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Disappointed
I guess if this was shown as a new series with new characters den it cud have been a better watch. Bt it did not do justice to itsay. Hence calling it a season 2 of itsay feels wrong. Really rushed and a very plain plot. Cud have explored so much more. Never have a series disappointed me dis much. I mean comeon a person who left his dream college i dnt think will stoop dis low. Its not just kissing someone. Its wat happened after dat. Cunningly going back and trying to kiss the person u cheated just moments back. Promising something den repeating same mistakes again and again. Where does it stop. Wen vil u learn. How will u trust some1 like dis again. Director seriously made Teh a villian in BL world. I am just disappointed. Acting and music was good. No doubt. Bt the story just did not live up the hype. Very strange character development of both the leads. Teh tries really hard not to grow up and Oh tries hard to just forgive forgive forgive. Wat should i take home with me after dis series. Wat did it teach me. Cheaters remain cheaters? It wud have been better if dis series taught us how not to choose our toxic traits. So dat next time wen someone out der thinks about cheating dey remember dis series and stop. And not remember dis series and continue thinking i'll feel empty later in my life, regret, apologize and get back together.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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Another Achievement for Thailand
It's taken me several days to really process I Promised You the Moon enough to write a review, but here it is.IPYTM has a different feel than ITSAY. ITSAY is about what it is to fall in love; IPYTM talks about what it means to *stay* in love. In a way, this is good. I Promised You the Moon asks the questions, "What happens after they (literally) walk off into the sunset? What happens when their plans change? What happens when it's harder to spend time together? What happens when they move in different circles, go to different schools, want different things?" I liked this about the drama. However, given its different feel, it's unsurprising that some fans were very put off by it; when the first part and the second part are that different, friction is to be expected.
I found IPYTM's realism to be the most refreshing part of the production, and I loved what it had to say. Rather than going the shiny-happy K-Drama route, where the couple falls in love to pieces and makes all kinds of outlandish promises that are never really examined, this drama really looked at what it takes to make and be in a relationship, how it has pitfalls, and how no one is perfect - expecting rainbows is a recipe for disaster. I stand by what I've said about both parts, as well: their true power lies in the fact that you do not really *watch* the dramas, but rather, feel them. You'd never think a simple coming-of-age story would pack quite so much punch, but it's enough to bowl you over. I cried almost nonstop through the final episode. I've watched a lot of TV in my life, and no show has ever hit me quite this hard. That in itself, I think, is an achievement and a tribute to how well it was written, directed, and acted. In that respect, the ten episodes together are just a next-level masterpiece.
While there was a lot to like, for me, there were a few issues with IPYTM that made it somewhat inferior to ITSAY:
1. Timeline. To some extent, I understand how this made things more difficult, and how the production had to work with what they were allowed. But it did create some disconnect. If they'd had two or three more episodes, the drama would have flowed much better. That would have made more room Billkin and PP Kritt to share the screen; anything they do together is magical. They have a very special trust between them that just makes for wonderful TV, no matter how they're interacting onscreen. A lot of that was sacrificed to tell the story, which was a loss.
2. Subtletly. One of the things I absolutely loved about ITSAY was its subtlety. Sometimes what Teh and Oh said with their body language and eyes was very different from the actual words they were saying. I loved how P'Boss used touch in particular to communicate their emotions, rather than saying things outright or using sexually suggestive innuendo. It wasn't about how much they were "hot" for each other; it was about how deeply they cared about each other. That was lost in the second half, largely because of the director's style.
3. How they handled Teh and Oh's first time. I'm sorry, but this is just a gripe for me. I get that sex is not the be-all and end-all of life, but your first time with someone and your first time, period, is important. I wish they'd put the first time in the first episode and let the scene in Episode 3 stand independently. It felt like they dirtied it with what Teh did in Episode 3. It wasn't about how racy it was (and really, it wasn't that racy to begin with), but how they edited things just didn't sit well with me.
