This is the second half of the jealousy saga. I said that Episode 6 was about Nanase’s jealousy, and Episode 7 was about Tendo’s.
She started feeling insecure when she heard Dr. Rokuru and the head nurse discussing how Tendo and Waka worked well together as a team. Waka was like her dead sister, Midori. This bothered Nanase because she believed that Midori was Tendo’s love-of-his-life and he hadn’t gotten over her yet.
It didn’t help matters when she saw Waka and Tendo talking together in his office. She overheard Waka telling Tendo, “I figured that you of all people will understand what it feels to lose her and to use that to motivate us to become doctor. I’ve fallen for you.”
Too bad she walked away before she could hear the rest of the conversation. If she had listened on, she would have heard him totally rebuff Waka.
Waka: …I’ve fallen for you.
Tendo: I have a girlfriend.
Waka: I know. But I think I can be the partner that you need.
Tendo: I don’t feel the same way about you.
Now, I would put myself in Tendo’s shoes.
After a long day in surgery, the last thing I needed to hear was a confession from a new colleague telling me that she’d fallen for me, and that she was better match for me than my girlfriend. If I love my girlfriend, then I’d feel offended, not flattered.
How dare she think that she’s better than my girl? What right does she have to tell me what’s good for me? Who does she think she is? She doesn’t know me, and my preferences.
That’s how I interpreted Tendo’s remark, “I don’t feel the same way about you.”
On one level, it sounded like he was ONLY rejecting Waka. But on a deeper level, he was actually defending Nanase. Although Nanase’s name wasn’t brought up in the conversation, she was the “missing link” here.
Tendo was reminding Waka that he already had Nanase, and he wouldn’t trade Nanase in for her. And it didn’t matter that Waka believed that she was the right partner for him; HE didn’t see her as the right one for him. Sure, they were in the “same league” professionally, but she didn’t suit him. He wasn’t in love with her.
Nanase was his girlfriend and she was the one he needed as his partner.
This is the sub from Kissasian.
She used the word “necessary” to describe her abilities, and to imply that Nanase was useless to him given her weaknesses.
I already showed you how the editor of this dorama carefully sequenced the frames to match the voiceover of Dr. Rokuru, right? In Episode 1, when Dr. Rokuru was expounding on the purpose of a hospital, the images of Tendo and Nanase were shown.
I call this “editing for association” since the voiceover corresponded perfectly to their images. We were meant to associate the words with the individual. For instance, we learned to associate Tendo with loneliness because he cut a lonely, weary figure as he walked down an empty hallway.
Then, we easily identified Nanase as the ministering angel. She would be the one to make him feel better and help him through with life — just as the voiceover said.
Thus, when Tendo declined Waka’s offer to be his “necessary” partner, we knew it was because Nanase was the one he truly needed. Tendo knew this. Dr. Rokuru knew it. His sister Ryuko knew it, too. Nanase however was still unaware of her importance in his life.
She was crying about this at the end of Episode 6. She said, “I’m nothing but just a pawn in a game of chess, a peasant in a feudal card game and what was in President? Huh? What was it? A two? Or was it a three? Just an ignorant idiot. A useless boulder.”
Note: this is cute actually because remember what she brought to the Osaka? A chess set and a pack of cards? She wanted to pay President, too.
Just one look at her woebegone face, and Tendo knew that she’d been crying.
They went to his apartment, and he asked her “What’s wrong?”
Now, remember to put yourself in Tendo’s shoes.
One, it had been a long day at work.
Two, he didn’t know that she’d seen him with Waka earlier.
Three, he had to fend off Waka who had the audacity to offer herself to him as a “partner he needs” and to belittle Nanase.
Tendo: What’s wrong?
Nanase: So…Miori likes you?
If I were Tendo, I’d sigh, “Oh no! Not Miori again.”
Nanase: (this is her false gaiety) I thought you two were a good match.
He squinted. He realized then that she overheard Waka propositioning him.
Nanase: She’s so pretty…and talented. Everybody could easily see. Me, on the other hand, I’m slow at work, I get drunk easily and I fall asleep all the time. I’m not good anything.
Tendo inhaled deeply. He understood what caused her tear-stained face.
Now put yourself in his shoes:
You’d given Waka the brush-off because you love THIS GIRL. And you came home to find her wallowing in self-pity because she thinks you don’t — or you shouldn’t — love her because she wasn’t good enough for you.
Sniff. Sniff. I’m not good enough for you.
Nanase: (haltingly) I realized…you and I are in different leagues.
Arggggghh! This must have been exasperating for Tendo! BOTH Miori and Nanase assumed that he was incapable of knowing who was good for him.
