Every Romance Leaves Its Trace

Description

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“In the Romance White Book, entry 107 states, ‘Every romance leaves its trace.'”

Height 183, weight 72, CSAT score 485, ability 0.

Those were the familiar, adequate, and ordinary numbers that described myself, now twenty years old.

I was accepted into a university well above my grade level as an extra. However, when I went to the bank to pay my tuition, I met a man who called me an ability user. An ability user who was immune to abilities. I scored a flat 0% in every category of the ability test, can’t even bend a spoon, and possess no combat skills whatsoever, though?

I didn’t know what use my ability would be in the military, but I became affiliated with the ability user group, S.E. Jung Haekyung, the one who dragged me into S.E., was the only one who reached out their hand to me, someone who was suddenly dragged to an unfamiliar place and treated unfairly.

Haekyung was as beautiful, strong, and kind as ever, but… the more time we spent together, the more something seemed…

Associated Names
One entry per line
모든 연애는 흔적을 남긴다
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
I Confessed To You By Mistake (1)
Turns Out I’m Crazy (1)
Non Zero Sum (1)
I Became a S*ave to the Man I Abandoned (1)
Dirty XX (1)
Lost (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. High Priority To-Read List
  2. TBR (GL/BL) 11
  3. Black/Red flags bl
  4. Dark recommendations(BL)
  5. Flags the Colour of Red Rubies [BL]

Latest Release

Date Group Release
05/22/24 Chrysanthemum Garden epilogue
04/28/24 Chrysanthemum Garden c17 part3
04/07/24 Chrysanthemum Garden c17 part2
03/22/24 Chrysanthemum Garden c17 part1
03/07/24 Chrysanthemum Garden c16
03/07/24 Chrysanthemum Garden c15
03/04/24 Chrysanthemum Garden c14 part5
02/27/24 Chrysanthemum Garden c14 part4
02/22/24 Chrysanthemum Garden c14 part3
02/18/24 Chrysanthemum Garden c14 part2
02/15/24 Chrysanthemum Garden c14 part1
02/12/24 Chrysanthemum Garden c13
02/05/24 Chrysanthemum Garden c12 part2
01/22/24 Chrysanthemum Garden c12 part1
01/15/24 Chrysanthemum Garden c11
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Review
12 Reviews


orcinuss
orcinuss
Aug 02, 2023
Status: Completed
Translator here ^^

Honestly, I don't really know what to say about this novel. Is it my favourite story? Far from it. Is it something I would actively recommend to others? It's... definitely an acquired taste. Nonetheless, as the title suggests, it did leave its trace on me. It's the opposite of romances where the two leads find each other and save each other from their misery. JHK (Jung Haekyung, the gong) and KEJ (Kim Euijin, the shou) only seem to destroy each other the longer they're together.

Everything that happened to... more>> KEJ was just the result of him being unlucky, there's nothing more to it. He's not evil or bad, he was just some guy who wanted to go to university. Unfortunately, he met JHK, who proceeded to make his life hell out of his love for KEJ. You could argue that JHK never loved KEJ because of everything he's done, but I personally think that he loved him, but didn't know the proper methods to show it. He ruined KEJ's life. There is no apologising or forgiving or defending him for his behaviour. JHK is the villain in this story.

Instead of appreciating it as a love story, I think it's best to view it as a psychological. In fact, the reason I find this novel so interesting is because of KEJ's view on everything. The story is not as heavily narrated as it could've been because KEJ thinks in a... strange way (eg: admiring a man's ankles during a bank robbery, worrying about his tuition fees after getting kidnapped), but it just makes the moments where he thinks honestly about his feelings even more intense.

Spoiler

KEJ will always remind us that every single smut scene in this story is r*pe. He may have given up on fighting back, but that is in no way consent to JHK's assault on him. He will remind us again and again, and he doesn't succumb to stockholm. In a way, at least. I don't think he ever fell for JHK, even if he says he loves at him at the end of the story, because it feels more like an obsession as he tries to get back at JHK and tries to kill either him or himself several times.

