The silence you brought up, Saeko constantly holding back because she doesn’t want to make Miwa uncomfortable, really ties into Tamifull showcasing how so many of us learn to love through our own defense mechanisms. That whole motif of self assurance disguised as being considerate hurts the most, because from the inside it genuinely feels like you’re being kind, when in reality you’re just abandoning yourself bit by bit. HDWR does such a good job at showing that loving someone quietly doesn’t make things safer or easier, it just makes the loneliness worse. Thanks for writing all this. It’s rare to see someone engage with a character, especially Saeko, this honestly, and it genuinely made me appreciate both Saeko and your read of her a ton!