Episode 7
Episode 7 of Nevertheless: The Shapes of Love begins with Miu leaving after Ren doesn’t show up. Chiaki is indeed dead and a funeral takes place. Ren’s mother tries to comfort him but she is negative and he walks away.
Next, Miu goes after him. She wants to know what he would have told her had he shown up and if it had anything to do with their feelings for each other. He believes it is pointless and his problem now. Miu looks sad as she believes she had almost touched his heart.
A flashback shows Ren and Miu in bed. A butterfly flits past her and lands on Ren’s hand and she thinks he is special. He simply claims that all butterflies come and go. She wonders if he is lonely and he insists that nothing lasts forever. She agrees and he kisses her.
At present, Megumi and Saki eat one last time together before the latter moves out. Megumi is awkward and Saki laughs off her confession. Megumi feels empty; she always has been. Unlike her, Saki is full of life but her employers don’t appreciate it. Not wanting Saki to become empty like her, Megumi does everything to help her. When Saki confessed, Megumi ran away because she was afraid of her own feelings.
Elsewhere, Ren is surprised when he learns Chiaki had secretly set up an art exhibition for him in New York. Their teacher believes she felt guilty for bringing Ren back to Japan. Ren tries to make a mural for her but cries as all he can think of is the pain he caused her.
Megumi runs into Ren a few days later. He is leaving for NYC and apologises for not staying till graduation. She has no reason to stay either and claims they are both empty. This troubles him.
Hikari is sad to see Ren go and Osakabe jokingly acts jealous. She likes it and hopes he doesn’t change, making him smile.
Ren officially submits his resignation to Usami and Miu overhears. After he leaves, Miu never sees him again. It is as if he wasn’t ever there and everyone returns to their empty everyday routine. Osakabe is sad as well as he sees the statue Ren vandalised has been cleaned up. Saki begins her work at the atelier. Miu goes back to feeling helpless and loses motivation. Instead, she calls someone to check up on their creating process and to see if she can help in any way.
One day, Usami visits her and sees her implementing metal in her clay sculpture. She knows Miu cannot stop thinking about Ren and shares that even fleeting interactions can leave a scar. She tells Miu not to disassociate and use the same process to observe Ren to find herself even if it is painful. Miu wonders if she left a scar on Ren as well. It cuts to him back in Japan. He uses clay to make a butterfly sculpture but he fails.
That night, Miu finds Megumi in the studio and they eat dinner together. Miu confesses that she feels empty and Megumi is surprised by this. Miu finds her funny as it reminds her of Saki scolding her for wondering about what is normal. They get nostalgic as they think about their time with Saki in university. Megumi suddenly asks about her feelings for Ren and Miu claims it is in the past.
Megumi then confesses that she may like Saki. Miu just says okay and Megumi is surprised that she isn’t weirded out. Miu points out that there is no such thing as normal and Megumi agrees. She reveals that she couldn’t get out of her art block by herself. But when she thought of making something to show Saki, she got an idea.
This has Miu realising that she is going about her piece the wrong way. Ren has left behind a lot for her and she decides to embody them in her sculpture. Nearby, Hikari visits Osakabe who is almost done with his Buddha piece.
Megumi finally finishes her piece and Miu is happy for her. Megumi takes the piece to Saki as she realises she wants to be with her forever. Saki is surprised to see her at the atelier. Megumi shows her the piece and it is two girls holding hands in a house on a small wooden frame. She confesses that she likes Saki and they tear up. Saki is amused that Megumi packs a lot into small things and they laugh and hug.
At the end of Nevertheless: The Shapes of Love Episode 7, Miu makes her way home. She decides that she needs to express herself to Ren even if it hurts. He is sullen and ready to turn her away when she arrives. Miu confesses that she wanted him to look her way for the longest time but now she doesn’t want to see him. At this, he looks shocked.
