Episode 8: Walk out on the street, call out to a person I meet by chance, want to be held no matter who the person is. Have I become this sort of person? … That’s fine. Let’s sleep once?
Yuka disappears from Mitsuo’s existence. She had written a farewell letter expressing her feelings and gratitude for him, but tore it up halfway. Mitsuo is shaken to discover Yuka’s belongings missing when he comes back, but before he can give himself over to shock, Ryo appears at the doorstep. He says he is here because he thought of coming to live with a friend. Mitsuo tells Ryo that Yuka has left home. He pays too much attention to detail which is why they divorced although he is trying to correct that now. This admission does nothing to deter Ryo who declares that he will not be bothered by it. Mitsuo is discomfited but cannot turn Ryo away.
In the middle of the night, Mitsuo awakens to find that Ryo has creeped into the bedroom because it is too chilly outside. Annoyance sets in. Ryo suddenly remarks that Mitsuo and Yuka do not appear incompatible. Mitsuo responds that they always quarreled. In contrast, Ryo and Akari have never argued and he wonders if that is the reason why their relationship failed. Mitsuo reminds him that it ended as a result of his infidelity. Ryo does not think it is over because he still loves Akari. He tries to ask Mitsuo how he feels about Yuka, but Mitsuo cuts him off by bidding him good night.
During his visit to the dentist the following day, Mitsuo gripes that while marriage is only a part of life, divorce is the whole of it. He dramatically thinks he has entered the ice age. Spring will not come again for as long as he lives. Then, he realises that the person attending to him is not Nana.
When Mitsuo returns home after work, Ryo has prepared dinner. Mitsuo feels irritated with Ryo for trying to call him at work to ask what he wants to eat for dinner tonight. He points out that Ryo is depriving him from enjoying the freedom of single life and contemplating many things in solitude. At that moment, Yuka’s father Takehiko suddenly visits. He came up to Tokyo to attend a funeral service and has dropped in here on his way back. When Mitsuo cannot tell him where Yuka is, he mistakenly presumes it is just another occasion of her leaving home after a domestic quarrel and stays over that night.
At Takehiko’s request, Mitsuo goes to Tokyo Skytree with him for sightseeing the next day. A father-daughter pair in front of them makes Takehiko think of how he used to take baths with Yuka, but she is now Mitsuo’s wife.
On the way home, Takehiko talks about the night after Yuka introduced Mitsuo to him, she apologised because he had once said that it was his dream to hit the man who would marry her and then have drinks. She told him Mitsuo could not drink alcohol and was not the kind of person that one hits. However, Mitsuo would take on the sorrows and delight in the joy of others as if they were his own. But now, having watched his grandchild’s Doraemon movie, Takehiko realises that he had been fooled. Despite the fact that Yuka quoted lines from it, Takehiko thinks Mitsuo is like what she said. Cracking under the strain of keeping up the act in front of Takehiko who regards him as his son-in-law, Mitsuo confesses that he and Yuka have divorced. Takehiko punches him.
Ryo, who had inadvertently witnessed the scene, lets Mitsuo know that Yuka did not go back to Fujinomiya. And while she sent her father a text message, she did not tell him her whereabouts. Ryo asks whether Mitsuo still has lingering feelings for Yuka. Mitsuo says he does not. But he feels that he forgot to tell her something … …
On another day, Akari comes to the laundry shop. Mitsuo tells her that Ryo is in his house and advises her to stay clear of this area. He takes her to Kingyo Cafe. Nana who happens to be there with a male date, calls out to Mitsuo. She is getting married and has quit working at the dental clinic. Seeing Akari, Nana asks Mitsuo to make the introductions. She openly declares greater jealousy of Akari than Yuka because she thinks it is Akari that Mitsuo truly loves. As a result, the atmosphere turns awkward. Nana makes a quick exit with her fiance. Left alone with Akari, Mitsuo tries to broach the subject of Ryo. Sensing that, Akari responds that it is over between them. She smiles widely as she tells him that she has put it behind her thanks to his encouragement. It is the first time in Mitsuo’s life that someone has told him this. If Yuka had said such things to him, he thinks they would not have divorced.
After Akari leaves to get her salon ready for business, Aiko goes out while Mitsuo is doing the accounts. However, she will not even tell Tomoyo where she is heading to. A suspicious Mitsuo ends up tailing her and sees her meet Yuka at the venue for pro wrestling. The matches have already started by the time he gets into the hall after buying an admission ticket. Spotting his grandmother and Yuka seated on the opposite side of ring, he is about to make his way round to them when he finds himself surrounded by pro wrestlers who proceed to haul him onstage. A terrified Mitsuo is hoisted up on the shoulders of a victorious pro wrestler to the shock of Aiko and Yuka … …
At Kingyo Cafe that night, Takehiko demands to know why Yuka and Mitsuo divorced. Ordering Mitsuo to keep quiet, Yuka tells her father that the problem lies with her. He would not understand if she explained so there is no use in doing so. After all, they have divorced. Takehiko believes it was done on impulse and suggests that they make up. Yuka insists it is impossible. She says that she was intending to tell her mother when she goes back unless he has already blabbed to her about it. Getting heated up, she declares that there is no need for her to tell them everything because she is already 30 and it is time that they let go. She decided on divorce based on her own views. At this juncture, Mitsuo interrupts Yuka and bows his head in apology to Takehiko. “I’m responsible. Please don’t scold Yuka-san.” Yuka grumbles at Mitsuo’s choice of words but before she can go on, her father announces that he is going back to Fujinomiya even though the last train has already departed because he does not want to see either of their faces. There is no need for Yuka to come home. Even if she does, he will not let her set foot in the house.
