**SPOILER is at the bottom and I do warn you. You can definitely read this without the spoiler and get a sense of what was said as I was basically ranting as the spoiler**

With you follows a similar storyline with many others in its class. Tropes such as a love triangle, cutthroat grades, first love, growth, and the future are all explored as we follow the journey of an ever-evolving group of friends. In simple terms, it was a cute comedy that captured the essence of youth and romance. There is much debate on the ending but I will get to that later.

I actually came across this through YouTube autoplay. I was listening to the OST of "Go Ahead," another drama with the female lead, Seven Tan. Her acting skills are amazing. She perfectly played the role as well as portraying the passage of time. The male lead was not as eye-catching and some emotions weren't as pronounced (?) as others but he is still quite the performer. Not once did I question whether he and anyone else was in character or not.

While my level of investment was average, the plot and characters stuck with me more than the music did. In other words, there was no track or theme that was playing in my head at the thought of this drama or the more heavy impact scenes. So... I did what anyone would have done and looked it up! To my surprise, I recognize quite a few and could even name a scene in which they were played. I think I will forget them though so let's see... In general, this was definitely more plot skewed and the OST played a very passive role in the background. Nothing made me want to look it up after watching because I couldn't reassociate it with the drama.

I do think the rewatch value is quite high, as they are growing up and I too will be able to better understand the struggles, situations, and emotions they felt. It is impossible to watch it in the same way as the first time, like all things. Though, I do want to come back to this as I get older and forget it some.

Now, the ending....I will say it was rushed and lots of ground was covered in the span of the two episodes. There were many things it was lacking and everyone will (most likely) agree on that. There was no insight as a viewer on how Lu Xing He, Yu Huai, or Geng Geng really thought during various cruel plot points. The ending was executed poorly and made for a tough last two episodes BUT others than that, I disagree with the "majority." Yes, the ending was rushed but there were numerous scenes and moments that foreshadow it. Sure it went down kind of badly and bashed everyone's fairytale but that is reality and love does not conquer all.

***SPOILER SECTION...Come back after you have watched it........****

For those that hated the ending and bashing Yu Huai's choices and blaming him or Geng Geng's choice on who she wanted to be with, I have a bone to pick with you. Sure, it was a dick move but you can't sit there and pretend like the reason wasn't a good one or you would have handled it better fresh out of high school. His dad works away from home, his mom is working hard and gets sick. The amount of pressure he was already under combined with the stress of all that and the added financial burden on a HIGHSCHOOL student with no income and a newly crushed confidence. It probably destroyed him and his mental space. Because he is a caringly unselfish and logical person, evident in his love of physics and character, he decided not to drag her down. The argument of "He should have told her. She could have helped." HOW?!?! Geng Geng loves him and would follow him literally anywhere and he loves her too. But he doesn't want that right now. He has too much on his plate. Geng Geng after those ten years was successful and made a name for herself. If she had gone with him, with the money problem alone, it is not realistic to say she could have achieved the same results. It was said in the first episode: He was his best self then while she became her best self later in life. Her choice to choose him now, even after ten long and painful years? Simply, because she still loves him. With him finishing his Ph.D. and her success, the previous barrier no longer exists. Everyone feels bad for Lu Xing He to some extent as someone who devoted his youth to her and stuck around. he supports her, waited for her, and stuck with her but if she chose him for that reason alone, it would be out of pity and obligation. Neither one would be happy. Simply because she doesn't love him and it sucks because we know who she likes, even he does. That is why it is painful, but we know. It isn't about who deserves her more or did more. The second lead syndrome and choice felt stupid, but basing Geng Geng's decision and criticizing a choice Yu Huian made due to circumstance and love is not it. Lu Xing He took back the ring because he understood her and her feelings so well. Geng Genf forgave Yu Huain because she could understand. Why can't you?

**End of the spoiler, I think...hehe (?)***

The drama, characters, and ending all had their own degree of realisticness and that is one of the reasons I loved this. Getting a dose of reality in a drama is normal as the writers also live in that same reality. Relationships come in all different forms as well as coming and leaving as it pleases, often returning to tease us. Love can't conquer all and it doesn't have to. A realistic end to splash us back and reflect on the reality we came here to avoid. Very poetic if you ask me.
It was an enjoyable watch. :)