Filthy Casual for Life

EPISODE TWO: MY FIRST BOYFRIEND

Hotaru is running out of the train station and waiting for her is the very handsome Hananoi. It’s their first day as a couple. While staring at her, Hananoi accidentally lets his thought slip and he calls her an angel.

On the walk to school, Hotaru’s hands are cold. Hananoi offers his gloves, but she declines. He is a bit disappointed. It reminds her of what her friend told her. Don’t do anything to embarrass him. She looks at another couple. The boy puts his scarf around his girlfriend and she’s thankful. Hotaru reflects and realizes she can’t keep acting the like a distant friend.

At lunch, Hotaru is eating lunch with Hananoi. She tells him that she would like to talk about their “policies.” When he asks for clarification, her response is a straightforward and rational. She wants to know what he wants to do, any goals that he has, and things he wants to do with a girlfriend. Hananoi misinterprets her questions as long-term goals and he responds that he hopes he is buried with the person he loves. Quickly realizing he misunderstood her, she clarifies further. Instead, she spells out what are his expectations regarding kissing, hugging, and fooling around. This gets Hananoi’s attention. He teases her about fooling around.

Back in class, Hotaru is introspective. She is still uncomfortable with their arrangement. She feels that he is giving her too much while she is not contributing enough.

Hotaru is in the hallway with Hananoi. She tells him that she will see him after school, but he stops her from leaving. He hands her a stack of notebooks. He took notes for her since finals are coming up. She then notices he looks like he got no sleep. When she tries to ask him if he stayed up all the night, he was saved by the bell. As he turns to walk off, she calls his name. Internally, she is trying to figure out what “girlfriendly” thing she should do. A hug perhaps? Sensing her dilemma, Hananoi pats her head.

At lunch that day, her friends are looking over the notes and complimenting them. Hotaru is still overwhelmed with the lengths Hananoi is going through to please her. Looking over at another couple, she witnesses them cutely exchange food from their bentos. She stews on the fact that a relationship should go both ways. Her friends try to cheer her up. One of her friends gives her advice to reciprocate the things Hananoi does for her.

The next day, she tries to surprise Hananoi by waiting for him outside the station. She leaves half and hour earlier than normal. However, he’s already there waiting on her.

The next day, she leaves 45 minutes early only to find him waiting. The next day, she leaves an hour early. He is still waiting for her. Exasperated, she asks him how long he has been waiting. He cutely tells her he just got there, but she calls him a liar. She again lectures him about waiting in the cold. He tells her he wants to spend every moment he can with her. The next day, she leaves 2 hours early. She finally beat him. Unknowingly, she shows excitement. How will he react? Will he be mad? Happy? Surprised? She was excited waiting for him. As she has a revelation, she hears her name. When he asked her why she’s there, she explains she wanted to do something “girlfriendly” and decided she would wait for him. He was genuinely shocked and discloses that he has never had anyone wait for him. She continues that she thought waiting for him was fun. He blushes when he realizes she was thinking about him.

They both sneeze and realize 2 hours is too long to be in the cold. Hotaru suggests they go to the convenience store. While in the convenience store, Hotaru has an idea. She gives Hananoi a notebook meant to write things they want to do together. The first thing she wrote is to eat croquettes with him after school. He writes that he wants to hold hands while they walk.

In his room that evening, he looks up at his hand and thinks to himself that he wants way more than she realizes. In the trash is one of the notebook pages with “I want to make you mine alone.”

The days start to pass by and their Christmas deadline to stop dating is looming. As she talks to her friend, it is apparent that she is still unsure if she understands what love is. She tells her friend that she told Hananoi if she doesn’t fall in love, she still wants to remain friends. She mentions she doesn’t know what to do with her eyes closed. While her eyes are closed, her friend’s boyfriend exclaims that she should try kissing. She opens her eyes and sees him right in her face and reels back. His little social experiment proves that she doesn’t have feelings for him which is why she pulled back. Kei asks Hotaru if Hananoi is really a great guy. He mentions that everyone in his class thinks he is just using her.

After school, Hananoi is waiting for her even though she told him not to. He tells her he wanted to spend time with her since classes are over. Again, a passing group of girl mentions how plain and boring she looks. Hananoi glares at them and they run off. Hotaru suggests they go to the convenience store, but instead, Hananoi offers his house.

They go to Hananoi’s house. Hananoi mentions that his parents are overseas and that they’re doctors. He tells her to wait for him in his room. She looks around and notices his extensive collection of books. She sees a shelf with a curtain. As she tries to open it, he stops her. He tells her it is a shrine dedicated to her. She decides not to look. As they are talking over tea, she admits that she can’t see someone trying to try anything “lovey dovey” with her. During the conversation, Hananoi realizes that she still doesn’t see him as a boyfriend. He reiterates he has no intention of being her friend if it doesn’t work out. He will disappear. She then proposes her idea. She wants him to try to kiss her. She explains that her friend’s boyfriend suggested it to see if she likes him. Hananoi agrees. He tells her to close her eyes. She gets nervous. Instead of trying to kiss her, he whispers in her ear:

He explains why and it is almost heart wrenching!

THOUGHTS

The ending! OMG. His confession of his feelings is heart wrenching! She has no clue how in love he is with her. He pours his heart out and exposes his true feelings.

Now, with that said, I am concerned. His love for her is unusually strong. Like, stalker strong. While the anime lover in me is screaming, “I LOVE YOU HANANOI! DO YOUR THING!” The real Chibichonk is worried this could be a bad thing. He is desperate for her to love him back. Considering his parents are always overseas and doctors, it makes sense. He lives alone and probably wants someone to love him back.

I truly hope she can bring him back to Earth and lower his expectations of what love is supposed to be.