[Early Access] Take Off S2 Ch.156 "Yell"
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Thank you for your patience and support, here is the latest chapter! I've also attached two illustrations from this chapter, please download them after you've read the chapter pdf to avoid being spoiled!
⚠️Spoilers Below⚠️
When I wrote this scene, I knew Nathan was going to be chasing after Andrew, and an ode to Season 1's plane setting, I wanted to do a train chase. But I had envisioned this scene so clearly - Nathan proclaims his feelings to Andrew, and right when he makes the most important statement, the scene lights up as the train exits the dark tunnel and goes overground. This meant I was stuck - because the scene before this is the library, and that takes place in Brooklyn. But Andrew lives in Manhattan, so I needed to find a reasonable train route that goes from underground to overground while headed towards Manhattan, so the light can shine in when Nathan confesses!
There was another criterion, Nathan's confession is timed so the train would have to go above ground quickly, this meant while majority of Manhattan-bound trains do eventually reach elevated ground status, this usually only happens in The Bronx, which is north of Manhattan and an hour and a half long of a train ride away. Nathan was not going to talk for that long.
So I was set to find the one route that fit these criteria. I remember finding all stations remotely close to Brooklyn Public Library, and then one by one, going on their Wikipedia and from there, clicking on the preceding and following station just to find out if there's any route that applies, and finally... I found it!!!
Seventh Avenue Station serving the F and G trains in Brooklyn, starts underground, but immediately goes overground at the next Manhattan/Queens-bound station, Fourth Avenue. It was perfect.
Then I found something cooler.
After Fourth Avenue is a station called Smith-Ninth Streets, and it is the highest station in the New York City Subway, and for a while until very recently in 2022, it was the highest elevated subway station in the world. How cool is that!!!
It's one thing to have the climax of Season 2 be situated at New York City's highest elevated subway station, but it's also deeply affecting to me, because to be at the highest point means to be closer to the sky, and that's where their story started.
I was in New York City in July 2023, and on a quiet weekday afternoon, I rode the F and G trains between Seventh Avenue and Smith-Ninths Streets over, and over again. I took so many reference pictures, and filmed the ride to time how long Nathan's speech would have to be, and was fascinated by how the train climbed from underground to above ground - the way it slowed and roared and made its ascent, and eventually, allowing light to enter its cars.
I tried to work on this chapter as closely as I could to how I envisioned it. I took some liberty with the timing of things, but I hope there is enough realism and detail to allow Andrew and Nathan's world to seep in, and bring life to Nathan's impassioned chase.
Thank you for reading!
Comments (56)
Finally being honest with yourself and Andrew! Yay you did it baby! I can't wait for more now that obstacle is finally hurdled. I'm hoping for this slow burn to speed up a little.
Genuinely seeing this story progress and the rollercoaster of different emotions between my 2 favorite boys brings me so much joy. If only this could be made into a live action. I would actually die!!! So proud of how far you’ve come and how much you’ve given us!! Ecstatic to say I’ve been here since the beginning and I will be a true one to the end!! I’d hate for the story to end but it’d also killing me!! You’re phenomenal Jui <3
I have finally caught up and I feel as though I have been through an emotional rollercoaster. The writing is beautiful, the art is beautiful. Everything about this series is amazing and I cannot wait to read more. 🩵 thank you for blessing us with your amazing work Jui.
I love your dedication behind this comic.🥹🫶🏽🫶🏽
Absolutely incredible! Thank you so much for taking your time to put part of your soul into this. It was beautiful. You’re such an amazing artist! I’m happy to wait longer for your work because it’s always a masterpiece. I know many others feel the same. Thank you! 🫶
OH MY GOD
Finally Nathan 😭😭😭 and THANK YOU Jui for the attention to detail and the extensive research you did for the subway route 💖
Bless you, Jui, the wait was so worth it. This chapter was absolutely beautiful and made my sad little heart so happy. I'm so excited for this next arc and can't wait to see how the rest of the story unfolds. I am so ready for them to be happy and in love ❤️
my heart 😭😭 this was so perfect
I had so many thoughts on how Nathan would confess and this blew them out of the water! AHHHH -- my heart is so full!! Thank you for this!
Awwwww so happpyyyy! I wanna cry!!!
I was going to say, your art is usually gorgeous but the lighting and shading here was absolutely breathtaking. Been a supporter for years now and will continue to support you and your stories. As a gay dude born and raised in Asia but went for graduate studies in the US, this comic hits home so much and it’s obviously wonderfully researched. Thank you so much for telling this story.
And a hot dude reading! Perfection.
Warning: May be spoilery comment? (And long) Wow this chapter was🥹✨… I could finally let out the breath I’ve been holding since the last chapter! So happy to see Nathan actually face himself and his feelings!! PLS HUG AND KISS NOW haha🥹❤️ Thank you so so much for your attention to every small detail! I enjoyed seeing the other passengers expressions (👀), already can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next haha I have never been on a train/subway in NYC so I never knew the connection between carriages is just… open??? Haha omg it’s so different from here (here I guess either it’s connected or you’re not allowed to pass at all) and amazing… the research you have done, I admire that so much! Thank you so so much!🥹💪🏻💖 and does that mean, everything has been thought and planned out when you were in NYC in 2023!?😳 It’s such a great coincidence that exactly the line you were imagining actually exists in the city and between the stations you wrote about… everything in the end aligns perfectly, it’s a great sign for Nathan and Andrew’s future🥹 I hope there are only more and more happy moments for them!🥳 Sorry for the long comment, I got so emotional and happy🥹💓 Thank you so much for your hard work!❤️
WELL WORTH THE WAIT!!! NATHAN THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BEING SUCH A BITCH OMG!!! You are incredible in all seriousness I want you to draw a comic of my wedding you’re so talented ahhhhhh
Wow what a come back... this chapter is an other masterpiece, especially with the time and effort you put in.. you always amaze me 🥰🥰🥰
Jui!! The care and effort put into this scene is simply amazing! Thank you for such a beautiful chapter. I’m glad it turned so close to your original vision.
