I Just Wanted Someone to Lean On

I just wanted someone to lean on. That was all I wanted.

Original Publisher

kakuyomu

Original Language

japanese

Type

Web Novel

## My Thoughts on I Just Wanted Someone to Lean On "I Just Wanted Someone to Lean On" promised a story about loneliness and the search for connection, themes that always draw me in. The premise of an emotionally weak female protagonist navigating school life definitely had potential, but my experience with this one was a bit bumpy. ### First Impressions Initially, I was hooked. The early chapters did a good job of portraying the protagonist's struggles with feeling like an outcast. This resonated with me, and I found myself rooting for her to find her place. The initial focus on self-validation was also an interesting angle. ### What Works Well The exploration of loneliness and the desire to fit in is definitely the strongest part of this novel. The author captures the protagonist's internal struggles effectively, at least in the beginning. It's easy to empathize with her initial awkwardness and her yearning for connection. I also appreciated the focus on a female protagonist grappling with these issues, as it's a perspective we don't always see. ### Areas of Concern Unfortunately, the initial promise started to fade as the story progressed. My biggest issue revolves around the protagonist's treatment of her boyfriend. Her inability to communicate and her tendency to shut him out, especially while seemingly opening up to other characters, created a significant disconnect. The constant apologies without any real change in behavior became frustrating, and it made it difficult for me to maintain sympathy for her. It felt like she was using him to fill a void without truly valuing him or the relationship. The misunderstandings, while a staple of the genre, felt particularly contrived in this case. ### ⚠️ Spoiler Warning I'm going to briefly touch on a potential spoiler here, so skip this paragraph if you want to go in completely blind. There's a point where the protagonist seemingly learns to "fit in" and creates a "mask," which, instead of leading to character growth, seems to exacerbate her neglect of her boyfriend. This felt like a betrayal of the initial themes of the story and made it even harder to root for her. ### Final Verdict While "I Just Wanted Someone to Lean On" has a relatable premise and some initial charm, the execution ultimately falls short. The protagonist's frustrating behavior and the lack of meaningful character development make it a difficult read. I went into this story with high hopes, wanting to connect with the themes of loneliness and the search for belonging, but ultimately, I was left feeling disappointed. For me, it's a 2 out of 5 stars.