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Disclaimer: I am not a licensed therapist. My experiences come from socializing with others, and gathered thoughts and views from strangers, friends, and previous partners. This may also be the more difficult ones to read through as this will be a lot of information to take all in. It's about relationships. 
 Word Count: 9.9k (You'll be here for about an hour for the slow readers)
 Greetings there again, I see you're reading this.
 So if you've read the "Critical Hit is a Chill Person? That's a Myth.", the elements from it are borrowed here. But added new theories on top of that. Feel free to scroll over what you've already read.
 What determines the content I write next boil down to a few things:
 Have I been thinking about that subject a lot?
Have I been rambling about it a lot to other people?
How important does it matter to me?
Will the content I write about benefit me right now and in the future?
 This is going to be broken down into multiple parts. You may opt-in to take whichever one you want.
 [Part I - The Social Theories Critical Has Formed]
[Part II - The Critical Hit Responding to Myself On The Love Theory]
[Part III - The Consequences of Not Coming To Terms on Love]
[Part VI - The Beauty of Allowing To Be Open to the Idea of Being Cared For] 
==============================================================================
 [Part I - The Social Theories Critical Has Formed]
 /The List of Common Patterns of Who People Talk To/
 First thing to state is this: If people show up in a public setting that is made to socialize in, the person should be open to having a conversation. Also, peoples' mood along with how their day went will dictate if they are open to talk to others in a general capacity or be selective about it. Let's assume the individual is open to talk in any capacity.
 1) There are certain automatic needs, wildcard topics or interactions where if these are triggered, the individual will be compelled to stay longer than usual to stay around and are guaranteed to have future conversations and follow up interactions. 
 *Note that there are some people out there who are very reserved and can only talk if you initiate the conversation first in a respectful manner. The automatic need will already be fulfilled by simply talking.
 2) People have an internal list of people they prefer seeing such as partners and best friends. If those individuals are available, they will be heavily in favor of people they prefer seeing.
3) People have a limited capacity of how many friends they can keep in touch with. Anymore and it can be overwhelming enough that their social battery gets drained and no longer want to interact with new people. They will still interact with people they prefer seeing or they end up having some alone time to recharge depending on the person.
4) Likewise, people also have a limited amount of roles to fulfill. If for example, they already have an established friend group, a group for their hobbies, a partner to love, and their pet dog to take care of, then the chance of someone to open up to keep in touch with someone newer will reduce to almost zero, even with repeat meetups on good terms.
5) How people determine who they want to talk to can be a mix of impulse and arranging time with other people. If people really stand out and want to get to know the person more, they will likely try to initiate conversation and ask to try and meet up at a particular time. Or even visit them. 
6) The more things people have in common will give you a good chance of seeing the same person more often.
7) The better first impression you create will give you the best chance of seeing the same person more often. 
8) There will be some people who only specifically want to be with people around certain common group or demographics, and if you do not fit into them, you will have a harder time OR it will not be possible to interact with certain individuals.
9) There will be some people who if you cross a subject matter or action deemed as a blacklist, you will automatically not interact with the individual anymore. 
10) The inverse tends to hold true, where if you perform an action or talk about a subject matter deemed as a whitelist, you will befriend the individual quickly at the least, and more at most if positive interactions continue to happen.
11) Conversations that tend to be more open minded or aligned on the same page that empower the entire group to feel like they matter in a conversation will generate having the best time, which will result in the majority of the people in that conversation to likely meet each other again or note that they are people worth their time to talk to in the future.
 /The Likeability Factor/
 Note: This can be in a fandom (ex: supporting a creator), platonic or a romantic way.
 A) Having an established connection or a strong word of mouth in a positive manner will amplify people who like to be around you.
B) Having a recognizable and unique name will amplify people who like to be around you.
C) Becoming a known regular will amplify people who like to be around you.
D) Having a particular personality type, appearance, and beliefs that someone is looking for will sway someone to heavily like someone.
E) Being there for an individual through a very tough situation (and handled successfully) will sway someone to heavily like someone, and in addition will return the favor.
F) Empathizing with the individual in a very reassuring, soothing matter will sway someone to heavily like someone, and trust that individual with future discussions. Repeated positive outcomes tend to potentially form romantic relationships, but not guaranteed.
G) Following up with individuals after a discussion or providing positive feedback will make someone appreciate more and likely to reciprocate back reaching out to you.
H) Providing a highly sought out hobby or talent that's been done really well and sharing it to other people will heavily get you noticed and liked.
I) Providing a certain aura that is distinct and strong that aligns with people will attract having more conversations with people in general. 
J) Providing something unique or quirky to the table that is well received will heavily influence others to be with you.
K) Performing a very thoughtful or sweet gesture with good intentions will get someone to notice you and will react positively. 
L) Performing a flirt will get someone to REALLY notice you, but the stakes are much higher and if done incorrectly then it will be shamed on. 
 Note on K & L: Context is the biggest factor to having those particular interactions be successful. If that particular action feels dedicated and meaningful to the other person will dictate if it is a likeable, and if it is to an extremely great magnitude. If the action seems irrational, ill intent, or if the person is uncomfortable with the action... Then the action will be heavily disregarded and avoided.
