When last we left our gloomy introvert and happy extrovert, Kouhei and Taichi were sorta pretending the kiss never happened and things were back to normal.
A challenger enters the ring, kinda
Maya is a new student. Like Kouhei, Maya is hard of hearing. Kouhei knows her because he’s been tutoring her. Without telling Taichi. Or us! Kouhei is bad at communicating for reasons that have nothing to do with his hearing.
Maya and Kouhei get lunch together at the cafeteria and it’s too loud for either of them to hear, so they write each other notes on their phone. It’s like they’re in their own little world.
Since it’s a new semester, Taichi and Kouhei are working on what courses to take next. Shouldn’t they have figured this out already? I guess they aren’t attending class yet.
Taichi is paging through his course book in the film club room. His friends wonder about his note-taking for Kouhei. They’re worried Taichi and Kouhei had another fight and ask how they made up last time. Taichi remembers the kiss, hides in his course book, and won’t look at them or explain.
Kouhei now comes with a Maya attachment
Taichi’s friends shove him down a hill to get him to talk to Kouhei, but Maya appears. Taichi’s friends join them and invite Kouhei and Maya out to dinner. Surprisingly, Kouhei agrees to come.
At dinner, a woman loudly compliments Taichi on his eating. Kouhei interrupts to start a conversation with her. Taichi watches Kouhei jealously and Maya watches the entire thing moodily.
After Kouhei and Maya walk across a bridge I keep seeing in jdramas. Kouhei is tired from the loud party. Maya mentions that she spaced out because she couldn’t understand things. Yes, been there.
Maya thinks Kouhei likes that woman but Kouhei calls himself twisted. He didn’t want her to discover how great Taichi is. He is uneasy and anxious at the thought of people finding out. Maya is confused and Kouhei tells her it’s nothing.
Meanwhile, Taichi is walking home with his friends. They marvel at Kouhei’s chattiness and wonder if Taichi will get left behind. Not only that, but he also has Maya. The friends are happy for Kouhei but Taichi is VERY subdued, especially considering he’s Taichi.
They aren’t wrong to be happy, but I like seeing Taichi and Kouhei being selfishly possessive of each other.
Maya makes herself the boss of Kouhei
Taichi is sitting on the bench Kouhei sat on earlier, maybe waiting for him. Maya finds him there, she has notes that Taichi took for Kouhei. I don’t know why she borrowed them from Kouhei but is returning them to Taichi.
But this gives her a chance to criticize Taichi’s work and dedication. When Taichi’s friend passes by and invites her out again she can’t hear them. On a roll, she calls Taichi’s friend carefree and declares he must have never experienced hardship.
Taichi is understandably angry. Maya only doubles down. After hearing about Taichi from Kouhei, she was expecting something more. Worse, she thinks he’s taking advantage of Kouhei’s kindness.
Kouhei arrives as Taichi argues loudly with her. Maya intercepts Kouhei and behind his back gets in one last dig about how Taichi can do nothing for Kouhei. As they walk away, Taichi asks the air if it’s okay for Kouhei that he’s not by his side.
Taichi doesn’t give up that easily
Maya announces to Kouhei that she quit the group chat for her high school classmates. It was too much effort. Cool story Maya. Also, you don’t need to listen to chat groups? I find chatting via text very low-stress.
Whatever, she uses this to bring up that she thinks Kouhei forcing himself to be with Taichi. He denies this and Maya nods, but hearing and listening are different. Maya isn’t interested in listening. She’s made up her mind and knows everything.
Because as Taichi tries to meet up with Kouhei, Maya keeps getting in the way. In desperation, Taichi uses his friend’s bike to chase them down, unaware the brakes are broken. He nearly kills them and himself. Maya is angry until she notices something hanging from Taichi’s friend’s bag. A figure related to… Something? They’re both fans anyway.
Finally, Taichi can bring up the note-taking thing with Kouhei. Instead, he gets distracted by some strangers. Come on Taichi. He tells Kouhei about what’s being said and then gets dragged away by his friends. Taichi, I’m annoyed with you too now. It does give them a moment of awkward skinship at least.
Maya sees Kouhei looking longingly after Taichi. Not until he’s nearly home does Taichi remember the whole note-taking thing. Taichi!
The way to a Japanese BL character’s heart is through his stomach
Taichi’s friends have another outing, but neither Kouhei nor Taichi go. Kouhei helps with his mom’s cooking class and Taichi has work. Maya starts to back out but ends up joining, maybe because she’s made a connection with Taichi’s friend.
Taichi gets home from work and is starving. There’s a knock on the door, it’s Kouhei!
For some reason, Kouhei wasn’t expecting to see Taichi but came anyway? He has food he made that he only wanted to give Taichi. He gets shy and tries to escape, but Taichi keeps him there. Good job! Finally!
Taichi is Taichi about the food. Kouhei mentions that they haven’t talked in a while. Taichi rightly brings up Maya and Kouhei makes excuses for her being worried about him, but won’t explain. He wants to help her because of their similar hearing impairment.
Taichi continues to praise Kouhei’s cooking and suggests he become a chef. Kouhei doesn’t want anyone but Taichi to eat his food. Hearing that, Taichi chokes. Kouhei apologizes but Taichi is glad to see him again and doesn’t want apologies.
Kouhei asks Taichi to be his note-taker and Taichi agrees. He’s so relieved he collapses. He only wants Taichi to help him. He reaches out and touches Taichi’s hand, startling him, and says thank you.
Taichi’s grandfather comes home and ruins the moment. Grandfather watches them burn sparklers together and announces that it’s good to have a friend.
Kouhei VO’s that it’s good they will be friends forever, but we know Kouhei wants more. The burning sparklers represent — something? Their relationship?
Maya isn’t the worst thing but I’m not a fan
And now I remember I didn’t love her in the manga either. What she’s got going for her is that she isn’t a jealous love interest and neither of the guys take her seriously. But she’s like a horrible parent character whose behavior is excused because it’s from the goodness of their heart. That never works for me.
And we spent SO much time with her.
At least she is changing things up for Kouhei and Taichi. As I mentioned in my last recap, they’re both growing in positive ways but it’s causing their relationship to change too. I like that they instinctively want to hold onto the other person tighter.
These episodes didn’t have enough of our two guys together. I’m hoping for more in the final four episodes, but I’m nervous the last quarter of the show will be a turbulent ride. Only one way to find out!
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