The story is based on the trivial memories of the male protagonist Ah Han in high school, in a montage fashion. When he was under martial law in Taiwan, he met his classmate Birdy. One was very free and rebellious in his thoughts and behaviors, one would stand up for the bullied gay classmates, one would talk back to the instructor directly, and one would jump off the second floor if he was bullied by his classmates. He seemed so ruthless, but he was really alone, but he started chasing girls when A-Han liked him, and when A-Han decided to confess his feelings to him, he started to alienate A-Han, and finally left in the name of the joint entrance examination.
I've seen some comments about why the story is so detached, and why Birdy ends up doing something completely different from his character, and it's baffling. For me personally, the memories of youth are so detached, and when I am with the people I care about, I feel as if my thinking can never keep up with the changes of time. However, there will be some unrelated little things that will have a profound impact on you. As for Birdy, he is a free-thinking, daring man, and at the same time, he is using these crazy behaviors to hide his unease. His unease came from the father who said he wished he had never given birth to him, and from the serious prejudice against LGBTQ society at the time. He and Ah Han saw LGBTQ rights activists being violently enforced in Taipei. Even the bravest people can get a trace of fear and loss. He knew that even if he could fight against society, he didn't know if he was capable enough to protect even Ah Han. His unease finally made him choose to maintain his relationship with Ah Han on a socially acceptable norm. So Ah Han decided to confess his sexuality and opened up his heart to Birdy, but Birdy also endured not to respond to him. In the end, the seemingly introverted and cowardly A-Han faced his true self, while the seemingly bold and rebellious Birdy chose to disappear silently.
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When the person you like so much, one day sincerely opens up your heart to you, but you feel that you are "not suitable" for various reasons and do not respond to the other person, you will finally find that after this moment is over, there will be no more . Even if that person is still there, he is no longer the one who opened his heart to you purely in his memory. So the "name engraved in the bottom of my heart" is not the person itself, but the person you really liked in your memory, but failed to confess. This person no longer exists in reality, but you will never forget him.
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