Deaimon – 08

「くり回顧」 (Kuri Kaiko)
“Chestnut Retrospective”

Even though it’s a little bit of a recap episode, the search for the Chestnut Manju is underway! Apparently, during the sports festival, Nagomu misplaced his chestnut hat and some people from the school took it by mistake, so a whole ordeal arose, which was quite funny and interesting to watch. Say what you like about Nagomu but I certainly quite like him as a character. I think he’s endearing and the instant connection he has with his feelings makes him relatable, presently charming, and magnetic. There’s a certain aura about him that I really enjoy. His honesty and overall candor make him one likable character.

Nevertheless – I think this episode really set a precedent for Kanoko as it went deeper into her backstory, as I said in a previous post, I had disregarded her as someone who was cold in her rupture towards Nagomu, my main reason being, that we just hadn’t had enough information. Previously her total disrespect towards Nagomu’s feelings probably came because she saw his mind pretty made up and didn’t want to interfere. Family comes first after all – and Nagomu’s reasoning for going back to Kyoto is because of a health scare with his dad. Kanoko saw it black and white, so she’d just rather not get involved, justifying it to herself that leaving that relationship was better than waiting it out. She took the effortless way out in my opinion.

But here’s the real kicker for me. Nagomu has a very good relationship with his parents, especially because of his easy-going nature. However, I believe Kanoko might not, so in a sense she was looking out for herself first. But now after several people asked her ‘why are you in Kyoto’ at this point she is unable to answer. Is she lying to herself, and those around her? And the true reason she can’t just say that she’s here to get back with Nagomu is that she feels other people might look down on her?

There is nothing wrong with admitting that you were mistaken with the way you acted and making up for past blunders. Clearly, she holds some type of remorse, whether it’s how she acted towards Nagomu and his family situation or because she reconsidered that Nagomu is actually a pretty good and decent guy. Especially because this episode showed how exactly they met. After Kanoko goes out drinking, she ends up bumping into Nagomu and he takes care of her because he’s just a sweet and decent guy. So she makes a promise to repay him. Then by chance or fate, they meet again at the cafe Nagomu works at, and thus their relationship deepens. It was quite endearing to see actually.

Still – I do feel she acted rather harshly and didn’t even take the time to consider how Nagomu was feeling with his dad being in the hospital (for hemorrhoids but nonetheless) and him having to go back to Kyoto. At that moment she would rather just end the relationship without saying anything more than just a bye-bye. It’s rather cold, isn’t it?

Especially if your boyfriend or girlfriend is having some sort of family emergency, wouldn’t you try and do everything to support them, of course, all within your means, but still, wouldn’t you try and move earth and water so that they could sort it out? Hard conversations be damned, there will always be time to discuss how both of you can proceed in the future. For example, in this case, I think the adult thing to do would have been to accompany Nagomu as much as she could (she wouldn’t even have to leave for Kyoto) and when things finally settle down, aka Nagomu get’s home and finds out his dad is fine, she could utter a long Yokatta and maybe head for Kyoto and have that difficult conversation of how exactly they would proceed as a couple.

They could do long distance, or just break it up altogether, whatever the case, I just find her behavior a little childish. And expecting Nagomu to muster up and be a man is also not acceptable, especially since she was doing so, non verbally and with subtext in her words. How do you expect him to understand your needs if you don’t communicate them correctly, furthermore he’s a one-track mind type of guy. So his priority was the shop and his dad.

Now she’s repenting how she acted and tied up a web of lies with Nagomu and her close acquaintances. Expecting Nagomu to just drop everything and get back together with her, is just quite simply, unacceptable.

Am I defending Nagomu a little bit too much and being harsh on Kanoko? Yeah, you could say that. However Nagomu was never in the wrong here, and Kanoko is just wanting him to muster up to her feelings when it’s her that should have swallowed her ego and helped out Nagomu. If anything Nagomu was ready to drop everything and head to Kyoto to help out his family. Still, that speaks volumes about him, he never wanted to sever that connection with the shop, it was always on the back of his mind. Even if this change came just at the right time for him. She knew as much as Nagomu did, and chose to leave him high and dry.

Full-length images: 36.

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