When we last left our cross-cultural duo Tae-Oh finally took Yuri on a date and she admitted her feelings — to herself. This is a romcom though, so don’t expect smooth sailing.

When one word causes a whole lot of confusion

All Yuri’s efforts to avoid understanding Tae-Oh’s thoughts fail when she can’t escape the word “nuna”, which she heard him think at the end of the last episode. First, she sees it translated as “older sister” in a Korean drama. Then at a meeting, Tae-Oh is told to call his coworker “nuna”.

Yuri makes the horrible mistake of going online. She learns what Korean drama watchers know, “nuna” means more than older sister. It’s a term of endearment and respect younger men can use towards older women.

(In Japanese, like English, the word for older sister is only for family relationships.)

Yuri overthinks herself into worry that Tae-Oh may not feel romantically towards her. Now she’s started and can’t stop. She finds out the difference between “joahaeyo” (I like you) and “saranghae” (I love you). He’s only said the first to her. Oh Yuri. Stop it.

Speaking of Hanaoka, and also another word becomes an issue

Tae-Oh is doing fine until his senpai Onoda mentions also receiving chocolates. Then he learns from coworkers about the deep relationship and history between Hanaoka and Yuri. Hanaoka is “特別・tokubetsu・special” to Yuri. Also, his sweater says “1999 Dystopia Apocolypse” and I want it.

Tae-Oh runs back into the office to ask Hanaoka if he’s special. Hanaoka has no answer, so Tae-Oh runs off to see the professor. He tells the professor he’s not special.

The professor and senpai reassure Tae-Oh. Onoda can’t explain the chocolates but is certain Tae-Oh’s feelings are returned. While still thinking Tae-Oh likes the chocolatier Mahiro and she likes him back, he somehow restores Tae-Oh’s confidence. 

Speaking of our totally lost second couple

Yuri uses work time to talk relationships with Mahiro. Poor Yuri is afraid that Tae-Oh doesn’t like her, but Mahiro encourages her to be strong.

When they run into the Onoda on campus, Mahiro finds out where Tae-Oh is and sends Yuri after him. This leaves Mahiro with the man she likes who she thinks is a medical doctor and who thinks she likes another man.

Finally, one of these things gets cleared up. Mahiro learns that Onoda is an academic doctor. Otherwise, her attempts to flirt only create further confusion, as he thinks they’re talking about Tae-Oh and she gets her hopes up. So much for speaking the same language.

One step forward and two steps back

Yuri eventually calls Tae-Oh and invites him to one of their spots. They try to talk about feelings. There’s a kiss. He thinks but does not say “I love you” in Japanese. Yuri says “Me too”, but is embarrassed because she responded to his thoughts. So, they don’t share feelings out loud.

The next day, disaster strikes. Yuri missed an important work text while out with Tae-Oh. She goes to Hanaoka for help. He solves the problem and later Yuri thanks him. Hanaoka, probably the most clear-headed, rational person of this bunch, tells Yuri there’s no rule against dating at the office. Yuri acts confused but he says it’s obvious.

But Yuri can hear him think that he has always loved her. Yuri realizes she missed his feelings all these years, perhaps because she was too focused on his thoughts. 

Tae-Oh is waiting at her place. He likes her and wants to know if she doesn’t like him. Crying, but not facing him, she mumbles that she doesn’t like him. Oh Yuri, you overcomplicate everything. 

Time for an awkward love-triangle work trip

The next day, Tae-Oh fakes excitement about being promoted to full-time employee. He also fakes excitement for a work trip. The result is the saddest “Paiting!” ever.

Yuri can’t explain to Mahiro why she rejected Tae-Oh.

This is where Yuri being an emotionally closed-off character is a problem. I can believe she felt shocked by Hanaoka’s feelings and didn’t want to hurt him further. But what is she doing?

On the work trip to Hokkaido, she struggles to pick lunch and where to sit when both guys have opinions. It illustrates her inability to make a decision and makes her seem passive. She doesn’t feel like a CEO and it’s frustrating to watch.

Tae-Oh asks about Japanese dating attitudes while Hanaoka preps him for work. Poor Hanaoka. He’s shocked Yuri rejected Tae-Oh. At dinner, Hanaoka gets drunk off seafood cooked in sake, which is probably for the best. He gets a piggyback from Tae-Oh to bed. 

Yuri finds Tae-Oh outside looking at the stars by a fire. Things relax between them until they start wishing on shooting stars. Tae-Oh can’t get his wish, which is dating Yuri. Yuri grabs his hand but says nothing. He tells her he no longer likes her. 

Meanwhile, back at home

Tae-Oh told the professor he was rejected so the professor sends Onoda to fix it. Onoda meets with Mahiro, and finally, finally, finally, learns that Tae-Oh likes the CEO. And the CEO likes him back. Onoda feels like he’s wasted his time. He’s not wrong.

Mahiro doesn’t let Onoda leave and makes another valiant effort to flirt with him. She gets all the points for trying and not giving up.

Onoda tells the professor the truth, and things get ominous again. We see him researching online, and eventually finding something by searching in Korean.

There’s something mysterious going on here

Hokkaido is where Yuri’s accident occurred. At the hotel, she comes across info about the Ainu, the indigenous people of the area, and their beliefs. There’s a legend about the Kamuy, the Ainu gods, and people suddenly hearing voices. It sounds like Yuri’s power.

Later, after Yuri and Tae-Oh lay under the stars, we meet a woman humming “Twinkle twinkle little star”. She cups her hand over her ear like Yuri when she hears voices. Tae-Oh recognizes her as the woman on the bench reading the story at the beginning of this drama. Tae-Oh must be the boy. But she’s already gone.

Hanaoka is MVP of this episode

On their last day in Hokkaido Tae-Oh stays behind to go to Cape Kirittapu, where we saw the lighthouse earlier in the series. Yuri keeps thinking about Tae-Oh and hesitates at the airport.

Hanaoka pushes her to go after Tae-Oh, employing janken (rock-paper-scissors) to force her. Yuri always closes her eyes to avoid cheating and always wins. But in flashbacks, it’s revealed that Hanaoka waits to see her hand before he lets her win. With her eyes closed, she’s never noticed.

So he beats her this time. Awww. Hanaoka. He’s a good guy. 

Yuri finds Tae-Oh at the lighthouse. She can’t tell him she likes him, so Tae-Oh repeats a trick from the first episode. He asks her if she likes different foods, and she says she likes them. Then, he asks if she likes him. She says she really likes him. He tells her he loves her in Korean, saranghae, which she understands thanks to her internet research.

We end on kissing on top of the lighthouse.

A few final thoughts

Our leads are cute and have good chemistry. 

I like the Hanaoka janken reveal and I like Tae-Oh making it easier for her to reveal her feelings. I believe Yuri has been so focused on others that she can’t express her feelings, but loves Tae-Oh. 

Unfortunately, this episode’s dramatic confession comes about because of the guy’s actions, not hers. Again, this makes her seem passive. I wish they’d shown her making decisions and taking action too. Even if she needed help along the way.

On the other hand, I understand if Yuri’s confusion because of “nuna” drove you crazy, but I like the show continuing to emphasize language. “Nuna” IS a confusing word if you don’t speak Korean. It drives me crazy that English subtitles often switch it to just the character’s name. But it can’t be directly translated so I get it.