When last we left our gloomy introvert and happy extrovert, Taichi managed to drag Kouhei out of his shell a little. Alas, Kouhei is not the type to make things that easy.
But first, a little more about Taichi
When his parents divorced, neither one wanted to take care of him. That’s awful. His grandfather told him that he’d live with him.
Present-day Taichi wakes up looking glum, but that’s probably because he has to go to school and learn more about Plato. Ugh. Plato. By the time class is over he’s starving and yelling about it. Kouhei pulls bento out to eat in the classroom. It’s hamburger patties, a meal Taichi loves so much he wants to marry it.
Taichi and Kouhei are bickering cutely. Kouhei looks more at ease and is smiling. He tells Taichi that his mother runs cooking classes.
Then Kouhei is forced to act in a student film
School is the worst. Taichi’s film club friends are making a zombie horror film and Kouhei and Taichi are playing zombies. Another classmate shows up to do their make-up, which is weird since they are already in make-up that looks great.
Taichi makes a good zombie and the film looks good for a student production. It reminds me of One Cut of the Dead, which you should watch without knowing anything ahead of time. Go. Watch it now.
After the shoot, Kouhei asks Taichi about his mom and gets filled in on what we saw in the flashback. Kouhei is apologetic for bringing it up but Taichi says it’s fine.
When some girls who worked on the film say goodbye to Kouhei, Taichi remarks that he’s popular. Kouhei feels no one wants to know him but as long as someone understands him, he’s okay. To prove this, he declines a chance to go to an after-party.
We aren’t done with the make-up girl yet
She wants Taichi’s information, and he’s flattered until he realizes it’s so she can get Kouhei’s info. Because he’s handsome. Worse, when she finds out Kouhei is hard of hearing she gets excited because she’s reading a book with a deaf character.
Taichi gets pissed at her casual assumptions and the way she doesn’t see Kouhei as a person but a character in a novel. He tries to explain this to her but she doesn’t look like she gets it.
Taichi is subdued and spacing out the next day in class, probably troubled by what happened with the make-up girl. Kouhei pulls out lunch. It’s hamburger patties again, as an apology to Taichi for not joining the after-party.
Taichi’s important history with hamburger patties
Taichi tells Kouhei’s back that he lied about being okay with his parents’ abandonment. In reality, he was upset. At that time, on his birthday, his grandfather made him a hamburger patty. It was so overcooked it was black. But he felt loved and cried.
He thinks these hamburger patties are as delicious as his grandfather’s.
Kouhei turns around, he didn’t hear Taichi. At first, Taichi won’t repeat it. Then Kouhei reminds him that he promised to repeat things since it’s not Kouhei’s fault he can’t hear. So Taichi repeats the story. Awww.
On the other hand, Kouhei never tells Taichi that he made the burger patties after having his mom teach him. Kouhei is a tricky one.
Kouhei is enjoying the beginning of summer when his ears ring painfully with tinnitus.
Summer break brings on secrets and separation
Taichi tells Kouhei about his new part-time job at a restaurant. Kouhei asks how he found out about the restaurant, but Taichi won’t tell him he went there with the make-up girl. Then Kouhei gets tinnitus but won’t tell Taichi. Come on guys.
Exam time! Exams are over! It’s summer break. Taichi is busy getting used to his new job and Kouhei is home alone all day.
Kouhei’s mom, who is the best, suggests he invite the friend he talks about to the summer festival. Kouhei thinks Taichi will be busy, but Mom says to ask anyway. He does and Taichi accepts.
Unfortunately, the tinnitus isn’t a good omen
Kouhei mentions it to his mother, who takes him to the doctor for a hearing test. I have flashbacks to my hearing tests watching him get put in the little soundproof room.
The test reveals his hearing is getting worse. I like that the doctor pulls down his mask so Kouhei can see his lips, it’s so hard to hear people through masks. Kouhei asks if he’ll be deaf one day and the doctor says it’s possible, but not to expect the worst. Doctor doesn’t realize that Kouhei is the type to expect the worst, but nice try.
Kouhei remembers Taichi talking about how delicious things are. While sitting in the waiting room, one of Taichi’s friends shows up. Kouhei can’t understand him with the mask on. I get it. He tells Kouhei that the make-up girl liked him and asked Taichi for his info.
Now it’s raining and everything sucks
Kouhei waits for Taichi without an umbrella, even though the rain means their festival date isn’t happening. Taichi drags him under a bridge, and we’re back where episode one started. Taichi asks if Kouhei likes him and Kouhei says he does, but quickly adds that he likes watching Taichi enjoy his food.
The tinnitus flares up again and Taichi grabs Kouhei’s hands and looks into his eyes. Kouhei asks about the make-up girl and Taichi lets him go. Kouhei wants to know why he kept it from him and what they talked about. He’s jealous, but not for the reasons Taichi thinks.
And Taichi won’t tell him about the make-up girl fetishizing his hearing loss.
Kouhei goes running home in the rain.
Summer break is over! Taichi rushes to school after getting a text from Kouhei, looking all over the place for him but not finding him.
In the text, Kouhei apologized for not responding. He wasn’t angry. He’s thankful for Taichi’s help and doesn’t want to bother him anymore. He’s gotten a new note-taker.
Poor Kouhei, poor Taichi, poor everyone
It’s hard to watch Kouhei suffering while pushing away someone who could support him. For him, the situation must feel like punishment. He finally got a new friend only to get the terrible news about his hearing.
I think what breaks Kouhei is the situation with the make-up girl. Kouhei knows he has feelings for Taichi that Taichi doesn’t have for him. On top of everything else, Kouhei can’t deal with one-sided love. He’s trying to protect himself and Taichi by withdrawing.
I get it. For most of us, we both don’t want our loved ones to see us suffering or cause them suffering by being around them. That’s not a bad impulse. But I hate the idea that people need to suffer and grow strong alone. Poor Kouhei is so lonely, I don’t think more isolation is good for him.
I don’t think that’s what this show is saying though. I think we’re seeing how bad isolation can be. With any luck, this angst won’t last long and Taichi will get through to him.