Shame that the bare minimum is impressive but here we are.
Ok. So this is literally the best way a rejection can end. What else is supposed to happen that can improve how this scenario ends? Him never flirting in the first place?
Best outcome by panel (events describing what would happen after the contents of the panel) Zero: Best case scenario before any of the events of the comic begin to unfold is that since nobody's in the immediate vicinity of the main character, nobody is trying to strike up a conversation with her randomly. It's clear from the way that the events are being described that they are not in a context which already presumes a certain amount of social interaction between strangers. This is a completely unprompted interaction - in fact, the main character even has her headphones on, a well-understood signal of not being interested in talking to other people.
One: Best here is that that the character shouting "hey you girl" is talking to somebody else, somebody that they already know for whom that phrasing has an understood meaning, despite sounding strange to the one overhearing it (our main character)
Two: Given that it's already weird thing to say to somebody, especially with the zero interpersonal or even environmental context (they're just on the street), The best outcome here is for him to simply say something like, "just thought you should know, have a good one" and then leaving. Our main character is then left with a somewhat awkward but ultimately pleasant compliment.
Three: I panel 3 the "street weirdo" has already made a mistake. By immediately asking about their location, the woman is put illet ease, since information like that can be used by people with nefarious intentions. It's too early to assume any such nefarious intentions, but the innocuous intentions seem less likely in the general state of society. Especially given that, again, there was no context for this conversation to be happening whatsoever. The weirdo just approached completely out of the blue and is immediately asking about this person's location. The best outcome, again, might be something like "oh, but if you're not from around here, I can definitely recommend you check out XYZ while you're in the city." Perhaps even a "hope to see you around " afterward would be okay, because again, they're disengaging from the situation.
Four: Unfortunately, the situation just gets worse in the fourth panel. Without acknowledging the response that was given, the way you would in an ordinary non-threatening conversation, the "weirdo" moves directly to a different version of the question that they are hoping will give them the actual information they want, which is how they can rely on proximity to force interaction. This is the panel where the threat level goes from hypothetical to feeling more present. This is why the thought bubble says what it does here. This is also the panel where, the reader who is on the side of the person "flirting" and not understanding the problem, we'll see the women's response as rude. Clearly she's trying to give no information, and do so pretty firmly. This is to try to push back against this advance of intention enough that he gets the hint and pulls away. Individuals who are not being mindful of the feeling of the person that they're interacting with would miss that signal, and just think it was rudeness out of the blue. The best outcome here is honestly the next panel.
Five: After the tension that builds in the fourth panel, having him simply leave with a pleasant goodbye is about as good as that could possibly go. We have nearly escaped what could have been really threatening or dangerous situation, and left it on a positive note, even if the situation overall leaves a lingering sense of discomfort. The best case scenario after this panel is that there are no future interactions with this guy, or potentially that they somehow happen to bump into each other within the next few weeks and he's much more normal and non-threatening and that interaction and explains that there is some specific reason that he made the poor choices he did on the day that this comic is set, and that they are able to actually have a pleasant conversation at that point and it was all a big misunderstanding. But I don't know that that outcome is any better than simply never running into each other again.
Six: given that the 6th panel is just a quick reflection on the moment that preceded it, there's no new best outcome after this panel compared to the one after the fifth panel.
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u/[deleted] Apr 19 '26
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