I have deleted my old review of this series as I had an opportunity to re-watch it again along with Season 2. I will be the first to admit that I made a terrible mistake in my review. Sure, parts of it are banal and tropes are obvious but it all leads to a specular and astonishing season 2 that continues this tragic and sad love story. I looked at it as a BL while I should have viewed it simply as a love story. Season 2 corrected the mistakes of this one and with the both together have made a series of a love so deep that it created deep and perhaps lasting hurt.
Take the time to watch this AND season 2. Your perspective might change. Mine sure did. I am not ashamed to say that I initially got this all wrong.