Episode 6

Living with Him Episode 6 lands us back with a feverish Kazuto and Natsukawa putting him to bed.

Flash to childhood and they’re playing the same board game, chatting about starting middle school. Kazuto will join the baseball team but Natsukawa has responsibilities at home. They hope they’ll be in the same class again. Nearly asleep, they promise to remain friends.

Now in high school, Kazuto thinks about how they lost touch, never in the same class in middle school then attending different high schools. His Mom mentions that she heard Natsukawa hasn’t joined any clubs, even in high school, but he doesn’t know anything about it.

That morning, he spots Natsukawa in a shop and has to take a closer look. Haruna joins him, nearly blowing his cover and misunderstanding the mission entirely. With that, Kazuto throws himself into training.

Taking a break from a run, girls approach Kazuto to ask him out, including a young Eri, but he declines. Eri persists, asking again and again as he continues to decline. Until he finally gives in. Haruna consoles him, it’s not like he’s getting married. On a date, Eri realizes he’s not into her at all, so they quit.

At Natsukawa’s house, the family watch Kazuto’s baseball game, cheering for him. At Kazuto’s, they talk of universities with baseball programs. But his shoulder occasionally acts up.

With a persistent ache, Kazuto’s doctor says playing baseball may be difficult, throwing Kazuto into despair. Walking to school with Haruna, feeling low, Haruna suggests that if he likes someone, now is the time to rely on that person.

He visits Natsukawa’s house but then changes his mind. However, Natsukawa spots him on the road so Kazuto makes an excuse. After Natsukawa congratulates him on his game, Kazuto loses heart, making to leave. But before he goes, Natsukawa gives him a cheesecake. Suddenly, Kazuto asks him what he’d do if he felt like he was losing himself. ‘Nothing – because you’re you,’ is the consoling reply.

Chuckling, Natsukawa confesses that he had all sorts of plans for high school, but ended up like this – buying groceries for his family, just like when he was a kid. Kazuto thinks he’s cool but Natsukawa won’t hear of it.

With renewed vigor, Kazuto, Eri and Haruna study for university exams, Kazuto winning a place. When his mother says she and Natsukawa’s mom talked of getting them a shared apartment, since they’re going to the same university, his eyes open wide. But maybe it’s much? Kazuto looks all in.

In the present, Kazuto wakes in his bed to find Natsukawa checking on him. Feverish, Kazuto takes Natsukawa’s hand against his face to feel cooler. Natsukawa wonders if a hand is enough.

The Episode Review

Full of Kazuto’s backstory, we get a closer glimpse of their early friendship and how Kazuto’s feelings built over time. It looks like he worked so hard at sports to become impressive for the person he liked. And when that came crashing down, so did his sense of self. But as Haruna advised, seeing the person he likes, did lift his spirits. Natsukawa’s simple reply gave Kazuto the energy to choose a new dream. I guess that’s one of the reasons he likes him.

Eri’s persistence nicely turned into a friendship when she realized she didn’t have a chance at Kazuto’s heart. But what about Haruna? We haven’t yet seen where his heart lies apart from being a reliable friend. As this is a BL, think he’s quietly enamored with Kazuto as well?

Loving the pairing of Natsukawa and Kazuto? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

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