This episode reminds me of a haiku. It’s pithy, and the ending is unexpected.

I chose four haikus from the famous poet Basho which I’ll be revising for my (evil) purposes. lol.

What quietness!
Penetrating the rocks,
The voices of cicadas!

An old pond,
A frog jumps in,
The sound of water.

Spring is passing.
The birds cry, and the fishes’ eyes are
With tears.

Autumn moonlight–
a worm digs silently
into the chestnut.
(Translated by Robert Hass)

And here are the five surprises from this episode.

1. Family

It bodes well that Tendo liked her crazy and garrulous family. I’ll modify the first Basho haiku mentioned above to relate it to this family dinner.

What racket!
Penetrating the ears,
The voices of family!

Dad: This is a surprise. I didn’t expect Nanase to bring home a doctor like you.
Mom: Exactly! There’s nothing sexy or cute about her, and she’s so clumsy and lazy on weekends. All she does is sleep like a seal.

Aha! So this is where Nanase got the idea that she wasn’t sexy: from her mother’s fault-finding. I find it sweet that in Tendo’s confession to Nanase, he mentioned all these shortcomings and converted them into her endearing qualities. In effect, he was saying that he accepted her the way she was, warts and all.

I think that the mom’s comment about Nanase sleeping like a seal foreshadows not only her falling quickly asleep while snuggled up to Tendo, but also her comatose.

Nanase: Mom, cut it out.
Brother: Nonsense. Nanase is the best girl in this Kyushu island.
Nanase: You’re exaggerating too much, Brother.
Grandpa: Let’s just toast to this occasion.

I remember Nanase’s prayer in the Temple of the Cat God. She prayed to meet a man different from the men in her family. She said that her grandpa was very skilled but liked to drink, and her dad was an honest man but a pushover. She didn’t mention her brother. To me, her brother was a pot-stirrer. Although he was protective of Nanase, he ended up causing her trouble because of his rash words.

Clearly, Cat God clearly listened to Nanase’s request because unlike her grandpa, Tendo wasn’t an alcoholic but a workaholic. Unlike her dad, Tendo was brutally honest and no man’s fool. And unlike her brother, Tendo was very protective of her that he ended up causing trouble for HIMSELF because of his cautious actions. lol. Do you see where he was *protective* of her? I’ll explain later….

Brother: Anyways! If you came all this way, does that mean…
Grandma: Of course he is! Come on, hurry up and just say it. A man needs to be spontaneous! Aren’t you here to ask for her hand?

I like the grandma’s comment here. “A man needs to be spontaneous!” Tendo isn’t spontaneous but Nanase is certainly bringing spontaneity back into his life.

Nanase: Grandma!
Mom: Marriage?! Is that true? Is this what this is? I can’t believe I’m getting such a handsome son-in-law.

lol. This is an awkward scene, but at least the mom was praising Tendo for his good looks, not his income. That would have been crass, like Mrs. Bennet in “Pride and Prejudice.”

Grandpa: (again) This calls for a celebration. Let’s drink!
Mom: My daughter is far from perfect but please take care of her forever.

I think this is funny, too. The mom and grandparents bowed their heads as if in gratitude. Was Tendo doing them a big favor for taking Nanase away from their family? Why are they so eager to marry her off? lol. I’d be embarrassed — and hurt — if I were Nanase.

Nanase: Wait! No! It’s not like that.
Brother: (misinterpreting) It’s not like that? Then what is it? (asking Tendo) Have you tricked our Nanase?
Grandma: You tricked us?
Mom: Our family had terrible luck with men (looking at Grandpa and husband). I knew it was too good to be true.

Suddenly, their opinions of Tendo did a 180 degree turn without Tendo even saying a word. It’s the brother’s fault for whipping up a storm. He meant well but I wish he’d listen first and stop jumping to conclusions.

Tendo: Uhh…
Grandpa: Come on. Let’s all just drink here.
Brother: Nanase! Forget this con artist already! I’ll introduce to you a great guy. There’s a new farmer name Harashima…
Nanase: (standing up) That’s enough.

