[ch 232-233] Chizuru's Iron wall Begins to Crumble
■The original Japanese article
■The previous article
[ch 231] The Epitome of Their Surechigai
hello! This is Kourakuone. Are you enjoying Kanokari?
It's been a while. I've been hooked on Power Pro 2022 (a baseball game released by Konami) and have been away from the blog for a while.
I know I'm late, but I'll tell you about chapters 232 and 233. I would say that Chizuru's iron wall is cracked by the kiss and Kazuya is beginning to realize her true feelings.
◆Kazuya is unsure of Mizuhara's true intentions. (232)
It's certain that Mizuhara is aware that I tried to confess my feelings and that I was rejected. I was the only one who was excited about the kiss, Mizuhara was calm as usual and said that the kiss was no big deal. But on the other hand, just like Kuribayashi said, no matter how nice Mizuhara was to me and she was trying to cover up the lie, she even kissed me herself. So I'm not ready to give up on her based on such 'logic' (after seeing what Mizuhara said and her calm attitude). I wonder what Mizuhara thinks about that kiss and my confession... Until now, Kazuya thought that Chizuru was helping him because she was a very kind person and it was her job. However, after that kiss, he is beginning to realize her true feelings.
Kazuya visited Mizuhara's room to check on her, but she was not home. But she may have been pretending to go out. Mizuhara's inexplicable behavior.
◆Kazuya is unable to contact Mizuhara for three months. (233)
And then he could not contact or see her after that. What a three months passed!
◆Chizuru pretends to go out because she can't see Kazuya. (232)
Chizuru, on the other hand, was troubled because she even kissed Kazuya. In fact, she pretended to have gone out. She couldn't reply back to him or see him after that, and she avoided seeing Kazuya for three months.
Doesn't Chizuru like Kazuya? Why does she avoid him? I think there must have been many readers who felt that way (or were dissatisfied).
The reason why Chizuru avoids Kazuya is that although she told him that kissing him was no big deal, it would reveal her true feelings. Kazuya is troubled because he does not know Chizuru's true feelings (her true intention in kissing him), so he's trying to find out somehow. So Chizuru also feels that he is questioning the true meaning of that kiss. She can't cover her true feelings any longer with the fragile logics, "for the sake of our grandmas" or "it's my job as a rental girlfriend". He will find out, he will find out.
I think readers are finally starting to understand how annoying Chizuru can be. I have always said that Chizuru is an annoying girl. Perhaps Japanese people become attached to those who are troublesome. When I say "she is a pain in the ass," I also mean she is kawaii, lol. In this article, I would like to sort out why Chizuru avoids Kazuya. I will also sort out the current situations of Kazuya and Ruka.
Kazuya Lost Track of Everything
Kazuya caused Mizuhara a tremendous amount of trouble with the Terms and Conditions violation Royal Straight Flush on the trip to Hawaiians. So I assumed that Kazuya was in a state of self-loathing and worried that Mizuhara disliked him. But that kiss was quite effective lol.
◆Kazuya not knowing Mizuhara's true intentions. (232)
Mizuhara even kissed me, even though it was to cover up the lie. Kuri is right, even though it's her job, a rental girlfriend can't kiss a client. Maybe Mizuhara actually likes me too. That kiss might be, in effect, a sign that she was willing to go out with me. I was probably mistaken when I was rejected. Kazuya's head is full of thoughts about that kiss.
But on the other hand, Mizuhara himself said to me that she had to do it to protect our lies and did it because it was her fault. To her, it seemed that the kiss was no big deal at all. Mizuhara must have realized that I was about to confess to her, and since she told me, "sorry," I should take it as a rejection.
Kazuya was unsure what Mizuhara thought about the confession and kiss, so he went to check on her to see what was going on (and also simply because he wanted to see her). Then, it seems that she is not home.
◆A noise is heard from inside Mizuhara's room. (232)
But there is a noise from inside.
It seems like she is there. If she is pretending to go out, it means she is obviously avoiding him.
◆Kazuya tries to contact Mizuhara on Line app. (233)
Kazuya tries to contact Mizuhara on Line app. But,
◆Kazuya can't get in touch with Mizuhara for three months. (233)
Kazuya tries to contact Mizuhara on Line app, but can't get a reply from Mizuhara for three months. He waited and waited, but no reply came. Furthermore, he was not able to meet with her. In the meantime, three months have passed!