4. Yes, in the end, the thing with Jai still bothers me a little. I get why they did what they did, but it was a very polarizing, emotionally-charged plot decision that created divisions where there needn't have been any. Almost any other rift would have been better (short of, you know, Teh committing crimes or something), or at the very least, Teh coming clean before he actually did anything. That said, it could have been far worse, so at least the writers had the sense to make Teh's actions very mild. Still, the deception bothered me. In a relationship, that's the hardest thing to come back from, which is what polarized fans so much. However, I *in no way* agree with how some fans reacted after episode 3. Bullying crew off Twitter, harassing the director, threatening arson, urging the actors to leave their contracts - that kind of thing is absolutely not okay. Some fans desperately needed to grow up and separate reality from fiction. It's a plot twist, not murder. Get over it.
Despite my gripes, I still really loved I Promised You the Moon. Even when the characters did things you didn't agree with, the storytelling made sense, the actions of the characters made sense, and everything worked out logically. You understood why the characters were doing what they were doing, even if you didn't agree. The series was also stunningly well-acted by everyone. I commend the director for his ability to pull out the performances he did! One of the reasons I think a lot of fans forgave Teh after the finale was simply how well Billkin played him - the character might have made some bad decisions, but the way Billkin approaches it makes it impossible, for me at least, to hate Teh. Even when he screwed up and I was thinking, "Dude, you totally deserve this," I couldn't help feeling some empathy for him anyway. I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the musical score, and the song and MV "Coming of Age" had me bawling all over again. Therefore, despite my gripes, it's a solid 9/10 for me. Not as good as ITSAY, but nonetheless a towering achievement for Thailand and Nadao.
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GREAT SEQUEL TO I TOLD SUNSET ABOUT YOU
Narratives like what I Promised You The Moon presented might not be everyone's cup of tea but what is important is that they remained consistent with how they tell stories. I Promised You The Moon is pretty heavy but that does not invalidate the writing. If one does not like the story, it does not mean the story is automatically bad. It just means it does not cater to the general audience and that's what I loved about I Promised You The Moon. Its bravery in telling hard-to-swallow stories like this is what made IPYTM great. I hope more people appreciate this modern classic of a series.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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What a beautiful moon <3
As expected, I loved this pretty much just as much as I loved I Told Sunset About You. ITSAY has a very special place in my heart so when I found out it was getting a part 2, I was so excited. I was so anxious to watch this series that I literally told myself I was gonna wait until the entire series aired before I watched it so I didn't have to torture myself with waiting every week for an episode.So, I think it was a couple days after episode 3 aired and before I had watched it, I had heard the news about Teh's cheating. After that, I was upset because I was worried about not only how the series would end, but if I was even gonna like it or not. Cheating isn't a foreign thing when it comes to a BL series. I mean usually it's someone forcing themselves onto the main character, but still... it happens quite often. However, that is NOT the direction I ever thought this series would go. Finding that out made me lose faith in the plot of the series even being any good at all.
BUT I honestly should've never doubted this series though. I may have been upset as hell with Teh's character for cheating and really sad to see Oh'aews character in pain but the ending was exactly what I wanted. I still wanted them to be together no matter what. I think that there is always room for a relationship to grow, recover, and succeed if both partners are willing to just try. I think that the love between Teh and Oh'aew is so pure and strong that they were able to overcome their flaws. I will never say it's okay to cheat but I think like Oh'aew said at the end "It is impossible for us to not have problems." All couples have issues and it's normal to sometimes have feelings for someone else. It's you being a human being.
With the history the two of them have together, the memories, the love, the happiness, the laughter.. I just think that the bond they have with each other is too strong to break. Especially when there is time given to heal.
It's okay for people to change and to go their separate paths. Sometimes it's necessary for people to become stronger when they come back together.
Overall, this series was amazing. The only thing that upset me sometimes is I felt like there may have been a little too much screen time for the side characters and not enough for the main couple. I mean, in ITSAY they were the main focus pretty much all the way through but for this part, I don't feel that was so. But other than that I really can't complain.
I loved this so much and I recommend this entire series to anyone who is a fan of BL and coming of age stories.