 /The Loveability Factor/ - NEW!
 Note: This is assuming a very strong platonic relationship (such as a soulmate) or a romantic relationship form is happening. Naturally, it's gotta be legal.
 Note 2: From my experience, it is entirely possible someone can feel strong feelings for you, but can communicate the distinction whether they care about you a lot as a friend or want to date you. 
 Note 3: You could technically apply the below for poly relationships and insert "they" instead of "individual", but I am writing this from a mindset of most relationships I've seen form including my own: Monogamous. 
 [The Pre-Requisites of Love]
 0) You need to desire or create a genuine interest with a person to the point that you start to favor seeing them in a significantly huge impact (as in, 80% or more of what your thoughts consist of are seeing that individual).
1) You need to be in a vulnerable state (or have the capacity to allow yourself to be vulnerable) to the individual in question. In turn, that allows your body to feel high levels of dopamine and norepinephrine which are both related to the ability to feel attraction.
2) At least one of the following paths must be determined:
 > The Logical Route 
 For this one, you think ahead about all aspects of life assuming that you may eventually marry the person. So you sit there and imagine both the short term and long term effects of dating a particular individual before you give it a shot. 
 > The Demi Route (My Favorite Route) 
 You make a strong established bond with a person first and foremost before anything else. Every interaction within the moment of hanging out all adds up over time. You get to know a lot about them in the process and grow attached to them over time. 
 > "It just happened!" Route (A Crowd Favorite)
 This assumes that you have had several really nice interactions. You're really casual meeting this person and thought, "Yeah this person's pretty chill" and may not have had romantic interest at first. That you were on the same wavelength with the person on the things you both care about, and your mind now starts to crave and imagine a life with the person and continue to snowball those interactions when it hits you in the feelings one day out of the blue!
 > The Checklist Route (A Dating App Favorite)
 Hey as long as they hit the key metrics in my book such as age range, key hobbies and views I'm really into, and when I talk to them, we are on the same wavelength. Alright that's a pass for me I'm calling it a day. 
 > The Bed Time Route (An E-Boy Favorite)
 I had fun time and it was HOT! Oh my gawsh I'm in lurve =)))))
 [The Trigger to Start the Love (and to an extent, Maintaining It)]
 It seems as there are certain conditions to trigger being in love. Whether they are "in the moment" or "it builds up over time". The following are in no particular order, and multiple conditions are possible:
 The Biggest Pre-Requisite that may Trump all before the rest happen: The Dynamic between two people synergize with each other to the point they see a want or a need to form that romantic relationship. More on this later.
 A) The more you compliment the other person's life in terms of personality, life situations, covering each others' strengths and weaknesses, what futures you'll be aiming for, and so on, on a logical level will determine how much you love someone.
B) Being there for a major development or struggle when the person really needs it, and that interaction goes really well.
C) The persistency of being there for that person with the serious intention of wanting to be there more in your life.
D) You focus on a life changing decision that allows you to balance having time to be with that significant other.
E) There is something about that individual that makes you feel really comfortable about them.
F) There is something about that individual that makes you feel like you can really rely, count on them, and trust them.
G) The individual consistently enhances your life to the point that it can't be helped to love them.
H) Your beliefs / values match well and are in your whitelist categories.
I) You're mentally prepared to be in love and start to grow into it.
J) You are ready to want to be committed to a romantic relationship and established your interest in one.
K) The love offered is unconditional, as in they love you for who you are.
 [The Trigger to Lose the Love]
 For the most part, the opposite is true from the previous part. However, it can be one or more that can trigger any of these and the reason to lose it is completely a personal reason:
 The Biggest Pre-Requisite that may Trump all before the rest follow: The Dynamic between two people that used to synergize with each other is completely LOST. 
 A) The less you compliment the other person's life, the higher the probability.
B) Not interacting with the person as often.
C) Not making as much effort to keep a strong communication.
D) You focus on a life changing decision that will fundamentally change the relationship that is not favorable
E) There is something about that individual that makes you feel really uncomfortable about them that you start questioning it. Toxic behaviors being a prime example of such.
F) There is something about that individual that makes you completely lose trust on them. And depending on the severity, it may be the end of seeing that person in general.
G) The purpose of what you're in love with them for completely disappears.
H) Your beliefs / values completely clash or manage to hit a blacklist topic that you can not love that person, regardless.
I) You're not mentally prepared to be in love and start to fall out of it.
J) You do not want to be committed to a romantic relationship.
K) The love offered is conditional, as in they only love you for certain status, location, wealth, or appearance only and nothing else.
L) You can simply fall out of love in a romantic sense due to another person providing much better synergy.
M) You see that individual in a different perspective that is not romance related and also fall out of love that way.
N) You prefer to be single.
O) You've timed out on replying to their love inquiry. Being in love is a limited time only, after all.
P) The love offered or provided feels lackluster or too safe and would prefer being more dynamic.
 [The Potential Side Effects of Being in Love]
 Bare with me on this one, some of you will go, "No duh!". But there are some people that need to touch grass that are reading this.
