Asian Addicts Anonymous

Well…yeah…now I’m curious about Rei’s past.

Anywho, Things go quickly back to normal after the tense night before, except Hitoshi is even more quiet and watchful. He observes everything and listens to his father’s blatant lies without a word. He and Kenji leave the house together and Kenji talks about how he likes this new side they are seeing of their father. Kenji likes seeing the insecure, weak, and human side to Kazu. Hitoshi on the other hand hates seeing this side of their father. It’s nice seeing the cuter side of the brothers’ relationship. Even though the two are so different, there is a closeness there and a teasing.

At work, Sano tells Hitoshi’s boss that he has been tasked by Kazu to straighten out Hitoshi as his son is all for the revolutionary politics and is even being more proactive about getting his coworkers to join him—he’s even holding an informational meeting. Hearing this does not thrill the head of General Affairs because I’m pretty sure he doesn’t want to face Kazu’s wrath should he fail. And have you all noticed that Kazu never gets his own hands dirty? It’s either Sano and now the head of Hitoshi’s department that he has acting for him.

After work, Morita shows up again. It seems that Sano has been seen frequenting a gym not too far from the Shibusawa house. And it just so happens that the gym is Onaka’s. Hearing this definitely catches Hitoshi’s attention. Thus he joins Morita on a stakeout at the gym, but nothing suspicious was scene. The two then go to a bar to drink and Nanami comes to join them. Morita talks about how she only has eyes for Hitoshi and how he used to have a crush on her in school. Nanami outlandishly says that had she know, she would have slept with him once. What a character this Nanami.

After Morita leaves and Hitoshi walks Nanami home, Hitoshi proposes breaking up as he does not like their undefined relationship and he has a feeling that it can go no farther as it wouldn’t be fair to Nanami. She is completely against this and proposes marriage instead. This does not thrill Hitoshi whatsoever as he again thinks they just aren’t right for one another. How horrible is this? Why can’t Nanami take the hint that he doesn’t like her in that way and to continue such a (meaningless) relationship is not good? Of course she immediately blames Rei as she is 100% certain that Hitoshi is in love with his stepmother. I really don’t like characters like Nanami, always desperately hanging onto a man who has no interest or love for them. And she’s supposed to be intelligent (something she lords over the uneducated Rei). As soon as Hitoshi gets home he starts apartment hunting online.

The next day Nanami approaches Kenji who tries to make a run for it with no luck. She corners him and begs him to get Hitoshi out of the Shibusawa household. At the age of 30, it makes no sense for a grown man to still live with his father. Kenji defends this position, but Nanami insists that Hitoshi has confessed to being in love with Rei. Kenji points out that even if that should be the case, Rei is totally in love with their father. Nanami doesn’t care about that fact and just keeps repeating that Kenji must help her get Hitoshi away from Rei so that his burgeoning feelings are stifled instead of grown from proximity. Poor Kenji. He is so innocent and even admits that his mentality is much like a child’s so this idea is hard for him to grasp.

Meanwhile at the Shibusawa house Kazu and Rei are going through omiai (arranged dates with the though of marriage) photos. Kenji comes home and joins in the discussion. Apparently, it is more common for ministry members to go through a secretary who specifically arranges beneficial meetings based on backgrounds and ministry connections. Thus the two women they are looking at are daughters of ministers with impeccable backgrounds. Rei can’t choose between the women so Kazu asks for Kenji’s opinion. The youngest son has no problems choosing a woman for his brother. Rei is taken aback by how her husband and stepson talk about the women as if they are objects, mere products to buy.

Hitoshi then comes home and Kazu tasks Rei with going up to his room and showing him the omiai information. Rei definitely does not wish to do this (not because of jealousy or anything) because she feels it is not her place, but Kazu’s. Kazu reminds her that he and Hitoshi aren’t on good terms so Rei gathers her courage and goes up to his room. Needless to say Hitoshi is not thrilled with the omiai information. And, now that Kenji has been told about his older brother’s feelings, he’s watching this all from his room.

The next day Rei heads down to the Onaka Sports Club to talk to Onaka. The woman reveals that she and Kazu didn’t have a relationship until after she left the ministry. Her husband died early on in their marriage and she ended up meeting Kazu again. From that time one she was the one cooking and cleaning and buying the kids their treats and presents (unbeknownst to the boys). Onaka also reveals that she always thought that once the boys were old enough to marry themselves, then Kazu would marry her, but then Rei showed up and took him away. Onaka going to the Shibusawa house armed with the kids’ favorite treat was her way of taking revenge on Kazu who cruelly cast her aside after using her to his advantage. Rei then dictates that Onaka stays far away from Kazu. Onaka laughs and promises saying she was behaving like a silly high school girl. I don’t like this woman and I don’t trust her or her motives either.

Nanami, who had heard from Kenji about Onaka possibly being Kazu’s former lady friend, heads to the gym where she finds Rei going out. She then goes to the Shibusawa household armed with the taiyaki that “Jikkun” loves. She asks if Rei ever had a man commit suicide because of her. This takes Rei aback. Nanami quickly apologizes for such a question and invites herself in. Seeing Onaka’s taiyaki, Nanami quickly starts eating some of her own and Rei joins her. It’s a weird eating contest of sorts, but both women have their reasons as to why they are doing that.

