Excellent Screenplay and Direction that Exacts Solid Performances

I was especially impressed by Shao Hui Ting's screenwriting, Tsai Mi Chieh's direction, and Wayne Song's performance as Xiang Hao Ting. The arc of Song's performance is truly impressive as he undergoes three significant transformations from an immature student who disrespects authority at home and at school to a confused and then infatuated adolescent trying to understand and accept his first and only crush on another guy to more studious and empathetic individual impacted by his nascent relationship with his crush, an academically superior student, to a more mature university graduate still mourning the loss of the love of his life four years earlier. It's clear to me now from the title, references to "loving someone forever," and the orphaned Yu Xi Gu (beautifully played by Huang Juan Zhi) whose aunt tells him as a child that his late parents are in the heavens exploring the stars, speaking to them as he gazes at the night sky, that eternal love may include the loss of one's beloved. The imagery, especially the twice and judicious use of light bulbs reminiscent of stars, helps underscore the notion that those who die dwell among the stars in the night sky. TIng's screenplay, and especially the slow of exposition of Yu Xi Gu's death during the nineteenth chapter, is beautifully crafted. Chieh's direction of Song's performance was especially evident in the last two chapters. I know there are those who bemoan sad endings in BL dramas. Truth be told, I prefer happy endings except when the story makes sense with a sad ending. Indeed, life is not always happy endings. I did not watch this series through the end last year and I am happy I went back and watched the whole thing from the beginning. Watch it and latch on to the performances of the four leads.

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