Character	Shalu
Appearance	The Crimson Flower that Divides: Lunar Coupling
Media	Otome Game
Type	Yandere (Minor)
Love Interest	Naala/ Protagonist (Platonic)

Shalu is Naala’s close friend from Rus. Along with Salanna, the three of them grew up together and always had a strong friendship.

SPOILERS AND PERSONAL OPINION

Back when Shalu was young, she was overweight. As such, she was often bullied. Naala came to her rescue, and they formed a close bond from then on.

When the three of them, Naala, Shalu, and Salanna were kidnapped to Nasla, Shalu was the one who hated the situation the most. After the Rus women were brought to Nasla, the Nasla king, Touya, tried to assimilate the Rus women into Nasla. He encouraged them to settle down and find a spouse within Nasla in an attempt to resolve the shortage of women in Nasla caused by a rampant disease that affects women, called the Rot. Shalu hated everything about this, and resisted the strongest.

One day, when the three girls were reminiscing the past, a fellow Rus woman named Haru approached them. She confessed that she had fallen in love with a Nasla man and wished to seek advise from them. Shalu could not stand this turn of event which she considered a betrayal, and became more furious when Naala later gave her well wishes to Haru.

She thought that if the situation continues, Naala would eventually become like Haru and get sullied by the vile Nasla men. Naala was her most precious treasure, and she could not bare for such misfortune to befall her. Hence, she plotted her escape, hoping that she can return to Rus and get help to rescue Naala and Salanna. To do so, Shalu was even willing to get close to the Nasla men which she hated. She befriended a Nasla man and led him on, then later obtained a map for her escape.

Shalu’s yandere tendencies did not show much in other routes, but it was extremely clear in Suren’s. In his route, Shalu’s escape attempt was spoiled by Suren, who had been waiting for such an incident to happen so that he can use it to bait Naala into becoming his bride. To protect Shalu, Naala agreed to his terms, and this made Shalu even more determined to get Naala out of Nasla, whatever the cost she must pay.

Shalu resorted to selling her body to gain intel and resources for her scheme. It did not matter what happens to her if it means Naala can be protected. Eventually, she managed to communicate with a Rus man and get him to send Naala back to Rus.

If Naala refuses to comply, she goes insane. She had done everything she could, even sullying herself, but Naala would not even understand her efforts. She felt that if her most precious light and hope which is Naala cannot be saved, then there is no point in staying alive. In a moment of despair, she stabbed Naran (a Nasla man sent to protect Naala), then killed herself.

Towards Shalu, I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I understand her plight, and felt sorry for her when she gave up everything she to do what she thought was best for Naala. At the same time, can she stop messing things up and make it harder for everyone else around her???

Naala would not have been forced to marry in Shalu’s stead if she had not secretly attempted a FAILED escape. Then when Naala slowly adapted and found happiness in Nasla, she had to go and stab Naran, which eventually killed him. Mind you, at this point, Naran had already became a trusted friend of Naala and would never hurt her. But then Shalu had to kill off an innocent character like that. Then she killed herself.

Like, girl?! After making all this mess and achieving nothing good out of it, you just die like that? What did you contribute to the story except for misery?

Ok now I have resolved my mixed feelings. I dislike this girl.