Filthy Casual for Life

EPISODE 6: OUR FIRST VALENTINE’S

It’s the beginning of the day and Hotaru finally realizes that she’s in love. She decides she needs to tell Hananoi. However, when she tries, she can’t. Instead, she runs away.

At work, she is trying to figure out what to do. Is it always that hard to admit your feelings to someone? A new employee is introduced as she is lost in thought. It is a long-lost friend from the past, Yao. Hotaru then recalls her friend Non admitting her feelings for Yao. Non asks for Hotaru’s help. Hotaru happily agrees.

After work is done, Yao and Hotaru are in the elevator together. He begins reminiscing and tells Hotaru that he was worried about her because at elementary graduation, she cut her hair and then stopped talking to everyone. Avoiding the conversation, she bolts as the elevator opens. He begins to chase after her, but doesn’t get very far as Hananoi grabs him by the jacket.

Hananoi is annoyed that he calls her “Hotaku”. It is obvious that Hananoi is suspicious of Yao. He found it very “convenient” that he got a job where she works. Hananoi begins to pick up Hotaru after every shift. Hotaru notices and asks Hananoi what’s going on. He openly admits he is bothered by Yao. He asks if he has tried anything funny, but Hotaru exclaims he’s a nice guy. She explains that Yao was popular with the girls. Hananoi stops in his tracks. She assures Hananoi that she didn’t see him in that light when they went to school together. Hananoi smiles and Hotaru think that everything is okay, except Hananoi starts coming to see her at work more often.

Hotaru brings it up to Hananoi at the register. He smiles and then agrees and apologizes for bothering her at work. Yao asks why people in love can’t control themselves. Hotaru flashes back to her friend, Non. Non heard a rumor that Hotaru liked Yao. Non also put up the fake smile just as Hananoi did. Then Hotaru remembered Non calling her a liar while holding her hair.

She wakes up from the dream and realizes the reason why she can’t tell Hananoi she likes him is because she is scared. People change when they have strong feelings. Hananoi and Hotaru are eating on a bench at the park. Hananoi begins to apologize for being intense. Immediately, Hotaru corrects him and says he is the one that has been down and she asks him to tell her how he really feels instead of hiding behind a fake smile. He discloses that he fears she will choose someone over him. She immediately takes his hand and shoves him on a tree and tells him to recharge. She admits to him that she told herself he was the only one she wanted to fall in love with. He holds her in his arms.

Hotaru is struggling with the courage to tell Hananoi how she really feels. She then realizes Valentine’s Day is her chance. She asks Hananoi if he is free on the 14th. She asks him on a date.

At work, she attends a Valentine’s fair to get an idea of what to make. Her co-worker and Yao tag along. During their conversation, it is apparent that Yao is bothered when she says they didn’t know each other that well.

In the kitchen, she begins to make her chocolates and hopes that everything is okay. The next day, she is waiting at the station when Hananoi tells her that he is running late. Something is happening and he is being elusive. She heads to his place because she is worried about him. There is chocolate everywhere. He knows he has been pushing his insecurities on her and he wanted to make her chocolates to make her happy.

They end up baking together. Hananoi tells Hotaru that he actually wanted to practice a week in advance, but it took him a week to figure out how to separate the yolk from the egg white. Hotaru ends up saying something naturally.

While waiting for the cake to finish baking, Hotaru tells Hananoi about her friend who liked Yao. She tells Hananoi she didn’t do enough to comfort her friend and that is why she cut her hair. She admits to Hananoi that experience is what led her to dating him. She then asks Hananoi if he is scared of the idea that they may change. Hananoi tells her that if love has the power to bring out the worse, it also has the power to change people for the better.

Handing him a box of chocolates, she finally admits it to him and herself.

THOUGHTS

Finally! I thought we would never get to this point. She FINALLY understands her feelings and I am proud of her. I am also proud of Hananoi. He knows his insecurities and he openly communicates with her. They’re learning to talk to each other and that is sweet. We’ve learned a lot about why Hotaru was afraid of love, but I feel like we haven’t learned enough about Hananoi’s past. Why is he so quick to love? Why does he have insecurities? I feel like we need to know more about him to understand his character development. This show is so wholesome. Will continue to monitor.