Given his stoicism, this was just too much drama for him to deal with on the same night. But given his personality, too, — he’s a problem-solver, not a talker — he was going to fix this.
Most of us were probably expecting him to pull Nanase in a hug, and —
A. comfort her: “There! There! Don’t feel sad. That’s not true. You and I aren’t in different leagues. I’m a doctor and you’re a nurse.”
B. lie: “No, No. You’re really not slow at work. You tolerate alcohol very well. And you look cute when you sleep. You’re perfect in my eyes!”
C. deflect: “Why were you just eavesdropping? You should have joined me and Miori.”
D. change topic: “Uhhhh…how about some crab croquettes? I’m in the mood for crab croquettes. Can you cook some for me tonight? You’re really good at cooking.”
But these were absurd scenarios because by now we already know Tendo’s personality. He isn’t the type to indulge her self-pitying. He’s the type to fix her problem.
And her problem is she felt lacking as a woman when compared with Miori.
He laid his hand on her head just like he did in Episode 1.
This gesture reminded me of a parent bending over to console a child. But Tendo doesn’t at all think of her as a child. She’s a grown-up who can handle straight talk…especially, talk about sexual attraction.
This is the sub from BlitzFanSub.
Nanase: (haltingly) I realized…you and I are in different leagues.
Tendo: (makes her look up at him) It’s too late for that. (holds her chin and moves her back against the wall) The fact that you and I are in different leagues was established a million years ago.
Nanase: (not understanding) A million years ago?
Tendo: (kisses her) You’re not allowed to cry alone.
Now, there are two ways of understanding this scene.
The POPULAR interpretation is that he was talking about the difference in their intelligence and abilities, and that he regarded as her inferior and useless (like Waka had implied earlier). That was how the Kissasian subbers interpreted and understood the dialogue:
Nanase: In the end, me and you don’t suit each other.
Tendo: (makes her look up at him) What are you saying after all this time? (holds her chin and moves her back against the wall) You and I don’t suit each other? I’ve known that for a million years.
Nanase: A million years?
Tendo: (kisses her) Don’t cry when I don’t know.
In this interpretation, Tendo was agreeing not only with Nanase, but also with Waka, that he and Nanase were badly matched for each other. He was essentially confirming that they were ill-suited. He was waaaaay smarter and competent than her. His distinct superiority over her had been decided a millennium ago either by fate or by genes. His genius and her mediocrity had been predetermined.
That was also how Nanase understood his words.
She told Kamijo as much when they met. She said self-deprecatingly, “He’s wonderful and really at work but apparently the fact that I don’t suit him has been decided since a million years ago.”
Now, MY interpretation is different from the popular one.
🙂
I believe Tendo wasn’t referring to her shortcomings. NO. He was talking about sexual attraction.
He was telling her that a million years ago (or just when the first human appeared, lol), the male and female sex were established. When he said that they were in “different leagues,” he meant that he was born a man and she was born a woman. They were different from each other. And he was well-aware that they were different from each other because he was a man very much attracted to her as a woman.
And that’s why he kissed her. And mind you, he kissed her quite passionately.
The kiss was to prove to her what he meant by “different leagues.” He wasn’t talking about their difference in skill sets. He was talking about their differences as man and woman. He was telling her (in his usual cryptic way) that their sexual differences actually SUITED him. He wouldn’t have been able to kiss her like that…if they were in the SAME league.
lol.
But as to expected, Nanase didn’t get this…because she was baka…I mean, too pure and innocent.
To sum up this whole scene, he kissed her to tell her that:
one, comparison with the “pretty and talented” Miori was pointless since he chose her to be his woman.
two, there was no need for her to worry about being slow at work, getting easily drunk, falling asleep all the time…and not being good at anything. He’d known that she was “baka” all along and still loved her.
And above all, whenever she gets these weird doubts of inadequacy, she shouldn’t get upset and cry… without him around to correct kiss her worries away.
Love! Love! Love it! 🥰🥰🥰
To add, Tendo wanted to say who cares if we’re different in ways! YOU’RE THE ONE I LIKE! You with your simple, down to earth happy happy happy attitude. ☺️ Don’t ever cry alone because you’re not alone, you’ve got me. ☺️
@pkml3 and @agdr03
Yes, lovely interpretation, and the one I rather agree with. The kiss was excellent because with few words, he restored her self-confidence and gave her something to remember, for the future, if ever she had doubts again. Anything else others might say against her relationship with Tendo would be just words, but she had, had his words and actions to back them up, as proof that those others would be wrong.
