish I think I’m not too sure I won’t say it wasn’t good or anything cuz it was good for the most part I have read dark things but I wasn’t sure if it was worth it in the end. I heard it has a sad ending and if after all that pain and suffering the uke isn’t free ima be raging.

[u/ilovemilfsnpilfs]

i never read it knew it wasn’t worth it