Notable Actors/Actresses
Hamabe Minami: Hanaoka Nao
Yokohama Ryusei: Takatsuki Tsubaki
English Title
There's Something Wrong With Us
[Ep1] Okura Nao and Takatsuki Tsubaki are childhood friends. He used to call her Sakura instead of Nao because he misread the character in her name. He continued to call her Sakura because he liked how both their names related to spring. Nao was sickly as a child. Tsubaki wanted to play with her so he suggested to make sweets together. That began both their careers as artisans. Tsubaki was lectured by his father for hanging out with the likes of an employee. Tsubaki is the heir of Kogetsu An, a renowned traditional confectionery shop. Later that summer, his father was murdered before his eyes. Hanaoka Nao saw the bloody aftermath. Tsubaki testified it was Nao's mother (Yuriko) who killed his father. After Nao's mother was arrested, Tsubaki and Nao have not seen each other since. She also changed her name from Okura Nao to Hanaoka Nao.
English Title
There's Something Wrong With Us
Network: NTV
Mini Recaps
Only Episode 1 is a full recap. The rest are highlights.
Fifteen years later, Nao has a chance to meet Tsubaki again. There's a confectionery competition. She initially refused but after a mysterious man gives her a letter from her mother she enters the competition. Nao slides the door open and Tsubaki is sitting there. He doesn't recognize her. For some reason, he does check her hand and the lines in her palm.
After the competition, he seemed impressed with her.
Tsubaki: Nee, Hanaoka-san, would you like to marry me?Nao is shocked.Tsubaki: Just kidding. Tsubaki walks away but...Nao: Okay. Let's get married.Nao's Voiceover: Something is wrong with me.Tsubaki: What's your name? The order of this conversation...Nao: Nao.
Tsubaki tells her that if she's serious about marrying him then show up at Kogetsu An in three days. He reminds her to bring a gift. If she chooses to go then there's no turning back. He whispers this by her ear ever so close. As he leaves, Nao confirms that he's forgotten her. What had made her change her mind about attending this competition and especially in agreeing on marrying him is her mother's letter. Her mother's words to her are: "I did not do it." Nao wants to enter Kogetsu An to discover the truth behind Tsubaki's father's death.
As promised, Nao arrives with a gift to Tsubaki's place. However, he's marrying another girl (Hasegawa Shiori). Ah, so he proposed to Nao so she can stop his marriage. Nao takes on this challenge. She barges into the ceremony, stops Tsubaki from drinking the wedding tea, and offers her gift to him. She's stealing him right at his wedding. Thus, in the middle of the ceremony, Tsubaki accepts her present. "New Moon" is the name of the dessert she brought to him. Usually this dessert has a yolk in the middle to represent the moon but in Nao's version, it's pitch black. Nao explains that without the moon (the yolk), the night sky will be shown in its essence.
Tsubaki interprets her dessert, 'New Moon', as an insult to Kogetsu An. Kogetsu An is the new moon on this moonless night. There's nothing special about Kogetsu An despite being a renowned confectionery store just likes this moonless dessert. Nao confirms his interpretation. She is insulting Kogetsu An. Tsubaki likes her even more. He declares he will marry her. He pulls her in for a kiss. Nao accepts the kiss. The marriage with the prestigious Hasegawa family is off.
Tsubaki is going against his family to marry Nao. The family agrees only if these two can raise their sales. Tsubaki has confidence in his abilities. He tells Nao that although Kogetsu An is in the dark right now, it won't be for long. If the moon is not visible, it doesn't mean it's not there. He vows to make it shine. This is the reason he's marrying Nao. He wants her skills.
Tsubaki tells Nao to pack her stuff to prepare to move in as soon as possible. It's not necessary. Nao has nothing to pack. She can live in immediately. Nice. Presently, their relationship can only be described as accomplices.
Somewhere else, the man who gave her the letter from her mother stares up at the full moon. He notes that a full moon can change a person.
[Ep2]
Tsubaki and Nao Moments:
- Tsubaki wanted to look like a married couple with Nao so he offers his hand for her to hold. She takes it. It's a sweet moment.
- Tsubaki’s memory of Sakura from fifteen years ago is that she’s the light to his dark life in Kogetsu An. Fifteen years later, Tsubaki saw Nao’s hands and is reminded of a similar light that can bring hope to Kogetsu An. He had thought Nao would be like any other girl that he could take advantage of but she’s so much more than that.
- Nao should be hating everything about Tsubaki for ruining her life but she recognizes his love for Kogetsu An. Unable to control herself, she gives him a back hug. He gives her a kiss.
- They’re about to have sex. She asks him what he’ll do if he sees Sakura again. Tsubaki: “I would make her disappear from my world forever.” Romantic.
Sweet Knowledge:
- Red Bean Paste is like a mirror of yourself. It takes patience to make it. That’s why Tsubaki is afraid of making it. It’ll let the people eating it know his heart.