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JHK doesn't understand what he's doing to KEJ is bad. I don't pity him at all, but reading this novel made me feel a sense of hopelessness. They should've never met at all. Also, JHK is scary as hell 😭😭

Spoiler

He's not as extreme as some other yandere gongs and it's not the most intense story out there, but damn was this guy creepy 😭 Especially when he starts repeating his words over and over again, it gave me the chills. He's not exactly super violent towards KEJ either, and he acts like a normal person most of the time, which is what makes me feel so creeped out. He doesn't think he's doing anything wrong at all.

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All in all, it's an interesting read, and not very long. An iconic BL novel in the knovel community, especially because of the author's famous line:

Spoiler

Isn't it a happy ending as long as both leads live?

No, it would've been a happy ending if either or both of them died ma'am 😭😭😭

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karwasama
karwasama
Dec 03, 2023
Status: Completed
Well. This certainly was a story, yeah?

In essence, this is a novel about an abusive relationship, where one person is a legitimate psychopath (no, not the fictitious psychopaths you see in most web novels - there is something seriously so wrong with the ML) and the other is trying desperately not to lose themselves in this relationship. The focus is primarily on the two of them, but it has the added benefit of an interesting setting; in this universe, certain people have “abilities” and those with “abilities” are often forced... more>> to join the military. Which is what happens to the MC.

I keep rewriting this review, trying to find the right words to describe how I felt about this novel. I feel like I’m failing miserably, but I’ll have at it anyway.

The emotional manipulation and ab*se was portrayed so strongly and accurately it made me sick at times. I hated the ML and how in his brain, all of his actions are reasonable, and worst of all, loving. Because yes, I also am a firm believer that despite everything, the ML truly does love the MC (in his own, f*cked up way).

The MC is such a strong character - if he was portrayed any differently, I don’t think I would have finished the novel. Despite staying in this abusive relationship, he never truly “submits” to the ML. He’s doing what he can to survive, but he knows deep down how wrong all of this is, and how much he hates the ML. His inner dialogue was written so well - his nervous breakdowns as a result of being gaslighted and manipulated was really palpable to me, as the reader, and I was sweating along with him when he was doing something the ML would perceive as “ bad”.

The ending was the best part of the novel and something that will probably stick with me for a long, long time:

Spoiler

One day, the MC decides he’s had enough and tries to kill the ML. He escapes to South America, where he tries to evade the military and the ML, but he’s haunted by their relationship. He questions if he loves the ML, has nightmares of actually becoming the ML’s dog (throughout the novel, the ML treats him like one (and I mean that literally)), and it all comes to a head when the ML finds him to take him back. There’s this moment of intense catharsis where the MC decides he does “love” the ML, but not the way the ML “loves” him. Their “loves” are mutually destructive, a situation where neither can live while the other survives, and the MC wants to kill the ML so that his “love” prevails (at least, that’s how I interpreted it).

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I have more thoughts but not enough skill to write it in the review (rip). A really enjoyable, unique novel though, 4.5/5.0 stars. <<less
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princesshao
princesshao
Oct 14, 2024
Status: epilogue
This is 5/5 or 10/10 for me. I understand it’s not for everyone, though. There’s a certain state of mind and mood you have to be in to appreciate this.

Thank you translator for your hard work on this. One of the best translations I’ve read, and it’s free. I wish the translations you have to pay for were this good...

I gotta say I really love how it ended.

... more>>
Spoiler

It seems the two of them will be stuck in a stalemate indefinitely. MC will never be able to kill himself on ML’s watch no matter how hard he tries. MC will keep trying to rile ML up as much as he can. His only hope is for ML to get tired of him but we all know that will never happen. MC’s only escape is when ML slips up. Anyway, I enjoyed the Epilogue a little more than I should (r*pe excluded ofc) and I wish we had more scenes of MC torturing ML like that; I absolutely love it.

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iloveyoukimdokja
iloveyoukimd
Mar 24, 2024
Status: --
This story is depressing but interesting at the same time. The translation is top-notch! The emotion is smoothly transferred and easy to pull you into the story.

