Overview: With the help of his close friend, Hashimoto (Ben Balmaceda), Yoshida (Alex Hom) must deal with how he will truly help Sayu (Jill Harris) once and for all.
Our Take: Sayu’s true hardships surrounding her home life unravel in such a way that shows how tough she had it growing up. It touches powerful social issues, like that of abortion and infidelity, and the detrimental effects that can make parents absolute scumbags, which is a powerful testament to how beautifully resilient Sayu is as character.
Yoshida loves to hide his emotions and play aloof and thankfully he finally gets the wake up call he needs from his best friend. Hashimoto has had a bite-sized part in Yoshida’s life, always having his best interests at heart in regards to the advice he offers in handling Sayu. His forceful yet meaningful confrontation making Yoshida come to terms with how he feels about Sayu solidifies their close knit friendship and is a pivotal progression of his role.
Sayu and Yoshida’s final day does not disappoint in not only cementing their dedication and care to one another in a night under the stars. Their intimate bedtime conversation, after, has Yoshida fully committing to his feelings and helping Sayu confront her toxic, devil of a mother. It makes for a strong point of development in his honesty but also for Sayu in distinguishing the strength that she has cultivated in finally confronting her demons. It is a wonderfully sweet scene in their closer relationship becoming even more heartfelt and personal.