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Ever wonder why the second couple feels like the real main event? We sit down with Peachy—guest relations director for CitrusCon and creator of Church of BL—to trace how Boys’ Love evolves from gateway ships to full-blown obsession, and why fandom keeps returning to dangerous tropes, exquisite art, and redemption arcs that actually land. From Inuyasha-era headcanons to AO3 as a badge of honor, we connect the dots between fanfiction, validation, and the joy of seeing your characters live rent-free in someone else’s brain.

We trade manhwa must-reads—Taming The Tiger, Bloodlink, Mania—and dissect the gravitational pull of BJ Alex and the hard line some of us drew with Jinx. Along the way, we talk ABO Desire’s scene-stealing side couple and what writers can learn when secondary arcs outshine the leads. Regional flavors matter too: Korean BL as the perfect palate cleanser with real chemistry and earned intimacy; Thai BL leveling up direction, consent, and storytelling while shedding dated language and fixable misunderstandings. It’s fandom as critique, craft as care, and a reminder that global audiences are pushing the genre forward.

The conversation turns personal—visual novels as interactive BL where “bad endings” can be delicious, trans joy in getting to “be the boy,” and how gender exploration often blooms inside these stories. We open up about neurodivergence, masking, EMDR therapy, and the comfort of narratives that let emotions run high without apology. Parasocial boundaries get equal airtime: shipping actors vs. characters, calling people readers not fans, and keeping Discord communities vibrant without burning out. By the end, you’ll have a stacked rec list, a sharper lens for consent and redemption, and a deeper sense of why BL feels like home to so many.

Love the show? Follow, rate, and share it with a friend who has second couple syndrome. Drop your spiciest manhwa rec or your favorite redemption arc in the comments—what should we cover next?

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