The Sea or the Mountains
is a 2018 fanfic based on the manga series Komi Can't Communicate by andreabandrea. Noticeably darker than its parent series, the fic picks up a few weeks after Tadano Hitohito was kidnapped by Yamai Ren due to her resenting him for being around her crush.
Despite her "apologizing" for her actions, Tadano develops PTSD from the experience which starts to fizz into his normal life. It is also a character study explaining Yamai's psychotic behavior.
This fic has examples of:
- Ax-Crazy: Unbeknownst to the others, Yamai suffered from psychosis; bipolar disorder; and anger management issues. This would explain her actions in the canon series.
- Big Sister Instinct: Onemine picks up how Tadano has been suffering from his PTSD when she finds him alone, and helps him find ways to help him relax. In the climax, she joins Najima in calling out Yamai for how she's been harassing and tormenting Tadano.
- The Bully: Yamai goes out of her way to harass Tadano (who is already suffering traumatic episodes because of her) with the intention of making him end his friendship with Komi.
- Darker and Edgier: After being kidnapped and nearly killed by Yamai, Tadano develops PTSD which is given realistic weight not known in the original series.
- Disproportionate Retribution: At Standbakes, Yamai pours her drink on the barista's head out of anger for him messing up her order.
- Fix Fic: In this take on the arc introducing Yamai Ren, she is punished for her actions by being arrested for the kidnapping, and is presumably returned to the mental institution she was sent to when she broke Makoto's arm and ribs.
- It's All About Me: What Yamai's obsession with Komi truly is. After being outed to the class by Komi, Yamai breaks down and desperately says that everything she did was for Komi's sake and that she was doing what was best for her. When Komi bluntly retorts that she doesn't know anything about her, Yamai rattles off a bunch of facts that have nothing to do with what Komi actually wants, and that's Tadano's friendship. It's even lampshaded by Satou.Satou: If you think you really know her, then you should never have thought this was for her sake to begin with.
- Karma Houdini Warranty: After getting away with her unacceptable actions in her introductory chapter, Yamai is arrested after Komi outs her to the class.
- Loving a Shadow: While she mentally notes that Komi was still beautiful, Yamai's rose-tinted glasses are taken away, and she now viewed her former obsession as an ordinary girl rather than the goddess she worshipped.
- Their Story Repeat Itself: In the story background, Najima at nine-years-old witnesses Yamai break the ribs of their classmate for no real reason. Najimi would eventually give in and tell the teacher what happened, leading Yamai to be hospitalized for her Troubling Unchildlike Behavior, but it left Najimi terrified to hear her scream as the police took her away. This plays a part of Najimi being hesitant to report, especially with Tadano claiming that he's fine even after the harrowing ordeal. Ultimately, Najimi is unable to bear seeing Tadano suffer and chooses to reveal Yamai's past hospitalization and how she's been tormenting Tadano.
- Trauma Button: Tadano had become so terrified of Yamai, even being near her or hearing her yell is enough to trigger him.
- Troubling Unchildlike Behavior: When Yamai was younger, she broke the arm and a few ribs from one of her classmates for no real reason. While she was supposed to assist the class with making a get-well card for the classmate, it's crystal clear that Yamai can't even be bothered to do that.
- Villainous Breakdown: Yamai attempts to save face when she was being accused of intimidating Tadano, only to completely lose it when Komi went to the chalkboard and confirmed her guilt. She tries to convince Komi that she did it for her sake, only to be told flat out by her idol that she did not know anything about her. When Yamai asserts she does, she only states random facts about Komi, completely missing the point that she doesn't know what Komi actually wants or has the right to choose her friends.
