02x05 - Episode 5

[bunniefuu]

HIKARU [23]
HOSTESS

Out of everyone,
I see you as the most manly.

TAI-CHAN [22]
HAIRSTYLIST

I thought so.

I think I've made up my mind.

I'm focusing on you or Tai-chan
going forward.

Mmm.

I knew I didn't want to pursue Bo.

I've decided I'm going to
let him know how I feel today.

Mmm-hmm.

I think you have some
great qualities as a person…

-Mmm.
-…that Ari and Tai-chan don't have.

Mmm-hmm. I thought
you were going to turn me down.

-Mmm?
-[Bo chuckles]

I just wanted to be direct.

[Hikaru sighs] I want to be alone.

[Megumi] Being super popular can be rough.

[Nagano] It's a pain.

BRING ON THE LOVE

[Tai-chan] Man, this is pretty tough.

You heard the same?

She's keeping you hanging?

Like, not giving you
a clear, definitive answer?

Yeah, today, she was basically like,

"I was going to tell you
to give up on me."

[Tai-chan] Right.

"I was going to tell you
to find someone else," and then she said…

She was kind of like,
"Mm", like she wasn't sure.

-[Tai-chan] She left it at that?
-Yeah.

-That's so vague.
-So vague.

[Bo] She's playing nice with you.
She's playing nice with Ari.

She can keep doing that, but she's going
to have to make a choice sooner or later.

[Tai-chan] True.

But still,
it must be tough for Hikaru too.

-With three of us.
-I mean, she's popular.

Yeah.

I guess that we should
just be cool with that.

I'm not popular, so I don't get it.

Me neither. I don't get it.

I just don't think it's right
to keep leading people on.

If she hasn't decided yet,
then she should just say that.

"Sorry, but I haven't made up my mind."

I'm gonna go ask what's bothering her.

SMOKERS' LOUNGE

Bo and I are both thinking about a lot.

And I'm sure Ari is as well.

I mean, I guess I just want to know

how you truly feel, Hikaru.

We get that all of us haven't spent
that much time together.

so, of course,
we get that it's gotta be tough

for you to choose between us so quickly,

but, Ari and I are both thinking, like,

if you were in our shoes,
you'd feel the same, right?

Like, if you're telling two guys
that you felt the same about them.

I told you that I was
interested in you, Tai-chan,

but I didn't say that to anyone else.

Mmm.

-And so--
-But then, what?

At this point,

I thought maybe I should just see
how things go for a few days.

Right.

Honestly, if I don't stand a chance,
you could just say it, right now.

For real. Like, "Right now,
I'm leaning toward Ari--"

I'm being totally honest
with you, I swear.

We should bring Ari in
so we can all talk together.

-Right now.
-Okay.

LOVE DINER

-[Ari] I wanted to talk to you, Maririn.
-[Maririn] Sure.

You know, I definitely felt like
we could hit it off.

-Mmm-hmm.
-Let's toast.

Yeah. Nice.

So--

I mean, I had that feeling too,
like we could hit it off.

I also felt that.

What is it? Tell me. You can tell me.

-I will, of course.
-Okay.

[exhales]

Gimme your hand?

-What's wrong? Are you stressed?
-No, it's just--

-I mean…
-Mmm-hmm.

I want to stay strong, as a man, you know?

-And I want to commit to one person.
-Yeah.

You know, it's not like
you can just flip back and forth, right?

Mmm-hmm.

And, so, I've spent some time
with Hikaru, you know?

Yeah.

-I've shown her I love her.
-Yeah.

-I can totally see that.
-Yeah.

I mean, I've been showing
how much I love her,

and still don't think
she's feeling it, so I feel stuck.

[Maririn] Anyone would feel that way.

-[Ari] Anyone would.
-Yeah.

-[Ari] And so--
-Hey, guys.

Could you give us a few more minutes?

It's important.
We really need to talk. Now.

Scary.

-It is scary.
-[Megumi] Big sister's pissed.

[Maririn] I need you to wait a sec.

Just a minute or two.

-Is it really that important?
-[Maririn] Yeah.

-Super important?
-It's super important to me.

Just a few more minutes.

-The guys are so rattled.
-[Megumi] Come on, guys!

They're just speechless.

-[Nagano] Those women are strong.
-Why aren't they saying anything?

Ari, come on, you gotta step in.

[Hikaru sighs]

-[Maririn] Hey. You okay? You sure?
-Yeah, I'm good.

-Sorry.
-Don't worry about it.

-Seriously.
-Yeah.

-To me, this feels like the real Ari.
-Right.

It's actually weird when you're hyped up.
So, you don't have to pretend, okay?

I mean it. Seriously,
you don't have to fake a smile.

[sighs]

[opening theme song playing]

A YANKII DATING REALITY SHOW
WHERE LOVE LIVES ON THE EDGE

RAPPER FROM SAGAMIHARA
SPITTING LYRICS OF PURE LOVE

ARI

KAWASAKI'S IT-GIRL HOSTESS
OUT TO FIND A REAL MAN

HIKARU

KYOTO BAR OWNER
GOING ALL-IN FOR HIS WOMAN

NANIWA'S BARROOM BEAUTY
LOOKING FOR TRUE LOVE

MARIRIN

KURUME YANKII
WHO GREW UP BEHIND BARS

BO

EX-YAKUZA MMA FIGHTER
LOOKING FOR HIS RIDE-OR-DIE

MA-KUN

NAGOYA'S NO.1 HOSTESS
PUTS MEN IN THEIR PLACE

ASSUN

FACE-TATTOOED STYLIST
WHO LOVES HARD

TAI-CHAN

AN HONEST MODEL
IN SEARCH OF LOVE

RURU

BRING ON THE FIGHTS
BRING ON THE LOVE

NO FILTER KICKBOXER
FROM MIYAGI

HA-CHAN

EX-NO.1 HOST
CHASING TRUE LOVE

KAZU-KUN

Sorry, Ari.

You know, I just told her earlier,

"When the three of us compared notes,
things didn't add up."

They haven't for a bit, know what I mean?

And now that we're open about it,
it'd be good to hear her side of it.

-[Ari] Got it.
-Let's all talk.

-[Ari] Sure.
-And say what we feel.

