This was a slow and lovely episode of Kyou wa Kaisha Yasumimasu, made all the more memorable by one very unexpected morning nookie session tastefully done. As tasteful as leading lady Hanae has been all along, a beacon of traditional preferences mixed with increasingly modern mores. She is growing by leaps and bounds in each episode and all the situations basically exist for Hanae to learn something new about herself, confront a long standing fear, and make inroads in her romantic life.

That her boyfriend is college student Yuto is almost beside the point, which does make shipping less problematic since Yuto is just a nice canvas for Hanae to grow into womanhood. There was a little less of both Yu and Mamoru in this episode than I would have liked, confirming that they are my personal favorite characters even as Hanae’s journey remains truly wonderful to watch. Yu is so fun with his quips and pointed jabs while Mamoru is so much win anytime he shows up on screen. I can totally watch a spin-off dorama about Yu and Mamoru’s unexpected bromance.

Episode 7 recap:

Hanae goes apartment hunting with Yuto and the two are shown around by a realtor who pegs them as newlyweds. Both like the apartments shown but find the price too high so decide to keep looking.

Hanae accompanies Ichika to the playground to get in some friendly advice about moving in with Yuto. Ichiki thinks Hanae is moving too fast and most couples move in after spending a lot of time at each other’s place first. Hanae spends one night a week at Yuto’s place, max, and Ichika points out that someone like Hanae who hasn’t even spent two days away from her home is considering cohabitation already? Hanae takes Ichika’s concern to heart and realizes that she’s jumping over steps, like a child who hasn’t learned to walk yet deciding to run.

Hanae calls Yuto later that night to ask if she can live with him for the next few days. She wants to try out living together which Yuto is more than happy to do. Hanae sneaks a suitcase past Mamoru and her parents and quickly assembles the items needed for a multi-day stay. She ends up putting more and more things inside and looks around the house for Mamoru’s picture to take as well. Mom helps Hanae find a picture and both happen by Dad snoring on the sofa. Hanae chuckles at her dad and then freaks out when Mom points out that Hanae snores as well when she’s not sleeping well.

Hanae realizes that Yuto will see all sides of her if they live together, including her snoring and other inelegant sleeping habits. She also thinks about how she doesn’t do any house chores since her mom takes care of the house. She doesn’t even know how much the family pays in gas and electricity because she’s never left home. Hanae takes over house cleaning from Mom for the day and is determined to quickly learn the ropes so she can live with her boyfriend soon.

Hanae sneaks her suitcase into the office bright and early and tucks it under her desk. She notices Hitomi is back to her bright and bubbly self as she heads out with Boss to deliver supplies to Yu’s new restaurant. The office notices that Ryusei is back to being depressed with the return of his love rival. So tries to invite Ryusei out to lunch to cheer him up, promising a restaurant with free lunch if the diner can finish three plates of curry in 30 minutes. Ryusei blows him off and So goes to invite Yuto to lunch but Yuto is done hanging out with those two crazies.

Boss and Hitomi arrive at Yu’s new restaurant and marvel at the beautiful interior construction. Yu acknowledges that he’s the go big or go home type and is putting everything into this project. That’s why he wants to source raw materials from Boss since his company finds the best quality goods. mm

Ryusei ends up with So at the current restaurant and chows down on his curry while So gives him advice. Ryusei isn’t interested in So’s advice since It’s been a series of fails so far. So suggests Ryusei pat Hitomi on the head three times and it’s guaranteed to work. So’s omurice arrives and he pours a bottle of ketchup over it as usual.

It’s time to leave work and Hanae checks her surroundings before trying to make an inconspicuous getaway. She manages to sneak her suitcase out of the office before anyone notices…..but too bad she runs into nosy So right by the elevator. So immediately figures out why Hanae has a suitcase – to put all the items she’s buying from the current winter sales going on. LOL. Hanae lets So believe that and quickly hurries off.

Hanae and Yuto are at Mushi’s restaurant and he’s very impressed the two lovebirds are planning to live together. Mushi wishes he could have done that when he was younger but he didn’t have enough money much less a girlfriend. Hanae wonders if Yuto’s real intention of living with her is to get more action at home. Mushi teases Yuto for looking so innocent but must be secretly lascivious. Hanae worries that she not might be able to keep up with Yuto’s youthful energy.

Hanae unpacks at Yuto’s place and puts her Mamoru picture on the table. Yuto gets the bath ready for Hanae and she wonders if he’s setting the mood for some action later on. Too bad Yuto just goes to bed but poor Hanae remains sleepless all night wondering when Yuto will make the move on her. She also can’t sleep because Mamoru’s picture on the desk is facing her which worries her should any action take place. Hanae ends up sleepless all night with her mind wandering and nothing happening.

So sidles up to Hanae in the morning and thinks she looks exhausted from too much shopping yesterday.