As always, @Packmule3, thanks for your meticulous analysis. I much prefer your interpretation over what I originally got out of the scene. Thinking Tendo’s comment was a combination of put-down and hyperbole, I didn’t understand why he’d want to kiss someone he didn’t respect. So that made the kiss kinda icky for me to watch. I’m going back to rewatch and squee over it this time. I just wish Nanase had better understood his meaning so she could have fully enjoyed the kiss.
Thank you, @packmule3. This is a winning scene. When speaking with Dr Kisugi, Nanase dropped right back to her insecurities – many of them noted by Tendo in the first episode. Perhaps it’s my imagination, but didn’t they mention their differences once before? It was definitely his job to fix the problem.
I didn’t feel that he was putting her down. Rather I felt that he was saying that their differences were irrelevant for all of the reasons @packmule stated above. His kiss was both healing and promisingly instructive. Ha. I liked how the sad music stopped as soon as he touched her head, like striking the needle off an inappropriate record.
The boulder image for Nanase reminds me of something. At first, for Tendo, she is the sort of boulder that a landslide might leave in the middle of the road. But boulders are also precious. If you think of Japanese landscapes, boulders are a symbol of permanence, strength and natural beauty. Like this:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-tranquil-zen-garden-of-kyoto-11696765/
Same here, Welmaris! I couldn’t approve of Tendo’s hot kiss if he was kissing her after insulting her competence. It would feel like a sadistic move.
It was a good thing that I read the notes on Blitzfanssub for the following episode, Ep 8. The subber mentioned that Sato Tekaru adlibbed (isn’t he great??) that scene with the hair band.
Nanase was committing one accident after another while helping around in his house. She almost scalded herself, too. So he called her over and told her that he didn’t date her so he would have someone to clean his house.
And as he said that, he removed her hair band and rumpled her hair in a very sexy way (at least I considered it sexy. It looked as if he was massaging her head). Now, according to Sato Tekaru, he did that because removing her headband was a sign that he found her attractive as a woman.
And it clicked for me then! Her clumsiness at housework could be added to her list of “flaws.” And Tendo’s reassurance that he was fine with it, reminded me of the kiss. It dawned on me then that there was a wordplay going on in Ep 7, and Nanase missed it. He was actually flirting with her when he said “Oh, we’re in different leagues alright.” It was a sexual innuendo!! And that’s why he gave her a hot kiss instead of a short and sweet peck.
😂
I guess after the hotel scene, he was upping his game. Just because he gave her a “respite” that night didn’t mean he wasn’t interested in kissing her. 😂 But he understood that she was such a newbie at this dating thing, that he would have to introduce her to the physical aspect of the relationship little-by-little.
When she moaned then about her uselessness,
That kiss was hot against the door was hot! 🥰
The ‘yes, we’re in different leagues‘ is the same with Xiao Nai getting oysters from WeiWei at the team dinner. 😈😉
Yes! You’re right about the music! When the sad music suddenly stopped, it was jarring as a needle scratching on a record!! Lol! Do kids nowadays even recognize that sound. It’s a screeching sound.
And cassette players didn’t have that scratched needle sound. The music ended automatically when you pressed on the stop/pause button. There was that popping sound though as you pressed the button.
Then with the advent of iPhones, the music stopped without a sound. 😂
Yes, you’re right about boulders. My favorite paperweight at work is a rounded stone that my husband found at a lake and gave to me. It’s my “worry” stone.
@Fern, thanks for that link about the zen rocks. Now I know why they had a mini version of that at the art gallery here near my area. They had a Japanese garden with the koi pond. ☺️
I love me a good Japanese garden. 😊
How about that Wakabayashi ? One could say that Tendo has been pursued by two obsessed women. One difference is that Wakabayashi knows that he has a girl friend and ignores that fact, in essence nullifying Tendo’s and Nanase’s relationship and putting her feelings first. Nanase, by contrast, was ready to drop everything when she thought that Ryuko was Tendo’s partner and was ready to sacrifice again when she thought that Tendo might fall for Wakabayashi – for his sake.
Wakabayashi is also confident that she is perfect for Tendo, where Nanase sees her own deficiencies but not her strengths which are in fact what Tendo needs and although it took him a while, he knows it now.
Tendo and Nanase are so forgiving of her ultimately. Best for the sake of the patients, I suppose. Personally, I don’t think I could ever fully trust someone like that and wouldn’t like working with them.
You’re right!
Nanase, when she thought Ryuko was the wife, apologized profusely (complete with bowing) and wanted to leave their condo ASAP. She felt like an intruder. She only paused on her way out when Tendo called out to his sister, saying she was a witch.
Meanwhile, Waka sought out Nanase’s company. Brash and cocky.
I don’t think Ryuko would have liked Waka as a sister-in-law, anyway. 😂
(I tried posting this before but I must have made a mistake.)