 The likelihood of wanting to talk about your partner in a lot of conversations are highly increased.
Matching Profile Pictures
Publicly Announcing the Date and Name of the Individual
Public Displays of Affection are increased
Giving each other unique or pet nicknames
The comfort of being able to have a person to come home to consistently that can support it
 [The Benefits of Being in a Romantic Relationship]
 Resting easy knowing that someone out there loves you and that you're their number one priority.
Feeling the positive energy knowing that other person truly supports you in all aspects.
You have priority to see them more often.
The security of being designated as their lover, to establish that you've formed a loving relationship to someone you attract yourself to.
You will be slightly more resilient to heart related diseases or conditions (such as strokes, heart attacks, etc.) by being in a loving romantic relationship.
Some couples will be more attractive in a social environment if their relationship allows them to let friends see each other in a group setting.
 [The Cost of Being in a Romantic Relationship]
 Your life is no longer just your own. It is now an equal part yourself, and the other half equal focusing on the romantic relationship itself.
Your reputation in the social space will now be known as 'the couple' if or it eventually goes public. Therefore, if one of you performs an action that is not favorable to the community, you will also likely share that blame or burden by association.
You must communicate often and clearly in order to avoid confusion, disappointment in expectations, and to quell each others' fears. 
You will both be vulnerable and with that, you will all experience each others' negative traits and navigate those together.
Because you need to allow yourself to be vulnerable, the vulnerability is not being able to see your partner as much or the moment you don't get to see them, one will miss their partner more. 
Your dependency on the partner may likely increase so much that you may fall apart without your partner being around.
You will have days where you may argue or break down and will need to face it head on to resolve it.
You will have to make logical plans for the future on meeting up and making it work out. 
Some couples will be less attractive in a social environment if they mostly focus on just the partner only and have an appearance of only being around for just their partner that their friends slowly drift away due to it. (Note: That does not including the Honeymoon Phase, that is understandable).
 [Part II - The Critical Hit Responding to Myself On The Love Theory]
 As I've meditated on this topic, I've come to a couple of realizations. And this all highly depends on how important you find the aspect of being in a romantic relationship.
 [You start craving, NEED or SOLELY rely on a Romantic Relationship]
 There's a very important part I've written down called [The Pre-Requisites of Love], and I've stated the following:
 0) You need to desire or create a genuine interest with a person to the point that you start to favor seeing them in a significantly huge impact (as in, 80% or more of what your thoughts consist of are seeing that individual).
1) You need to be in a vulnerable state (or have the capacity to allow yourself to be vulnerable) to the individual in question. In turn, that allows your body to feel high levels of dopamine and norepinephrine which are both related to the ability to feel attraction.
 That's the unfortunate reality is that I don't often get these feelings due to being numb with my feelings for the most part. And for the most part, been working on myself. Now the good news is that I've mostly resolved the majority of what brought me down!
 Since I'm also in a position where I'm often in the need to take care of others, I don't often show my vulnerable state except for writing them or occasionally being broken. There’s the other aspect of a competency test to determine if the individual is A) fit to handle my vent or rambling B) Empathetic enough to know that I just want to be heard and C) if I feel comfortable to talk about these kind of subjects. Without those three, they go out the window.
 And at the least, the first impressions get to me quite well. However, continued interactions and getting to know the person more and there are definitive walls that would stop from getting closer. It's unfortunate but I move on from it. Or in some cases, there is something I've learned about someone that would make me not comfortable proceeding with it in a romantic light. 
 This is probably why re-reading those two points can easily make me feel like I lack something... But you realize that in the big picture, life needs an element of a group of people you care about like friends, dedicated time to a person for a love interest like a partner, and the ability to work all factor in to one's overall sense of happiness with their life. 
 It is also unfortunate that when people establish or settle down, that objectively speaking... There will be less opportunities to see people post-relationship on average. It can cause a sense of loneliness, and to some extent pressure people who are not in a relationship, to be in one 'just to fit in with everyone else'. 
 The one objective advantage to having a partner in my opinion, is that you’re going to be their number one point of contact for just about the vast majority of socializing. On that same coin, because it relies heavily on that partner, the pressure is on if the communication is not frequent enough, not detailed enough, nor giving the right answer for your partner to be satisfied can be straining. 
 While people can be thankful in the moment when a friend helps out someone with a relationship issue, most people will feel really good as long as their significant other is doing well. Not much thought goes to other people unless you’re someone that’s held really close such as a best friend or someone that is trusted. And even then, not all people function the same. There are a decent amount of people who will mostly forget about you until there is an issue that only you can solve or talk through. When it gets compounded by several people viewing you in that light after being aware of the boundaries set, it can be quite frustrating to feel like that’s all you are. They can easily dismiss it and try to calm down, but repeated behavior after the fact can only grow more disheartening. 
 [You Prefer To Do Your Own Thing First or Prioritize Freedom/Flexibility without much of the Commitment from Others]
 Whether you’re not sure what you want out of life, you need more time to sort yourself out, or you feel like there are a few things you’d like to do before settling down. Those are all valid reasons.