Tendo looked shocked at her outburst. I approve of Nanase’s fierce defense of her man. I think it parallels that scene in Episode 10 when Tendo spoke up for her in front of his family. They both claimed that the other person changed them for the better.

Nanase: (continuing) This man is my soul mate! I met him on my high school graduation trip, and he showed me the way to my future. He’s really, really important to me. And yet…how could you all call him….
Mom: We all know. You’ve said it at least a million times.
Everybody: …At least! We’ve heard it over and over…and over.
Dad: Can we all stop talking already? Mr. Tendo, I apologize for how loud my family is.
Tendo: It’s okay.

And they offered a toast to each other. Then his brother started asking hard questions again. (lol. He should be a reporter.)

Brother: May I ask you a question, Dr. Tendo? What do you like about her?
Nanase: Brother, do you really have to ask that?
Grandma: Yes. We all really want to know.
Grandpa: How did you meet?
Mom: How did you two start dating?
Nanase: How…did we…? (Flashback to when Tendo declared that he would be her boyfriend.)

Grandma: (persisting) Did he tell you that he loves you?
Mom: I really want to hear this! So, what did you like about her?

Tendo looked cornered. But their neighbors saved him when they all barged in the house uninvited and joined the conversation. Beside him, Nanase had an epiphany.

Nanase: You never told me…You never told me that you like me!
Tendo: Huh?

I think they were at cross-purposes here. Nanase was saying that he LITERALLY had never told her that he liked her. Tendo was shocked and confused to hear this because he thought it was obvious from his actions that he liked her. Actions speak louder than words.

Besides, when he hugged her earlier, he said, “Don’t disappear by yourself. We said we’ll be together forever.” In his mind, he already told her that he liked her. But Nanase wanted to know his REASONS, of course.

I like that Nanase broached the topic again on the walk home from the sauna. Previously, she would have held it all in.

Nanase: You never told me what you like about me.
Tendo: I couldn’t say it in front of all those people.
Nanase: Then tell me now.

Tendo: (looking at her)
Nanase: (seeing his look and changing her mind) I’m sorry I got too excited.

She interpreted his look as disapproving, so she changed her mind. If I were her, however, I would have waited it out a few more seconds to see if HE could be tempted or flustered to reveal his reasons for me.

She then shivered.

Nanase: (rubbing her hands) The nights are only getting colder. (blowing her hands)

To HER surprise, Tendo took one hand and put it inside his pocket. To MY confusion, he took one of her hands and put it inside his pocket.

lol. This is one romantic trope in kdramas that I don’t get. If a guy stuffs one of her hands in his pocket, what will happen to the other hand? Isn’t it still exposed to the cold? Isn’t this being discriminatory? What good does it make if one hand is warm and the other hand is freezing?

But this was a good sign for Tendo. Previously, he would have found these gestures cloyingly sweet, (like wiping the ice cream smudge on her nose) and protested doing them for her.

2. Father and Tendo/son-in-law talk

I couldn’t help comparing Nanase’s situation to Ryuko’s. Ryuko felt uncomfortable introducing her boyfriend to their parents, not only because of their age difference, also because of their obvious disparity in education, social status, and financial independence. The scene when she introduced her boyfriend to Dr. Rokuru was awkward enough.

This is one distinct advantage of having an older boyfriend like Tendo. He got along well with his future father-in-law, and put the old man’s heart at ease when they had a man-to-man talk. Tendo exuded confidence, maturity, and stability.

If Tendo was a haiku, he would go like this (with apologies to Basho) —

An old pond,
Tendo jumps in,
The sound of applause.

Dad: So is my daughter doing well?
Tendo: Yes. She was a little reckless at first, but she has since then become a great nurse.
Dad: That’s good. (confiding) Back when she was in middle school, one of her track and field teammate got hurt and wasn’t able to make the race anymore. The child volunteered to be the substitute for the relay. I tried to stop her, but she insisted that she was going to run it. In the end, she managed to complete her leg of the race. But just as she completed the race, she collapsed on the spot and stopped moving. She had stress fractured her foot. Yet, she still had a huge grin on her face. “I’m so glad that I could pass the baton,” she said. That’s the kind of person she is.

Tendo was about to say something but Nanase and her mom arrived.