When you talked to us individually…

[Hikaru] Mmm-hmm.

…you said,
"You three should compare notes.

-I'm sure it'll make sense after that."
-[Ari] Right.

[Tai-chan] Then we talked, we were like,
"Wait, none of this actually adds up."

That's when Ari, Bo, and I
started to doubt everything, you know?

[Hikaru] Mmm.

They're being so kind about this.

-[Awich] They really are.
-Hard to believe

these are the same people.

[Nagano] I know.

[Ari] You basically told me that
you weren't focused on Bo anymore.

Mmm.

And that you might
narrow it down to just me and Taisei.

-[Hikaru] Mmm.
-That's what you said.

-It seemed like you'd made a decision.
-Mmm-hmm.

That's how it felt. But when I talked
to Bo, it didn't sound like that at all.

[Tai-chan] Mmm.

[Ari] He was like,
"Wait, she never told me that."

[Tai-chan] Right.

-He hadn't totally backed off--
-Because I wasn't ready to tell him yet.

He said,
"I want to show you my true self,"

and I said, "Okay."
I wanted to think about it.

I didn't want to be blunt
and say, "Mmm, it's not possible."

But at that point, I was like,
"This is different from what I was told."

I mean, do you remember what I said?
It's fine you see Taisei romantically.

But it feels like
you don't see me the same way.

And then,
there was that thing with the chocolates,

that happened yesterday.

You don't think of me romantically,

but you came to get chocolate
from me first.

And after that, I was like, "What?"

And I ended up thinking that…

[Hikaru] Mmm.

…that you liked Taisei more than me.

That's when my trust issues started.
Like, what is it that you actually want?

Each of you has something
that gives me pause.

-[Ari] Mmm.
-With Bo, it's the domestic violence.

With you, I'm worried
we wouldn't move past friendship.

And with Tai-chan,
it was the way he talked about things.

-[Ari] You said it's gotten better.
-[Hikaru] He was wishy-washy.

-Yeah, I told you that.
-So now you're interested in him the most?

I wouldn't say "the most."
I can just see him as a man now, you know?

-Which means you don't see me as a man.
-I'm trying to see you as one.

-[Ari] Okay.
-I'm trying to, I want to.

But as of right now, you clearly
like Taisei the most.

-Romantically, you're leaning toward him.
-I do see him as a man, yeah.

Then shouldn't you just go for him?

I'm just saying, I didn't know
you thought of Taisei romantically,

that you're the most interested in him.

[Hikaru] Mmm.

I feel like you're trying
to keep your options open.

-Yeah.
-So that's what you think of me?

[Ari] Basically, that's what I thought.

That's exactly what I wanted to avoid.

I know. But to be honest, that's what
it looks like from our side of it.

Mmm.

That is super frustrating.

But why? I mean, at least
your feelings are clear, aren't they?

-What? No, not at all.
-Sure they are.

To me, it feels like I don't even know

what it means to "be interested."
I'm confused.

I'm kind of starting to wonder
if my feelings are just an illusion

because of the circumstances of the show.

I don't even know what it means
to like someone anymore.

You know?

Mmm, the setup…

is messing with my brain.

What do you mean? Are you saying
you don't think you can fall in love here?

Hmm…

Yeah, I'm not sure if I can.

I see.

My feelings are constantly changing.

I'm worried that
I won't be able to find clarity here.

I seriously don't know anymore.

Hmm.

SMOKERS' LOUNGE

[Hikaru sighs]

[sighs] This sucks.

[pensive music playing]

[sniffles]

BADASS

-[Ari] Today's just brutal, I hate it.
-[Tai-chan] I know.

I seriously don't even know anymore.

What was that about?

Seriously, today has been
absolutely insane.

[Tai-chan] Yeah.

[exhales heavily]

Ari, come here.

Ari.

Ari.

-Come here.
-[Ari sniffles]

This is just so brutal.

[Awich] Aw, Leo is sweet.

[sniffles]

-Yeah.
-You're good.

You don't have to say anything.

[crying softly]

[whimpering]

-[Megumi] Aw.
-Huh?

Well, that was
a pretty intense day, right?

Sorry that the man is asking this,
but why is Ari crying so much?

Wouldn't you cry in that situation?

-Maybe most men don't.
-I don't think I would.

-I'm too full of self-love.
-What? Self-love?

I always think
it's the other person's fault.

-Ah.
-When things go wrong, I blame society.

-[Megumi] Oh.
-[laughter]

Sorry, but I'm not the only one.

-[Awich] Yes, I see.
-[Megumi] That helps. Thank you.

I wonder which person
everyone can relate to the most.

Honestly, I feel like
I can relate to all of them.

-[Nagano] Oh! Impressive.
-Sensei. Of course she can.

I'm a monster at understanding people.

-[Megumi] That's amazing.
-An empathy monster?

I mean, look, there's no way
Hikaru could choose just one person.

And when it comes to whether
she can truly trust Tai-chan…

Yeah.

…she must be scared of being betrayed,
especially with her past trauma.

I mean, her mindset is,

-she's here to find someone to marry.
-[Awich] She is. And, Bo was…

-[Megumi] Yeah?
-…pretty low on her list,

but he moved up,
so he's probably feeling good about that.

[Megumi] Yeah.

But Ari thought he was way up here,
and then he got dropped.

-[Megumi] Totally see what you're saying.
-That's why he's so upset.

-Makes sense. It must be tough for him.
-But then, Hikaru, she just can't

make up her mind, right?

[Megumi] Exactly.
That's why she started crying.

-[Nagano] Oh.
-You know, sometimes that happens.

You can be so popular, it makes you cry.

-Too-popular tears.
-[Megumi and Awich] Too-popular tears.

Have either of you cried
from being too popular?

-Not me. But sensei has, right?
-[Nagano] You haven't? I bet you have.

-Uh…
-[Megumi] I think that's a yes.

[Nagano] Oh, my gosh!

[bell chiming]

[boy on PA] Today, we're going to learn
about Okinawan culture.

TSUNAMI CENTER

[Ruru] That one?

Nice to meet you.

MS. HARUKO

-[Assun] Hello.
-[Ha-chan] Looks nice.