- Which is more important: making desserts delicious or suitable to the client’s taste? Nao chooses the latter despite knowing she can make a much better red bean paste.
Twist:
- Tsubaki isn’t the real heir. He’s not related to Grandpa.
[Ep3]
Tsubaki and Nao Moments:
- Nao stops making out with Tsubaki. It’s because he told her Sakura was no longer his light. She was total darkness to him. When he was young he saw his father and her mother hug. Those two were lovers. Sakura's mother destroyed his family.
- Tsubaki locks Nao in the storage room. He’s trying to protect her. He knows someone wants her dead. Nao doesn’t know this and tries to escape. She kisses him to distract him. Once she’s out of the storage, a pot almost falls on her head. It’s Tsubaki who protects her and is injured.
- Nao realizes Tsubaki has never been loved in these fifteen years. Grandfather hates him and his mother is too busy scheming.
- A cute and light moment: Tsubaki notes that Nao doesn’t smile much and so she gives him a smile, a very fake smile. Tsubaki then pinches her cheeks and push them down. He smiles at her funny face. It’s her turn to compliment his smile.
- With Nao’s help, Grandfather finally eats Tsubaki’s dessert.
- Tsubaki confesses his love to Nao in front of their family motto: Thou Shall Not Lie. If anyone lies here, they will go to hell. Tsubaki asks Nao whether she’s Sakura. Dun dun dun.
Sweet Knowledge:
- Otoshi bumi is the sweet Tsubaki made for Grandpa. It means parental love. Thus, Grandfather eating it was meaningful to Tsubaki. According to Jojima Yusuke though, it also has another meaning: Secret Love. Jojima Yusuke makes a move on Nao with intentions.
Twist:
- We all thought the pot criminal was Tsubaki’s mother, Kyoko, but it was actually Jojima Yusuke. He vows to steal Tsubaki’s dearest possession. That would be Nao.
[Ep4]
Tsubaki and Nao Moments:
- Nao tells Tsubaki: "I am Hanaoka Nao. Not Sakura." It’s technically not a lie.
- Tsubaki tells Nao: "Push me away if you don't want but I want all of you. That's how much I love you right now." She doesn't push him away. And so, they go all the way.
- As they're sleeping, a very creepy mom (Kyoko) has the doors slightly open to glare at them. Very creepy.
- As Jojima Yusuke is making a move on Nao, Tsubaki pinches her face again and tells her to stop flirting with other men.
Twist:
- Nao is pregnant!
[Ep5]
Tsubaki and Nao moments:
- Nao’s views on family touched Tsubaki when they first met. She had told the judge that cherry blossoms without leaves would not be complete. Family is like that to her. However, for Tsubaki, he always looked at his family like they were enemies.
- Tsubaki and Nao kiss in a beautiful scene of fireflies.
- Nao’s identity is exposed to Tsubaki. He tells her to wait for him to be back after he saves his grandfather from the fire (that his mother set).
Twist:
- Nao finds the love letters between her mother and Tsubaki’s father. There’s also a paternity test. She’s the daughter of Tsubaki’s father! Are they siblings? They’re not. Tsubaki isn’t a real heir. That’s why grandpa doesn’t like him.
- Mother practically kills Grandfather...
- Nao has a miscarriage. Tsubaki knows nothing about her pregnancy.
Twist:
- She’s going to destroy Kogetsu An because it's failing under Tsubaki's guidance (grandfather is hospitalized)
[Ep7] Yoko has been harassing Nao after the fire incident and claims it was Nao who was the arsonist.
Sweet Knowledge:
- There’s a competition between Tsubaki and Nao. He makes an Empty Moon Dessert (moon reflection). She makes Bright Moon. In the colourless night sky, this bright moon reflects her determination to be the heir. Nao wants to be the heir after she found out Tsubaki has a possibility of being blind. His eyes were affected ever since he saved Grandfather from the fire. This is why Tsubaki doesn't make most of Kogetsu An's desert. He can't.
Twist:
- Did Tsubaki’s real father kill Nao’s father (who was Tsubaki’s father)?
- Grandpa dramatically stands up for the first time in three years. Lol. I don’t know why I’m laughing. I find this ridiculous. He was faking his illness for three years all to wait for this moment? Grandpa creates a contest for the heir: whoever can make a soul shattering dessert will be the heir to Kogetsu An.
[Ep8]
Tsubaki and Nao moments:
- He finally learns she was pregnant with his child.
- They finally meet. She tells him tomorrow will be the day of their competition. It’ll be their last day. After he leaves, Nao cries. But he’s back! He sweetly tells her, “Don’t cry or I can’t leave”
- They sleep together the night before the competition. But romance is romance; business is business.
- For the competition both Nao and Tsubaki make desserts that remind them of the parents they love. Nao made Yuzu confectionery because of her mother. Tsubaki made tsubaki mochi because that was the first dessert his father (technically Nao's father) taught him. Grandfather is moved by both desserts. Both of them are "soul shattering" but Tsubaki's was way too simple. Nao wins. Grandfather gave his rationale: Tsubaki's, although moved grandfather, was only meant for grandfather. Nao's dessert can touch many others.