The ML 100% has a mental problem, but nobody cares because he is useful. He is unique in his own way, different from the other obsessive semes in a way that he seems like a realistic and close description of the mentally ill.

The MC is, in a sense, strong. And very charismatic, at least to me (and some crazy ML).

... more>>
Spoiler

As time passes, you can see the MC's mental state gradually becoming weaker through his monologue. His life becomes more and more suffocating. The ML succeeds in implanting his image in the MC's head, but he fails at the same time because he doesn't understand normal humans, so he doesn't understand that while he may succeed, the outcome can be different from what he ultimately wants.

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I'm glad I found this novel; it was a quick read, but it sure does bring you many emotions.

But I'm still curious about what would happen after the ending.
Spoiler

The ML would probably keep his wounds even if he was able to heal himself. I wonder how his families and enemies are going to react to that. And I'm a little curious about the MC's father, the guy who goes blind because of the ML, and I do hope the guy who pretends to help the MC survive somehow... I also wonder about the mpreg thing...

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I'm not good with words, so I'm going to end this review here. Overall, I give this a 5-star rating (this kind of thing is my cup of tea UwU). <<less
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genius.closet
genius.close
Feb 23, 2025
Status: Completed
Before reading my review, I want to say that I don't consider this novel a romance, dark or otherwise. There is no romance here, just obsession. This is a dark, psychological novel. Please keep that in mind.

... more>>
Spoiler

I loved this and I hated it. At the beginning, I thought it would be a "white knight saves damsel in distress" situation. As I kept reading, I realized that was not the case and that this wasn't an "obsessive love yandere" trope. This is a yandere novel -- just the absolute, extremely dark type.

Throughout the novel, I was so uncomfortable reading what befell the MC. Even at the beginning when he was experimented on, I just couldn't help feeling so angry at how unfair it was. It just kept getting worse when JHK (the "ML" or antagonist or however you want to call him) showed his true colors and began to possess the MC.

Reading this was, to reiterate, so uncomfortable. I love that aspect so much -- I love how realistic and emotional reading this made me. It genuinely caused me pain. Everything the MC did made sense to me and I was never upset with him or his decisions. My hatred comes from how unfair everything was, which I think was a big part of why I liked this novel. MC did nothing wrong. He never deserved what happened to him, but was caught up in something he couldn't stop. It starts badly and ends even worse -- from experimentation to torture and confinement.

This is not something for the faint of heart. Read with caution.

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shanabanana
shanabanana
Feb 08, 2025
Status: --
What a crazy, twisted ride! Definitely not your typical Yandere tale. Even after finishing it, I'm still reeling from everything that happened. I never expected the story to take this direction, yet it completely pulled me in. Dark, intense, and unpredictably gripping—it's an insanely good read, at least in my opinion.

I loved how the MC refuses to be a victim. He's not the type to just accept his fate when trapped, Nor is he one of those characters who cry themselves to sleep, only to miraculously fall in love the... more>> next day just because they have no choice. He looks for every possible opportunity to escape, and I loved that! no Stockholm syndrome here!!!

It's hard to explain the relationship between the MC and ML without spoiling too much. ML isn't physically abusive, he actually hates it when MC gets hurt. But he is EXTREMELY manipulative. The kind of sociopath who plays mind games, isolating you until you have no one else to rely on. He's dangerously violent but never toward the MC. And I honestly feel conflicted about him. I hate him, but... not entirely? He loves MC in his own twisted, delulu way. 😞 If he weren't so overpowered, I wouldn't be this terrified of him. He's like Homelander from The Boys and he gets progressively scarier with every chapter. A true Yandere in every sense.

I'm giving this a high rating because the story itself is compelling and engaging. The ending was perfect, and the way the MC described their situation at the end was exceptionally well-written. This is one of those books that you'll only fully appreciate the writing style once you finished it. The storytelling is unique but if you push through, you'll get used to it. I personally really liked it. felt refreshing, like I uncovering the mystery and the psychology behind the characters behaviors. Give this a chance and dont listen to reviews of people who has not even finished reading the full novel because the last 15 chapters towards the end is the best part of this book. I've read plenty of Yandere stories, but most feel flat or unconvincing. It's rare for one to genuinely surprise me. If you don't mind dark themes, I highly recommend this <<less
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Magz84
Magz84
Aug 19, 2024
Status: Completed
Good read. Quick to finish (thank god).