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as a big fan of ITSAY, this was straight up just a disaster
I could proudly and confidently say that I am the biggest ITSAY fan. This show changed my life heavily and even inspired me to become a director. Everything about ITSAY was just perfect, the characters, the acting, the story and the amazing cinematography. Up until P'Boss decided to do some charity work by handing over the second season to a second director. I mean I already expected some downgrade to the storyline and the camerawork but boy oh boy was this a disaster.I went into the first episode very happy and excited to see OA and Teh again. It was all going well so far. Although I did notice that something was different about the camerawork. The whole ITSAY vibe just was not there. ITSAY's camerawork was so perfect I felt like it had its own soul, but this? this felt like some post-apocalyptical sci-fi movie when it came to the colours and the angles of each scene. What I'm trying to say is that there was no ITSAY spark regarding the camerawork. No shade to the people behind it of course, it just does not fit ITSAY as a story. The first episode was pretty ok. I had some hopes that this might actually be better than my expectations, especially when OA met his new friends. I have to say that Q was a very nice addition to the characters. His character was very cool already with only 1 minute of screen time. (cooler than The will ever be. Sorry not sorry)
After that everything was just a blur to me. Teh acting up again, getting mad at OA for discovering what he actually likes and for getting a tattoo ABOUT HIM??? I already hated Teh a bit in ITSAY but after IPYTM I despised him thanks to P'Meen.
All of Teh's actions made no sense. The getting mad at OA for being himself, the cheating on OA and not even trying to hide it and just being an idiot, but what made even less sense was how OA decided to forgive him after all what he did to him. I know that OA is a good person and that he really liked Teh, but what he did to him was just unforgivable. Once again, OA had one of the sweetest, most considerate guys fall for him (Q), but he still chose stinky crybaby Teh. I just don't understand. Sometimes the best you can do is move on, even if it hurts. It is still way better than staying with a toxic piece of trash who will probably repeat the same mistakes over and over. In ITSAY I was able to look past his actions because at the end of the day he was just a kid. But now that he's a grown ass man and he's still doing shit like this, then I WILL call him out for it, seriously. OA had both Bas and Q but still chose Teh. It made me so mad.
The only positive outcome of this disaster were the OA scenes, the Bas scenes and the Q scenes. Oh and also the OSTs were great. Probably carried the series.
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This is a story about love, forgiveness, and acceptance. THIS IS NOT A FAIRYTALE!
I am compelled to write a review because of all the rants I've read in the comment section. If you're looking for a perfect and flawless love story (which btw does NOT exist) get the hell out now.This is a story that happens to anyone. People are originally fragile and prone to whatever temptations out there. The storytelling was executed perfectly, all the little details hinting at the inevitable... everything that led to that night; a mistake was done, the consequences irreversible.
I don't condone cheating. But to me, cheating is something done intentionally, disregarding the other partner's feelings to satisfy one's own selfish desires. It was not the case with Teh. But whatever the case was, it was still wrong to be swayed with another person and indulge in it without even realizing it while in a committed relationship.
For Oh, it was devastating. To see the love of his life looking at another man with longing; no one would ever want that. And so, he walked away from Teh. I completely supported his decision.
Years later, the wound healed, both of them moved on and can sincerely wish each other well.
Oh's decision to accept Teh back was perfectly rational. It was not something impulsive. He has loved Teh most of his life, no one can take that away from him. He knew that their relationship won't ever be perfect, but he's walking into it with full disclosure.
Anyway, what I'm saying is, THIS IS A STORY ABOUT REAL PEOPLE and not some trashy plot made to satisfy the general audience.
I truly want to commend all the people behind this show. I enjoyed it and was moved by the raw and real emotions the acting and the lines conveyed.
There was no boring moment
No non-sense conversations
Mature thought processes
Character development was present
Believable choices made
To be honest, this show had a much more impact on me than its predecessor.