 [You Don’t Want a Close or Romantic Relationship]
 Simply put, I’ve come across a decent amount of people who are not interested in forming that sort of relationship because of how bad the last relationship was to make them change their mind. Or simply put, they don’t feel ready yet.
 [You Just Don’t Know Or Can’t Find Someone That Sparks Your Interest]
 There’s also this too… 
 /How Does Critical Hit really see romance as a whole from their point of view?/
 I see romance as something unique and special that two (or more people) share a bond that is overwhelmingly strong that you can’t help but feel a strong sense of caring and wanting to always love them to the extra mile.
When done with the right people and that they see each other in good terms, tends to be when romance blossoms the most. 
 There’s also a different form of energy, mannerisms and behaviors that can only truly manifest when you are in love. And it triggers that in different way, hence all the different orientations out there in the romantic category. 
 I used to think that if not many people fall in love with you, that means you automatically lack something. Which that was easily disproven by many of you speaking out about this matter to me. Something as simple as being in the wrong place in the wrong time can happen, or the person they’re with really synergies so well that they can’t help but with that person. 
 If people find something they’re really interested in, they will naturally gravitate and make room or time for said hobbies or other people in different ways. Even if they already have a partner. That’s why I view that having a good group of people in a general sense can starve off a lot of shower thoughts that make you feel like you’re not good enough to be around people. Which to this day, I’ll admit I will have bad days when some social interactions with random people don’t go as well for a day or so and my mind will automatically start to think about the worst case scenarios. To which I realize is always something I can work on to be a bit more resilient to this, but I also admit that it is a wall I can’t face alone.
 Romance should be a complimentary thing to have on top of a strong, existing foundation of a good pre-existing relationship like a best friend or someone they trust a lot, that has been there for them at their worst. These are all ideals, but not everyone is in the best condition or peak selves prior to getting together. It could very well be that (in most cases likely), that there’s a strong synergy where it naturally feels like it is just right. It feels like home, it feels like something you can enjoy just about everyday, and potentially for the rest of your life. It is why that these feelings of love develop in the first place. All it just needs really, is that it feels nice in just about all levels. Physically, mentally, emotionally… It’s also kind of why at times, people make the decision and jump on this feeling on a whim because of how strong it feels. 
 On the flip side of it all, if being in a close or romantic relationship starts to become an addictive behavior to the point that it throws away all logic and reason for the sake of being in one ‘just because’, this is very bad! Too often I come across people who fall into that category and I’ve yet to see a successful one last for a long time because of that.
 Now, let’s say you have a good group of friends to talk to, you always take care of other people well. But it is entirely possible to feel alone in a romantic sense as you’re surrounded by other people who happen to be together with another partner or such. Unless you have a resilient mind at that point in time, I can’t help but wonder if maybe the right kind of person isn’t there for me, or doesn’t exist. Each human has a unique personality and traits about them, and time & the amount of people are a limited resource in itself. Then add the idea that the more you experience life, you will know more of what you don’t want and to some extent, what you do want. But at that point, you can no longer fundamentally un-learn or un-experience something bad in your life. That burden will live on with you for the rest of your life. Every insecurity, every flaw, every bad thought… It’ll be there for you, but when we look at other people to potentially want to be close to, people should be always careful of who they decide to be close with. 
 [Sometimes There Will Be People Who Will Never Be As Compatible With You in A Romantic Sense... And that's alright...]
 You can empathize with someone so much, but objectively speaking if that person is struggling through a lot, then unfortunately… People will be left behind, people will be talked to less often. I’ve been told once, “Do you know why I fell out of love with you? It’s because you are holding yourself back.”
 But I’ve already been fighting my own internal battle with myself for so long, and that individual has every right to move on from me and do what’s best for them. And I’ll do what’s best for me and keep doing my best to take care of myself. While it feels like a race for sure to secure the right people in your life, I never enjoy the concept of rushing or being pressured to find someone for the sake of finding someone. That just not only wastes time for both people, but the connection will never feel genuine and will just leave an awkward amount of exchanges. 
 There are a couple of options left at this point. One could settle with what they have, knowing that the person will have some unavoidable flaws, but they do have what’s important and that is that they care for you and love you. Another option is to just put yourself aside, give yourself some time to sort yourself out until you feel reasonably better to go out there and talk to people again. 
 … Or the current option, being the most realistic one of the bunch that I end up following is: There is an option where you completely disregard the thought about romance in a general concept and instead focus on hobbies (or having nice conversations with all sorts of people) that make you feel passionate to be able to learn more about how people work, all while being a cheerleader and a great support to other friends you care about and call it a day. Completely disregarding any compliments they give you, because you know at the end of the day the person they love the most is always going to be their significant other. 
 And not you (me in this case).
 [The Part Where I Wrote This While Being Sad for the Day...]
 It was never about me.
 Just about my entire social life was always about being the best support, giving them my best. Because all I wanted was a nice place to hang out.
 People over time desire more and more, and that’s great they are able to find what they’re looking for. 