-Please have a seat.
-[Bo] Oh, okay.

-Hello.
-Please sit wherever you like.

-Yes, hello.
-How are you?

I'm good.

-[Ma-kun] It smells like a friend's house.
-[Assun] Love these chairs. So nostalgic.

-[Kazu-kun] We can sit anywhere?
-[Assun] Should I sit here?

[Ma-kun] I'm sitting here.

Hello, everyone.

-[all] Hello.
-Morning.

Aren't you all adorable?

-[Hikaru] That's so kind.
-[Ari] So kind.

As for the origin
of this instrument, the shamisen…

MS. AZAMA

…it began during the w*r
when people had nothing.

They used empty cans left behind
by the US military,

hoping to use the instrument
to raise their spirits.

In Okinawa, and this is true
for most households, including ours,

there's usually a shamisen
in the tokonoma alcove.

Through this experience,
I hope you'll get a chance

to feel and get a sense
of the shamisen for yourselves.

ASHIBI SHONGANE

♪ I'm pining ♪

♪ I'm pining for your love ♪

That's all.

-Pow, pow, pow!
-[Haruko] Thank you very much.

-Awesome.
-[Haruko] Thank you.

But is he being genuine,
or is that sarcasm?

I know, right? It looks like
he's trying to be tough.

This song is called "Ashibi Shongane."

This song is about when you are out,
having fun, you should never forget about…

-The one you love?
-…your boyfriend or girlfriend.

Haven't you ever felt like
you just can't stop thinking about them,

all day and night?

-Yes, I have.
-[Haruko] You have?

-[Ari] Yes.
-How lovely.

-[Ari] Definitely.
-[Haruko] Lucky you.

Okay, like this.

Tun, ten, tun. Right.

Tun, ten, tun.

-I hold it like this?
-Hold it down like this.

MARIRIN [25]
BAR WORKER

Put your other finger here,
then play the middle string.

-Like this?
-Yeah, that's it!

See, I got this.

-[Ha-chan] Okay, I'm gonna try.
-Your nails are cute.

-Hmm?
-Those nails are cute.

Not too long?

-[Ari] Not long enough.
-Really?

[Ari] They'd look even better longer.

I just noticed your nose is pierced.

-You didn't know?
-I didn't know.

-Just now? In this moment?
-I've just noticed. I like it.

-You don't like it?
-No, I like it.

-For real?
-Yeah.

-[Nagano] Ooh, watch out.
-[Megumi] She's pissed.

[Ruru] I liked getting
to play the sanshin.

I didn't think it'd be so hard.

-[Leo] So classy!
-[Hikaru] Guys sat down first?

Jeez, okay.

You guys are sitting
in super awkward spots.

Fine.

-[Ma-kun] So?
-[Hikaru] Hey, wait a sec.

[chuckles]

-I'll sit here.
-[Maririn] I'll sit right here then.

[Nagano] Oh, next to him.
Hikaru's looking more vulnerable now.

[bell chiming]

Please, no.
I have a bad feeling about this.

-[Hikaru] I have too.
-[Megumi] They've become negative.

[Awich] Oh, for sure.

-[boy on PA] Time for the sauna.
-[Nagano] Oh.

[boy on PA] The person who has been
selected for the sauna

is someone who hasn't been in yet.

[chuckles]

It's Ari.

-[Ma-kun] Wow.
-Why me?

-What?
-[Leo] What?

[boy on PA] Please choose the one
that you'd like to go to the sauna with.

[breathes deeply]

Who will he pick?

-Tough spot for him. [laughs]
-[Megumi] Exactly.

This is a big moment for Ari.

Can I say it now?

I'm going with Maririn.

-[Ma-kun] Off you go.
-Me?

Okay.

Huh?

Whoa.

-[Maririn] Let's go.
-[Ari] Yeah.

[Maririn] My second time.

-[Assun] Really?
-[Maririn] Yep, it is.

REFRESHED

Hey there.

-It's so bright.
-I know.

-Can we just walk in like this?
-[Maririn] Yeah.

[Ari] Coming in.

-Thanks for having me.
-Such a party guy.

-[Ari] What? Am I?
-Total party guy.

-[Ari] I'm going all out, for real.
-Oh, sorry.

[Ari] This is great. Whoa, it's so warm.

So, were you happy
when I invited you to the sauna?

-Yeah, totally. I love saunas.
-For real?

For sure.

-Okay, cool.
-I mean, I like your personality too.

-You do?
-Mmm. Yeah.

So, you could see
a potential romantic connection?

-Oh, yeah, for sure.
-Really?

I never thought
you felt that way about me.

-So I'm just super surprised.
-Yeah, I get that.

I didn't mean to surprise you.

I guess I wanted to see what the vibe was,
and get a sense of how you feel about me.

I like that you're direct.
You told Hikaru how you felt, straight up.

I think that's nice, the way you express
your feelings like that.

I feel like

most people I've been with never told me
they liked me with such directness.

So, yeah, I was actually
kind of jealous of her.

[laughs] Honestly,
I thought you just asked me out

just to mess with Hikaru's feelings.

Oh, no, not at all.

Well, if you're coming at me like that,
of course I'd see you that way.

Yeah. I'd switch into that mode for sure.

Romance mode?

Wait, what? What was that look?

-Maririn is cute too.
-[Nagano] True, she is cute.

-And I think he's starting to notice that.
-Oh, right, right.

-[Ruru] What happened?
-Mmm.

-I have no idea.
-[Kazu-kun] It's probably nothing.

[Ruru] Then why did he pick someone else?
I was sure he'd pick you, Hikaru.

[Assun] Hmm, guess you never know.

-[Kazu-kun] Nothing is ever guaranteed.
-[Ruru] True.

Why is Hikaru acting like that
when you've been showing so much love?

Apparently she can't see me
as a romantic option.

-Oh, yeah? She sees you as a friend?
-Yeah, she could only see me as a friend.

[Maririn] Mmm.

But she said
she'd try to see me differently.

-Hearing that is a turnoff, you know?
-Mmm-hmm.

-Makes me feel over it.
-Yeah.

But with you, it feels like
you accept me for who I am.

Well, I think
that's just normal, honestly.