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Fulfilled Promises
I was hesitant to start watching I Promised You the Moon because I Told Sunset About You made such a good impression on me and others. However, I started watching along with everyone else when the series was airing, and ended up abandoning it at episode two, because I just couldn't handle seeing Oh-aew broken again. After watching, my intuition was definitely right, but both Tae and Oh-aew had to grow up (let's not forget they were teenager when they first got together and so are obviously going to make mistakes) before they realised exactly what they meant to each other.The pacing of this drama was definitely similar to I Told Sunset About You, but the awkward pining that dominated the first series was replaced with Tae being an all round dumbass (now that I think about it, very similar to the first series). It's definitely different to the first series though, there's a different flavour of despair and less hopefulness for the future of both main characters. Honestly, this isn't a series you can watch again and again because of the subject matter being more raw compared to other BL dramas but I love that both instalments are different from the cliché led BL industry, if you want something honest and real then this perfect.
The acting was amazing, especially the actors who play Tae and Oh-aew, they're honestly the best actors I've ever watched and were able to portray the couples conflicting emotions towards one another perfectly. I thought that the cast switch ups were essential and overall good. I especially liked Jai's character, I know, he's the villain, but the evil mind-f*cking director angle really held an impression with me as it's something I haven't seen before. I also loved Oh-aew's friend group, without them I think this series would have been ten times more depressing than it already was. I also really loved seeing Bas at the end of the last episode and it definitely helped that he looked so damn adorable.
Overall, definitely a series that I will watch again, I honestly think that this production overall is a masterpiece but I'll have to wait a while, just to prepare myself for all the heartbreak.
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Conflicted Feelings
As a huge fan of ITSAY, I will say that I had conflicted feelings about IPYTM, and all of it comes from the story.SPOILERS AHEAD-
Story: I understand the whole point is to portray realism. In ITSAY, the reason why Teh’s character is “controversial”, and some of the people who have watched the show strongly dislike him, is because he’s a complicated character who is selfish at times but is struggling a lot with his self identity. In IPYTM, a similar approach is done and he’s still a selfish character who has trouble figuring out what he wants. Therefore, I understand the decision the directors made and do think it’s realistic for Teh to cheat on Oh Aew the second that their relationship faced conflicts, especially with someone else appearing at the seemingly perfect time.
With that being said, just because I understand why the show did that, does not mean that I agree with it. To me, the ending in ITSAY was meant to demonstrate how Teh and Oh Aew overcame their obstacles and ended up together despite their struggles. IPYTM does practically the same thing and ends with Teh and Oh Aew reuniting and overcoming the cheating, which is my main problem with the story. I felt that the decision to be realistic by including cheating but still keeping a somewhat “good” ending does not work because, in my eyes, that already removes some of the realism. Including cheating in a second season just to be “realistic” has always seemed lazy to me, because there’s many other alternatives that would make the story realistic. However, what I think is even worse is if a show decides to include cheating, has the character forgive the other, and still acts like there’s hope for the characters. My main issue wasn’t even that Teh was forgiven, because that’s not necessarily unrealistic, but the fact that the story was hopeful at the end is what made me not like it. If the characters were going to reunite at the end after one of them cheated on the other, it doesn’t matter what the directors do, the ending will never be a good one because there’s always going to be doubts and part of the original trust they had for each other will be gone.
There were many other options to be realistic but not include cheating, such as having them break up because of their differences or conflicting feelings. That way, it would’ve been more natural if both of them realize that they still love each other years later. Or if it’s going to have cheating, I personally don’t want to see the characters get back together.
Therefore, although I understand why the story went the way it did, I just did not like it and felt like there were other ways for it to be realistic and not take the typical cheating route. And if they are going by the cheating and forgiving route, I don’t want the story to seem happy or hopeful at the end because that removes the realism for me.