This chapter (and every chapter before it) is the reason why “Take Off” is my favorite BL EVER. Never before have I read a story where the art matches the level of storytelling and dialogue. The amount of effort you lovingly put into every panel shines through. And the research you did to create this brilliant moment of revelation and light - absolutely spectacular. Thank you for everything you do. I am so grateful.
AAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!
That was nice. I finally feel like Nathan might actually deserve Andrew if he keeps on trying.
I’ve teared up reading every one of these past few chapters. 😭♥️
I LOVE YOU JUIIII
As someone who was born and raised in NYC, I truly appreciate and value the effort and research you put into keeping everything accurate. I absolutely loved this chapter and loved seeing my city like this. 🥺 Reading your author’s note afterward made me appreciate the scene even more. ❤️
Hear, hear! It makes me miss NYC even more! 🥺🙏 But no one can take NY out of me! 😁
Wpw ! You put so much efforts and tried making this scene realistic 🥹 I love the details and your work on the light. Thank you for serving this us this chapter🤧 And thank you for sharing with us all the process from the idea to the research on the subway line 🤩
Wow..... I'm mesmerized. This is truly one of the best chapters ever (and with a brilliant series this is something!). It's so well written and drawn, it's clear why you wanted it to be perfect with the connection to season 1! It was so worth the short wait! Because of the spoiler warning I read the explanation afterwards but I immediately went like "Damn. The light comes back right at the peak of his confession! That is peak writing!" And it makes so much more sense after reading your explanation. It's so well done and so thoughtful. And all the work on finding the perfect connection and research?! Wow! While reading you can feel how important and well timed every panel is. You really outdid yourself once more. I'll think about this chapter for a long time. And the way you let Nathan be vulnerable but still true to himself with the speech within itself 🙏🏼 And all the background? And characters ? So good! Feels like I'm right there in the train.Love how everyone is basically also lighting up when the train arrives overground again. Everyone is enjoying the moment. Like a new start, a happy one. It's just beautiful and shows how talented you are. The last panels of each of them are just SO beautiful! Like even more than usual! WOW again! And for me the last one feels like they are at the station they needed to be, basked in a beautiful light, ready to go! Thank you, thank you, thank YOU for your hard work and research for this one. It's brilliant! 🙏🏼💜
You put so much time and effort into this 😭😭😭 thank you for my favorite story 🥰
PEAAAAAAAK STORYTELLING!!!! 😭😭😭😭 I'M CRYING AND SCREAMING! Beautifully done 🖤🖤🖤🖤 You're amazing Jui!!!
As always, absolutely incredible
This is truly glorious, I was scared when there were no updates because I wouldn’t know how it ends. Thank you so much for the continuation!!!
I am slow slow slow but I owe it to these characters to tell their story to the end!!! I will do my best💪
I love this line of investigating, the effort and care is so wonderful. Thank you Jui 🖤
Omg the art! I can FEEL the boys anguish, you did amazing
I am in tears, my heart is so full ❤️ but at the same time....Nathan's never been more sexy...gosh! Thank you Jui T-T
So much effort and time… and it was worth it ! It is perfection. The scenary, the dialogue, everything. ✨️✨️✨️ This episode was sooooo satisfying 🥰
Omg the bois are back 💖🥹 missed them so much and Nathan poor bean 💜 so happy he opened up to Andrew cause you know he’ll truly care and cherish and protect his feelings and finally meet in the middle where they need to be and finally have each other fully
Complete masterpiece! I'm sitting here at my desk silent crying 😭 Also, the detail to the train cars, platform and atmosphere *Chef's kiss* I could tell while reading just how much research and effort you put into this chapter. It's brilliant.
Amazing 🤩🤩🤩 Thank you for the time and efforts you took in drawing these panels, and conceptualising them. It was so intense to read ! And I’m happier knowing we read it in such high quality rather than something sooner and shorter
Thank you! I am glad, too!! 🫶
I'd like to think there's someone just sitting there eating popcorn absorbed in this drama
The chapter? Amazing. The background story for the chapter? Absolutely superb!!!
The way I’d be covertly popping out an airpod so I could eavesdrop if I were on that train car lol.
Them glowing at the end 🥹🥹
Jui you did it again! Nathan’s dialogue was so perfect i seriously love his expressions and how honest he finally is being with Andrew and himself. Truly a masterpiece 💯💖
welcome back my boys 😭🤍
Omg 😭😭😭 Perfection! So worth the wait it was incredible Jui ♡♡
I SCREAMED SEEING THIS NOTIFICATION
Awwww that’s so adorable he finally admitted it yay for him !!!
They’re so back!! 🔥❤️ Thanks Jui for this amazing chapter (and what a work!! ✨)
Omg Jui 😭 I haven't read it yet, just read your explanation. You put your whole heart into your work. Thank you for what you have created! I'm gonna go enjoy it now and savor each panel!
🥳🥳🥳 All that work paid off. Every panel is so perfect. I love the train in the background while he's confessing 😭 Everything was so pretty 💜
omg my heart is exploding
My boys are back!!! Go Nathan go!!!! Say your heart out.. Dont worry..... not much people takes the G train.............
XDD Loved this
THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT, TIME AND RESEARCH YOU’VE PUT INTO THIS WHOLE STORY IS ABSOLUTELY ASTONISHING 1000000000% WORTH THE WAIT FOR NEW CHAPTERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, I LOVE THIS SO MUCH🤩
Thank you! And thank you to everyone's comments and support - my heart is full TT❤️