@packmule3, I agree that Ryuko wouldn’t like Wakabayashi as much as Nanase. Ryuko treats Nanase like the little sister she never had. I think Ryuko is an interesting character.
I read this last night and I was like ‘whose Waka?’ Reminded me of that whacking scene of Tendo and that guy in that video. 😂
I had Waka’s name in my head as Miori, her sister being Minori. 😁
I hate to add her complicated name to my iphone autocorrect dictionary.
That’s the main reason I don’t want to use the names of the secondary characters, and just name them according to their functions/roles in the drama like “moonface” or “prince” or “maggot.” lol. You see, once the name is added onto my iphone “predictive” vocabulary, the iphone uses it to autofill the words. Ugh.
I can’t delete these extraneous names unless I reset my iphone.
No worries 😄 I totally understand about the autocorrect ☹️ I’m just slow because I didn’t notice her name as Wakabayashi. 😬
I have to finish my Ep 7 write-up. I may have to break it up again and focus on the opening and ending kisses.
I want to finish my LLF write-ups before starting on Jerry’s drama.
Sounds good ☺️
CYLS is getting interesting now because Jerry’s decided that he will definitely come back as a designer.
I’ve only got CYLS and TH now so I’m taking my time with it. I have episode 9 & 10 for LLF. 😊
@agdr03, I’ve seen all available subbed episodes of CYLS. It looks like they’re doing about 4/week, so @packmule is correct that it will be a slog. Unless one is conversant in Chinese, of course. But that’s okay. We can savour it. I’ve come to like the FL more since the first episodes. She was quite immature early on but less so thanks to Jerry.
@Fern, I was all ready to relax this afternoon and watch episode 14 but there was none 😂 Bummer! But at least it’ll give me time to concentrate on TH. 😄
🙂 Yes, since the YOYO subbing team is only releasing 4 eps per week and it’s a 34 episode Cdrama, waiting for the new subs is going to be like watching the paint dry on the wall. If I can resist all this Jerry-talk, I’ll restart viewing when ep 26 is up. I’ll speed through them. 🙂
I’ll be looking at LLF ep. 7 and 8 a bit. I’m really enjoying TH – what about you? How many episodes have you watched?
No more dramas for me until later. -Must take younger daughter shopping for school supplies for her last year in secondary. 😢 You and @packmule3 did well to have boys, as girls are bloomin’ expensive.
@packmule3, thank you for the Atticus Finch pics. 😊
Hehehe don’t be too sure @Fern about boys not being expensive. I took youngest to buy his study chair and after choosing that we went to the pen section because Mom asked me to buy her one.
But youngest comes to me and asks if I can buy him this business pen for $10.60 for two. I said straight away that’s expensive for a pen but I gave in anyway. I should have said, what business are you in to need that pen? 😂
But it’s nice shopping with girls though. I so wanted youngest to be a girl but I think deep inside I wouldn’t be able to handle a girl. 😂
I think boys aren’t as expensive as girls to raise. There’s less variety of items available to guys.
Let’s be honest here, agdr03. Don’t WE have more material goods than our husbands? 🙂
But starting at 16 years old, the children can earn their own money. It doesn’t have to be big money, but just money that came from the “fruits of their LABOR.” In our neighborhood for instance, our association has a list of teenagers who can be hired to mow the lawn, babysit, walk the dog, take care of pets when you’re away, clear the snow off your sidewalk in winter, rake the yard in the fall, tutor kids, teaching swim class at the pool, teach tennis, and so on. I don’t know how much the going rate is for math tutors nowadays but yes, good money could be earned for just two, three hours a week of private tutoring. And since families know each other, it’s easy to work out problems should they arise (like rescheduling the appointment, and so on).
Then, by 18, my sons and their friends always had PAID summer jobs. None of their friends and girlfriends spent summer doing nothing. They were always interning at some firm or medical office, waitressing at a local eatery or working as lifeguards. For our boys, although their college experience was taken care of, we believed that they should learn the value of work. In the fall and winter, they would already search and interview for jobs for the following summer.
They felt very proud about their paychecks. And oh! They learned to pay taxes, to donate, and to save for retirement. lol. I thought it was funny that they were 18, 19 years old, and we were talking about retirement accounts and funds. But it was a good mindset to instill in them when they were young and malleable (lol). They shouldn’t earn money to just spend money; they earn money to invest money (or “create” more money) and help others.
The “helping others” is very important to us, too. I wanted my sons to understand that they have a privileged lifestyle, that they live in the wealthiest (or one of the wealthiest) country in the world, and that they got their internships and summer jobs because of their education and family connections. But the world isn’t like that. In large parts of the world, there is poverty. So, when they looked at their paycheck or accounts, I wanted them to also see how that money could go a long way if it was shared and invested in projects and charities that help others. Ten dollars might seem a whole lot to them if they were earning XX dollars per day for the summer. But that ten dollars could very well feed a family or provide water or do more good in another place. It’s a matter of perspective.