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cativante e bem construída
Você tem que no mínimo ser extremamente amargurado ou ter se magoado demais na sua vida para poder não achar essa historia boa. Como todas as series a historia tem seus pontos altos, mornos e baixos, mas a execução foi perfeita. Você consegue se sentir em casa e a atuação é tão boa que você VIVE a serie. Não tinha como acabar mais ou menos, as alternativas de final foram muito bem traçadas. É uma serie que vai te cativar do começo ao fim, essa temporada foi incrível, acho que foi o ponto alto do meu ano, a espera realmente valeu a pena. Essa serie é revigorante, é uma historia muito bem construída, é nítido. A ost é PERFEITA, sem espaço para discussões sobre a ost. É claro que eu vou voltar e assistir outras vezes. A serie é ótima em um todo, realmente estabeleceu um padrão que pode ser seguido. Se você é amargurado (a,e) demais essa serie não é para você. Uma pena já ter terminado, eu adorei passar essas semanas com essa serie, espero ver os atores em mais trabalhos.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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Oh really deserves the moon, Teh not so much but he got it anyway
I thought about not watching IPYTM, I really did, I read some spoilers, I knew I was gonna be hurt. I loved both characters and understood Teh’s pains so I was asking myself - what would make him do that?Curiosity won and I watched it. I wasn’t expecting much, but it blew my mind. Not only because of the story (honestly I would have done so many things differently), but because of the characters' changes, what had happened to them? In the first ep Oh was different and scared while Teh was too optimistic... They were vibrating different frequencies from the start, for the first time I feared that would be their end. And it almost was. I kept watching thirsty for reasons for that damn thing.
IPYTM disturbed me, it was the opposite of the good feelings of love and nostalgia I had felt before, it was uncomfortable, distressing, sad. I wanted to punch Teh, I don’t know how many times, punch his naivety, his ego, his lack of consideration for Oh (especially when he decides to transfer and the homophobic audition), his blindness, then I remembered life is like this. You fall out of love and in love in the same relationship, you admire ppl and think that is love, you can’t control your feelings, you love what they can give you, you love an idea, you idealize your future, you get lost, you seek perfection and you forget perfection does not exist.
Although I find cute/happy love stories great, I also understand ppl make mistakes and stupid things. Clearly, Teh did not think he would lose Oh, then he did. Also clearly, they did not communicate well, nor Oh nor Teh... For a moment I was rooting for them to break up, shaken, hating Teh. When I saw how his perfect life was actually meaningless I was content, when he deleted their photos I said “well deserved”, but I lost everything with his final project play… And I lost all my arguments when they were finally together on screen. Can you see a world where those 2 are next to each other and don’t touch? I can’t!
Oh-Aew did not forget Teh, he became a silent fan, a working grown-up, he evolved so much and he was so brave all the time. How I wish I could have seen his previous resolutions, to have the tattoo done, to dye his hair red, and then to go back to his dark colors in their break-up. His words for Teh “I can’t give what you want" "you're gonna leave anyway" or the idea that Teh should’ve fought for him really pierced my heart, he loves Teh so much it hurts. In their reunion he was so cool, that scene when he says goodbye is so beautiful, but was he fully happy? Bas the wise comes to tell him to follow his heart, so maybe he wasn’t? The fact that he was still single and didn’t even look at Q might’ve meant he was just fine by himself, but the magazines hint at lingering love for Teh, not only that, but the camera showing the magazine was there together with his new photos. I just love Oh-Aew. For me this is Oh’s love story, he made the final call and he really deserves the moon.
In the end of ep4 I was skeptical, like, how were they going to make it work and save Teh’s ass? That also kept me going through the sadness, I felt physical pain. The final ep was brilliant. Teh’s play showed me he was really trying, maybe too late? Maybe too little? Yes, but there he was finally doing something! I liked the end, the parallels and the subtlety in their interactions were diminished in IPYTM, you did not see much of the blue x red. I will always associate Oh's love to the red colour. In the final scene, however, although Oh wasn't wearing anything super red and a black suit, his hair, which was darker when he reunited with Teh, was now faintly red in coordination to the hibiscus in the background, simply majestic. And there were white flowers not a sunflower, because maybe we've reached a point where Teh is not Oh’s sun anymore, or where Oh is not needy anymore and they can restart anew? Maybe now they can walk even, side by side? Nothing here is unintentional. Oh wants to be together, to try, to know the answer, to see if the future with Teh will be better. Relationships are choices and prayers of a happier future, of the happiest future possible. When Teh posts their pic and shows his love to everyone, despite his agency views, I know some ppl didn't like that, but I did, not bc of the post per se (we know how selfish Teh is, and honestly I don't think that is smth he can turn off 100%), but bc of the pic + message, showing off their love in a proposal lol. Ah, and Oh's face in the pic is priceless, maybe now they will face it together? Or not? I don't know, I can only pray together with them.
