Okay…We are back to this lovely drama and episode two, awesomely titled ‘Love is War’, picks up from where we left off last episode.

Unlike some dramas that I will refrain from mentioning, Sono Hatsu didn’t wash over the happenings of the kiss as some irrelevant experimentation, which by the way, could have easily gone that way as the kiss happened because Saki wanted to show Hiroko how a kiss is not such a big deal like Hiroko was making it out to be. Usually that would have been that, and I bet you a million won that were this a KEY production, that would have been the case, but not here.

No Soiree….

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

At home later than night Hiroko is damaging her brain by trying to dissect and pull apart the meaning of that kiss. She watches all kinds of famous romantic movies and reflecting on how she so wanted her first kiss to be just as dramatic and also how she so respected the meaning behind a ‘first kiss’.

Poor poor Hiroko….

At this time we get some more insight into the every day life of her family and it is so laid back that I bet they would support their daughter in everything she decided to do. Well, Hiroko was the obedient kind of girl so there was no need for extra observation on her but still. Too laid back. Big Bro is watching prons with a tissue box at hand (Dude knows how to live) while her parents are in the living room enjoying the American dream.

Any ways getting back to Hiroko who is confused the brains out of her skulls and decides to settle on it being abnormal for girls to kiss other girls. And well, this being Japan in 1992, well, okay, 1992 wasn’t that green when it comes to girls’ love so let me de-rail that train.

Next day Saki is absent, as she mostly always is, and Hiroko is of course relieved because she didn’t know how she was supposed to act like when they met. As to where Saki was at that moment, she was in fact visiting her Uncle’s workshop. I guess I don’t have to spell it out for you guys that she has a major crush on him! And BTW, he in return has a major hard on for Saki’s Mom, so you can see how complicated things actually are at this time. Don’t follow? Let me break it down for you then.

Hiroko is crushing so hard on Katase that she felt dejected that her first kiss that she was saving for him (apparently) was lost to Saki. Katase in turn is secretly (or is it?) heart-stalking Saki. Saki on the other hand is crushing on her Uncle. The Uncle is of course chasing the wild Saki’s Mom and at this moment, None is having what they want.

Going back on track, back at school Hiroko and her best pal are stalking their crushes, well, for Hiroko it’s only a crush where as her friend is actually dating, nay, is doing it like the rabbits do it with her boy friend. Just the night before she had prank-called Hiroko pretending to be Katase…from a love motel! Any way, the are outside the guys’ classroom where the two are practicing for a play ( Princess Snow White) and guess which parts the two are playing…

Hiroko finally gets the chance to talk to Katase and in fact wins herself a date (Well to her any way) – Okay it was a date no matter how you look at it. I mean they went to the movies and everything…BUT they didn’t hold hands or ride a felis wheel, thank God for that! It was quite cute watching Hiroko put her feet in her mouth when speaking to Katase. She was just so good at playing this cute innocent character that I don’t wonder why Saki teased her for it anymore.

But

But

BUT

As she celebrates to her friends in class after scoring a date, in walks none other than Saki. No surprises where Hiroko’s eyes were magnetically pulled and why she went limp all of a sudden. Still not a shocker when Saki greets with a biting remark on how noisy the three are being as always. Hiroko’s non-virgin best pal wants to pick a fight (seriously?) but Hiroko defuses the situation before it blows over. Hmmm….Is she starting to see the light? Well, the way she kept stealing glances Saki’s way after wards points to that conclusion. She didn’t exchange a word with Saki the whole day.

Too chicken.

But she will argue that she had much better things on her mind like worrying about what to wear on her date with Katase-senpai or how she should wear her hair…yada yada yada…

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

The date!

Which I would have liked to skip like there was no tomorrow but sadly, I can because guess who showed up like a beacon of light in a dark tunnel…

Mistress Saki herself! And boy does she know fashion! Well her mother is loaded and she being into photography and art, she must be pretty great with fashion too so I guess that’s where Saki comes from!

Back to the date, Saki says the ‘D’ word and you could clearly hear the birds mocking in the awkwardness of the situation. A girl kissed by Saki only two days before, on a date with a guy who is supposed to have a crush on Saki…LOL

I tell ya, the tension could be cut with just finger scissors!

Saki being Saki, won’t just leave with peace in her absence. NOPE! First she helps herself to Katase’s snack, which of course has to have set Hiroko seething inside. Then as she leaves, she drops the final finisher by complimenting how good the kiss she shared with Hiroko a night before felt and how soft Hiroko’s lips felt!

Um…Awkward levels over 9000!

That being a level too much for anyone, there was no way Hiroko could continue her date and face the inevitable firing squad so she bolts after Saki, who by the way was cycling away but Hiroko is on the track team, remember? So catching a bike ain’t no thin’ to her. When she catches up to Saki Hiroko demands why she had to say such a thing to which Saki answers that it’s because it was funny. Hiroko snaps (watch out for the quite ones) and pushes Saki over causing her to lose control and the two fall all over themselves and knees are hurt and some other things…

Leaving it to fates to play with our lives, as this turn of events leads Hiroko to be invited over to Saki’s place for the first time. Needless to say it is huuuuge and so different from Hiroko’s own four person house! And Saki must be living in that place all on her own with her mother’s job being of the travel category!