Hitomi and Hanae are setting up the conference room and talk turns to why Hitomi finds Yu so attractive. It’s because of his confidence, the way he was willing to pursue his dreams and even lower himself to accomplish it, such as coming back to work with the company after the scuttled last deal. Hanae thinks to herself that it’s because Yu is too self-absorbed to not care but she does admit he has a very strong survival ability. Even if he was marooned on a desert island he’d probably just drink his coffee without a care.

Hanae is having lunch alone as usual and worried about going back to Yuto’s tonight after not sleeping last night since she might snore. Yu walks over after paying for his meal and sits down uninvited as usual to chitchat. He notices Hanae is looking at rental brochures and marvels that she’s considering living together with her boyfriend. He thought they broke up and now they’ve turned things around so quickly.

Yu shares a statistic he read somewhere that 81% of couples who live together before marriage break up. Hanae tries to ignore his words but Yu uses the analogy of people liking the cherry blossoms because it blooms only for a short time a year. A couple needs their distance to keep the romance alive. He swans off and tells Hanae that he’ll see her at the office tomorrow as he’ll be by to sign a contract. Hanae grumbles as Yu saunters off and thinks to herself that her wish is that Yu never come by this restaurant ever again.

Hanae uses the excuse of a family emergency to go home to sleep for the night and avoid snoring beside Yuto. She’s so happy to be back in her bed and even having Mamoru waiting for her outside. Yuto texts back asking if she has time this weekend to look at more apartments. Hanae puts the phone down with a sigh and then realizes something is off – she used to be so excited about every text from Yuto and now she’s just matter-of-fact about him. Hanae remembers again what Yu said about couples getting bored with each other.

Hanae joins her parents for a glass of wine and marvels at their silent synchronicity in opening the bottle together. Hanae fantasizes about the future when living together with Yuto, he would come home and just gesture to her about what he wanted and she would implicitly understand. Hanae snaps out of her fantasy and feels that a couple so in tune with each other is nice but the silence of knowing what each other thinks is also quite lonely.

Mom wonders where one kitchen utensil went and Hanae admits she took it to bring over to Yuto’s place. Mom asks if she’s considering living with him and Hanae confesses that it’s something they are considering and looking for a bigger place for two. Hanae promises to discuss it with her parents before making the final decision and is fine if they disapprove. Dad casually tells her to go for it since she’s 30 years old already. Mom is also fine with it since Hanae spends the night with Yuto regularly already. The parents just remind her to come home for dinner once a week and spend the important holidays at home.

Hanae texts Ichika about her parents agreeing so readily. Ichika knows Hanae’s parents are loathe to let her go but don’t want to say no for her future happiness. So Hanae needs to make this relationship work and go all the way. Hanae gives Mamoru his night time brushing and wonders if he’ll miss her, too.

Yu finishes his meeting with Boss and Hitomi to order what he needs from the company for his restaurant. Boss sends Yuto to grab the samples from the storage room and deliver it to Yu’s company.

Hitomi walks Yu out and he suggests that she not waste any more time liking him. The elevator door opens with So and Ryusei inside. Yu teases Ryusei asking if he’s still a virgin? So announces that Ryusei will end his virgin life soon. Ryusei then declares to Yu that he’s dating Hitomi which gets Yu’s congratulations on the new couple.

After Yu leaves Hitomi chews out Ryusei for saying that in front of Yu. So tries to defuse the situation and advise Hitomi to look beyond Yu to see other good men around her. Ryusei remains determined and finds Hitomi in the lounge to apologize and invite her to dinner as a way for saying sorry. Hitomi points to a fancy restaurant in the magazine she’s reading and wants to go there. Ryusei runs off happily to make reservations.

Yuto delivers the samples to Yu’s restaurant and immediately Yu asks if the new apartment has been found out? He also wonders if Yuto was the one who suggested moving in together? Yuto asks why Yu wants to know and Yu believes Yuto doesn’t know what Hanae needs. Yuto shouldn’t rely on Hanae too much and this is too early to be moving in together.

Yuto doesn’t take kindly to Yu’s unsolicited advice and tries to take his leave. Yu wonders if Yuto really cares about Hanae and understands her? Yuto declares that he does and leaves. Yuto later stares at Hanae working hard at her desk.

Hanae and Yuto are taken to a really nice apartment and both like it. Too bad the landlord needs Hanae to be the renter on the contract since Yuto is still a college student and can’t qualify. Yuto is not happy to have Hanae assume the financial responsibility especially when the landlord also needs Hanae’s parents to act as the guarantors.

Ryusei and Hitomi are having a fancy dinner and she wonders why he likes her so much. Ryusei admits she looks like his first love but he’s now fallen for her. Hitomi advises Ryusei that he must not have a lot of dating experience because he’s not doing a good job of wooing her, especially since his rival is someone like Yu.

Hanae takes the rental contract home to show her parents. Mom sees that the contract needs a parental guarantee and takes it over to Dad. The next morning Hanae finds the guarantee signed and left for her on the table but she doesn’t look happy about it.