I think, however, Tendo was only momentarily interrupted. He was able to continue his conversation with Nanase’s father the following day at the bus stop.

This scene is in the “Director’s Cut” for Episode 9 which is available here in this link. Thanks to blitzfansub for subbing everything for the LLF’s fans.

 

While Nanase ran off to get some last-minute packages from her mom and brother, Tendo and her  dad continued their interrupted conversation.

Dad: Doctor, please take good care of my daughter.

Then they both watched Nanase, laughing in the sunlight.

Tendo: She’s always so pure and honest. I’m always surprised by her inner strength. You won’t believe how much she’s given me. She’s way too good for me.

To me, Tendo was indirectly communicating to her father that he understood his message very well last night. Her father had told him about the Nanase’s sports injury so he would become aware that Nanase was a kindhearted girl who’d cheerfully help somebody, even at great personal cost.

But Tendo could already see Nanase’s good qualities without being told. He knew she’d find the inner strength to finish the race because he witnessed her unflagging energy when caring for her patients. He knew she’d be content to pass the baton because he’d seen her try to make him smile.

Without having to be told, he already knew that Nanase was a precious person.

He couldn’t express all these in front of the whole family at dinner last night but he readily confided in her father what she meant to him. He was reticent to broadcast his feelings to other people for their amusement. But in private, he reassured her father of his honorable intentions for Nanase.

I like Tendo’s 45 degree bow here. There was mutual respect between him and his father-in-law.

And here, too. He bowed to her family. I find this is Japanese custom really quaint.

His behavior here was an odd contrast to his non-existent bow to Nanase’s new employer. He only slightly nodded his head in greeting.

I attributed his coldness to two reasons.

One, he probably didn’t like it when the old Doctor scolded them, “What are you doing? In a public place?” He probably thought it was none of the old geezer’s business what he chose to do in public with his girlfriend.

Two, he probably thought that he had to pry Nanase away from the Doctor’s employment. He didn’t like the idea that Nanase working for someone else.

3. On death

I like this scene with the Old Doctor. Again if I may “borrow” one of Basho’s poem, I’ll rewrite it thus:

Death is coming.
The birds cry, and the Nanase’s eyes are
Round with unshed tears.

Doctor: This hospital is different from the kind of hospitals you are at. We can’t save patients. Of course, if they just have a cold, they can get better. But most of my job is to watch people as they die. As long as you’re alive, everyone’s destined to die. That’s why it’s not about giving up on life but it’s about accepting death. In order to do that, I’m here to help them fulfill all their life’s goals, and to help them die the way they want.

Nanase: The way they want.
Doctor: Then again, I’m plenty old myself. I don’t know how long I can keep doing it. Sakura, if you have a place to work, you should go back there.
Nanase: But…
Doctor: But this is not the place to learn the skills you need. Dr. Tendo, you need to go save lives of the people who want to live.
Tendo: Yes.

This encounter influenced him to agree to treat the cancer patient with six-months to live. The patient opted out of the chemotherapy, but he wanted an ablation done so he could travel with his wife for the remaining time they had together. According to him, he’d been working all his life, and this was his last chance to take his wife on a tour around Japan.

Upon hearing this, Tendo decided to perform the procedure. Ironically enough, he was saving the old man so he could die the way he wanted.

The other direct benefit of Tendo’s encounter with the Old Doctor was he was able to cope better with Nanase’s accident. To me, he was able to remain stoic for the four days she was in coma because he’d been reminded that, “As long as you’re alive, you’re destined to die.” But he wasn’t giving up on Nanase yet because she had promised that she wouldn’t leave him.

4. Nanase’s accident

I think the car accident, as well as Nanase’s hospital stay, were badly staged but since this dorama wasn’t going for realism, I let them go without my usual bitchy critique.

What interests me about Nanase’s accident was that for the first time Tendo had a premonition that something bad was going to happen to her. (He would have this again in Episode 10 when Nanase visited his family’s home.) I didn’t think he’d be the type to have this premonitions but he had two flashbacks. One, he remembered her father’s story that she suddenly collapsed and stopped moving after a race, and two, he remembered Miori’s death. He was then struck with fear that Nanase could have been badly injured herself from the accident, but was heroically working through the pain in order to care for others.