Well written. But be warned, not fluff and not an enjoyable plotline to follow. Read at own risk.

I dislike both the MC and the ML.

... more>> One is sick, the other cowardly. Both extreme opposites. Their relationship is very toxic, which drives the weak shou slowly insane. They are both obsessed with each other in my opinion, but their obsession is driven by different emotions.

The ML's obsessive treatment of his lover is sadistic.

The author jumps to different time points in between the chapters and the way they write in engaging. So while the storyline isnt enjoyable to follow, the novel is an interesting read. <<less
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Chien-Pao
Chien-Pao
Apr 07, 2025
Status: Completed
This novel was quite interesting to me. Just to clarify, this is a dark novel with a psychotic male lead and a main character who eventually gets PTSD.

Like the title suggests, this...romance really did leave its trace. It's so different, so dark, and yet so painful that it leaves a mark on you that will never fade away. Like orcinuss (thank you for the wonderful translation!) said, this novel is really psychological. Romance, yes, but a lot of it deals with the mental trauma of the main character and the... more>> psychotic yandere of a male lead.

This novel starts out with the main character, Kim Euijin, getting into the middle of a bank robbery and noticing the male lead, Jung Haekyung. At first glance, Jung Haekyung seems.... pretty. Innocent. Charming. But later on in the story, it's revealed that he's a yandere who tries and succeeds at possessing Kim Euijin.

Spoiler

Jung Haekyung does a lot of unforgivable things to Kim Euijin, such as locking him in his own home, forcing him to live with him, r**ing him, and bringing a lot of stress and trauma into his life. However, Jung Haekyung was never cruel to Kim Euijin; he never hit him or yelled at him. All that he did was proof that he loved Kim Euijin in his own twisted way.

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I feel super sorry for Kim Euijin, he dealt with a lot of pain and traumatic experiences that anyone else would cower and break under.

Spoiler

From being experimented on, to be r**ed by Jung Haekyung, and so much more, his life is really unfair and unlucky.

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Jung Haekyung...I really have to agree with translator-nim here, he's the villain. He made Kim Euijin's life miserable, he was the cause of Kim Euijin's mental trauma (and a whole lot of other things), he was the one who brought Kim Euijin to S.E. But, he really did love Kim Euijin. Even though it was in his own dark and psychotic way, he truly loved Kim Euijin. He tried to solve Kim Euijin's problems without knowing that he was the root of them all.

That said, if you don't want to read this novel... don't. It's dark, it's psychological, it's really depressing, so... don't read it if you don't want to. However, I do encourage everyone to read this.

Spoiler

Sorry to all the folks who are very angry at the ending, but I believe that it is a great ending. Why?

Happily ever after for the two characters? Unrealistic.

Kim Euijin suddenly falls in love with Jung Haekyung?... No.

Jung Haekyung finally realizes he's hurting Kim Euijin? Really unlikely.

So, the two best endings for this novel are: Either one of the characters die or the current ending. And the current ending is best because it gives us a lasting impact on this novel.

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Thank you to all the readers, I hope that this review helped you. Truly, this ending will have a lasting impact on you, as it did for me and many others. <<less
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yin.yin
yin.yin
Feb 10, 2025
Status: --
Do not take my review too seriously because I didn't finish this novel despite It being somewhat short, and it's not bc I couldn't handle the character and their actions but more towards the flow of the novel. I just couldn't bring myself to finish it when the story is all over the place like I SEE the potential for it to be better because of the characters and the in depth building of the world and background but then comes the flow of the story that absolutely shattered my... more>> will to read it. In the middle of a few chapters I was like questioning myself about what's happened bc the author seems to love time skips alot which is fine if you gave like a detailed run down of what happened that you didn't want to write about but noooo 2 years later and the MC and the ML is already together without much trouble. I was so hyped in the beginning when the ML confessed to the MC as I pondered of MC's next step forward but then next chapter it's suddenly 2 years later. This story have a CHANCE to be great and for that I love it so much but I rlly can't read it when the flow is so all over the place. <<less
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sofourmore
sofourmore
Jan 12, 2025
Status: Completed
I went into this blind because I love it when a book surprises me, so I had no idea about the setting or the plot. This was a ride for sure. The novel was definitely dark, but I expected much worse from some comments I've seen.

