Asian Addicts Anonymous

I have a premonition. That is that I am going to get really tired of some of the characters in this series very vast. Why? Well, after digesting the first two episodes and seeing previews for the third, it looks like this drama just might get very repetitive very quickly with basically the same events and arguments happening over and over again. Now, I’ll finish this drama. I’ll probably be pulling my hair out and screaming in frustration at times, but you know. I still like the premise.

Kiyama rushes over to the fallen Rei as the ambulance arrives and the EMTs rush to give aid. Since he knows the young woman, he gets to ride in the back of the ambulance. Mrs. Tanizaki then runs out like a crazy woman. She rushes into the hospital room where she sees Kiyama. He explains he was at the scene and goes to leave. Mrs. Tanizaki holds Rei who wakes up and yells at her to get out since she can’t stand her mother after learning the truth (well, not the whole truth, she just knows her mother didn’t register her birth and she never learned the whole story as to why). Kiyama overhears this argument and tries to talk to Mrs. Tanizaki who leaves per Rei’s request. However, she doesn’t wish to listen as what can she do? Well, for starters, she can stop NOT facing the problem and listen to what her daughter and Kiyama has to say about how they can rectify the situation.

At Charlotte, the manager is trying hard to get Rei into the Paris program. This is overheard by one of her female coworkers, Igawa [Hara Mikie] and boy is she not happy about this. To make matters worse, Rei is missing! Her coworkers have tried both her cell and home phone. They are all worried as it is not like Rei to be absent without leave or notice. Jun [Shimizu Kazuki] then recalls what happened with Rei earlier and you know he’s worried, but he does keep the matter silent. What a nice guy. Meanwhile, Ayukawa Hiroki [Kaname Jun] has finally managed to track down Shusaku [Kitaoji Kinya]. The older gentleman gives Ayukawa money and asks that he never see him again. It looks like Shusaku is nervous when Ayukawa wonders if he’s moved to Tokyo for family. Hmm.

Naoto and Kataoka [Kirishima Reika] return home after a happy field trip. Kataoka sees the hat on the table and recalls Kiyama’s phone call about the hat and how he had promised to bring it. She then looks at the text saying that something came up. You know, for her seeming to not really like him in the previous episode, she seems kind of possessive of him in this episode. Kiyama is at work where his coworkers discuss how problematic it will be for Rei to become listed on the family registry. Kiyama is handed over the files from Rei’s school days. Her father’s death and just moving to the ward were apparently enough so that it was never really looked into. At the hospital, Rei checks her cellphone and sees tons of calls from Charlotte. She recalls her manager Abekawa’s [Hashimoto Reika] praise of her apple pie and the announcement of becoming a full-time employee. She tears up and you know that she just has no idea what to do at this point.

The next day Mrs. Tanizaki [Kimura Yoshino] and Mao [Koshiba Fuka] got to pick up Rei from the hospital. Mao wonders just what happened. Rei jokes and says she just overworked herself. She then says it was merely a case of anemia. Mao says that the best thing about being a Tankizaki is their hardy constitution. They go and Mrs. Tanizaki pays for the bill in cash since Rei doesn’t have a health insurance card. The trio then heads home and when Mrs. Tanizaki goes off to the hospital, Rei says nothing and heads home. Mao wonders if they have fought, but Rei denies this.

That night she gets a text from Jun and goes outside to meet him. He tells her about everyone being worried about her being absent without leave. He then says that he covered for her about the incident he witnessed. He then says he doesn’t know what has happened, but is it okay to leave things like they are? Rei’s things are being offered in the store and people love them. That’s an incredible thing. At least Jun goes to support Rei instead of trash talking her behind her back like Igawa was.

The next morning Rei gets up and does go into work. Jun is happy to see that she has returned. Of course, as soon as Igawa gets there she starts scolding Rei for being irresponsible and making people worry and how much of an inconvenience it was for her to be absent without leave. Abekawa then comes in and asks what happened. Rei apologizes and says that she was injured. Abekawa accepts this, but still scolds Rei for not notifying them of the incident. She then requests the proper paperwork. Rei says that there is a problem and Abekawa says that she has to take her lunch break and go to the Ward office the next day. I get it that it’s a hard subject, but Rei remaining silent about her problems is NOT helping the situation. That day Shusaku goes back to Charlotte for more of Rei’s apple pie.

Kiyama waits for Rei’s mother. She doesn’t really want to talk to him, but he tells her that there is a way for Rei to be added to the family register. Plus, Japan has amended the register laws so that Mrs. Tanizaki does not have to say the reason why she did not register her daughter’s birth. This seems to get Mrs. Tanizaki thinking. Meanwhile, Rei goes back to the Sunflower Bulletin Board and posts a question about how to go about creating a family register. Later, she gets a notice that a reply was posted. She checks out the reply and the person gave her a list of items she would need in order to start the process:

• Her mother’s health book
• Her birth certificate
• childhood photos
• school graduation documentation
• a written statement from her mother
• a basic breakdown of the situation

Nao carefully records all of this information, which her mother discovers when she is cleaning the girls’ room the next day.

Lunch time rolls around and Abekawa tells Rei to hurry and go to the ward office. She has one hour to get everything taken care of. Does Rei go to the ward office? Of course not. She sits on a bench for an hour. Meanwhile, Kiyama meets with Mrs. Tanizaki and gives her more particulars about getting Rei registered. Mrs. Tanizaki is worried as Rei would still be put on her ex-husband’s register which means he will know of Rei’s existence. Kiyama states that this is true, however, they can ensure that no contact information is included so Tanizaki’s ex won’t know where Rei or her mother are. After that, they can then go about getting Rei transferred to her mother’s family register. Mrs. Tanizaki goes to work where she replays the conversation. It looks like she’s getting more and more ready to get Rei officially registered.