After her father leaves, Yuka notices Mitsuo playing with her hair tie which he had found on the bed on the day she left. Mitsuo starts to talk about her sudden departure but it somehow devolves into an exchange on the fate of her big yellow exercise ball and how to dispose of it. Yuka decides to leave and goes to retrieve her hair tie which has fallen on the floor. Mitsuo hesitates while her back is to him, before telling her that he wishes her happiness. Yuka, who manages to acknowledge this with a neutral tone, later muses to Aiko that those were the greatest parting words.
The next night, Akari finds Mitsuo standing in a daze at a traffic crossing in front of the train station at Nakameguro. They walk a short distance together before going their separate ways. However, the sound of a toppled signboard causes the two of them look back and their gazes meet across the canal. Retracing her steps, Akari approaches Mitsuo to ask if he would like to go for dinner. He readily agrees and they arrange to meet again in half an hour. In response to his suggestion that they go somewhere different, she mentions the restaurant with set menus that they used to patronise frequently in the past. Mitsuo gives her a blank look. Back at home, Akari dresses with extra care and seems self-conscious about her appearance. However, she changes back out of these clothes before meeting Mitsuo.
On the other hand, a subdued Yuka is helping out at Kingyo Cafe. She is embarrassed to be lingering around her former in-laws despite the divorce. Tomoyo assures her that it does not matter to them as they are all on her side. If anything happens, they will severe ties with Mitsuo. Yuka excuses herself to go and buy a toothbrush for her stay at Aiko’s house that night.
After dinner, Mitsuo and Akari head to the apartment building where they used to live to find out if it is still there. As they stand in front of their former apartment, Mitsuo apologises to Akari for the horrible things he said to her back then. She tells him to forget it. There were really enjoyable moments too like the time when they bought two Christmas barrels. He is surprised that she remembers. She lets on that she is reminded of many things when she feels vulnerable and in low spirits. Today, she had contemplated buying a train ticket to return to Aomori but told herself she could not. In the end, she purchased a humidifier with that amount of money. Mitsuo wonders if he should do the same too although it would be imitating her. They banter about the different type of electrical goods he could possibly buy. Then Mitsuo’s spectacles drops on the staircase and the glass breaks. While he frets over it, Akari smiles up at him and says he looks better without spectacles. She likes him like this. He has a handsome face. In fact, she finds him cool if he keeps quiet. An embarrassed Mitsuo basks in Akari’s compliments, not quite certain how he should to respond to it.
Meanwhile, Ryo is at a convenience store when the sound of falling items and a high-strung apologetic female voice catches his attention. His eyes widen in recognition when he goes over to take a look.
As Mitsuo and Akari revisit their past, the distance between them shrink. Her previously frosty, brusque demeanour toward him also gives way to genuine warmth. Their relationship now more than friends but not quite … … Settling in at another restaurant, Akari asks if Mitsuo’s job is challenging since it is sales. She is full of admiration for him because she does not think he suits sales. But she is sure he forces himself to do his best to accommodate the other party. Telling him that he has worked hard, she pats him on the head. Mitsuo comments that he has heard Judy and Mary’s ‘Classic’ which he thinks is a good song. She says it no longer bothers her but he mentions that he has listened to quite a few other songs. Akari gets excited and mentions that she has several favourites besides ‘Classic’ which remains her all-time number one. Before she can tell him the second one on her list, he asks to make a guess. Akari is disappointed that he gets it right on his first try. She stares at him with a coy look but he does not respond.
The hours pass. Mitsuo and Akari are one of the few left at the restaurant by this time. Akari says things have not worked out for her because she is take things seriously. Her relationship also broke down because she did not face reality. She confides that she is very bothersome although it is not apparent because she hides it. There are times when she gives in to despair and wants to destroy everything. In her next life, she wants to be a male. Then she can be free to cut or let her hair grow. She asks where Mitsuo gets his cut. When he says that he dislikes hair salons, she offers to do it for him the next time since she cuts her own hair. He starts to touch her fringe and plays around with it. Warming up to her idea, Akari kneels forward to tell Mitsuo how the haircut would be like while she reaches out to touch the sides and back of his head. This brings the two of them in close proximity. They stare at each other for a brief moment before she awkwardly pulls away.
When Mitsuo asks if Akari will be with someone again, she thinks she might several years later. He wonders if the same thing will happen to him again while she confesses that she is extremely lonely. She feels all alone. Even imagines that she might die by herself. She thinks anyone will do as long as the person is there for her.
“There are times when I wonder if
I’ll become like one of those women who sleeps with anyone on impulse.
I’ll walk out on the street,
call out to a person I happen to meet.
Want to be held no matter who this person is.
Will I become this sort of person?
Will I think anyone is fine?”
Mitsuo grips Akari’s hand with his and tells her that this sort of thinking is wrong. It should not be just anyone. In that case, Akari decides that he is fine. She turns her palm up to thread her fingers through his. When he points out that she is saying this because she is lonely, she tells him it does not matter to her. With a serious expression on her face, she invites him to sleep with her once.
At that same moment, Yuka and Ryo are kissing each other in the stairway of a bar!
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thank you for the recap and previews…subs are a little too slow, so i read your recap while watching.
I also do that. I really like this drama, I feel something fresh when I watch it, and thank you for your synopsis, they are great.
The ending scene is such a cliff hanger!!!!!! I am looking forward to your episode 9 preview 🙂
Thank you for these posts!!