Honey and Clover Ep 07

Yamada apologises to Mayama for causing him to be beaten up by her father as he misunderstood that Mayama bullied the drunk Yamada when he carried her home. Mayama remarks with sarcasm that he is feeling worse due to carrying Yamada on his back i.e. insunating that she's heavy as compared to being attacked by her father but he invites her to go with him to the gyuudon restaurant since Yamada said before that it was embarrassing to go there alone. Yamada is happy to see that Mayama is no longer looking sad when he talks to her but somehow, she feels sad that he may not share his inner thoughts with her anymore.

At the same time, Morita and Takemoto are in Hanamoto's office lazing around where the latter laments that he does not feel like an Year 3 student as Morita has been around all this while and that he still feels like a newbie in school. Morita deliberately finishes Takemoto's energy drink without his permission and Takemoto wonders if he's going to be fooled around by Morita for the rest of his student life. Suddenly, Morita gets Takemoto to see Hagu's painting of the giraffe they saw at the zoo and Morita remarks that Hagu is a fascinating girl. Just at this time, Morita receives a call on his handphone to go to work and he's very happy about earning money.

At night, Hanamoto tells Hagu that he has plans to go to Mongolia for 1 year with his ex-teacher who is writing a new book and asks her if she wants to go with him. However, Hagu says that she has friends with her and tells Hanamoto not to worry about her. When Hanamoto tells Rika about this, he says that he is feeling a bit sad that Hagu does not seem to rely on him so much as before. Rika consoles Hanamoto who starts to wonder whether it was right to bring Hagu to Tokyo and tells him to take care of himself.

Hanamoto remembers that Hagu used to be an introvert who was always scared of her grandmother who constantly scolded her. Regardless of the fact that she has talent, it struck Hanamoto that she was trapped in the same place and could not develop her talent fully. As such, when her grandmother passed away, Hanamoto asked Hagu to come to Tokyo to study in the university he teaches in so that she can make more friends and find what she wants to do in future.

Mayama comes to look for Rika and returns the keys to her apartment. He also gives her a bangle so that she will remember him. Mayama promises to return to her company one day and says that he will do so regardless of whether Rika will be waiting for his return. Rika thinks to herself that Mayama is such a silly boy who loves her too much and starts to cry...

Takemoto is on the way to Hanamoto's place for his farewell party when he sees Hagu at the riverside searching for a four-petal clover. Soon, they are joined by Yamada, Morita and Mayama. Yamada is going to stay with Hagu at Hanamoto's apartment until he returns to Japan. However, the five of them cannot find the clover which Hagu intends to give to Hanamoto as a safety amulet.

When they return to Hanamoto's place, Hagu cries for not being able to find the clover and Hanamoto assures her that it is fine. The group then settle down to dinner. Takemoto thinks to himself that as time goes by, things would change and they may go their separate ways one day. However, he values the memories they have accummulated so far and thinks that these will support him through whatever happens in future...

Now we find out what Hagu behaves so much like a kid even though she's already in her late teens or rather early twenties by now. She has been meek and protected since young. Besides that, her lack of contact with her peers makes it hard to make friends but thanks to Hanamoto's office being a focal meeting point, she has come to know Takemoto and the rest. I think I like it better when she lets her hair down rather than tying up in two buns which makes her look like a kid or doll.

It is only now that I realise that Yamada's voice actor is Takahashi Mikako who played Sakuno in Tenipuri. What a vast difference! Of course, Yamada is already in her twenties while Sakuno is just a junior high 1st year student so she can't use the same sweet squeaky voice for Yamada.

And it seems like Mayama has no intention to let go of Rika despite him not going to work in her company. He even gave her a bangle to make her remember him and I'm starting to think whether Rika does like Mayama but has to let him go as she doesn't want to rely on him too much in this relationship. On the other hand, things seem to be improving between Mayama and Yamada since they are able to face each other frankly without him running away from her feelings. However, it still remains to be seen if they will end up together in the end.