-Yeah. Mmm-hmm.
-Of course.

But if that's how you feel about me,
then I want to acknowledge that.

Yeah.

Hmm, I guess
I want you to see the real me.

I want to be more open with you,
so you can see more of what's inside.

And I want to get to know you better.

-Mmm-hmm. Got it.
-If I'm being honest.

[chuckles] I understand.
This is kind of embarrassing.

-I wasn't expecting that.
-No. Why wouldn't I?

-I wanted to be straight with you.
-Mmm, yeah, I like straightforward people.

It's a good quality.

-Really?
-Yeah, really.

Good to know.

-I have that wassup energy.
-Oh, really? Oh nice.

[laughing] No one believes me
when I say that, but that's how I am.

-I get super hyped.
-Okay, let's do a quick sync then.

Let's see if
I can feel that vibe you felt.

-What do you mean? [laughs]
-Let's see.

-What are you doing?
-Okay. I see.

-Did you feel the "wassup"?
-Yeah, it hit me pretty hard.

You felt the "wassup"?

It was like an electric shock,
or something.

Like 100,000 volts, or more like


-[laughing] Mmm.
-Let's have a quick hug.

-Sure. Now?
-[Nagano] Wow!

-Yeah.
-Oh, okay. [laughing]

-[Nagano] Whoa! Oh, my gosh!
-[Maririn] My face.

-My face, it's a mess.
-Oh, sorry.

-I'll stop.
-My makeup came off.

-[Nagano] Nice, Ari is back.
-Okay, like that.

[both laugh]

[Ari] Man, I'm so embarrassed.

[laughing]

-Was that uncomfortable?
-That was funny. I'm not uncomfortable.

-Really? Are we good?
-I would tell you.

-Sorry.
-Is my face a mess? Do I look okay?

-You look fine. You look gorgeous.
-No, no.

-I'm dead serious.
-For real?

[Ari] Mmm-hmm.

[Kazu-kun] Mr. Wassup is back.

-[Leo] Welcome back.
-I'm back, y'all!

[all] Wassup!

[all whoop]

-It was seriously the best.
-[all laughing]

-He was in tears earlier.
-I know, right?

[laughing]

I was like, she's got
such a big heart, you know?

She's direct, and meets me where I'm at.

-Mmm, mmm, mmm.
-[Ari] Yeah.

And actually,
we ended up hugging each other.

-I definitely felt the chemistry.
-[Kazu-kun] You hugged in the sauna?

-[Ari] Yeah.
-Whoa.

[Ma-kun] What?

And, she said something in there
that blew my mind.

She was like, "Guess what?"

She said, "I'm into the 'wassup.'"

[laughing]

Ari, you're good at building up a story.

-A k*ller payoff.
-[Ari] I was like, "Wait, what?"

She knows "wassup," huh?

For real, so I said,
"Let me check your vibes."

-[all laughing]
-I was like, "You ready?"

And when we did this,
I swear I felt a jolt of electricity.

[mimics electricity crackling]
Brr! Like that.

What an idiot.

KAZU-KUN [29]

-Like, I gotta know more about this girl.
-[Kazu-kun] You're such an idiot.

He's sweet.

-Yeah, so cute.
-He is.

BAD b*tch

[Ruru] You're back!

-[Assun] Here she is.
-[Maririn] Hey.

-I'm finally back.
-[Ha-chan] Welcome back.

-[Nagano] She looks happy.
-The sauna was awesome, to be honest.

He was like, "I just want to have
a real conversation with you,

since we haven't yet."
And he opened up to me, a lot.

Basically, I was the first one here
who was sweet to him.

And he liked that,
and wanted to let me know.

-[Ruru] Mmm-hmm.
-That felt good.

-I feel refreshed.
-[Ruru] Good.

-Fact that he picked Maririn was a twist.
-I did not see that coming.

-He wanted to move on, I think.
-[Megumi] Mmm. Yeah.

So, you don't think he was trying
to make Hikaru jealous?

That might have been
what he was trying to do at first.

Right.

But in the end, I think he felt
Maririn's warmth, and fell for her.

-[Nagano] Her warmth and acceptance.
-[Awich] Right.

[Nagano] Yeah, he started laughing,
like he was able to relax again.

There is something about saunas,
they bring people closer.

-Yeah, it's the sweat.
-Steam and sweat get your blood flowing.

Blood flow? I'm learning
so much about anatomy from you.

When blood starts flowing more,
your heart rate goes up.

-[Nagano] Right.
-And that creates a visceral sensation.

-[Nagano] I see.
-Like, "Could this be love?"

-Is my heart racing because I'm in love?
-[Nagano] Right.

-Or is it friggin' hot in here, that it?
-[both laugh]

-Leo's face was so supportive.
-[Megumi] It was.

-He's a good guy.
-Yeah, like a dad. Yeah.

[Nagano] Like, "Good for you, son."

-Like a dad watching his son play sports.
-[Nagano] A total dad right there.

-Isn't he younger though?
-[Nagano] Wait, he is?

Younger than Ari?

[bell chiming]

[boy on PA] It is time for Ethics class.

The two transfer students will share
their family backgrounds,

someone they want to apologize to,

as well as any major mistakes they feel
that they've made in their life so far.

First up is Ha-chan.

-Let's go.
-Okay, here I go.

So, I'll start with how I grew up.

When I was in first grade,
my parents got divorced.

My siblings and I were split up,

and I went back and forth
between my mom's and my dad's.

HA-CHAN [27]
TRAINER

I also went to a child guidance center,
and stayed at a children's home.

Then, when I was in sixth grade,
I went to live with my dad.

There was a new mother figure, my stepmom.

I'd grown up feeling like
I never had a real parent in my life.

That feeling was so strong

that I wasn't able to get along
with my dad's new wife either.

At first, she told me to call her "Mom."

But I just couldn't bring myself
to say it.

And then, she said something shocking,

"I can't raise this kid anymore."

If it were your own child,
no matter how hard it gets,

you'd still take care of your child.

That's when I knew she'd abandon me.

From then on, I hated her.
Like, "Who does she think she is?"

I just couldn't accept her as my mother.

Our fights got so bad that she eventually
came at me with a kitchen knife.

How can I describe it?
I was covered in blood.

