Filthy Casual for Life

EPISODE 10: OUR FIRST SECOND YEAR

Spring break is over and Hananoi and Hotaru are beginning their second year of high school together. Unfortunately, they are in different classes again. Hananoi brings up the fact that Hotaru calls others by their first name as the bell rings. Hotaru asks him to repeat it, but he decides not to. As he leaves for class, she considers it.

The next day, lunch rolls around. Shibamu is left alone for lunch. Hotaru, of course, wants Shibamu to eat lunch with her and Hananoi. She doesn’t know who to choose, but out of nowhere, Hananoi offers to eat lunch together. Surprised, Hotaru pulls Hananoi aside and tells him it won’t be just for that day. Hananoi proudly announces that he has decided he can live with that. Hotaru is still worried that Hananoi didn’t enjoy lunch. As he hugs her, he admits the past him wouldn’t, but the new him didn’t mind at all.

Something is bugging Hotaru. She senses a change in Hananoi and she wants to try to help it along. Her friend in his class mentions he goes out of his way to be alone. Hotaru doesn’t want him to be alone. She approaches Hananoi and proposes that he eat lunch with the girls on the days they don’t each lunch alone. She’s worried about how it would go, but she is thinking about Hananoi more than anything. He decides he will think about it.

At lunch, Hananoi has joined the group. They lay out the food and they notice that Hananoi didn’t bring much. Hotaru brings out a dish and offers to everyone. While he is talking, she mentions that she is learning to cook for Saki-kun. No one knows who Saki is until Hananoi drops his food into his hand and is shocked/embarrassed.

Yao is having a flashback recalling how he met Hotaru. He remembers her being sweet and kind. More than anything, he wanted her to be happy. However, writing on a piece of paper, we learn that Hananoi is possibly keeping a secret. Did Hotaru remember that they went to the same elementary school?

At work, Yao witnesses Hananoi turn down a confession. Yao approaches Hananoi and asks if Hotaru knows they went to the same elementary school. Hananoi doesn’t deny it stating it wasn’t important and that if Yao wanted to tell her, to go ahead. Yao is struggling with figuring Hananoi out. Yao gets a call at work asking about a picture book with animals. As he is reading one about dogs, he begins to cry. Hotaru finds him. When a friend from school starts calling out to Yao, Hotaru blocks him off so the girl won’t see him crying.

Hotaru and Yao are in the break room together. He goes back to calling her by the nickname he gave her, Hotako. He bluntly asks her whether she likes or dislikes him. She immediately tells him she has always respected him. He brings up the fact that she wanted to find a way to thank him for the time they came to house. He tells Hotaru that he wants to talk to her more. He wants them all to go out sometimes. This takes Hotaru by surprise.

THOUGHTS

Uh oh. I sense trouble brewing. Yao is finally realizing that he likes Hotaru. How is the new Hananoi going to react? Will he be open to spending time with Yao? How will Hotaru react when she realizes that she went to the same school as Hananoi? Is it important at all? I’m glad to see that Hananoi is really making strides to share Hotaru with others. After all, it wasn’t a healthy behavior to want her all to himself. He’s learning that it is quite selfish and that he has to think about her happiness. I do think it is cute how Hananoi has to recharge. I think we all do with our special someone.