Kimikiss ~ Pure Rouge #16 — I Still Love You
January 26th, 2008
Though we touched and went our separate ways.
Impressions:
Ooooooh developments! I don’t even care if Futami’s going all emotional on us or that Mao is using suave Kai as her rebound, things are happening! Kazuki’s experiments with Futami are revealed to Sakino, Futami breaks up with Kazuki, and the frog gets sat on. Stellar performances from all the bit players. At this point in the show though, I kind of have to wonder what exactly Mitsuki is doing hanging around, and when Kai is going to be introduced to the rest of the gang, but eh… events are progressing!
I think that’s really what I like about this show so much more than most other romantic dramas. Things move. We don’t have 20 minutes to learn about the tragic past of some character which makes other people then appreciate them more or some nonsense like that. Pretty much everything is kinetic, in motion and changing from episode to episode. Sure, some of the characters (Mao!) annoy me, but dammit, I’m emotionally invested in this now and I just want to realize that she’d be happy letting sax-boy have his way with her.
Rough sailing for manly man Kazuki ahead though, now that Sakino knows that he’s been kissing Futami, and Futami is trying to break up with him. Poor guy. He was so studly just a few weeks back. I’m sure he’ll pull it together. If the dude can defeat one of those damned frogs, there’s no limit to what he can do.
Mao mopes in the lobby. Kai comes out and sees her looking downcast. She tries to perk up for him, but does a poor job of it. He makes small talk about how he’s glad she came, asks if she had fun, but it’s pretty clear that she’s fighting back tears as she thinks about Kouichi kissing Yumi. He tries to press her, but she tells him it’s nothing and they make plans for later. Kai gets called over by some guy and Mao runs off.
At home, Kouichi smiles happily to himself and touches his lips. Good job, stud… you got to where Kazuki was 15 episodes ago. His cell rings with a message from Yumi. He hears the door downstairs and asks how Mao’s night went. She brushes him off and heads right into her room. Her phone rings in her purse. It’s Kai… she waits a second, but then answers.
He thinks something was wrong with her and tries to make her feel better. She tells him that she’s fine… it really was nothing. He doesn’t buy it for a minute.
The next day, Mao confesses her love for Kouichi at the beach. CUT! Of course it’s the filiming. Everybody thinks Mao did an awesome job. It’s going to rain soon though, so they need to hurry. Kazuki is distracted with his cell phone, but Hiiragi yells at him. Yumi and Kouichi flirt some more as they move the equipment.
As they get ready to film the next theme, it starts to rain. Hiiragi wants to keep going for now. The scene between Mao and Kouichi continues.
They’re so natural, holding hands and all in the drizzle… but Mao breaks character when she thinks about Kouichi holding hands with Yumi and they’re forced to restart the scene.
Mao’s lost it at this point and immediately flubs her line… and then again. The rain starts to pick up. Kazuki manages to trip over the camera as he goes to move shit. Hiiragi saves the camera, but Kazuki falls into the rest of the equipment. Despite the overly dramatic scene, he’s fine and nothing too expensive was broken. They call it a day and head to the udon place.
Once there, they poke at Yumi and Kouichi a bit for being especially cheerful. The frogs appear, but they’re pretty muted. Yumi makes sure to get Mao some strawberry dessert to cheer her up.
On the train home, Hiiragi and Mitsuki poke at Kazuki some more for being so transfixed on his cell phone. Then Nana gets uppity because Kazuki sat on her frog. Good man, Kazuki.
Yumi and Kouichi flirt yet more on the train. She confesses to him that she was a little scared about transferring, but Kouichi made her so happy when he said he’d be with her. Kouichi, ever alert, notices how depressed Mao is instead of paying attention to Yumi.
Back at home, Mao goes into a cocoon and blasts the AC in her room. Kouichi heads into the room to talk to her. She tries to get rid of him, but he leaves the beach catalogs she lent him, thanking her for how much fun he had with Yumi. Rub it in, why don’t you?
Kouichi trots off to his movie date with Yumi. The two, being unable to handle anything exciting, watch a romance… but Yumi notices that Kouichi is preoccupied and not paying attention at all when she holds his hand during it.
Sakino suits up and gets ready to practice. Kazuki fiddles with his cell phone some more, but Futami isn’t answering. Sakino runs out as Kazuki hangs up. She looks a bit disappointed when she sees it.
At her house, Futami looks at her phone and thinks about turning it on, but closes it and walks away.
Sakino and Kazuki practice together, but he keeps glancing over at his phone. As things wind down, he goes right for the phone, but there are no messages. Sakino wants to know why he’s so occupied and asks if it’s Futami. Kazuki admits that it is. He tells her that he’s helping her with experiments… and she gets a bit darker at him. He wants to go back to practicing, but she tells him that he’s got something to do and runs off.
Kazuki goes to chase after her, but his cellphone rings. It’s just Hiiragi.
Sakino walks home, wondering what’s wrong with her. She sees Futami walking up and looks surprised.
The two face off for a moment and Sakino asks Futami where she’s going. Futami is curt and just walks past. Sakino stops her and tells her that they need to talk.
Sakino takes Futami aside and asks what the experiments are all about. She makes up a flimsy excuse about them getting in the way of practice. Futami gets right to the point and asks what it is that she likes about Kazuki. Sakino doesn’t answer, but asks what the experiments are. Futami frankly admits that it was a kiss. Sakino gets royally pissed off at her for messing with Kazuki’s feelings. Does she think it fun? Futami looks surprised and a little aghast, but admits that Sakino might be right and walks away.
Mao sits alone in her room, but finally looks over at the books Kouichi left and sits up.
Yumi and Kouichi leave the movie, but he’s still thinking about depressed Mao. Yumi asks what he wants to do next… a game… or eating… or what. Kouichi admits that he’s been worried about Mao and that she’s all alone today. Yumi is understanding and tells him to go back home to keep Mao company.
TOO BAD FOR HIM… Mao is at the Jazz Club Debby. She walks in on Kai mopping and heads straight for him. She falls into his arms, crying. She asks him to kiss her.
Futami looks at her cell phone and picks it up.
Kazuki naps. His cell rings… it’s Futami. He takes a deep breath and answers. Futami tells him that the experiment is over. She doesn’t need him anymore. Futami hangs up.
Preview:
More sad Mao, and Kazuki practices with Sakino.
Posted in Kimikiss | 7 Comments »
THis is the best part of the whole episode.