During this time the two finally have a heart to heart as they pour out their feelings for each other with Hiroko admitting that if Saki keeps on doing these (mean) things, they will never get along. When she asks what the frak Hiroko is going on about, Hiroko admits that she simply detests Saki. Seems the hate isn’t only one sided as Saki replies that she too hates girls that act childish like Hiroko. Hiroko pounces like a wild cat ready to rip Saki’s feathers off her skin (she really is a tiger in a sheep’s skin, ain’t she? that Hiroko!) but thankfully Saki doesn’t bait as she back away from the confrontation. She instead says that if Hiroko wants to do it (Fight, not the other best choice, sadly) then they should do it with words instead of fists. Saki whispers this in Hiroko’s personal space which earns her a ‘pervert’ from Hiroko!

So I guess Saki was being mean to Hiroko for the sake of being mean then…I am disappoint!

Seeing an opportunity, Hiroko doesn’t fail to ask what Saki’s relationship is to Katase, of course. To which Saki replies that they are just childhood friends and she only still relates to him because from all her middle school’s friends he is the only one that didn’t change but tells Hiroko not to worry because it’s not like she likes him or anything…Is that so…Well I say to thee, it’s goo to hear!

Later that evening, Hiroko has her second date in the same day! That’s a frikking record, right? During the day, a date with a guy and at night, one as well with a girl.

Oh Hiroko you lucky girl, you!

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Where as during the day she went to the movies, and the park, during the night with Saki she went to a five start dinner (dressed like that? really?), went clubbing (where a guy tried to hit on her but she was saved by Saki who probably said ‘SHE’S WITH ME BITCH, GET LOST!) Then she broke her first law by breaking into the public swimming pool to get sober, okay, I guess that was her second since her first was drinking while underage, and then, there at the swimming pool, with her head swmming with alcool, gears that started in the club continue to turn. The way Hiroko gazes after a retreating Saki after she saves her does nothing but to prove ma point that every girl really does indeed need her own Superman. This is where Hiroko starts to see Saki in a new light.

This is where things starts to get interesting.

Which turns the levels up a notch at the pool where the two bond and smile stupidly at each other and still all the while Hiroko’s image of Saki is changing. Now she is thinking that Saki is actually a doll masquerading as a human. And then it was Hiroko’s turn to start watching Saki in slow-mo with mesmerised eyes as she swan all her worries away.

LOL.

Like I said…pretty interesting.

And that’s not all. When Hiroko helps Saki out of the pool, she blinds her with this heart-melting smile which leaves Hiroko deluding herself that she thought Saki was going to kiss her again…At this moment I am like…

The night guard finally catches up with them which puts the end to the fun! (grumble grumble).

 
 
 

The next morning at school, when Katase and Hiroko meet again and he asks her what happened the day before after they separated, we learn that last night when Hiroko went back home and she saw that can of juice that she had bought while on the ‘guy-date’, she finally remembered about poor poor Katase whom she had completely forgotten about all through her time with Saki!

At this I was like…HAH! Take that!

During their conversation, Katase observes that Hiroko is much calmer than she usually is while talking to him which also catches Hiroko’s attention!

*Ting* – Goodbye crush, welcome friendship! Well, that crush lasted shorter than Kim’s marriage!

And

AND!

Did I mention how frikkin great this drama is! Because the fun does not end there! NOPE! Katase asks Hiroko to wait for him which means going home together. This usually would set a girl into a crazed frenzy finally getting the opportune to walk home with their crush as they would finally looks like a couple!

But guess what…GUESS WHAT!

Our dear Hiroko finds that her heart is not filled with the abounds of joy that she should be. Nay! Guess where her thoughts go off to as she waits for Katase – ‘Ding’ She is thinking of that kiss with Saki!

Poor Hiroko doesn’t understand yet at this time why she isn’t jumping with joy after this chance to walk with Katase revealed itself to her. As they walk, she finally reveals her worries and spills what transpired last night with Saki. Katase, being the friend now that he is, HAH! Observes again how that sounded like a date. Hiroko then concludes that if that were the case then she had a DD (Double Date). Funny how her own revelation doesn’t actually click with her yet! Katase says how glad he is that two two are close because Saki was in serious need of a friend. To which Hiroko thinks – ‘Friend’?! *snicker* Bitch please…And take that as you will.

But the sweetness is not to end here!

-I love this drama so much! *sniffs* I love it!-

Any way, half way there, Hiroko gets to ride on the back of Katase’s bike. She is throughly puzzled as to why her heart isn’t racing like mad at the closeness and I am puzzled as to why my face isn’t in need of stiches with the way it is stretching is a grin!

She wonders what the hell is happening! She wants to know where the hell her heart went off to!

My smiles widens some more as I keep that secret to myself for now Hiroko…Sorry!

But the fun is not over yet…NOOOOOOOOOOO!

It turns out that the two were going over to Saki’s place! Like, can this get better that it already is? It does. it so does! Because when they get there Saki is out and the two wait for her outside for a while which of course sends Hiroko’s thoughts into overdrive and now she is thinking in terms of love as she wonders if love grows as one waits for some one else important to them. Finishing with an icing to the already quite delicious cake, Katase proposes that they go shop for some fast food to pass the time and guess who they run into at the super-market…

Saki and her Uncle!

The conversation at this meeting was applied to it a weird sound effect like an echo and it being in Hiroko POV, I guess they meant to tell us that her mind was buzzing through it all. We totally learn the reason for this at the last revelation for the episode –

Hiroko was so damn happy to see Saki and that she had wanted Saki to turn and smile her way instead of Katase’s like she had done!

…

To be Continued…..

~

Hell yes!

I love the skeletons out of this drama! I can’t even count how many times I’ve re-watched it for every minute!

Damn~

Has Hiroko finally grasped the concept of her feelings?

Be sure to tune in next episode!