So… long story short, agdr03, when you look at $10.60 business pen, make sure you’re ready– at some point — to discuss your family values on money, too. It’s not really just about the $10. I’m sure you can afford to buy him a $200 Montblanc pen for graduation if you want to. 🙂 But what do you really want him to learn about money in the long run? That’s the important matter here.
Just my two cents (hahaha).
I appreciate the two cents, thanks. ☺️ And yes, I have more material things than hubby.
We do have discussions about money but for now I’m seeing the eldest as a spender and the youngest a saver. 😁
That’s great you’ve got those neighbourhood associations for earning money for teenagers. My eldest went for an interview at McDonald’s last year but he didn’t get accepted. Personally I don’t think he was ready but it was good for him to have a go. 😊
I don’t think I’ll buy him a $200 Montblanc pen, does that have some gold in it? 😆
The Montblanc pen. lol.
$200 is actually on the cheap end, agdr03. There’s the $1000+ fountain pen. I’m not sure if engraving your alma mater on the pen comes free or you have to pay extra for it.
But then, if you’re paying a thousand grand for a pen, why are you quibbling over a few more dollars to add the engraving, right?
I’m just shaking my head at the excesses of this world.
But I did tease my sons that hey, if they were signing with $1000 pen, that should better be a multi-million dollar deal they were signing on. Otherwise, that expensive pen wouldn’t be a wise Return-on-Investment.
But no, after paying for their college, apartments, and cars, they can get their darn pens. lol.
I am particular about pens though. I prefer the roller balls with fine point… 0.5mm or 0.7mm, I like pens that roll easily on paper, and leave no smudges. When I have to write or sign a lot, I don’t want a pen that I have to push hard on the paper and that feels “scratchy.” I want the pen to slide on paper.
Go ahead and test your household pens: Bic, Papermate, Pilot, etc. There’s really a difference. Your son knows.
As for working at fast foods, I recommend working at Chik-fil-A for teenagers. The company culture is different. And servers are taught efficiency, service and… manners.
lol.
It’s not joke (or an urban legend) that the servers are taught not to say, “No problem” whenever a customer thanks them. They’re taught to say, “My pleasure,” instead.
A nephew of mine used to work for Chick-fil-A. He was that absent-minded kid who’d forget his homework at home. But once he started working at CFA, he became more mindful. Of course, my brother and sister-in-law would embarrass him by going to the drive-through once in a while. hahaha.
Hahaha I’ll never buy a $1,000 pen ever. But you’re right about using it to sign a multi million dollar deal. That’s worth it. 😁
You shake your head and I’ll do my 🙄 on the excesses of our world.
We have the same taste in pens. I prefer the one that glides, preferably a fine 0.7mm. We like pilot and papermate more. The business pen is made in Japan so I know it’s good. Mind you he plays with it too like a launcher using the spring. 🤦🏻♀️
I’m not sure we have Chick-fil-A here in Oz. I’ll look it up. I’d be like your brother and sister law for sure. 😄 Thanks for the recommendation. ☺️
I like Chick-FiL-A.
During the COVID shutdown, my hubby and I had a couple of CFA dates. The lines at the drive-through were always the quickest compared to McDonald and Burger King. We ordered then ate the chicken sandwiches in the parking lot in our vehicle like we were teenagers.
But nooooooo! Don’t you dare disturb and embarrass your son at the workplace. Not good. 😂 You can hover like a helicopter parent at school but not at their workplace. That’s their “adult” space. 😂😂
I like a fine point pen but they aren’t as readily available here.
We’ve returned with an affordable, but possibly not sturdy, bag. We’ll see. The selection of school bags and shoes is so limited here this year. There are strict rules at most schools on what is acceptable, so companies generally get a lot of appropriate stock in. I don’t know if the manufacturers had problems or didn’t plan that the schools might reopen in September…
Speaking of clothes, Tendo wore a lighter coloured pullover in Ep. 7. Also, the iced tea spill was a blessing in disguise as it got Nanase out of the black or tan coats she had and into a light pink one that, imo, suits her much better.
I wouldn’t torment my children at their workplace unless they wanted my occasional presence or if it resulted in additional commission for them so that they would be insulted if I took my business elsewhere.
@packmule3, CFA sounds nice. That chain hasn’t arrived here yet, but we recently got 5 Guys and a Taco Bell that isn’t as awful as I remembered from some 20+ years ago. Nando’s is a favourite here, Pret a Manger and of course, good local chippies.