Tendo: (rushing to her side) You should go take it easy. (grabbing her arm to make her listen) Hey!

He was panicking but she ignored him. She told him that other people were in worse condition that she was.

Tendo: I know but… (he couldn’t express his fear)
Nanase: Doctor, I’m a nurse. Not to mention, I’m a nurse that you mentored. I’ll be okay. I won’t leave you. So please let’s save the others.

Tendo just looked at her. He realized that she understood his UNSPOKEN fear.

I like this scene because she instinctively knew Tendo’s biggest fear at this moment: losing her. She must have remembered that he’d said that the pain and fear of losing someone dear still remained with him. And she also remembered that he told her when he found her, “Don’t disappear by yourself. We said we’ll be together.” She knew that Tendo was frightened that something bad would happen to her and she’d “leave” him.

Tendo: (peering into her eyes) I’ll trust you.

Awww. This is a sweet moment. He obviously wasn’t referring to her medical skills; he wasn’t talking about his trust in her abilities to save others. Instead, he was telling her that he would hold her to her promise NOT to “leave” him and die on him.

But then she collapsed on him afterwards.

Good save!!! I like that he protected her head. This scene reminds me of the other time she fainted on him and he was yelling her name.

Unlike that other time, she didn’t wake up right away. He couldn’t complain that she just fell asleep and needed only two stitches.

He spent three nights by her bedside, and on the fourth day, he scolded her.

Tendo: Stop sleeping so much. Stupid.

lol. I’m sorry, but I laughed when he called her stupid. I think, after enduring this bedside watch patiently for three nights, he was already at the end of his rope. And as usual, when he was most upset or overwhelmed, he resorted to insults.

Tendo: (continuing) Hurry up and wake up. This useless boulder.

She heard him and moved her fingers. This is a reverse-Sleeping Beauty trope. Instead of being awakened by a kiss, she awoke to his insults.

Tendo: Sakura? (she opened her eyes) Sakura. Can you hear me?
Nanase: Doctor. OH yeah. I was in an accident.
Tendo: That’s right. You were in a coma for three days.
Nanase: What about everybody there? All the others who were in the accident?
Tendo: They’re fine.
Nanase: And Sugarawara’s ablation?
Tendo: It went well.
Nanase: That’s good. Thank goodness. Doctor, long time no see. (he turned around so she called after him) Doctor? What’s wrong?

And now, we have the dramatic scene.

Tendo: How you always give your best effort at everything. How, no matter how much I scold you, you never get dejected. How you constantly observe your patients.
Nanase: Doctor?
Tendo: How you trust people blindly. How you were raised with so much love. How you don’t realize your sexy. (controlling his tears) You sing your weird song when you’re drunk, and you can’t eat ice cream without making a mess. You can’t do any chores. And you fall asleep too easily. (tears falling now) But when you laugh, you’re the cutest thing in the world. If these words make you happy, then I’ll say them whenever you want. (turning to face her) I like you. I love you. So please, don’t you dare leave me again.

And there we have it! His fear that he would be left behind and be alone again.

Nanase: Okay. Doctor.
Tendo: What is it?
Nanase: Will you say them whenever I want?
Tendo: Hmm?
Nanase: Please tell me more.
Tendo: There’s no more.
Nanase: Huh?
Tendo: I ran out of things to say.
Nanase: (giggling) You’re so mean! Doctor?
Tendo: What is it?
Nanase: I’m hungry.
Tendo: Baka.

Tendo’s breakdown reminds me of Basho’s haiku on the worm digging into the chestnut. Nanase is like that worm; she burrowed herself into Tendo’s heart. So let me tinker with the haiku —

A worm digs silently
into the chestnut —
Nanase in his life.

Kidding aside, I think this scene is a nice mix of sentimentality and gruffness. Although I like that he cried, it would’ve been out of character if he started bawling endlessly. I also like that he returned to his usual tsundere mode because it meant that he was calming himself down.

He’s finally able to communicate what Nanase had been waiting to hear from him since their family dinner.

Her brother asked him why he liked Nanase but he didn’t reply.

******************

Will continue this tonight.