She didn't stab me,
they were more like small cuts.

I couldn't tell
if it was from losing blood,

or maybe it was just the smell of blood,
but I passed out.

When I woke up, I knew I had to leave.

So I moved in with my older brother.

I started working at a hostess bar
when I was around 19.

Then, I tried martial arts on a whim.
As soon as I started, I felt like, "Wow.

This actually makes me feel so alive."

And that's pretty much my story
up until now.

MA-KUN [28]
MMA FIGHTER

And…

the person
I feel like I want to apologize to

is my stepmom.

To give you a bit more context,

in my first year of junior high,
my dad was diagnosed with cancer

and told he had five years to live.

His wife was doing her best
to support him.

She searched all over Japan,

looking for treatments that didn't require
insurance, and different foods,

all to give my dad a chance at survival.

And now, he's still alive,

and it is all because of her.

When I realized just how much
she had done to support my dad,

I finally respected her.

But I never could say sorry.

So I want to apologize to my stepmom.

-Thank you.
-[all applauding]

Whenever I ask married people
if marriage is worth it,

I feel like about 90% of them
tell me stuff like,

"No, it's not worth it,"

"Marriage is tough,"
or, "It's not that great."

There are so many people like that
in Japan.

But when your dad was sick,

his wife took the time to look up
hospitals all around the country,

and took care of his meals.

And it just makes me wonder,

how many women in this world would go
that far for their husbands, you know?

And it made me envy your dad so much.

I want to be with a woman
who's that devoted to me,

and I want to devote myself to her.

I don't know if that's mutual love,

but that's the kind
of relationship I want.

RURU [26]
MODEL

When I was young, my mom would say,

"You know what?
I wish I had never given birth to you."

So even though our situations
are a little different,

I still remember how painful it was
to hear something like that as a child.

I think that's something
you and I have in common.

After going through such a painful past,
you were able to find martial arts.

And I think it's amazing
that you have something,

even just one thing, that you can
pour yourself into, and feel alive.

In that sense, after hearing your story,
I feel like I respect you so much now.

I mean, let's be honest,
when you first came here,

we had some disagreements, remember?

But hearing your story today
made me realize

that you and I experienced a similar past.

So, now I want to be more open
and get to know you more.

-Thank you.
-[all applauding]

-She's great.
-Wow.

It's admirable that she shared that.

[boy on PA] Next up is Kazu-kun.

[Nagano] Kazu-kun.

-[Megumi] Yeah, Kazu-kun is hard to read.
-[Nagano] He is.

He is a complete mystery.

My family history is pretty complicated.

Basically, I was passed back and forth
between my two parents.

And my dad was very a*usive.

So I moved around between
relatives' places and children's homes.

Eventually, in junior high,

I got arrested.

-What did you get arrested for?
-[Kazu-kun] I mean, you know how it is.

If you don't hang
with the right crew, you're a loser.

Mmm.

[Kazu-kun] If they think you're
chickening out or you're scared,

you get pushed aside, right away.

And you become the one getting bullied.

So I got to a point where
I couldn't back out anymore.

And one time,
my friends were playing with fire.

I thought that was lame.

But, still, I ended up setting someone…

on fire.

Yeah.

And then, like,

three days after that, I got busted, so…

[Ha-chan] Mmm.

It was wrong.

And I regret it.

You know that photo pinned to the mailbox?

How old were you in that?

[Kazu-kun] I think I was around 15, maybe.

-You look like a hardcore yankii there.
-[Ma-kun] Yeah.

-It's that iron perm. Right?
-[Kazu-kun] An iron perm. Yeah.

I'd add a headband
and go straight to work,

[laughter]

[Kazu-kun] So I got busted,
and when I got out,

I worked outdoor labor jobs back home.

I'd mostly been living on my own.

And then,

I moved to Tokyo and worked as a host,
still living on my own.

I never relied on anyone,
I never asked anyone for their help.

I mean, I was too proud back then.

And in terms of my apology,
I want to apologize to my dad.

I was 17 when I moved to Tokyo,

but I had already cut ties
with him before that.

I left home
after a pretty stupid argument,

and from then on,
I just decided to ignore him.

Even when he made an effort
to reach out to me,

I'd just snap at him like,

"It's too late to start acting
like a dad now."

But the next time I saw him,
he wasn't able to move his body anymore.

And that was the first time
I felt regret about it.

I got a phone call.
"Your dad just passed away."

Seriously, when I got the call,
I was like,

"I don't care. That's not my problem."

But they said, "Come anyway. Come home."

"If you don't come,
we'll cremate him without you.

"But if you come first thing tomorrow,
we'll keep him here,

and keep him presentable."

When I saw him, I cried more
than I ever had in my entire life.

[somber music playing]

I cried for about ten hours.

I was overwhelmed by regret,
and so many pent up feelings.

And so, since it had been a while
since he'd passed away,

they couldn't keep him there much longer.

So about half a day after I arrived,

he was cremated.

He'd been in such poor health,

there were hardly any bones left
after he was cremated.

There was nothing left for me
to take home.

That's my story.

I feel so much regret.

I wish I'd had a drink with him.
Like, "This is how I'm doing now,"

or "I'm working hard."

I never got to tell him things like that.

It's really strange, you know.

In that moment, what I remembered
were the things he did for me,

the fun times,
and the times when he was kind.

All those times when
he was yelling, or being a*usive,

I didn't think about that,
not for a second.

I thought about the fun times
when my dad made me laugh…

DAD - KAZU-KUN

…the food he cooked for me,
the breakfasts he made.

The places we went together,
the car, even the smells,

all those things
came back to me so vividly.

I usually think crying is embarrassing,

but, in that moment, I didn't care at all.

I cried my eyes out.

But since I hadn't seen him for so long,

sometimes I think, "Maybe the real him
is still alive somewhere out there."

I guess, no matter what,
they're still your parents.

No matter how hurtful they are,
when they die, it's still sad.

Yeah. And that's why
you cried so much, Kazuma.

Even if you're not the crying type.

It makes me think that it's the parents
who are loved unconditionally,

not the kids.

Some kids never get loved
by their parents.

But somehow, parents are
always loved by their kids.

