Recap

A found family vacation! It’s Tane’s birthday and they’re somewhere they can fish and grill meat outside, though their lodgings don’t look too rustic.

Minoru thanks Yutaka for coming. Yutaka thanks Minoru for inviting him. They’re that kind of couple. Minoru wants to tell Yutaka something, but Yutaka takes a call first. Minoru sees Yutaka laughing on the phone and pouts.

His father teases him about being jealous and Minoru claims he isn’t. When Yutaka comes back, Minoru pretends he can’t remember what he was going to say.

Hot springs time! But Minoru sees suggestive phone messages to Yutaka from his coworker and things are awkward rather than sexy. It is a family vacation anyway. Minoru’s sullen behavior reminds the Dad of his wife.

Yutaka learns from Tane that Minoru wrote him a letter. Yutaka worries it’s a “Dear John” letter.

The two guys prepare for the birthday alone but it’s a lot of silence and dueling anxious voiceovers. At one point while Yutaka is blowing up birthday balloons Minoru notices they spell out “Bad Day.”

Yutaka finally confronts Minoru but they’re on two different pages about what’s going on and confusing each other. After they start drinking beer, Minoru admits he’s worried Yutaka is dating the coworker he’s texting. 

Yutaka is confused at first but then apologizes and brings Minoru a present for the anniversary of their first meeting. It’s a very nice bento box. His coworker was supporting him via text. Minoru is embarrassed and apologetic and really likes his gift. 

Now it’s Yutaka’s turn to be insecure, asking what Minoru wanted to say earlier. Minoru wants to go back to school but feels inadequate because Yutaka has a job and he’d be a student again. He wants Yutaka to stay with him despite this and hands him the letter. It’s a sweet thank you to Yutaka for taking care of him.

They’re still awkward, but a happy awkward now. The family sits down for Tane’s birthday dinner! Itadakimasu!

Thoughts

This is one of the better specials I’ve seen from a Japanese drama, especially considering a lot of them are clip episodes that are 80% regurgitation of episodes we’ve already seen. 

The conflict feels a little silly considering Minoru just asked Yutaka to communicate with him and now he’s the one who won’t talk. But that can happen and it’s resolved quickly and easily and there’s even a little character development. Yutaka is the one to push the conversation, and Minoru is going to go back to school. Good for them!

Minoru’s thank you note made me see their relationship in a different light. For the most part, I’d focused on the growth of Yutaka because he was the sadder, lonely puppy of the two of them. But Yutaka brought cooking back into Minoru’s life and helped him many times with Tane. Minoru’s right, Yutaka did take care of him, and that little thank you hit me in the feels.

Tane and Father were adorable here, especially when they were sitting outside giving Minoru the same look. The father’s support of the two of them also hit me in the feels.

In short, a nice little epilogue to this sweet, polite couple and their family. For me, it’s not hard to let these characters go because they seem like they will love and support each other and get through things together. That’s a nice feeling to end on.

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