That’s not camping.
It’s not even really glamping. Let’s just have that clear right up front. That’s going away and staying in a house. I’ve done a fair bit of camping in my day and certainly not glamping, either. But to even call it that you have to sleep in a tent, even a fancy one. Or a camper van at the very least. Staying in a nice house and having a barbecue is not camping, even by Japan standards. It looks a lot more comfortable, don’t get me wrong, but let’s use the right terminology here.
In any event, we’ve only one episode left after this, and that means something has to give. Especially when you’re adapting a 15 volume manga in twelve eps and almost certain never to get a sequel. I have no idea what was happening at this point in the source material (I think we’re at about Volume 6). There may be a natural stopping point, or there may be some kind of quantum leap to the end. Or the anime may create an original ending altogether (unless you’re Udon no Kuni that almost never goes well). But the MacGuffin is pretty obvious – secrets, if not lies.
First though, we get a surprisingly impassioned take on Masugu’s problems. Passing his exam isn’t one of them – he did that. Congrats to him, and the bonding he and Yui do over this is really sweet. Feeling like you bring out the best in each other is undeniably one of the best foundations for a relationship, and they have that. But the spanner in the works is the rumor that Masugu is about to be transferred to the HR department. Transfer rumors are a big deal at any company – tongues do love to wag. Most of the time they end up being wrong, but the damage they do is very real.
In theory a transfer from accounting to HR isn’t necessarily bad. But the timing, that sucks. Masugu just busted his ass passing his level 1 certification (I know nothing about accounting in Japan but I assume that’s a big deal). And his boss knew he was doing it. If I were him I’d be freaking over this, too. But Masugu really is a hell of a guy, that’s clear by now. He responds by busting it again to prepare manuals for Morizono-san or whoever inherits his (myriad) duties. My personal feeling is this is going to be a false alarm and he’s getting promoted or something, but it still shows off Masugu’s character in a very positive light.
Meanwhile Mita-san has started talking up camping to the gang in the planning department. Eventually it’s decided to have the whole group go on a camping trip (it’s not that, as you know) together. And because they and accounting are best buds, it becomes a joint venture. I have no idea whether Mita’s “because you’re beginners” excuse was legit and he actually does tent camp with his family (who are along too), but he books everyone into two cottages (screw that, they’re basically chalets). Everyone has a good time, and Mita’s wife enlists Yui and Masugu’s help in executing a surprise birthday party for her husband.
If the two of them were as bad at hiding their own secret as they are this one, it’s 100% percent that everyone knows. But the interesting thing here is that Mita’s wife used to work for Tsuda too – the “ace of the sales department”. As such Yui can’t help asking what it was like to keep their relationship a secret at the office. As well, one of Masugu’s college buddies is getting married, and change and growth are on his mind. He’s been itching to spill the beans for a while, that much is obvious. And this seems like a natural time to do it.
But will they? That’s the question, Jimmy. Masugu seems on the verge of spilling, but (like the transfer) that could easily be a feint. I think it’s time and has been for a while, but it’s fascinating to speculate whether anyone (besides Somei of course) knows already. We’ve had Hayakawa-san as a POV character a few times and she seems oblivious to it, and Morizono seems pretty clueless about that sort of thing. For I Have a Crush at Work that reveal would be an ending, though of course for a real relationship it’s a new beginning. Of a story I would love to see told on-screen, but I’ve more or less never had any hope of that happening. Next week is it, so let’s hope it’s a good sendoff.
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