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Friday, June 13, 2008

Last Friends 10 Summary

Last Friends Episode 10 Review

I kind of expect the ending, so nothing was unexpected in this ep I guess. Anyone following this series would probably have seen these events coming....

Towards the end, I havent quite figured out if Sousuke was feeling sorry about what he did physically (read recap below), feeling sorry that he destroyed Michiru's happiness with her friends, feeling sorry that he will never win Michiru's heart or feeling sorry for himself that he would never have such happiness and friendship bonding that Michiru had. Hence in the recap, I was struggling for a right adjective to describe his mood but I think no single word would have been sufficient to describe the magnitude of his emotional complexities then. Suddenly, I felt a little sorry for him even though I despise his cowardly physical violence for everything. A person like him so caught up in his own insecurity and darkness will forever be alone. I think that is kinda sad....

Last Friends: Ep 10 Recap

Continuing from last episode, Sousuke was bashing Ruka up after her love confession for Michiru. As he started to rip off her shirt and kissing her ear as a sign of male/physical dominance, Ruka reached out for the table lamp stand and bashed it on Sousuke's back in order to break free. She frantically ran to the nearest mall to get a new shirt and cried helplessly as she changed. When she went home, she lied to Michiru that the facial wounds were caused by her fall from her bike but Takeru had his suspicions.

While having dinner, everyone in the house was jumpy when the doorbell rang thinking it might be Sousuke coming to wreak havoc again. Michiru apologised and said that it was better for her to move out so that the rest need not live in fear due to her (sousuke indirectly). Ruka rejected her idea stating that Sousuke would hunt Michiru down no matter where she went.

Meanwhile, Sousuke went back to the park to check on the little boy. He was surprised that the boy's mother returned home but was happy that the little boy would no longer feel alone. Before he left, he told the little boy that he would work hard to get back someone important to him.

Eri accidentally found an article discussing about Ruka's Gender disorder and brought it home to show it to Takeru. Ruka came home just then and told Erin again the article was all lies before returning to her room (and ripped the magazine apart). Takeru went to Ruka's room and started asking Ruka if she wasnt going to talk to Michiru. Takeru asked : "Is it ok not to let Michiru know? Abt your "issue" and "feelings, about how Ruka thinks all these while...and actually, what you truly would like Michiru to understand about yourself."

However, Ruka sadly said that of all people, Michiru is the one person who should never know the truth as they have been friends since high school and they had so many good memories together. She had thought that they would never meet again after Michiru disappeared before graduation, and thought she was dreaming when they met again. Ruka was afriad as she knew Michiru only saw her as a normal friend whereas her own intention was never so pure from the start. Ruka did not want the truth to hurt Michiru nor taint the "innocent" memories (described as snowy white memories).

Unfortunately to Ruka's dismay, Michiru heard the whole conversation and dashed out of the house in shock. The next day, Michiru decided to pack up and leave sharehouse (for her mum's place). Takeru tried to dissuade her. Despite Takeru's sharing that Ruka treasured her alot, and asking if she couldnt accept Ruka's feelings? However, Michiru said she was at loss and didnt know how to face Ruka as she knew she could never return Ruka's affections. Sadly, it was Ruka's turn to overhear their conversation. (Side track: Doesnt people in this house ever learn that people can hear you talking from behind the door?)

While everything was happening, Ruka's dad read the article on Ruka and being disturbed, he went to visit her at the bike course on the pretext of missing her. During the drink together, after Ruka thanked him for his support all these years, her father finally asked her if there was something she wanted to tell him. Ruka finally confided the "gender disorder" truth to her father, that she could never fall for a man nor be married, to be happy in the manner that he had envisioned for her. To her relief, her father told her no matter what, he will support her.

After they parted, Takeru chanced upon her dad in the park. Ruka's father started reminiscing about Ruka's tomboyish childhood and disdain for skirts. He finally cried (after the facts sinked in that Ruka would never be the sort of female daughter he once thought he had and he will miss his cute daughter.)
(sidetrack: its always really hard for any typical parents to have to confront the truth initially i think)

The next morning, Erin saw Sousuke sitting in the park and in frustration, she chastised him for his stalking behaviour, his intentions to cause fear. Erin told Sousuke to be a man and learned to step back or Michiru will only distance herself further if he continues to pester her. Erin stomped off for work. her words were not intended solely for Sousuke alone. Sousuke thought over the words and made a decision.

Sousuke called Michiru and told her that he had packed her remaining clothes. He told her to returned her sparekey to his place and picked up her belongings as erin had told him to "take a step back". While Sousuke was preparing coffee, Michiru spied the good luck charm she had given to Ruka lying on the floor! She confronted him if Ruka was ever at his place and he admitted. He asked Michiru if she now know the real truth about Ruka's feeling.

Michiru pressed Sousuke on what Ruka had said and he had done to her after recalling the wound on her face previously. Sousuke repeated Ruka's confession to a crying Michiru who started to have flashbacks about those moments ruka had supported her. Memories of Takeru telling her that Ruka is now "protecting Michiru with her whole life at stake" came flooding back. Michiru suddenly felt the gushing waves of emotions as she memeories of all the sacrficies that Ruka had done for her overwhelm her. Sousuke continued to mock Ruka that "the fact she was afterall a girl". Shock to hear those words, Michiru fearfully demanded to know what Sousuke had done. Sousuke told her that "everything was easier once one pin her down" Michiru insisted on knowing what else had Sousuke done and he merely calmly told her "Nothing... except to deflate her ego alittle.." In anger, Michiru walked up and slapped Sousuke and started to leave. Sousuke grabbed and stopped her from leaving. Michiru asked wasnt what he had intended for her to leave, Sousuke said he was only "stepping back" to trick her to come back and told her he lied again about letting her go. He started to bash her again, before finally raping her this time! (A scream, a black screen, and 2 crying adults later....)

A despondent naked (covered in sheets) Michiru lay "lifelessly" on the bed promised to stay on and let him "have his ways" whenever he desired, but only if Sousuke promised never to hurt any of her friends, esp Ruka and Takeru. Sousuke got up and sat next to her, asking her why was she crying. her silence only brought more tears and frustration to him. He left her alone in the room and walked out to the living room, not before sliding all the doors closed.

Anguished and feeling alone ( I'm not sure if he felt guilty about what he did), he chanced upon Michiru's happy photos at sharehouse with the rest of her friends. Sousuke cried harder to himself and feeling of darkness engulfed him....

Next morning, an seemingly emotionless Michiru finally got up and went to the living room, wondering where had Sousuke went and why was it so quiet (prob surprised no more punching). As she slowly approached the sofa, to her shock, Sosuke was lying peacfully on the sofa, clinging on to a wedding dress drapped over him, totally soaked in blood...

At the same time, Ruka's competition started. "Michiru, I'm starting off now"

[End of Ep 10]



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