When last we left these cute kids, Yuki was working on finding employment and Itsuomi was working on his sign language. Now for more of that plus too much Oushi!
Sign language boot camp time!
Even though Yuki is dating Itsuomi, this isn’t the end of Rin and Yuki’s team efforts. They work together to pick outfits and plan on how to separate into couples on the trip.
On the way there, Itsuomi drives and Yuki sits up front but can’t communicate with him while his hands are on the wheel. Rin comes up with a writing-based game they can play that includes Yuki. So I almost forgive Rin for not being more interested in learning sign language.
Their camp is some kind of glamping situation, and Itsuomi immediately focuses on learning words for everything. They break for lunch and learn “delicious”, but Yuki can’t always catch what they’re saying.
Itsuomi makes couple-time by being so cute with Yuki that Rin and Kyouya leave. While Yuki worries about not hearing back from her friend about the job, Itsuomi tries to catch fish by hand. This feels true to their characters. They flirt in the cold river water and Yuki enjoys seeing Itsuomi laugh.
After, they settle down for a more serious conversation. Itsuomi worries that something he said made Yuki feel extra pressure to get a job. She feels that Itsuomi inspires her. Neither of them want the day to end and Itsuomi asks if she has to go back home.
He gives the kiss signal. And then he kisses her. Aww.
Sign language camp ends early thanks to our second couple
While Rin and Kyouya have time together, a persistent workmate calls Rin. She steps away and has her back to Kyouya, but he hears her tell the coworker that she has someone else she’s interested in.
Rin and Kyouya discuss their dating histories. Rin went out with someone once. Kyouya’s longest relationship was six years. They tentatively try to figure out their mutual feelings until there is a confession of sorts. And then Rin twists her ankle.
At least she gets more time with Kyouya as he takes her to the hospital.
Yuki and Itsuomi’s date night keeps getting interrupted
Yuki and Itsuomi have dinner together and then head back to his place. There, Yuki sees Itsuomi take his top off. It’s too much for her. She’s good to borrow his clothes though. She also feels good seeing the notes Itsuomi wrote in the sign language book she made for him.
A friend of Oushi’s saw Itsuomi and Yuki together. She tells Oushi and advises him to be upfront about his feelings. Oushi calls Yuki repeatedly but she doesn’t pick up. Eventually, he texts an apology and stops. We’re not done with Oushi, but we’re done with him for now.
Yuki eagerly answers the phone when her friend calls about a job. Itsuomi is awed by the speed with which Yuki signs with this friend and can hear the friend also speaking out loud. She was born hearing but then lost it and talks while signing to avoid losing practice.
Itsuomi and Yuki’s first night together!
Itsuomi sets up a movie for them to watch together, with subtitles, in his room. Yuki is tense and overwhelmed by everything from Itusomi’s shower products to being in his room. He cuddles and kisses her but can tell she’s tense.
They go to sleep in different beds, leaving Yuki awake and confused. She texts Itsuomi, who is also awake. He explains that he wants to take care of her and knows she’s nervous. Yuki is relieved. She doesn’t want to take out her hearing aids and go to sleep because it’ll make the time flow differently.
Which, I dunno, I find laying in bed in hearing aids super uncomfortable.
Oushi is upfront with his feelings — with Itsuomi
He’s here to bring Itsuomi to task for respectfully dating Yuki and learning sign language. Itsuomi isn’t shocked by this turn of events. He drags Oushi through campus to the international student club.
Itsuomi wants to know why Oushi hates him and Oushi refuses to talk. So much for being upfront about his feelings with… anyone. He follows this up by blaming Itsuomi’s behavior and his bleached hair.
Oushi tries to get rid of Itsuomi but it’s not that easy. Itsuomi gets him to meet up at the bar to talk. Over beers, they have an almost friendly conversation. Oushi gets so drunk he passes out and when he wakes up he’s hostile again.
Oushi learned sign language so Yuki would look his way no matter what was going on. Sign language felt like their secret code. Except it’s not Oushi, that’s how Yuki communicates.
Oushi tries to get Itsuomi to dump Yuki and Itsuomi points out that it’s a mutual decision, and Yuki won’t break up with him. Oushi wants to know why Itsuomi picked Yuki when anyone would choose him.
Itsuomi says it’s not about anyone choosing him, it’s about the two of them choosing to be together. Which is a great way of looking at relationships. Oushi should try it.
But Oushi doesn’t want Yuki looking at some other guy’s hands and starts crying. Itsuomi can’t bring himself to hate him but I certainly strongly dislike him.
Eventually, Oushi makes the standard threat to go after Itsuomi if he makes Yuki cry. He vows he won’t let Itsuomi beat him without a fight. Beat him at what?
So that’s the note we end on, I have no signs of affection for Oushi
But I have affection for other things in this show!
I’m glad Rin and Kyouya got their feelings sorted out. Their hesitant, shy, mutual confession is a nice contrast to Itsuomi’s more straightforward one earlier in the series.
I liked seeing Yuki do her fast signing with her friend and her friend’s different hearing loss history. I think people tend to assume hearing loss is the same for everyone. It really isn’t, like how people wearing glasses can have all kinds of vision issues.
Maybe some people even find sleeping in hearing aids comfortable. Who knows.
Now that Yuki has a job they’re one more step towards being the world-traveling power-couple I want them to become! It’s not happening this season, but still, I can dream.