Sometimes you’re just sticking with the story out of habit! You don’t have the same enthusiasm as when you started, and yet here you are, still waiting for something—something that you don’t know what it could be. I have no idea what makes you stay some of the time! Maybe you’re just hopeful, too. Or maybe you just find that this is a story you can’t let go of, regardless of whether you’re still enjoying it or not. Yeah, there are really times like this.

You know I usually stick to the series. I rarely DNF; heck, even books or manga that I tried once but didn’t like the beginning, I still shelved them for another time. I had books before that I put on hold; I went back and gave them another try, and I actually finished them. ‘Cos I’m a moody reader, there are times that I’ll be in the mood to read this kind of series or that type of theme, so I never say never until it’s really never!

But there are those that I’m still there because it became a habit that I follow the story. Especially those long-running series, like I’m curious enough to know the end but I’m not truly enjoying what I’m reading. This is my problem when it comes to long-running series. It feels like I’ve invested time in it already, so I might as well keep up with it. Like for example, 菜の花の彼　─ナノカノカレ─ by 鉄骨サロ (story) & 桃森ミヨシ (art). Oh man, let me tell you, I was so frustrated with this series. It started out super nice, but it was love gone wrong—no, gone terrible! Overly dramatic! And there were many times that I was questioning myself about why I was still in here getting all disturbed. I could’ve just stopped then and there, right? But no, my hard-headed self just kept reading and reading until it ended—that very lukewarm, most anti-climactic ending. And while I wasn’t satisfied with reading it, I kind of felt okay that I kept on despite all the hair-pulling moments that went on.

As they say, “so many books (stories), so little time,” so I should stop frustrating myself and hop onto my next, hopefully decent read. But I think I’m the type of stubborn person who won’t say no unless I don’t have even a millimeter of interest to keep on. Even if the factor that keeps me going is just out of obligation, I still keep up!