This Romantic World Page 312 (Patreon)

One particular trope in relationship-driven stories that's always rubbed me the wrong way is the "misunderstanding." You know the one. Guy is helping his hot coworker carry something heavy, then they both trip and land suggestively on top of each other just in time for the guy's girlfriend to walk in! He's all "Honey! Wait! It's not what it looks like!" And laughs are had by no one. 

So why am I trying it myself? Well, I think I might be able to get away with it if I use a delicate touch here. I realized that what really bothers me about the misunderstanding trope is when the consequences are severe or even tragic for the characters. The misunderstanding is such an inherently silly gimmick when you break it down, as 90% of the time it could be solved if the characters just communicated like adults, so devastating repercussions from them just feel unearned and out of place to me. 

So, for the moment, Casey thinks "we need to talk" might mean "I'm dumping your ass" and not "your ex-stepdad put a baby in me." I hope I have your confidence that I can pull this bit of drama off without making it frustrating to sit through, and that you like the page itself!