The Episode Review
Nevertheless: The Shapes of Love Episode 7 works well as the penultimate episode for a slow-paced, introspective show like this one. Like the rest of the J-drama, this one prefers philosophical discourse over action, melodrama and plot twists that we are otherwise used to in the second-last episode of any drama. But this chapter sticks to the tone of the show while raising the stakes for the final conflict that may or may not be solved in the finale.
And it is this unpredictability in an otherwise slice-of-life story that elevates this J-drama. Hikari and Osakabe are together, Ruki has accepted Miu’s decision and Megumi and Saki have finally confessed to each other. But with Miu putting up a wall between her and Ren, it is enough to keep viewers excited for the final week. He may be grieving for his friend, but enough of the push-and-pull game with poor Miu. Good for you, Miu!
Previous Episode |
Next Episode |
Read our Season 1 Review of Nevertheless: The Shapes of Love here! |
|
-
Episode Rating
(4)
@Lopa yes I think you are right! Maybe I was too hopeful for them to reconnect to think about that possibility. I look forward to your next review for the last episode ◡̈
Hey @Choo, appreciate the kind words and love your detailed interpretation of the show.
I didn’t add the voice message bit in the recap (which I shall add now) since I thought it was just Miu trying to distract herself from her art block and Ren, by calling a friend, most likely Saki since she is her best friend who has finally taken up the atelier job. I also think it is Saki because we see her right before Miu’s voice message. I doubt she would call Ren to ask about his creating process because 1, he was rude to her last they met so doubt she would offer to help, and 2, he isn’t creating anything at the moment, he is busy with his art exhibit in NYC. Though, I could very well be wrong, that’s the best part of this J-drama, it leaves a lot to viewers’ interpretations.
Thank you Lopa for the detailed review for each episodes of this drama!
I find myself drawn to both Ren and Miu, and am impressed with how the cast had portrayed their characters so well – why is why I disagree with some of the comments online that the actress was unable to act/ express her emotions well for Miu. I do believe that the character, Miu appears reserved as she tends to hold back her emotions due to the hurt that she had suffered from her past relationship. I also noticed the gradual change in Miu’s mannerisms when she starts to open up more in Ren’s presence, for example how her expression evolved from that of shame, to hesitation, to the final moment of being freed from her past trauma throughout the process of her smashing the sculpture (made by her ex) to pieces; as well as her wide smile (of love) when she greeted Ren from his bed. These expressions have been embodied well by the actress.
At the same time, I find similarities between Ren and Miu where Ren protects himself by hiding his true feelings (similar to how she appears reserved/ stoic). While he appears aloof and charming with words to the other ladies, there seems to be a subtle change in him that he may not see, where he keeps going back to Miu (which is ironic for someone who seemingly engages in ONS and do not see a need for committed relationships). I feel that Ren’s first encounter with Miu (where he overheard Miu’s conversation with her ex) and her interpretation of her art piece had left a deep impression on him as he saw the same vulnerability in her in himself too. Which is why I believed that he remembered her the moment they met during the vandalism incident, and his actions of caressing her face, subsequently drawing on her wrist and inviting her to his place on the first night (after the bar) were because he felt something different about her (from the other girls he used to pick up for ONS).
And I also agree with Miu that the most important person to Ren was Chiaki (not her), and that it is natural as Ren has always regarded Chiaki as his confidante/ best friend/ sister that he never had. After all, he grew up with Chiaki and such family-like ties are strong and unwavering. However, what Miu does not realise is that Ren has slowly fallen for her and more time needs to be given before Miu becomes just as important to him as Chiaki. Yet the guilt that Ren felt towards Chiaki for not reciprocating her feelings… made him “punish” himself by avoiding Miu and not wanting to commit further to a relationship with her. To make things worse, when he finally decides to follow his heart, Chiaki’s untimely passing made him believe that eventually it was his punishment for doing so… (my personal interpretation btw).
Sidetrack, was Ren the person that Miu called and left a voice message for? Not sure if I misinterpreted this while watching.
That being said, I cannot wait for the last episode and I hope for a happy ending where both characters could overcome their personal barriers and finally be ready to face/accept their feelings for one another ❤️