It tells the story of Kim Euijin, a soon-to-be college student that suddenly gets involved in a bank robbery as a witness. The situation gets handled by another person, whom later is revealed to be Jung Haekyung, thanks to having special abilities. Euijin is taken... more>> by the military after they suspect he might have them as well and during this time, Haekyung takes a particular interest on him. Euijin finds that strange at first, but gets used to it until he starts hearing rumours about Haekyung. Euijin will soon discover there's something sinester about Haekyung's intentions towards him.

I enjoyed the background setting involving the military and how f*cked up that world had become towards people such as both main characters. It introduces the feeling of being trapped from the beginning and sets the right tone for it since the story revolves around the whump element.

While the novel depicts a very bleak situation, it's interesting because MC has a strond mindset and tries his best not to lose himself in the middle of everything. ML is a whole different thing though. What a psycho. His descent felt organic and I liked how his behaviour started with little things and then he took it to another level.

I also found their dynamic very intriguing from the start. Even when ML was creepy from day 1, he still had me guessing what he would do next and that was thrilling. I had no idea about the direction the novel would take when I started it, I had my guesses but they weren't exactly right. I think their relationship becomes even more enthralling on that epilogue.

Speaking about the ending, my expectations went up because I thought it'd be pitch black. Although I don't consider it as one, it is still something that won't be erased from my mind easily. What I enjoyed the most is that I found it fitting due to how the story develops and it goes according to the characters' state of mind. The epilogue in particular makes it even more thrilling because of how
Spoiler

the roles are a bit flipped, not entirely due to the nature of their dynamic but it was compelling to read about Euijin using similar tactics agaisnt Haekyung. Although he cannot totally get his freedom back, at least he discovered how to make it hurt for him and gained hope again in order to meet his goal of getting rid of him eventually.

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Given that I mentioned what I loved the most about it, I also wanted to mention some of the bad stuff: the timeskips, they don't work for me when I miss such important part of the story, which in this case was
Spoiler

Euijin losing his willpower and most importantly, the conditioning process

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really bad!

Overall, a great dark story. I will always appreciate korean authors for going agaisnt boundaries, we need more like this: well done and nicely wrapped up. <<less
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ERICWHEELSMAN
ERICWHEELSMA
May 06, 2025
Status: --
This novel is extremely well done, the dynamic between the ML and the MC is so insidious and scary. The most disturbing power dynamic novel I’ve read because of how gradual the ab*se is shown. My only critique is that
Spoiler

the MC isn’t successful in killing the ml, that’s something I hate about all these dark stories that try to end on some kind of light note. It really undermines the themes, but here the ending wasn’t all good so it’s not the worst

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Minie Tiny
Minie Tiny
Jan 08, 2025
Status: Completed
I don't even know what to write...I knew what I was getting into and yet this book hit me like a truck and left my soul mangled.

•This is an abusive relationship. If you want to read this you probably already know that, so don't start complaining when the abusive relationship is abusive.

•This book is a lot.... even for seasoned 'veterans' like I, it is a lot. It made me feel like it was the first time reading this type dynamic between a ML and his MC. I have read objectively... more>> worse books and yet the ab*se in this book is the most jarring. Maybe it is the slow build-up or maybe it is the lack of self:-awareness and supposed goodwill of the ML or maybe it is knowing that nothing will ever change, that they are stuck in that cycle until one of them dies or that the MC is suspended in a state of misery indefinitely, probably until his last breath with no feasable way out. I can't pinpoint one sole reason, but this book is a lot worse than any other book I have read in this genre.

It is a well written 'romantic'-horror story. If that is right up your alley, go for it. If you have a weak stomach and soft heart, save yourself and forget that you ever came across this title. <<less
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