 The key thing that makes a romance work that I fundamentally lack is that I do not keep my thoughts grounded. I always think about the meaning of life all the time to the point that I am completely out of reach. I always put myself last. I always never consider my needs in the regard of wanting a closer connection because I’ve always stated my interests, but it has yet to be reciprocated. For that, the only option I have left is to really continue living my life the way I have been, alone. Deal with all the other thoughts I have, alone, and by using these journal entries as a means of expressing them. 
 I AM LITERALLY STATING MYSELF THAT I AM A HUGE RED FLAG! And if you see something else inside of me otherwise… I’ll be honest, I don’t know how you do it.
 Because the last thing I refuse to do is to be with someone who I know I will not get along, and I recommend everyone to always pick who you want to be carefully. 
 [Part III - The Consequences of Not Coming To Terms on Love]
 [Back To Feeling Better]
 I thought about whether to remove that last part, but you know in order to continue talking about the subject, I need to be transparent about this and realize that I too, am vulnerable with this subject. So you know what? That last section is here to stay. Plus it does tie into this section. Using my thoughts on a sad day writing about that particular topic is one example of such consequence of not being able to come to terms on the subject manner. 
 Alright... Now that I've re-read what I've wrote from before from the last section... That does explain a lot about how I feel. The overwhelming pressure of 'you should be a relationship because that's what society deems as normal' sort of deal. And it did hit me hard to realize that it was my mind writing that at the time of me feeling very vulnerable and insecure. I don't think there will be ever a time where someone is truly 100% happy. For as long as we have thoughts and as long as we are not in complete control of what our mind thinks of, we are going to eventually have bad thoughts that could stop and make us feel bad in exchange...
 However, what would one do if those bad thoughts came up and there was nobody around to talk about it?
 That is definitely an important factor to realize and the importance of self-care. Not everyone will have a significant other, a professional or a trusted friend on deck to be able to face these awful thoughts. Sometimes these thoughts are a challenge in themselves and they always need to at least be attempted to go through these feelings...
 Often times when you hear "I feel lonely", most people may refer to being single, or lonely that you have no friends to talk to. In either case, it is important to acknowledge those words by providing them a moment to talk about how they feel if you are in the capable of doing so. Otherwise, it is important to be brief and wish them well. When anyone feels down in that capacity, it is important to take them at their word and treat them as such. 
 [The Biggest Revelation On Why The Perception of Love and Romantic Relationships are Highly Sought Out]
 Actually...
 In a typical persons' life, there are on average more bad events going on in their life than good one. When those bad events on average are very traumatic, PTSD-like in level. It leaves a high sense of trauma, self-worthlessness, and an overall morale decrease in wanting to continue living.
 To love someone regardless of their flaws or weaknesses and genuinely loving someone regardless of the issues they face, is a very soothing and comforting feeling... It's why just about everyone chases those feelings. For many, it is a life goal to be loved in that capacity and fulfill having one person reciprocate that feeling (for poly people, that is a different story naturally).
 The type of love bonds I've seen that are very volatile is the concept of Trauma Bonding which the people involved get together because of both of their traumas and in turn, care for each other based on that foundation. While it may feel good in the moment, from my observation at least, tends to have a lot lower of a chance to make that relationship work out for the long term simply because you will deal with both of each other at your worst state. It can be very draining, exhausting, and it does test the bond. But the ones that make it work, which only I've seen one work in my entire life, they made it work simply because they acknowledged they both need a lot of work and are willing to hear each others' feedback on the matter first and foremost before making an emotional based decision. 
 [The Problem With People As A Whole]
 But that's just the thing that will end up destroying a lot of people. Because this concept of needing this kind of connection has been placed extremely high that it does not allow the opportunity for individuals to grow as people. That's why there's been a longing need of connection or closure of this sort. It is ultimately a human behavior that has grown to eventually want this kind of behavior. And on the off chance you do not want pursue this love feeling at the moment? More power to you. 
 Most people are not aware that they should grow themselves as an individual first before pursuing being closer to other people. This is one of the harder lessons to teach that not a lot of people even know, or realize...
 You see... Without being able to grow as individuals and learning key details and concepts of what it means to care for another person as a friend first before caring for someone past a friendship level is going to increase that gap of people who will miss the mark. Without being able to sit down and be able to realize why some behaviors are not acceptable or pushing people outside their comfort zone on being together, it only makes the entire community as a whole less desirable to be with, and in turn more people will opt out of wanting to give romance as a whole a shot. With the sheer amount from both sides stating how badly they want to be with someone to the point they push someone past their comfort zone with inappropriate remarks or advances alongside the lack of communication of being told what is wrong with said behavior, the cycle will only repeat itself. It's honestly a team effort to at least try and explain it to someone once. Now, there are exceptions and keeping yourself safe is very vital. So, I would not put it past you if someone made you feel uncomfortable to the point you no longer want to be around them for doing or saying something very vile. 