Yes, Chick-fil-A was a good fast food place for high school students to work at. (BTW, I’m not paid to say this, lol. 🙂 ) They’re aware that they’re hiring students so they work around the academic schedules of the employees. Studies came first. Like, before my nephew could get the extra hours/shifts he wanted, his manager checked how he was doing with his schoolwork.
Five Guys began near me. From what I recall, the five guys referred to the dad and his four sons. The fifth son came later. (lol. They didn’t have a daughter like my parents. pwahahaha) The burgers are the best but we have to watch our cholesterol.
Anyway, I always have a soft spot for working kids, whether it’s the girl scouts selling their cookies, the boy scouts with popcorn, or the teenager at the ice cream parlor. For me, they’re good traditions that should be passed down. Summer jobs, waitressing, and the work ethic.
All this discussion about expensive fountain pens is eye-opening to me, as I’ve not had my finger on the pulse of the writing implement market. I wonder how costly the fountain pens were that we saw in PBIO: the one used to murder the Moon brothers’ mom; the ornate one on MY’s desk (perhaps the murder weapon, left behind by her mom?) coveted by creepy patient Park, then wielded as a weapon by Nurse Park / MY’s mom; the one stolen by MY in the cafe.
It doesn’t quite fit here, but lacking any place better, I do want to ponder the significance of the FL’s name. I’m not going to try to parse Nanase, because meaning changes depending on the kanji used to write it, and I don’t have the skill set to dig into that. But I think we can all agree that the FL’s surname, Sakura, means cherry blossom. It is not an uncommon surname or given name in Japan. The cherry blossom is one of the two national flowers of Japan, the other being the chrysanthemum. So the name Sakura makes me think of something deeply tied to Japanese identify, something celebrated for its inherent beauty. And it also makes me think of the coming of spring. We’re told that Tendo’s deceased girlfriend liked winter best. The symbolism of Nanase Sakura’s name may be that she brings Tendo from coldness to warmth, barrenness to beauty.
I have been reading all your comments, but have not had time to write. It has been wonderful reading all the posts and comments. Thank you all.
I always wondered about Tendo’s behavior in this episode and like all the nincompoop, I thought he was referring to his educational qualifications. Thank you for explaining it different. His kiss at the end makes the key to the previous comment and behavior. I loved how he moved quickly towards her, as she was pitying herself and locked her in without giving her much more time to go on with her self pitying. I had enough of Nanase, doing that from episode 1. She is new at this, but pretty brave. I also liked how, Ryoku became best friends with her and encouraged her to be with Tendo even though she really did not have a boyfriend.
IT is nice to hear all the talk about school bags, ball point / gel pens and montblanc! While I was in Japan in Oct – Nov after the hurricane, I bought a couple of friction pens. I love these as you can erase the written word with the eraser like a pencil. If you live near Daiso, they have them for 2 bucks each. Also, you can use these frixtion pens in Rocket book (not advertising), where you can erase the enitre page by microwaving, or wiping it with water (different books). Love that too. Even though we have Electronic writing tools, writing on paper is completely different. I watched an inventors special on how this pen and ink came into existence on nhk
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/topinventions/20181220/2072010/
@Wellmaris, – I like the idea that Sakura (Nanasae) springs out of the cold winter (Tendo).
Those expensive pens are not popular in this side of the world. Same with the summer jobs. Over supply of labor force in here. Another thing is that some big universities offer trimester and quad-term type of learning styles, leaving the students no time to earn money – except for the super hardworking ones.
@Welmaris, I agree with your symbolism of Nanase Sakura’s name. Cherry blossom (Sakura in Japan) is a sign that winter is finally over, as the new season comes, environment feels warmer in spring where Sakura blooms. As Tendo’s coldness of heart due to Minori’s death has finally comes to an end, here comes Nanase’s new season of love bringing happiness and warmth.
Nanase is no longer a boulder to Tendo’s path. She becomes that adoring stone in Kyoto’s popular Ryoan-ji Temple (thanks @fern for that boulder link).Truly, Nanase Sakura is a symbol of new beautiful season for Tendo.
Off ep 7 topic:
I agree about having a soft spot for working teens. I spent SO much on Girl Scout cookies and things like wrapping paper and cards from neighbor’s children when I lived in Seattle. My mom always bought something from the Fuller Brush men because she said they work so hard and have a good product.
There is no door-to-door selling by children here in the UK as it has been deemed to be either unsafe or bothersome. The only doorbell ringers here are contractors who are drumming up work in the area and, rarely, adults looking for contributions to big charities. I think it’s a pity because it would be safe if an adult is with the young people, it teaches children how to communicate for a good cause and that getting money takes effort.
