@SlowlyApproachingBear Can't say I am not a bit lost as well. But at the very least, I understand that
1) This is a flashback
2) Aki is not Yae
3) She actually liked Aki, and did not consider her as just as a rebound girl
4) Aki felt like a rebound girl, and was never told otherwise.
5) This is probably how they broke up
What I would absolutely love to know
1) Did Yae knows she was dating Aki back then (and thus, that she swings that way)
2) Does Yae know she swings that way now
@SlowlyApproachingBear@monoreposo Was also a bit lost especially understanding the conversation flow in that first panel. But re-read the arc starting from Ch. 184 and it's clear that Mina realizes that Aki was probably right in calling Mina out back then for using her (Aki) as a Yae replacement.
4-koma is probably not the best format for the current smoking/first gf arc.
1. Its a flashback to how she started to smoke.
2. Found a new Girlfriend in College, Aki, and they started smoking together.
3. Yae didn't like it so Kusanagi kept doing it out of spite.
4. Eventually Aki found out that Kusanagi used to be in love with Yae and left her, thinking she was only a replacement (they looked alike). Kusanagi said that she did genuinly like Aki, but wasn't brave enough to say it at the time and thus ended up alone again.
Seems like a spot under the left eye is pretty common nowadays... even being inherited by their childrem. Yae, Hime and Aki all have it. Thankfully Arimura has no chance then lol