 [When You Feel Like You're Not The Priority]
 And without being able to take the time to know yourself, another consequence I've seen (or on several occasions, got in the crosshair for), it is the idea that if your significant other is not paying attention to you in the moment and talking to their friend... I've seen some people snap and tend to become very possessive or jealous over that concept. I've been in several occasions on that end where because I get along with everyone, and in particular their partner, I'm automatically flagged as suspicious even though I have no interest in wanting anything romantic. It seems that these feelings were likely developed due to traumatic past of not getting enough attention, being cheated on, and so on. In all those cases, I only get to find out from their partners that this is happening behind the scenes. I have yet to have a conversation directly with a person involved they are concerned with said individual. 
 Note: From here, I took about a week or so off, casually having discussions with random people on the matter of how relationships are formed, sampling between single people, people dating, engaged, married, or widowed. It seems my mind at this point plateaued and wanted to give it another shot.
 [Part VI - The Beauty of Allowing To Be Open to the Idea of Being Cared For and Being Open Minded on Who Cares For You] 
 [The Dynamic Nature of a Relationship]
 Remember from Part I when I mentioned that there will be a topic to re-visit later about the dynamic between two people? This is the part where I'll expand more in detail.
 So from what I gathered, the number one thing that's consistent from my observation is: People change over time. 
 When people change over time, it could be their views of life have changed, their goals have changed, and more importantly, who they like and don't like can change as well. 
 People have their own arcs where they struggled with life, people have their own arcs where they are the actual villain of the story and sinned in various ways. People even have their arcs where it is hard to trust people for anything especially after going through a traumatic experience. 
 We have established earlier that there are several types of relationships that exist. To list a few examples: there's the idea of strangers, co-workers, acquaintances, platonic such as friendships, intimate such as a close friend or family member you love, and romantic that usually is associated with a partner you love.
 People desire wanting to talk in a general sense. Whether they want to outright jump into a conversation, or people who tend to be shy/mute/reserved will want to at least be around a crowd but prefer to be in the background. I believe in the idea if someone's on a social platform, then by some extension, they want to eventually try and talking to someone. Or even if it is not for the reasons of talking to someone, they are making an account on a social platform for other reasons such as for social media reasons, performing commissions, a line of communication to reach to someone directly. Even if let's say that person is not in the mood to reach out to other people, having that line of communication open to let other people know or ask how they're doing is a primary method of re-assuring someone that they are still interested in hanging out. I find that quite wholesome to me.
 Even with the amount of experiences in meeting people over time, by allowing yourself to want to try and do new things, meet new people, or perhaps try and participate in a group, you will eventually bound to meet something or someone really nice to be around. Or rather, you may be surprised at that there's someone out there that defies your expectation in a great way. That there is someone that caring, sweet, nice, thoughtful, considerate, or they probably push all the right buttons on you to trigger a special moment...
 [What is Romance, Actually?]
 The universal truth that I found out is that everyone's wants and needs are fundamentally different. Therefore, romantic relationships on a scientific or psychological level can mean "Romantic relationships based on emotional and physical attraction that could potentially lead to long-term intimate relationships." - Which is defined by the World Health Organization. 
 The reason why it took me a while to nail down this romantic relationship rabbit hole is: The definition on a social construct within the romantic relationship ideally, and ultimately is defined by the two (or more for the polys out there) people that agree upon taking that relationship romantically. Not a lot of people realize that since the feeling of love alongside other happy feelings is extremely strong, that it can overwhelm people in the moment that your mind blanks out with nothing but positive thoughts about the person (or people) you're fond of. There's also the concept that a romantic relationship in a sense, it does feel like a contract. However, the great relationships tend to not feel like a contract, and rather it is a level up of announcing that you want to dedicate some time of your life to the person you love. This in my opinion, is how love should be seen and approached.
 This entire time, the idea of romance while there's good traits and bad traits to look in for a person that they generally trust or avoid, some people want individuals who have certain less than ideal traits and want to be involved with them. One element of why this could happen is from trauma bonding. Another aspect is almost the same reason why some people avoid spicy foods, but some people really enjoy spicy foods, but let's put that in intimate terms, and you may have an idea of where that will lead...
 This is why people give so many answers on what is love in the first place. Because it means something different for other people, and it tends to be that there's an edge for older people to understand this feeling only by going through those motions. Some people who they loved initially before getting married, some people may find out they were not into them as romantically as they thought they were because of the nature that people can change. 
 The consistent change can be a fear of why people are afraid of getting to know people more...
 To top that all off... Unfortunately, we live in a society where not everyone is participating romantic interests in good faith and to a bad actor, can be used as a vulnerable weak spot for someone so they can take advantage. That is why the idea of toxic relationships (of any kind) exist. People are driven with power to the ability they can control and get what the person wants every time. That causes an imbalance of how one person may be treated well, but it leaves the other person not being treated as well.
 I've determined because of the complex nature of what romance entails, anyone that attempts to be with someone I always let them know, "Make sure you're emotionally, mentally and physically prepared to give this relationship your all before you commit to it. If you have major issues you need to work on, there's no shame in declining and working on yourself. If you however meet someone that's really good to you and you still have your reservations, then communicate with them! You're going to do a lot of communicating anyway."