Sadly, the magical interactions, the silence, the touch and Oh + Teh screen time were so reduced in IPYTM that I feel like crying. There were still some interesting parallels, the blue x red tie, the doubt x the assertiveness, but it was like the magic had worn off, and I also think that was intentional. Real life is here, the struggles. Opposite to Phuket, we have the city and its hardness. I was not satisfied, sometimes I feel like I am, but I don't know. No back scratching, no body dancing, a love making scene with Jai’s interference, ugh!!!! At least they gave us beautiful insights on their 1st and the aquarium scene, another great parallel to their 1st kiss underwater. The play when Teh was working backstage, Teh’s final project play, the flower hitting scene and the end when they came full circle were also carefully and beautifully made.
Again so many feelings I can’t ignore and once more a superb production!!!
All the feelings these series caused in me are indiscribable. Microcosms. Love.
I'm glad I watched it, plus the soundtrack is amazing, a lot more of PP filled my heart <3 and coming of age with the most perfect clip ever almost killed me.
ps. a lot of people say Oh deserves better or that Teh ruined their beautiful love story, but I'd say real happiness and blessing is to be able to follow your heart's desires, like Oh did. They get back together in the end exactly because of their beautiful love story!
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Yeah, but nah...
Firstly let me say the scriptwriting, acting, and filmography was outstanding.Then let me follow it by saying, freaking... why?
Tae is completely unlikeable as a character. He is self-involved, narcissistic, and selfish. He treats Oh as if he should be grateful for being there and then punishes him when he doesn't meet the standards he wants.
At times it is almost a narrative of emotional abuse and then he cheats on him, begs him to stay, and in the end... what? Just, no. Runaway, Oh'Aew, run far away. That boy is a toxic wasteland. I don't care how much the writer wanted to give watchers a happy ending. That was just unhealthy.
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It's about growth, ambition, and the challenges of shifting priorities in a relationship.
I gotta say, I’m really digging this season way more than the last one. A lot of people are hating on "IPYTM" because of the whole Teh cheating thing, but honestly, this season feels way more real. Life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, you know? Now, I’m not here to defend Teh, but I think it’s important to point out that he’s not some player who’s just messing around for kicks. What he did was pretty messed up—he betrayed Oh-Aew’s trust and feelings. He wasn’t honest with him, and by the end, he knew he screwed up.Jai using Method Acting for his project was kind of genius, though. He knew Teh admired him, and he realized that Teh’s feelings for Oh-Aew were holding him back from really nailing his performance. So, during rehearsals, Teh had to push Oh-Aew out of his mind to get into character. He got so into Jai’s Method that he started drifting away from his relationship with Oh-Aew. And in the end, the part of him that fell for Jai took over, all because of his career. By choosing his career over his relationship, especially as a freshman, Teh made it clear where his priorities were.
So, does Teh still love Oh-Aew? Absolutely. Oh-Aew was his first love, and those feelings don’t just disappear. But when Oh-Aew tried to get him back, Teh was already too lost in his own head.
They drifted so far apart that their love went from being a perfect storm to just a calm sea.
Teh really feels like Jai is the reason he’s become a good actor. Even when he got scouted, the first person he wanted to tell was Jai. His career is everything to him. It’s not about whether he loves Oh-Aew or not; it’s about the fact that he’s been dreaming of being an actor since he was a kid. But in chasing that dream, he totally forgets that Oh-Aew, his boyfriend and best friend, has been his biggest supporter all along.
One of the best moments for me is when Oh-Aew decides to switch to the Advertising department. That decision wasn’t easy for him at all. He didn’t want to choose between his own happiness and his relationship, but he knew he had to.
I’m especially into Oh-Aew’s personal growth. The way he learns about love is so real and mature. Instead of clinging to the idea of “forever,” he starts to understand that love is something that changes over time. He realizes how important it is to be true to himself and his feelings, rather than making promises that might not hold up as life and relationships evolve.
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