These two beautiful and talented actors have me invested in their outcome as a couple.
We see Hira still unable to translate what Kiyoi is feeling. His lack of empathy for others is deeply embedded and causes Kiyoi to feel frustrated and angry to the point he sometimes lashes out only to regret that action later.
Kiyoi wants desperately to be understood without having to bare his soul and communicate his needs. At the start of this drama the stand-off between this couple has only barely moved forward since season 1.
In only a few short episodes we can see the progress and the flashbacks highlight these subtle improvements. Both are determined to be in this relationship so a lot of apologies and gestures of love band-aid over the cracks.
Kiyoi begins to express the changes he wants Hira to make and there is a lovely scene where he takes him clothes shopping hoping Hira can appreciate himself and how lovely he is as perceived by Kiyoi.
The biggest breakthrough is subtle and it occurs after Hira secures a job with a famous photographer. We get to see a more confident Hira one who one day hopes to be successful enough to be the on-set photographer of his successful lover.
TBC I hope the proposed movie keeps capturing their loveliness.