We take a side road from our main romance between Tachibana and Kondou in this last two episodes, instead focus on each own friendship, short story Rashomon and pimple. Not that I consider Ameagari anything less than stellar, the show moves with confident pace with so much lovely subtle details. After the unforgettable event where Tachibana “somehow” caught a flu from her manager (or should I put it, an unforgettable night where the two umbrellas fall on top of each other), Kondou tries his best to keep their relationship in the safe “just friends!” zone, and throughout the course of these two episodes we come to learn what true friendship really entails. As much as I consider Ameagari a lean product, as there isn’t much fat in the storytelling and everything onscreen is there for a reason, I do find focusing on Haruka and the ex-captain football ace Yamamoto a bit off-focus. Haruka is a tertiary character so I don’t necessary care much about her inner emotions beside her chemistry with Tachibana. Granted she comes to learn about Tachibana’s mindset through Yamamoto, but consider the drama unfolds afterward, I have a feeling that both her, and Tachibana’s understanding of each other have taken a step aback.
And then we have Tachibana doing her literature homework. With Kondou’s fondness for writing, it’s a good opportunity for more quality time between those two. And indeed, we have. There are cute awkward reactions from both Tachibana and Kondou during that time, but moreover, the way the Rashomon short story weaves together to the main plot, ala their romance is rather impressive. The story is a moral tale about the young servant, while witnessing an old woman stealing hair from dead body, decides to steal rather than stay righteousness in order to survive. The lenses of focus here is the young servant’s attitude, and both Kondou and Tachibana say their own thoughts on how they feel about the servant’s action. Kondou asserts that if he were the servant, he’d stay out of the rain, out of all the trouble – signifies that when he has to deal with sensitive issues (like certain age-gap relationship), he would not do anything risky. Tachibana, on the other hand, just contents with whatever decision the servant is about to make – signifies that she’s okay with whatever Kondou chooses for their relationship, that she puts his well-being over her own wish. The pimple, in addition, represents the youthfulness. The youthfulness that Kondou thinks he had lost a long the way, the gap between him and Tachibana; as a result; I bet everyone found it whimsical to see the manager got a pimple himself. He can always feel young again, it seems.
Coming to the festival, Haruka and Tachibana seems to be perfectly fine with each other until Tachibana spots Kondou, and things get out of control pretty quickly. Haruka feels hurt not because that all Tachibana’s attention is squarely to the old guy, she feels hurt because Tachibana won’t talk about her issues to Haruka like they used to, a clear sign of a broken friendship. I can see where Haruka comes from, when their friendship used to be that intimate, it’s tough for her to know there is something going on with her best friend, but that friend refuses to open up. Tachibana puts more salt to that open wound with “we can’t go back to how we used to be” speech. Insensitive maybe, but it’s the truth nonetheless.
Still back on the topic of friendship, Kondou meets his old friend, turns out to be the author Chihiro we learned for the past few weeks. And things were nice. The night was warm, the food was oishii and they picked up where they left off after 10 plus years like nothing ever happened. Kondou has a chance to open up about writing books, in which he still manages to not entirely giving up, and a further reminder of his long-lost passions. They get along well, and Chihiro’s declaration that got to me the most. “We’re not adults, but classmates”. Like the fight between Tachibana and Haruka, we learn later that there was a rift between them: Kondou ditched his friend on the trip to India in order to marriage his now ex-wife. The decision that singlehanded separates them into two different lives, and make them unable to talk to each other. But like how Kondou said later to Tachibana in a glorious super-Moon fashion, the friendship may grow apart, but what happened before still exist. Those precious moments they did share to each other never going to disappear, and friendship might come back around when they grow apart, and sometimes relationship needs time and space to grow apart to make it stronger. Maybe that could apply to this rather special relationship, as well.
I like Haruka.
Seeing Tachibana give her the cold shoulder is filling me with sadness. But I like their interaction and Haruka’s circumstances. This whole time, Haruka has been sort of keeping Tachibana’s spot open in the club, perhaps naively believing the current state of things to be temporary. She missed how Tachibana found something with which to fill the void of the running, of the club – of Haruka – and did not see the rift that opened between them.
It’s easy to blame Haruka for being naive and conveniently revel in the idea that things would naturally go to how they were, but these things are usually subtle and one notices them only after they stare you in the face – when it is often too late.
In her defense, Tachibana is a tough one. She behaves naturally, maintaining the facade that everything is fine, not giving a single hint and even concealing her newfound treasures. She cuts ties conveniently without cutting the ties – the most cowardly way possible (I’m sure plenty people who experienced this first hand will agree with me), leaving all work up to the other person. When confronted, she distances from all of this with clear-cut rationality and freezing-cold uninvolvedness.
““we can’t go back to how we used to be”
This is not the truth. It is merely Tachibana hiding behind the literal translation “I cant go back to the club and pretend nothing happened” and using it as “I’m not entitled to tell you anything, so don’t pry”. There is not reason they should grow more distant because of Tachibana’s injury or her feelings towards Kondo, but it happened, and not because of Haruka.
I feel like Tachibana is saying that she does not need haruka the same way Haruka needs/wants her and that is very cruel, especially considering Tachibana’s nonchalant attitude. To be honest, Tachibana doesn’t deserve Haruka at all, but I digress.
Btw, I’m not the only one suspecting Haruka likes Tachibana more than a simple friend, am I? Or did I forget to take off my yuri goggles again?
First, my sincere apology to you for not blogging this show last week, since you’re the one person who put your efforts to comment this show every week.
“She missed how Tachibana found something with which to fill the void of the running, of the club – of Haruka – and did not see the rift that opened between them.”
I have to offer a different opinion on that one. It seems to me that Haruka is the one who more aware of the rift that put the two apart than Tachibana and she feels hurt because of that and because of Tachibana just doesn’t put too much thoughts on their own relationship.
“She cuts ties conveniently without cutting the ties – the most cowardly way possible (I’m sure plenty people who experienced this first hand will agree with me), leaving all work up to the other person.”
Man, I experienced that before so I know exactly what you mean. As the one who was on a receiving, I know it’s frustrating. Haruka has plenty to talk and I’m sure things can work out if Tachibana and Haruka can communicate frankly. But Tachibana can just shut things off with that line.
“Btw, I’m not the only one suspecting Haruka likes Tachibana more than a simple friend, am I?”
Wooper and I had that conversation before. He suspected that Haruka has a romantic feeling for Tachibana, while I argue that it’s the feeling of just-friends. I love that After the Rain’s chemistry is so complex that not all of us can agree on the same things and that’s honestly fine.
No problem.
I agree, Haruka is aware of the distance, so let me rephrase: she has been in denial about it.
It would be interesting to see them not get back together, instead having to wait those 10 years. That’s often how it works anyway, so… I vote for this route.
Unless Haruka really has some romantic feelings, then I want Haruka’s little love get crushed, because 1 it’s pointless since Tachibana is not interested and 2 it’s the most interesting scenario that would also propel Haruka to grow and move on very fast. Haruka is too dependant on others so it would be good (albeit rather painful) experience.
I agree on the complexity (and its advantages).