For the people in your life,
you should remember,

a moment will come
when you can't see them anymore.

So while you can still see them,

you need to stay in touch,
and tell them how you feel.

-[all respond in agreement]
-[Assun] Eight.

[Ari] Awesome.

[Ruru] I felt like I saw
Kazuma's warm, human side.

It doesn't seem like he shows
that side of himself very often,

but he's been through a lot, in his past.

I've been wanting to apologize to a parent
as well, so I related to that a lot.

When I was little,
my mom worked in the nightlife industry,

and there was no one to look after me.

My dad wasn't around either.

So, I was always being left
with a babysitter at night.

I never got along with my mom,
and I would run away from home a lot.

But in life, whenever I mess up
in some big way,

my mom is the one
who's ultimately there for me.

I've finally realized that
over the past few years.

My mom is so important to me now,
and I want to be there for her.

After hearing their stories today,

I felt that I needed to be honest

and tell her everything
that I've been feeling lately.

[sighs]

[Awich] Ah, the phone.

-[Nagano] I'm already nervous.
-[Megumi] Right?

[exhales heavily]

[dialer rattling]

[line ringing]

[woman] Hello?

Hello. Mom?

It's Ruru.

[Ruru's mom] You okay?

It's been a while. [chuckles]

I just realized that
I've never told you how I feel.

[Ruru's mom] What?
Where's this coming from?

Well, you know, you were a single parent,
and always working.

-And, you were…
-[Ruru's mom] Yeah.

…working so hard,
you even coughed up blood.

You kept running your snack bar.

[Ruru's mom] Yeah.

And I had to spend my nights
at that… daycare.

And during that time,
you were also being abused.

[Ruru's mom] Yeah.

We even had to run away together,
barefoot. Remember?

[Ruru's mom] Yeah.

Because of that, I guess I started feeling
some resentment toward you.

[Ruru's mom] Mmm-hmm.

Every time we talked,
we'd just end up fighting.

[Ruru's mom] Mmm.

We butted heads, in so many ways.

-[sniffles]
-[Ruru's mom] Yeah.

But you're the most important person
to me. [sniffles]

I'm sorry for making you cry
so many times,

for making you worry so much…

[sniffles] …and for not being
a daughter you could be proud of.

[Ruru's mom] That's not true.

I was happy to pick you up in the morning,

and that joy kept me going through
the long nights at work.

Mmm-hmm.

[Ruru's mom] Even as a single mom working
all the time, I still loved you so much.

As a mother,
I wanted to support you financially.

But I'm sorry
I couldn't raise you in a way

that let you know you were loved.

[sniffles]

I want to be totally honest now.

I'm happy that you're my mom.
I'm glad you had me.

[Ruru's mom chuckles] Aw.

Mmm. From now on, I want to show you

all the love I wasn't able
to show you before.

[Ruru's mom] Don't make me cry.
I'll get so embarrassed.

I should be saying that to you.

Thank you for choosing
to have me as your mother.

I am so honored to get a call like this.

You are my greatest treasure. [sniffles]

Money isn't what matters. [sniffles]

-It's about us, Mom. [chuckles]
-[Ruru's mom] Yeah.

It's is all about kids and their parents.

Money is not what matters in this world.

You taught me that.

-Screw money, it's about us.
-It's about us.

[both laugh]

-[Ruru's mom] I get it now.
-Let's talk more soon.

-Yeah, let's talk more often.
-Yeah. Sure.

-Let's grab a beer together soon.
-Yeah, let's do that.

-Yeah, okay?
-Okay. Thank you.

Give it your all out there.

-I'll do my best.
-Until the very end.

-Bye.
-Bye now.

-Thank you.
-All right.

Good night.

[exhales, sniffles]

-That was so moving.
-[Megumi] It was.

-She's such a wonderful mom.
-Yeah.

-Right?
-[Nagano] Mmm.

After hearing Kazu-kun
and Ha-chan's stories, Ruru was inspired.

-Yeah. They inspired her, for sure.
-[Nagano] She took their words to heart.

-That call was great for her mom, right?
-[Megumi] Yes. Absolutely.

I think parent-child relationships
are often the root of deep trauma

that we sometimes carry
into other relationships.

Actually, I've had
very similar conversations with my mom.

-[Megumi] Oh, really?
-And with my dad.

I'll call out of nowhere and say,
"Okay, interview time." Yeah.

-What?
-[Nagano laughs]

I ask things like, "How did you grow up?"

or, "What were
your past relationships like?"

-[Megumi] Oh, wow.
-Or "How did you meet Dad?"

Or "What were your relationships like

-before Dad?"
-[Nagano] You ask that?

-Wow.
-[Awich] I do.

-[Nagano] Really?
-And honestly it's so…

What's the word? Therapeutic for me.

-Truly is.
-[Megumi] I see.

Did that make you closer to your parents?

Absolutely. We're super close.

Much closer than before.

-[Megumi] I see.
-Wow.

Way closer than we used to be.

"Money isn't what matters.
It's about us, Mom."

-Those were powerful words.
-Right?

I was completely blown away.

-I thought it was all about money.
-[laughs]

-[Megumi] Huh?
-That's why it hit me so hard.

-Until this moment?
-Right up until this very moment.

-You thought the world's all about money?
-The world is all about money.

Take a break.
Can you take your break early?

-Go ahead and take your break.
-You're making me take a break?

Assun said something important, yeah?

"Children can't help loving
their parents."

-She did say that, yeah.
-[Megumi] That was an amazing line.

Of course parents are

supposed to love their children,
but sometimes they can't.

-Those parents are out there.
-Yeah, they are.

It was so profound, but she said it

-so casually, you know?
-That was a great line.

SMOKERS' LOUNGE

-[Nagano] What's going on?
-[Megumi] He's got something on his mind.

[Nagano] Didn't things get awkward
with him before?

[Megumi] Yeah, with Assun, right?

I've been more upfront than you
about my feelings.

Forget what I just said. I made a mistake.

-Thanks for that.
-Yeah, it'll go faster with two of us.

-Absolutely.
-Mmm-hmm.

[Ma-kun grunts]

Oh, right. Here.

-What?
-Read it later.

-Read it later?
-Yeah.