My daughter once wanted to sell lemonade by our front door because she saw it on an American show on TV, but we were told we couldn’t by the local council for Health and Safety reasons. This was back around 2006!
Howdy! ☺️
Queen and @Fern, I’ll follow on that no showing up at your child’s work. I’m still learning parenting skills I’m afraid. I guess it should have obvious because even now at school, I seem to embarrass them but I’m like, how? 🤷🏻♀️ See, this blog is not just for dramas but there’s parenting advice too which is great. ☺️
@angelwingssf, thanks for the info on those friction pens at Daiso. I’ll check them out when I next visit my sister. ☺️
Oh, I love this insight, Welmaris! You’re right. “The symbolism of Nanase Sakura’s name may be that she brings Tendo from coldness to warmth, barrenness to beauty.”
She is like that proverbial breath of fresh air.
And to those living in the tropics —
it’s commonly believed that your favorite season tells a lot about your personality. Spring is associated with rebirth, rejuvenation, renaissance, renewal. It’s a happy season. Gardeners love this season because everything’s blooming again, and the pastel colors of crocuses and tulips, the cheerful yellow of daffodils, and the canopy of pink from cherry blossom trees are so gorgeous after a winter of white snow. To love spring is to live “in the moment” because flowers and everything else beautiful last only a few days.
Summer? Summer is associated with passion. Take the word “sultry.” That’s an adjective used for both summer and sexuality. Sultry is for hot and humid weather and sultry is also for passionate looks and sexy appearance.
Autumn or fall is associated with majesty and grandeur, and melancholy and reflection on life. You can’t help feeling autumn. Leaves are falling to the ground, and while you’re stepping on them like they’re red carpet, you begin to understand that life blooms and life withers. It’s cyclical.
Me? I like autumn because I get to wear my scarves. It’s all about the scarves… and leather boots for me. I can wear black everyday and still feel chic and ageless because of a scarf and a pair of boots.
Winter is associated with — well, it depends on your age. When my sons were babies, I loved winter because it was fun making snow angels on the lawn, and making an sledding hill on the driveway. We had neighbors’ kids join us for an impromptu snow party for the first day of snow when school (and therefore work) is cancelled. Hot cocoas were for the kids, and (spiked) hot apple ciders for the moms and dads. But snow days are rare now.
So winter can be associated with bleakness. And pain-in-the-back. It’s back-breaking to shovel snow. I’ve been thinking of getting my hubby an gas-operated MANplow but as usual, he thinks it’s a sign of old age if he gives in to these newfangled snowplows. Apparently, he grew up in the frozen tundras of Siberia.
So there you have it. A brief overview of the seasons. Yesterday, we talked about pens and today I’m writing about seasons.
@packmule3, about this time of year my father-in-law says ‘The days are drawing in.’ I think it must be a Brit expression, but he’s right. Due to very windy weather recently there are leaves and pine needles down everywhere in a preview of autumn. Me, I love my turtlenecks, boots and the smell of fallen leaves but still wish for a couple of more weeks of summer here, please, please.
By coincidence, the name of the active volcano across the bay from Nanase’s hometown of Kagoshima, is Sakurajima. From wiki: “Sakurajima (Japanese: 桜島, literally “Cherry blossom Island”) is an active stratovolcano, formerly an island and now a peninsula, in Kagoshima Prefecture”
Thanks @pm3 for that mini-talk on seasons. I got one of my “lucky stars” a decade ago so I got to experience those 4 seasons for almost 3 years. I enjoyed every single season except that my body’s not used to winter temperature. Our home country has only summer and rainy season. But I find it fashionable to wear turtlenecks, nice coat and boots! Hubby and I were like a child playing and catching snow. I especially like autumn because of the colorful leaves and spring because of the sakura around my neighborhood. It felt so lonely in winter when I see the trees without a single leaf. Those were wonderful memories!
I love spring because of the colours and because I like wearing dresses. ☺️ Summer is too hot here so I’ve never been into it and winter can be very cold so nah. But I like to wear turtlenecks, scarf and boots. 😃
@Fern, thanks for that info on the Cherry Blossom Island volcano. Reminded me about missing out on seeing the cherry blossoms in Japan when we went there in 2018. ☹️
As a tourist I love Autumn and Winter with the colourful falling leaves and the snow. I know the story will be a little different if I weren’t a tourist, because then I’d have to manage all the work that goes into living through those seasons. I remember being in Japan on a snowy day. It was beautiful and not all that cold. But I also saw how the people had to keep the ice off the roads, and the danger of slippery paths, etc. So I’m still thankful for my hot/wet/dry and humid home. LOL.