When Rei gets to work Igawa immediately lights into her again. This time she is scolding Rei for not taking this chance and opportunity seriously. Look at poor Jun-kun who is working hard everyday in order to become a full-time employee. Igawa doesn’t know the situation, but in a way she is right. Sure, Rei wishes to be full-time and to study in Paris, but has she actually done anything or explained anything? Nope. Abekawa demands the documents and is really upset that Rei went off for an hour and did not go to the ward office. She had thought Rei was different, no the typical youth who didn’t apply themselves, etc. Looks like she was wrong. Rei begs for one more chance and rushes off to make things right.

Rei rushes home and tears through her mother’s room. Tanizaki wants to know what’s going on. Rei says that she will make the family register without her mother’s help if she has to. While rummaging for the mother’s health book, Rei inadvertently tips over a bunch of photographs of her mother covered in bruises. Tanizaki tries to hide them from her, but Rei has seen them already. What exactly happened? Apparently Tanizaki eloped from Hokkaido when she was 18. Her husband was not a good man and regularly abused her. Tanizaki then met Mr. Tanizaki at a women’s shelter and they fell in love and conceived Rei (actually, given the way Grandma Tanizaki treats Rei, I wonder if she really is the ex’s daughter). However, the divorce wasn’t final and Mrs. Tanizaki lived in constant fear of her ex finding her. Then when Rei was born, they wanted to put her on the ex’s family register. Thus, why she wasn’t registered at all. Mrs. Tanizaki was doing this so he wouldn’t know and come after her and the baby. Looks like Rei finally forgives her mother after learning the truth as she holds and comforts her.

Okay. I do understand where Mrs. Tanizaki is coming from. She was severely abused and feared for her life and her unborn child’s life. But at the same time, I can’t help but feel that Tanizaki was protecting herself more than her daughter. On the upside, I suppose, Mrs. Tanizaki does tell Rei that she will help her get into the family register. At last!

Rei goes to work and apologizes to Abekawa and everyone present. She thanks them for the support and for the past four years, but she has to quit. Abekawa demands to know why and Rei finally reveals that she can’t become a full-time employee or get a passport because she is not on her family’s register. This shocks everyone. Abekawa then scolds her for not telling her earlier and letting things go on as they had. Abekawa then says that Rei can’t quit. She will allow the girl to continue working there while things get figured out. How nice. Igawa looked surprised at the Rei’s announcement, but she doesn’t seem to feel bad for what she had been doing earlier. So what happens? Things go back to some semblance of normalcy and Rei goes back to baking her apple pies.

She then goes off to the ward office to meet Kiyama. She tells him that she has finally talked things over with her mother and they will go into the ward office the next day to start the process. Kiyama is happy for her and still refuses to take her apple pie in which she made an intentional mistake. He finally breaks down and offers to pay for it since he is not allowed to accept gifts. Seeing this shocks his coworkers. It was a really cute scene, actually.

That night Rei and her mother get everything together for their meeting at the ward office. Looking through her mother’s health book for her, Rei feels guilty for all of the mean things she said to her mother. It looks like their relationship is on the mend, which is good. Later, Rei thanks the person who helped her with her earlier question. A Whiskey Bourbon-san. She emails him and thanks him for his help and lets him know that she is starting the process. It turns out that Whiskey Bourbon is the boy from earlier! Who? Nakamura Aoi as Kosano Kota. I really do wonder if he is somehow connected to Rei in some way as he’s been interested in her since seeing her at the ward office. He then types back that he is happy she is on her way and offers his services if she should ever need help or advice. It’s sweet. It makes me see him as less of a stalker, but I still wish they would explain just who he is. All in good time, I suppose.

Kiyama goes home with his pie. Naoto is excited, but Kataoka does not seem enthused at all when she learns its really a present from a woman he’s helping at the ward office. Seriously? Are we going to get a repeat of the Me Too, Flower plot? I hope not. Meanwhile, Shusaku goes in for more apple pie and he has more of a conversation with Rei. He then goes home where he puts one piece in front of a picture of his wife and tells her how he met their granddaughter and how she made the pie. I’m guessing that he is Mrs. Tanizaki’s father. Why hasn’t he introduced himself into his daughter’s and grandchildren’s lives?

We then cut to a scene where we see Ayukawa looking up at Shusaku’s apartment before walking away. Takoka goes to Charlotte to figure out which girl it is and she doesn’t seem too pleased to learn it’s the very young Rei who leaves to head to her appointment with Kiyama. Mrs. Tanizaki is also on her way out. She catches sight of Ayukawa and starts freaking out. Looks like he’s her ex-husband. And let me point out the irony here. Kaname June is 31. Kimura Yoshino is 46 (she looks really good for her age). Eguchi Yosuke is 45. Takei Emi is really 19. Yes, Kaname is TECHNICALLY old enough to be her father (if he had a kid at 18 or so), but its really not that believable to me.

Rei runs into Grandma Tanizaki and they both reveal they know the truth. Grandma complains about how Mrs. Tanizaki always runs away from her problems. Rei says that this time its different. However, when she gets to the ward office, her mother is nowhere to be found. Rei waits until half an hour after the scheduled appointment time. She then goes to call her mother, but Mrs. Tanizaki left her phone on the bus. Kiyama also comes out and we end the episode there.

The previews show more of Rei exploding at her mother and it looks like Mao finds out something and might run away from home. Ah, seriously. It will be interesting. And annoying if they do the same thing in nearly every episode.