-You're giving it to me now?
-Yeah.

[sighs]

"DEAR ASUKA,"

"FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING."

"MY FEELINGS FOR YOU ARE ALL TRUE,
AND IT WON'T CHANGE."

"EVEN IF NEW PEOPLE COME,
OR IF WE GO BACK TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD,

I ONLY CARE ABOUT YOU,
AND YOU HAVE MY WORD."

-[Ari] Hey.
-[Ruru] Ari.

[Ari] Hey, how's it going?

-How have you been?
-[Ruru] How are you?

-Me?
-I mean, to be completely honest,

-Yeah?
-I thought you would pick Hikaru.

-For the sauna?
-Yeah.

Oh.

-You're always so upfront with her.
-[Ari] Ah.

So when you picked Marina,
I was like, "What?" You know?

-[chuckles] You were like, "What?"
-And I couldn't stop staring at Hikaru.

Like "What's going on? What happened?"

-I just wanted to pick Maririn.
-Oh, I see.

The way things are going,
even if I picked Hikaru again,

-it probably wouldn't change anything.
-Right.

Besides, I was actually getting
a little curious about Maririn,

so I just decided to ask her out.

-Mmm, I see.
-Yeah.

And Hikaru barely talks to me.

So, I didn't want to ask her out again
and make her think I was fine with her

-taking me for granted.
-Hikaru should take the initiative.

-So I was like, whatever.
-Mmm.

Yeah, and I talked to Maririn,
and I think she's definitely cool.

-Marina's great, seriously.
-Plus, honestly, during our chat,

I got the feeling Maririn is a little
more ready to find love while she's here.

Totally, yeah.

-Just from the sauna.
-Yeah, that's true.

If you're seriously here to fall in love,
then a woman with that same mindset

-is definitely better for you.
-Yeah. Of course.

-[Maririn] I know.
-[Leo] Don't you think?

-I'll take this away.
-[Leo] Sounds good.

-[Maririn] What's this?
-[Leo] This?

-[Assun] Definitely not.
-[Ha-chan] It'll work. Go ahead.

Yeah. [chuckles]

[Hikaru] Girl on the second day
of her period is no joke.

-Wait, did I hear her right? [laughs]
-[Megumi laughs]

She said exactly
what I thought she said, yeah?

Yes. They really don't hold anything back.

-Need to talk?
-Yes please. Definitely.

[groans in frustration]

Have you been able to sort out
your thoughts?

-Even a little?
-Not at all.

Not at all, huh?

I think it's time for me
to stop saying "I don't know."

Yeah, you should stop saying that.
It'll work out.

Just let yourself go with the flow.

Exactly.

What?

-Did I say something wise?
-You did, yeah.

-[Megumi] Bo is cute.
-[sighs]

I wonder if I can fall in love.

You're the only one
who can make the choice.

Seriously.

Maybe I'll make a move on you next.

-[chuckles]
-Like, "What about me?"

"Take a good look at me."

[Tai-chan] Hey, Bo!

Get lost, man. Not now.

-Come on, Bo.
-Don't get nervous, dumbass.

You could tell? [laughs]

[Ma-kun] Bo! Bo!

I don't know what I should do.

Have you decided who your top choice is?

Hmm…

Honestly, you don't have to hold back
to protect me.

I know. I'm not holding back.

-If it's Ari, then fine. I can back off.
-That's not it. I swear.

I can wave the white flag. Why not?

Wouldn't it be better if you just said

-what you feel?
-Wait. That's not it.

If I'd made up my mind,
I would just tell you.

I keep thinking maybe
I should give up on you, Hikaru.

-But the thing is--
-Then maybe we should start from scratch.

Okay, but, even if we start from scratch,

there's no one else
I'm interested in anymore.

It's only you.

Once I decide someone is the one,
that's it for me.

But I don't want to force you to choose.

-Someone said the same thing to him.
-[Megumi] Exactly.

You should know better than anyone
how it feels.

[all laugh]

[Ma-kun] All right. Did you read it?

-Hmm? Oh, yeah.
-You did?

Thanks for writing it.
It was nice to hear.

It made me happy.

[Ma-kun] Yeah, yeah. Nice.

Can I talk to you
whenever you guys are done?

-[both] Sure.
-[Nagano] Oh, Ha-chan.

-[Ha-chan] Is that okay?
-It's okay.

-See ya.
-Yeah, see ya.

-[Ha-chan] That was quick. [chuckles]
-[Assun] Huh?

[Ma-kun] We don't have anything
we need to talk out.

-Don't say there's nothing to talk about.
-Whoa, no! We can talk about stuff.

That's not what I meant!
Sorry, I misspoke.

See ya.

That's a part of his personality, right?
His way with words?

He says just a bit too much.
He's clumsy with words.

Lots of people talk like that.

-[laughs] Yeah, they do.
-[Megumi] Don't you think?

What's up?

-Hear me out.
-Okay.

-I've finally found someone I like.
-Yeah, I figured as much.

-[laughs]
-It's Tai-chan.

-How did you know?
-Hmm?

-Tai-chan?
-[Nagano] Huh?

I was staring at Tai-chan's face
for a long time.

And the more I stared, the more
I was like, "Wow, he's good-looking."

-[Ma-kun] Get out of here!
-[both laugh]

[Ma-kun] Tai-chan is so popular.

[chuckles] And then I felt
a little flutter in my heart.

-I see. You're being so romantic, Ha-chan.
-[laughing]

I've never had a romance
that started with me saying,

"Hey, look, I'm interested in you."

To be honest,
the only guys I've ever dated

were just customers who used
to request me, back when I was working,

in the nightlife industry.

For me, I have to prepare myself

for taking the initiative
with someone I like.

In kickboxing, if you step into
the ring and just freeze,

it's over.

Mmm, this is honestly
the first real challenge of my life.

-[Bo] Good morning.
-[Assun] Morning, everyone.

What are we making?

-Omelet rice.
-For real?

There's a ritual.

-What? A ritual?
-What ritual?

-A ketchup ritual?
-Eggs are here.

-A ketchup writing ritual?
-You're right.

-[laughs]
-This is important.

-This is an important moment, you idiot!
-It's a big deal. [laughs]

[Assun] Looks delicious.