 Because to enter a romantic relationship means you'll have to make yourself vulnerable to one person, and that is your partner. Your partner needs to do the same. If that is not present, I feel like the romantic relationship will not work. It's a staple to need to trust that person, have faith that things will work out, and that you consistently always plan to have a commitment of having some dedicated time to spending some time together (which that is all dependent on the relationship in itself. For most people, they ideally want to be with their partner on a near daily basis. But they also understand life gets in the way so as long as they communicate, they can wait a reasonable amount of time). Different story if you've tried being closer to the person and there are certain issues that can't be resolved, then that will of course require communication to work things through.
 [What is Romance to you then, Crit?]
 This will be a funny thing I'll be doing. While I made tentative definitions in Part I, and you remember what I wrote in Part II and Part III? Well, that is the motion and feelings of what goes on with romantic relationships in mind. 
 I'll admit in the creation of writing this, I broke down while writing Part II. Then I broke down again while writing Part III... 
 That in itself right there, is why this particular subject, Romance... It is a very delicate topic. It invokes strong feelings to recall and to feel like you're missing something in your life that aches you is not a pleasant experience to feel...
 But I never actually truly explained my definition of romance. 
 Romance to me, is a late-game concept to have that allows you to specifically create uniquely positive experiences that you can't really get anywhere else with the person you decide to dedicate time to. It is the person that will want to support you, that you will imagine having a long term future with that will end up living together, being able to spend dedicated time, and have a nice balance of being able to see each other while being able to independently do your own hobbies and have some time to spend with your friends. That way, you can both grow individually and together as a couple. 
 There are people out there who are genuinely nice people. But with the help of someone who explained that "The dynamic between two people don't mesh well", has given me quite the insight. 
 You can have two people in the room who have a lot of common interests, their personality meshes well, they both enjoy hearing each other on a lot of subjects. However, if either person only sees that person as a really good friend and not as a partner, then essentially the dynamic of turning things romantic is not possible. Hence, those feelings won't grow anymore than being good friends, or close friends. In practice, that's how things work. 
 However, there's a strong element of loving a person for who they are. Not all people have the capacity to simply stop having feelings for a close friend once they acquire a partner. The lingering lasting effects that someone has that influenced them with their life will still carry through. Those helpful moments of the person being there for them at their worst, they will never forget the positives you've provided them. It will just be in the back of their mind as the front of their mind will understandably be filled with dealing with life, and their partner, eventually if it gets to that point, probably their kids. 
 As long as there's a want or need that someone wants to be filled, as social creatures we will always seek for the next good experience. Whether it's a good friend, or someone who can voice act well, someone who provides a good or a service they need, someone to care and love for, someone to laugh, there's going to want to be many reasons to continue talking and having an open mindset.
 People have always came and went with life, but it doesn't mean that the good or value you provide by simply being there in company for other people, it will find its' way to pay back. Some say it's karma. 
 I say it's in the form of word of mouth that people will remember your name and that it will spread like wildfire. I have had met people who I later became friends with because of how well I've taken care of their previous friend. 
 I also honestly do not feel that people should be pressured to want to fall in love quickly to have a family ASAP because their mom or dad (or someone in the family) told them they need to do so as soon as possible! Oh no think about the family tree! And I despise people trying to control their free will of living their life. 
 Romance or acquiring that love is commonly misconceived as a 'need' to the point that people will rush and try to do anything to get it. When that is really the most destructive thing an individual can do. To rush mean a high chance of making mistakes, and by relying on your Mode-1 or what your brain impulsively thinks about and trusting that, will accrue even worse mistakes to the point you may start doubting or trusting someone you care about without taking a moment to think about it. Or even a moment to sit down and have an honest discussion about it. 
 Romance to me and having that romantic relationship, should compliment your life. It should never be the only source of your happiness... 
 Because remember, people change and people will go different directions. 
 It is entirely possible that nothing went wrong, except the idea that the dynamic was not there for either of you, resulting in wanting to split ways romantically. The feeling of 'falling in love and losing it' can be a big factor into that, there can tend to be some supporting reasons why someone wants to end things. Or simply put, it could be mutual and you only feel as much of a bond as being friendly to each other. But just because not all things end romantically, doesn't mean that you have to not see that person ever again. Except if it ended in bad terms.
 Only by pondering about how life works and looking in within yourself to ask what you can do to improve things. Especially asking yourself to hard questions that you need to ask in order to move forward with your life... I will say that a fair amount of people overhype the idea of being in love and being in a relationship. People worship relationships to the point they become really nosy about the relationship. That people want to get involved with the relationship and throw their own 'two cents' on the relationship in question. When really, romantic relationships are probably the most advanced form of a relationship that should be taken with more cautious optimism. A lot of younger people try to get into romantic relationships without understanding a lot of social cues, without realizing the harsh realities of how the world works. So... A lot of people can get traumatized and form their own conclusions that they 'need' a romantic relationship or else they feel like they will not be able to live tomorrow. 
 I'm personally glad that I was able to be single for most of my life to work on myself, and have all the stories I've heard from people who also gave romantic relationships a shot. 