Rei tells Kazu about her visit to Onaka’s and Kazu is not happy and still insists that he knows nothing about Onaka and that Rei was wrong to go behind his back. Rei explains that since he was so upset about the topic, she went for herself to find out. She also says that she had Onaka promise to stay away and asks that Kazu do the same. Rei asks him tearfully if he will remain solely by her side. Kazu promises to do that and Rei goes and theatrically throws the gym brochure in the fire and Kazu equally dramatically goes and kisses her (much to the newly arrived Hitoshi’s unhappiness). You also have to love the dramatic breaking and shattering of glass sound effects that they love to use in this drama at these times.

So this sends Hitoshi out on an omiai. He meets with a woman named Izumida or something like that. Izumida talks about how Kazu’s marriage was the talk of the ministry and she believes that her marriage would garner just as much attention given her father’s position and Kazu’s position. Hitoshi smiles. They are a lot alike, aren’t they? What does he mean? They both live their lives following their father’s orders. Is it a bad thing that they are alike? For Hitoshi it is as he has decided that at the age of 30, he shouldn’t be living under his father’s rule anymore. Good point. He’s old enough to make his own decisions, to make his own mistakes and learn from them. Blindly and obediently following a parent or someone else for your entire life isn’t good.

Hitoshi gets home and Rei immediately asks about the omiai. Hitoshi is pretty noncommittal and his father says to immediately decline since he is showing no interest in the other party. Rei wonders if that wouldn’t be rude and Kazu says it is more polite than dragging things on if you have no desire to meet that person again. Hitoshi promises to sleep on it and goes upstairs. He goes upstairs to bathe and Kenji has to go in and tease him about his omiai and how excited their father is. Hitoshi retaliates by splashing him with water. He then sinks into the bath and thinks to himself that he isn’t dragging his feet.

At breakfast the next morning Kazu gets a call from the girl’s father saying they are not interested. This surprises the family. Hitoshi apologizes for failing and goes upstairs to finish getting ready to work. Kenji comments about how Nanami says it is pointless even if Hitoshi goes to an omiai since he’s so boring conversation wise. Kazu confirms that this is the reason he was rejected and the trio downstairs have a laugh at Hitoshi expense. Rei then wonders if they really should be considering Nanami since she knows Hitoshi best and doesn’t seem to mind his dull ways.

Kazu leaves for work reminding Rei that he will be in late as he has a after work engagement with a fellow bureaucrat. Meanwhile, Hitoshi is pleasantly surprised by the amount of people who showed up for his revolutionary meeting. At least he is doing what his father scoffed at him for not doing himself—taking action in the ministry to try to change things. He’s not going to stagnant any longer (in the work force at least).

He gets home and finds Rei all alone. She tells him both Kenji and Kazu will be late. She asks if he has eaten. He says that he has, but he could still eat some more. She tells him to hurry and bathe as she just bought some cheese. The two sit down eating the cheese and drinking wine. Hitoshi silently thinks that when his father isn’t around, Rei goes back to her normal, carefree self. It turns out that the two like risky cheese. Meaning the cheese is one step away from being spoilt. An interesting taste to have in common. Rei then seriously asks Hitoshi to explain this public servant reform that he’s so passionate about. He gives her a look and she laughs asking him to please explain it simply since Kazu refuses to tell her.

Hitoshi eagerly opens up and explains about how bureaucrats stay so long in office that they lose the interest of the country and think only of themselves and their departments. His father is one of the best examples of this. Thus he believes politicians like Muraki can shake things up and keep the bureaucrats wasting money for investing in self interests. He has a point. He then says that if Rei wasn’t there, he probably wouldn’t have the gall to stand up to his father. Rei is surprised and laughs—his defiance is all because of her? Oh, no! Hitoshi then says he will have to leave the house sooner or later. Rei says that will be sad since it will be boring without him. She then smiles and says she is joking. I don’t think she’s completely joking as she and Hitoshi connect on a level different than her and Kazu and her and Kenji do.

Later that night, Rei gets up, sleepy and intoxicated to use the restroom. Hitoshi returns to his bedroom to start apartment hunting once more when Rei comes into his room and plops on his bed. He’s shocked. He calls her name and goes to shake her, but can bring himself to touch her. Kazu then comes home. He goes up to his room and doesn’t see Rei. He calls her name and for whatever reason checks Hitoshi’s room. He is immediately enraged to find Rei in Hitoshi’s bed. He roughly grabs her arm and tells her to wake up. Rei does get up and Kazu angrily states that is not her room. Enter Hitoshi. Kazu demands to know where his eldest son was. Hitoshi sought refuge in Kenji’s room since he couldn’t wake Rei.

His stepmother apologizes and tries to get up and falls. Hitoshi is immediately concerned. Enter the rambunctious and drunk Kenji. This makes Kazu’s temper soar through the roof and he complains of their drunken foolishness and roughly drags Rei into their bedroom. The drunk Kenji sobers up a bit and tells his older brother that Rei is a demon. Hitoshi silently agrees with this. Meanwhile, Kazu grabs blankets off their bed and says he will sleep downstairs and we end with Rei’s narration that wherever she goes a family falls apart. This time is ending up just like last time. Say what?

Okay, I know Kazu is hyperaware of Hitoshi and Rei, but seriously? To react like that? It’s an honest mistake. Yes, she had too much to drink. She was also half asleep and had no idea she was walking in to the wrong room. The forcefulness of his reaction is ridiculous. Plus…isn’t this showing how little trust and faith you have in the son you’ve raise for 30 years? Shakes head. And he also complains about Rei not trusting him? That’s the pot calling the kettle black.