Hanae is at work early as usual when Yuto calls in sick complaining of a high fever. Hanae will pass word to Boss and tells Yuto that her dad signed the guarantee for the lease. Yuto doesn’t seem happy to hear that despite claiming otherwise. Boss arrives and Hanae passes word that Yuto called in sick today. Boss shares the news that he offers Yuto full time employment once he graduates college and is still waiting to hear Yuto’s answer.

Hanae goes to Yuto’s apartment after work to check on him and finds him feverish on the bed. Hanae rushes home to grab some supplies and Mom hands her a hot water pack to use. Hanae rushes back and gets to work taking care of him with compresses and hot packs. She thinks to herself that couples love will lessen with time but she wants her feelings with Yuto to lesson together.

Hanae remembers her mom using the hot water packet for her when she was sick as child. Back then Hanae asked if she can take it when she grows up and gets married so she could use it for her future family. Mom agrees and little Hanae hugs it happily. Hanae stays by Yuto’s bedside taking care of him until he awakens.

Yuto manages to prop himself up to thank Hanae for taking care of him before announcing that they shouldn’t live together. She asks his reason and hears that he doesn’t want her to rent in her hand. He will wait until he can rent and take care of her. He still wants to live with her but wants that to happen under better circumstances. Yuto confesses that he rushed things.

Hanae admits that she’s relieved and also wasn’t ready to live together. She was torn about it, on one hand she wanted to live with him but also worried that she was not ready to leave home. Hanae apologizes for being her age and still having doubts like this. Yuto isn’t bother by it and takes Hanae’s hand to promise that they will live together one day. Hanae smiles and nods back.

Hanae calls home later when Yuto is resting again to tell the parents that she’s not moving out anymore. She thanks them quietly for signing the lease guarantee for her so willingly.

Yuto wakes up in the morning with his fever broken and Hanae sleeping beside the bed. He wakes her up with a smile and a sincere thanks for taking such good care of him. He presses his forehead against hers to show that his fever is gone.

Hanae stares and suddenly leans in to kiss him, taking the initiative naturally but then freaks out about it right afterwards.

Hanae runs to the kitchen empty the hot water bottle and can’t believe she just kissed her little boyfriend back there, wondering if her libido is suddenly increasingly now that she’s 30 years old. Said little boyfriend wraps her in a back hug and asks if she wants to do “it”? Hanae’s eyes widen and the next shot is her glasses placed on the desk with Mamoru’s picture turned down so he doesn’t see anything inappropriate. Heh.

Hanae is at work happy as can be after some morning sex and resolving the moving in too fast conundrum. She sees Boss and Yuto finish a meeting before Boss calls her in. Turns out Yuto turned down Boss’ offer for a full time employment and explained that he was going to continue onto graduate school. Boss then offers Hanae a promotion and compliments her as a very talented employee with the potential to do more than her current job. Hanae agrees to think about it but is still processing Yuto’s decision to continue his schooling.

Hanae and Yuto are heading home together and she brings up his decision to go to graduate school. Yuto explains that he wants to become even more capable and needs to get a higher degree to eventually become the man that’s worthy of Hanae. She smiles and they tenderly hold each other’s hand.

The moment is interrupted by So bumping into them and immediately making a beeline over to greet Hanae’s boyfriend “Mamoru”. There’s no way around this one and So’s eyes open in shock to see that Hanae’s boyfriend is Mamo….Kura (Yuto’s last name is Tanokura).

Thoughts of Mine:

I increasingly can’t wrap my mind around Hanae and Yuto working out but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. It just feels so remote at this point, for a guy who hasn’t even graduated college to establish himself enough to marry a woman who already turned 30 and her clock is ticking. They can’t even marry first when he is clearly unable to let her carry the burden of providing, even for a short period of time. I loved the resolution of the moving in together offer because everyone can see it was too early, and a knee jerk reaction of Yuto trying too hard to make it work with Hanae because of his insecurity around her. She feels insecure because he’s so young, good looking, and eligible, but he equally feels unworthy because she’s so sweet and smart and a fantastic catch as a wife. At this point their relationship feels more work that it’s worth, but if both aren’t worried then the dating part can continue with each enjoying the time spent together without worrying too much about the long term future.

The little side bits remain so entertaining, from So butting into everyone’s romance business to his weird fixation with ketchup and inviting people to eat, all the way to Ryusei’s hapless attempts to woo Hitomi but hitting a brick wall because he just doesn’t know how to go about it. I don’t think Hitomi is all that hung up on Yu but she definitely wants Ryusei to grow up a bit emotionally before sincerely considering his suit. I don’t blame her and really she’s got a good head on her shoulders and all things considering is quite a catch herself with how she handles herself in all situations. Hanae can learn some social cues from her just like she’s learning lots of relationship breakthroughs from Yu. I still can’t get a good read on him, in the last episode it felt like he’s moved on from Hanae yet he remains so prying on her life. I think he always does more good than harm with his advice but honestly he needs to give that couple some space rather than always interjecting his 2 cents without being asked. With that said, this is a dorama and he is the most fascinating character so I’m fine with him continuing his love fairy role.