When last we left our gloomy introvert and happy extrovert, Kouhei and Taichi were dealing with the annoyance that is Maya. She’s still here, but so are other problems.
Because Taichi realizes he has no idea what he’s doing
During lunch, Maya forces the conversation towards Kouhei’s future goals. He wants to be a social insurance specialist and is working towards certification. Taichi had no idea.
Maya teases Taichi for not knowing what to do after being a student. She’s annoying but not wrong. Taichi gets angry but a friend shows up and drags him away.
Once he’s gone, Maya complains about him. Kouhei likes everything that Maya finds annoying. He laughs at a memory. Maya is startled and then thoughtful. You’ve got this Maya.
Taichi was dragged away because his friend won an award for the zombie film. He wants to work in film in the future. Catching onto the episode’s theme, Taichi goes home and asks his grandfather how he decided to become a carpenter. Grandfather knew from the age of three. So. That’s not helpful.
Maya isn’t helpful either
Kouhei and Maya are working together on a bench when some girls gossip behind them. They know they are hard of hearing and talk about it. The two hard-of-hearing people can hear them.
Maya wonders why she can always hear that kind of stuff. That’s never how it worked for me, I can’t hear people gossip about me or say nice things so, I don’t know. Kouhei smiles, remembering when Taichi punched that guy. He thinks Taichi would have gotten angry again if he’d been here.
Kouhei sees Taichi as a little boar, always charging ahead, not turning unless he hits a wall. Maya points out that even boars find new targets and turn in that direction. What will Kouhei do when that happens? Why are you asking this Maya?
I know the answer, it’s for the story. I shouldn’t get so annoyed with her for being a plot device.
Meanwhile, Taichi walks into a job opportunity
It doesn’t look like a job opportunity at first, it’s just a man carrying some sign language books. He helps the stranger take the books to his work.
There he’s fed tea and cake, eliciting his usual enthusiasm for eating. The man he helped is president of a company offering sign language training and interpretation.
Taichi wants to know what they do for people who can’t sign but need help. The president says it’s their goal to help people for whom sign language is their first language. So, Deaf people.
Taichi asks if it isn’t weird that they’re separating Deaf sign language users from those who are hard of hearing. The president goes into the difficulties of attempting to accommodate various disabilities. Taichi thinks about Kouhei and gets angry. He points out that these are problems to be worked through and solved. Echoing what he said to Kouhei a few episodes ago, he feels they are giving up before they try.
I always like it when a distinction is made between Deaf and hard of hearing. Thank you story.
Taichi calms down and apologizes. The president asks him if he wants to work at the company. Good, er, job Taichi!
For someone with no goals, Taichi has a lot of work
He’s back to falling asleep taking notes in class for Kouhei. Not only that, he’s falling asleep over lunch too. Since this is Taichi, that’s scary. It sounds like Kouhei doesn’t know about his new job. Which is a very Kouhei move on Taichi’s part.
At his new job, the president likes watching him eat. Kouhei would be so jealous. He’s a little subdued about the president’s pudding offer, so the president knows he’s down. Taichi feels inferior compared to a coworker, who is dedicated, focused, and practical.
The president says his way of thinking is idealistic, and that’s why he wants to work with him. He wants to be able to provide more to people in the future and doesn’t want to give up easily. Taichi mentions being lost about what to do.
The president asks Taichi if he wants to be a regular employee. Taichi, your future is choosing you.
Change is Hard
Kouhei finds Taichi lying in a field of grass. Taichi is thinking about dropping out. He tries to backtrack, but Kouhei heard him. Taichi explains he has something he wants to do but needs to think about it. But he quickly says he needs to stick around to take notes for Kouhei.
Kouhei remembers Maya warning him about boars. He takes Taichi’s hand and tells him that since he’s getting into more specialized classes, he should have a professional note-taker. Taichi doesn’t need to worry about him. He lets go of his hand and says he’ll be fine without him.
Taichi is tearful and upset. Kouhei tries to talk to him, but he walks away.
Well, now what?
Taichi looks for excuses not to pursue the opportunity that dropped into his lap. He tries his grandpa, but Grandpa’s fine with him dropping out of college. Taichi brings up having a friend who relies on him. Grandpa says he’ll graduate and be away from his friend anyway. He advises him not to think about loneliness when making choices or he won’t be able to see the path underneath his feet.
Kouhei applies for a new note-taker. Maya asks him if he likes Taichi, and he says it’s unrequited. Maya wants to know, why Taichi? Go away Maya.
(The subtitles for this next section were not great, I went to the manga for help.)
Kouhei asks if Maya ever wished her ears weren’t like this. He has countless times, imagining the easier life he would have. But he forgot how to feel. Then he met Taichi. Before he knew it he was laughing again. He’s so lucky to have met him because now he feels like he can handle his life.
But, he VOs that he wanted more time. We see Taichi drop out of being a note-taker.
This is more a dual-coming-of-age story than a BL
There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s why I’ve never been satisfied with the story (including when I read the manga). I love that Kouhei isn’t deaf but hard of hearing and relate hard. I understand the appeal of someone so outgoing, open, and comfortable with life as Taichi. They are sweet together.
But the story focus is on these two young men becoming adults, not romance. Their growth and relationship is well done, but I’m still hungry for someone to flirt with a hard-of-hearing character. Someone write that for me, please.
Speaking of relationships, I’m not sure loneliness shouldn’t be considered when making choices. But I think Grandpa has a point. Friendships can be important and deep, but like all relationships, they must adapt and change with the people involved.
Taichi is afraid of losing what he has with Kouhei and tries to hold onto that. But they will graduate and get jobs and things will happen. Kouhei has already put himself out there romantically, so unless Taichi wants to do anything about that, he’s got a friendship that will grow and change the way friendships do.
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