[Ma-kun] Ketchup on omelet and rice
is every guy's dream.

-[Kazu-kun laughing] Yeah.
-[Ma-kun] Right?

Looks like you girls got
the ketchup under control.

We'll leave it to you. Thank you.

-[Leo] Good work.
-[Maririn] Nice. How many guys are there?

We need six, yeah?

I'll do Ma-kun's. Yeah?

-[Hikaru] Yeah, that works.
-I'm gonna write "Masaya" here.

[Ha-chan] Isn't that hard? You're good.

-[Maririn] Oh, cute.
-[Megumi] Oh, cute. She's good.

[Nagano] He's gonna like that.

-You writing Ari's?
-Yeah.

-Tai-chan's?
-I want to write on Tai-chan's.

-Is that okay?
-Yeah, why not?

-[Ruru] And you?
-You're writing on Leo's?

Leo's and Kazu-kun's. Who do you want?

It's fine. I won't write on anyone's.

-You sure?
-Are you sure? That could change things.

-It's a good time to make a choice.
-[Maririn] Mmm.

This ketchup could change
the course of history.

Is this ketchup
a matter of life and death?

"This ketchup could change
the course of history."

I've never heard anyone
phrase it like that.

[Ruru] It could change the situation.

-Will we tell them who wrote the names?
-[Ruru] Yeah.

-Whose name do you want to write the most?
-[Hikaru] Wait. I don't like this.

[Ruru] Seriously.
Whose name do you want to write?

If there's overlap,
we'll do rock-paper-scissors.

-Can I just pass on writing?
-You can't.

But then I could end up
misleading them again.

-Then communicate that to them.
-I did.

I told them I haven't decided.

Okay, but still,
one of them has to stand out more.

It's not like you feel nothing
for them, equally.

You have some feelings
for one of them, at least.

Who do you feel the strongest for, Hikaru?

I'm serious. It's both of them.

You've got to make up your mind.

-Otherwise, we can't decide either.
-They need to know.

[sighs]

-[Maririn] This is hard.
-[Assun] Just go for it.

Oh, this is bad!

-It's so bad!
-[Assun laughing]

[Ruru] It's terrible!

So bad. [laughs]

[Maririn] That looks good.

I'll put a smiley face on Kazu-kun's.

[Maririn] Yeah.

-[Ha-chan] Cute.
-[Ruru] Does that mean I'm bad at it?

-[Ha-chan] No. I meant it's cute.
-Oop! Beep, beep! You're too nice!

-[both laugh]
-Okay. Should we go?

I meant "cute" literally.
I didn't know it would sound so loaded.

Let's go.

[Ruru] Just kidding. Thanks, Ha-chan.

Maririn, you want to write
on Ari's, right?

-Yeah.
-That's fine.

I'll just write on Bo's.

-Okay.
-He's my bestie.

-Hmm.
-Should I write "Wassup"?

[Assun] Can you write "Wassup"?

-[Ruru] How are you so good at that?
-I used to work at a cafe.

-[Ruru] Oh, that explains it! You're good.
-Really? Whoa!

[Maririn chuckles]

[Maririn] If you squeeze it slowly,
it works better. Here.

-[Ha-chan] Got it.
-[Maririn] So cute.

-I'm like a school teacher. [laughs]
-[Maririn] I think it's cute.

-[Hikaru] Is that the "earth" radical?
-[Assun] And "direction" on the right.

[Ha-chan] Oh, you're good.

-[Maririn] Wow, look at that.
-[Ruru laughs]

[Hikaru] A work of art.

BO

Wait, what does this mean?
What's her deal?

She's writing on Bo's
because they're just friends.

No way, Bo's gonna
totally misinterpret that.

I think she's completely lost
at this point, even to herself.

-[Assun] It's ready.
-[Ma-kun] Hooray!

[Leo] Hey!

[Ma-kun] Let's eat.

This is for Tai-chan. I did the ketchup.

I wasn't sure what to write,
so I drew a face.

[Megumi] She's making her move
on Tai-chan.

-Is this mine? Thanks.
-Yeah.

-It's cute, right?
-Hell yeah!

[Ruru] Here you go, Kazuma.

Thank you.

-Wassup.
-Oh, thanks.

-Here.
-Wassup! You're good!

WASSUP

-Great work.
-[Maririn] You like it?

-[Ari] Look at this.
-Awesome!

It's a heart!

MASAYA

-Hey, Assun, take a picture, will you?
-This is great!

Here we go.

-Okay, say cheese.
-[Megumi] So cute! [laughs]

[Nagano] They're into this, huh?

-Okay, let's go!
-Yay!

BO

-[Bo] Does this mean glutton?
-[Leo] Huh?

-[Ma-kun] Or, "spoiled brat."
-[laughs]

Just for now. It can never go public.

-[Assun] Hey, we did great. Let's eat.
-Dig in!

-Ooh, yeah.
-Let's eat!

-[Assun] Looks delicious.
-I want a bite of that too.

[Hikaru] Sure.

-[Ruru] It's about to be gone.
-[Kazu-kun] What do you mean?

-[Bo] That's funny.
-[Hikaru] Yeah.

-[Leo] That photo is so good.
-This is delicious.

[Hikaru] It is.

In terms of our time spent together,
we're about halfway.

-[Ari] Less than half, actually.
-[Assun] Let's give it our all.

-We should be like Usain Bolt.
-What's that mean?

-Go full speed! Whoosh! Bah!
-[laughs]

-[Nagano] Back to his old self.
-[Megumi] Full of energy.

-[Kazu-kun] Usain Bolt.
-[Ari] Like, bam!

[bell chiming]

-We're still eating.
-I knew this was coming.

-I have a bad feeling about this.
-[Leo] Hmm?

-[boy on PA] It's sauna time.
-[Leo] Yay.

Sauna?

-Pick Bo.
-[boy on PA] The person who gets

to choose today is someone
who hasn't been in the sauna yet.

-It's Hikaru.
-[Hikaru] It's me.

[Nagano] Hikaru!

[boy on PA] You may now choose the man
that you'd like to go in the sauna with.

Okay.

I've decided.

Ari.

-Eh?
-Eh?

It's sauna time.