 To sum things up: Romantic relationships while there are really good traits and really bad traits people can agree on, the most important aspect of a romantic relationship is that both people see each other in that way, and need each other in that way to the point they can imagine having a future together potentially! 
 What a mouthful... Welp, that's about it. I can understand you're quite exhausted reading this so I'll let you go for now. Carry on now.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     [Part V - Getting Closer To Critical Hit]
 No, I did not advertise this part at all. But good job for being persistent and scrolling down.
 If you've gotten this far, you seem to be the kind of person that really cares about me in some aspect. Or you're a very curious person. For starters, I am an adult. Keep that in mind on how close you intend to be.
 You see, there's the four pillars that Critical Hit relies on as the base. 
 Do note that if you intend to make things romantic, then those pillars are required. And those wild cards are your bonuses to improving those chances. However, take what I said with this entire entry said into consideration as well, especially regarding dynamics. 
 Pillar I - Intellectual
 In the first pillar, it is probably the most difficult one to pass because it requires to stick around and hear me ramble or get involved with deep conversations. Only hearing me ramble alone and not replying to any of it while it won't fail you, you'll have a slim chance of me noticing you. Saying a very uninformed take or a really bad one, however will automatically fail you. However, if you participate in having serious discussions with me, I'll definitely remember and notice you more. Especially if I've said specifically that I'm intrigued by something that you did say. Having very long discussions in general is also a safe bet I notice you. 
 If you are the kind of individual who persists on committing to the wrong actions even after being warned, I'll just not show up to talk in a general capacity. 
 Pillar II - Affectionate
 In the second pillar, well this is an easy one right here. I love hugs. I love being cuddled. I love laying down and being all cozy!. However, if you come to me looking like an e-boy or having as much muscles as Goku from that hit anime, I... Yeah I can't do that.
 A generous bonus if you have a soothing voice while doing so. Or happen to be on the softer side figure wise.
 I tend to be very gentle when it comes to giving affection, and grow into the idea of enjoying someone's company that determines the amount of affection to give. 
 The ultimate decision on being affectionate is if the person in question appears or wants to be affectionate, and they are wanting it. If you seem bothered or are a stranger/acquaintance, I'll respect that space and not get close, unless you specifically ask. 
 Pillar III - Empathetic 
 On the third pillar, there will be moments where I will lose control of my mind and curl up into a ball. Perhaps I go completely silent, or I just look down with despair. I'll always leave some sort of status of how I am doing. It is simply up to you how you choose to interact or proceed. Even checking up on me from time to time? You know, that's always an appreciated thing. All those small interactions can go a long way. Those interactions can grow very big and I'll feel extremely thankful if you somehow manage to be there for me during my really bad times and end up being there to support me the entire way. 
 Pillar VI - Adventurous & Adaptable to Crit's Shenanigans
 This is what I often say to people who hit this mark, "I feel like I can talk to you about anything and it's really nice to have! It's quite chill."
 Sometimes I just need to break the monotony of life and want to vary things up a bit. I'll explain what I mean in this fourth pillar.
 I've lived most of my life to myself, so I end up spending dedicated time to wandering around and meeting random people. I tend to want to also play games with other people that are co-op that tend to be newer games. So if you're up for playing new games, or chilling around and having some crazy adventures online such as VRChat. Then by all means, come on in.
 I also enjoy casual conversations with just about anyone I see, so even simply talking about your day or a funny story can get the ball rolling.
 There will be some occasions where I will be surrounded by people. Do not be intimidated if that's the case. Stick around if you want to hang out with me and I'll get around to addressing you or greet you after I finish the conversation. 
 I will also have moods where I feel like hanging out in a public instance, and I will also have moods where I feel like being cozy in a small room. I consider myself an Ambivert in that instance, so there'll be approximately a 50/50 element of wanting to hang out with random people, and the other half of being around known people or people I'm close with. 
 Wildcards:
 Wildcard #1 - Your Personality and Character
 You can be whoever you want to be at the end of the day. However, if that personality meshes well with having conversations with random people well. I'll tend to favor that more. But that does not necessarily mean that someone who is more reserved is out of the picture. Because the biggest advantage to someone who is reserved is they have more things to know.
 Now, if the personality and character end up being as one dimensional as an e-boy and you only ambition in life is to constantly party and get wasted on a daily basis without doing anything else to your life? I will not vibe to that. I want to grow with the individual, not taking care of a liability. 
 Wildcard #2 - You end up visiting me more often on your own accord and I end up enjoying it a lot to the point I laugh, have a long conversation with you, or get cozy. 
Wildcard #3 - How Involved you are with The Crit Lore, and that you understand it well (Yes, reading these journals do count. So good job on already doing this, you're halfway there!)
Wildcard #4 - Have you helped me with a major issue I've dealt with?
Wildcard #5 - Initiating conversations with Critical Hit by text and they end up being lengthy discussions consistently, or being very silly and lighthearted
Wildcard #6 - You enjoy having voice conversations
 With that being said, the rest is up to you on what you wish to do with this information. And the best thing to get more information as I've stated. Just communicate it.