I’ve yet to catch the full cherry blossom time … I believe the season sort of moves up or down the country, so one might have to chase it, or be fortunate to have picked the right weeks to be in a cherry blossom place.
Yeah @GB, we totally missed out on our readings of that year for cherry blossoms 😄 But the good thing is it’s the main reason we need to go back 😉
Oh I don’t like packing for winter holidays 😁Its just thick stuff everywhere 😆
I’ve never lived for any length of time in a hot country. I suppose in the winter England is warm compared to parts of the USA, but in the summer it’s def. cooler. We have 4 seasons but less extreme. I like it and have become a weather wimp.
I have to agree with @packmule3 that shoveling snow is over-rated. But as a child I remember waking up to the slow scraping rhythm of snow shovels on cement and being excited that a snow had fallen overnight.
Because everyone walked to school, our school only shut once when 58cm of heavy snow fell in one drop. The city was paralysed and quiet. My dad unearthed his vintage cross-country skis and we kids learned the hard way that snow isn’t as cushy as it looks when jumping into it from 12 feet up.
@agdr03, yes many thick things for a winter trip. No way to avoid the baggage surcharge, especially if it coincides with Christmas because there are also presents going both directions.
When I worked in Seattle, there was a big grove of cherry blossom trees at the University and others in the arboretum as well. I miss that. I would love to see the blossoms in Japan or Korea.
Waaaa! Look at those blossoms 😍 Such big trees too! Wow! Thanks @Fern!
Same here, I hope to see it in Japan and Korea! ☺️
I think if anything I’d welcome snow in our place but to actually go to the snow, I think I’ll wait a bit more. A couple of times is enough. 😃
Right, Eureka?! I love spring but autumn always make me think of fashion. 🙂 Maybe it’s because growing up, we were accustomed to shopping for clothes for the new school year.
And the trees without a leaf do look sad. There’s one kdrama we watched this year where the cinematography showed a winter tree looking like hand with fingers grasping for the full moon. When I saw that scene (it’s that Jung HaeIn kdrama) I knew what it was trying to say: lonely, unrequited love. 😂
I’m thankful too for our home with 2 seasons, but having 4 seasons is like having a new feeling for each season. New season new adventure new mindset. If the current season doesn’t seem so good, it’s easier to move on with a change of environment. I just don’t know with this pandemic, I hope we can move on gracefully.
@Fern – The video you posted about Cherry blossoms in UW brings back memories. That was the first place I saw cherry blossoms and it was wonderful. My son was an undergrad there, so saw it everytime I visited him. I guess there is a row of cherry blossoms in Washington DC also, which were gifted by Japan long time ago and everyone talks about that. So, hopefully when the corona virus gets a vaccine, I will travel to see that. Definitely want to visit Japan again and Kyoto and Nara which have a huge set of cherry blossoms.
I hate winter – was born in it since I have to dress heavily to bear the cold. Love the spring. We have a lot of festivals in spring and summer and can wear nice clothes.
@Fern, that video must be from a previous year, because pandemic lockdown closed the UW Mall this year during cherry blossom season. We had plane tickets to fly up to visit our daughter so we could see it together as we do each year, but it was not meant to be in 2020.
Where I live in Southern California, we joke that we have two seasons: fire and mudslide. If it’s dry, the hills may (and often do) burn. I even call the hot, dry winds we get off the desert Arsonist Weather because it does bring them out, damn them! And when we do get our rains, the hills that have been denuded by fire no longer have vegetation to hold the soil in place, so down come the hillsides. That’s why I’d never buy a home on a hillside here in SoCal, even if I had the money, despite the view being stunning.
@angelwingssf, at the spring and summer festivals, is it traditional clothing or just your favourite clothes for special occasions?
@Fern – All festivals are traditional clothing. All made of silk and embroidery of various colors and latest fashion. I am usually not up to date with the fashion in the industry, living here in the US. But I purchase new stuff every time I go home. It is like I need an extra suitcase just for my things. We don’t dispose them like normal clothing. We keep all of them, may be share with a friend or relative.
@Welmaris, I am so sorry to hear you say that. I lived in Socal sometime ago in Torrance – pretty close to the beach, so not on the hillside. But the closest one to us was the Palos Verdes Peninsula and which is certainly beautiful. I had not heard any mud sliding there, but it can happen. Beautiful – nonetheless. If I was loaded, I would definitely get a place there.
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@Welmaris, you are right. The video is from 2019. Sad to hear that it was closed off.
@angelwingssf, it would be wonderful to see a festival like that. Which ones are your favourites?
There is really nothing comparable here, unless you count re-enactments. Then you might see Medieval, Tudor, Viking, World wars, etc. We were supposed to see a Mayflower celebration this summer for 400 years but all was cancelled.