- As they were waiting for grandfather's judgement, Tsubaki's thoughts were "If I win the future is in front of me" and Nao's thoughts were "If I lose then I will have to give up everything I love." Nao doesn't want to lose because only if she won can Tsubaki rest and take his eye surgery. She wanted to win for Tsubaki's sake.
The Truth Revealed:
- Tsubaki's father is Takigawa Hideyuki. He is a married man with a son, Takigawa Kaoru (the mysterious man). It is Kaoru who accidentally killed Itsuki because he found out his father cheated on his mother. He had meant to kill Kyoko but Itsuki protected Kyoko.
- Kyoko arrived later on the scene. She had wanted to call the ambulance but Itsuki wanted to keep quiet about it because it would damage their family's reputation. Kyoko did love Itsuki but all the love turned to pure hatred when even in his last dying words he only calls out to Yuriko (Nao's mother). Hence Kyoko guided the young Tsubaki to claim that the murderer was Yuriko.
- Kaoru was going to turn himself in but he wanted to help Nao claim everything that is rightfully hers first. He had a crush on her mother back in high school. He saw Yuriko in Nao.
- Kaoru even attempts to kill Kyoko to abolish everything in Nao's path but Nao, just like her father, protects Kyoko. Because Kyoko is Tsubaki's mother. Luckily the knife happens to miss her. No one dies. Yet.
- Kyoko wanders around the street. She saves a boy from the car and dies. She saved the boy because she's reminded of how much she hurt Tsubaki. She never gave him any love. She only lived in her own hatred. She may have even purposely died to donate her cornea to her son. Kyoko had long noticed that something was wrong with Tsubaki's eyes. She had signed on to be an organ donor for her son's sake.
The end: A month later, Nao is the matron of Kogetsu An. Tsubaki has not shown up at all. When she sees a familiar figure, she chases after him. His eye surgery is successful. She asks him to come back to Kogetsu An.
Nao: I need you, Tsubaki. I never once stopped loving you like crazy.He hugs her.Tsubaki: There’s only on place I call home. Be with me forever. Nao I love you.Kiss.
Relationship Progression (Short Version)
Spoiler-y! Read this if you watched it or read this if you know you're not going to watch it.
[Ep1] Tsubaki proposes to Nao upon seeing her the first time
[Ep1] Nao trashes Tsubaki’s wedding and becomes his fiancé
[Ep1] Nao trashes Tsubaki’s wedding and becomes his fiancé
[Ep1] They kiss at Tuskaki's wedding with another woman.
[Ep2] Hold hands for the first time
[Ep2] Hold hands for the first time
[Ep2] Nao gives him a back hug; Tsubaki gives her a kiss
[Ep2] About to have sex
[Ep3] Love confession
[Ep4] Have sex + pregnant
[Ep5] Could be siblings!
[Ep5] Not siblings!!
[Ep5] Nao has a miscarriage.
[Ep6] Separated for three years
[Ep7] Nao is back with vengeance to take the family business
[Ep7] Tsubaki might go blind!
[Ep8] Have sex
[Ep8] Nao almost dies
[Ep8] A month later, happily ever after.
Review
I love Todome no Kiss so when I saw this, another dark thriller romance, I was excited.
First episode was a sinker. It was dark and enticing. And romantic. Past the halfway point, I suddenly find myself in makjang territory. It didn’t feel like that until it hit me hard in Ep5. [Spoiler] Get ready for this. She marries her enemy’s son, a heir to this pastry shop all to revenge her mother but then she falls in love with him, is pregnant with his baby and then finds out she’s actually the heir because she’s the real daughter so her and her fiancé could have potentially been siblings! But fret not, he’s someone else’s son. His mother cheated. And then this becomes a story of who’s the heir. And then grandpa almost dies because mom wanted to kill him . Now everyone is in the hospital because of the fire that mom set to kill grandpa. The girl who was supposed to marry the guy before our girl stole him from the wedding suffers injuries to save the guy. And so she’s back into the love equation. [/Sp] Guys, this was six episodes. Then again the entire drama is eight episodes.
I'm awestruck at all the dramatic content and how easily the drama took me there. This is not a simple cute love story although it did have its cute moments and also very cute looking actors. Do not let Hamabe Minami's round innocent face deceive you.
The drama was splendid in creating this dark atmosphere that made their forbidden love even more tantalizing. The kimonos enhanced the aesthetics of the drama. Among the dark content, the sweet dessert scenes brighten up the screen. There were also interesting tidbits about sweets. I can always trust Japanese dramas to empower its audience with a little bit of knowledge however inconsequential that bit of information will be in anyone’s life.
Overall, this was interesting. I really liked the romance, especially in the beginning (the ending is good too but the beginning was the best). I cried a bit near the end (it's a happy ending, don't worry!). The twists shocked me. My biggest takeaway from the drama is how darkly alluring this was.
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