Why Mizuhara was avoiding me? Did I make her kiss me and make her hate me after all? Kazuya's head was so occupied with Mizuhara that he couldn't get around to anything else, and his room became a mess.
Women are a "mystery," I really don't know. The fact that Kazuya was avoided for three months is more than enough for him to be so distressed (normally, if someone does that to you, you would decide that they don't want to go out with you, that they don't like you, and you would give up). I wonder if Kazuya will realize Chizuru's true feelings in the future.
I was wondering if there will be a story in which Kazuya realizes Chizuru's true feelings after the Paradise Arc. So far, it looks like it will be. However, there is a possibility that an even bigger surechigai (misunderstanding) will arise as a result of trying to know Chizuru's true feelings. It is more fun when things don't go easy, isn't it? Let's look forward to seeing how they will overcome their surechigai.
Chizuru's Iron wall Begins to Crumble
◆Chizuru pretends to go out because she doesn't want to see Kazuya. (232)
Chizuru must have been seeing Kazuya frequently at her apartment and on campus. They are in love with each other, so it's only natural. Chizuru must have been looking for Kazuya, thinking it would be nice to see him. It would be impossible for her not to see Kazuya for three months unless she was very conscious of avoiding him. It is obvious that Chizuru is avoiding Kazuya.
Why does Chizuru avoid Kazuya? Why does she not want to see him even though she likes him?
The reason why Chizuru avoids Kazuya is because she feels that he will find out her true feelings for him after she kissed him. Right after Chizuru kissed Kazuya, she made up that it was no big deal (Chapter 231), but it is impossible for a rental girlfriend to kiss a customer, and it is not something you would do without feelings (Kuribayashi is right). In fact, after returning from the trip, Kazuya doesn't know Chizuru's true feelings (her true intention in kissing him) and confused, and he tries to find it out somehow. So Chizuru also thinks that he would be questioning the true meaning of that kiss.
◆Chizuru avoids Kazuya at Ueno station. (232)
When Chizuru arrives at Ueno station (a station in Tokyo), she refuses to go back to her apartment with Kazuya, giving up the reason that she has a place to stop by. She avoids Kazuya. She does not want him to ask about that kiss or confession, and if he asks and her confusion shows on her face, he might realize her true feelings, so she does not want to see him. Also, Ruka, Kazuya's real girlfriend, has accused her of kissing him, and she may want to run away from that guilt.
If Chizuru had been able to act as if the kiss was no big deal, as she had explained to Kazuya in Hawaiians, even after returning to Tokyo, he would have thought that, "Mizuhara did not really think anything of the kiss," and "I'm the only one who are getting excited". In reality, however, Chizuru can no longer see Kazuya because she does not want to be asked about the true meaning of the kiss or the answer to his confession.
So far, Chizuru has been playing Kazuya's false girlfriend as a rental girlfriend. She has continued her rental relationship with him because she really likes Kazuya (because she wants to help him and because she is in love with him). But she has explained to him that she is doing it because it's her job as a rental girlfriend, that she is doing it because she does not want to make her grandma sad, and that her relationship with him is just an 'agreement' without any romantic feelings. Chizuru was embarrassed that Kazuya would find out her true feelings, so she hid it that way for a long time.
But kissing is clearly too much. The reasoning that she did it for work is too fragile. It should be suspected that she kissed him because she really feelings for him. If Kazuya were to pursue the true reason for the kiss or ask her the answer to his confession, she could not give him any answer. Even if she could come up with a reasonable excuse to deceive, she is not sure to what extent Kazuya would be convinced. Because of the fact that she kissed him, Chizuru's iron wall (her logic and acting to hide her true feelings) is on the verge of collapse. He will find out, he will find out!
But at the same time, she also knows that she has to reveal her true feelings and become his real girlfriend. At Hawaiians, Chizuru strongly regrets that she has been running away from Kazuya's confession (Chapter 223) ([chapter 223] Chizuru's Regret and Determination). She does not want to betray Grandma Sayuri's wish for her to be happy any more. She knows she has to move on.
◆AAAH... I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE (Chizuru is troubled because she cannot confide her true feelings to Kazuya). (233)
I don't want my true feelings to be known. I don't want him to ask me the real reason why I kissed him. But I have to tell him that I love him and become his real girlfriend. Chizuru is caught between these two feelings.
Some readers saw Chizuru trying to leave alone at Ueno station and said that she might have gone to quit her job as a rental girlfriend. So I thought a little about Chizuru quitting her rental girlfriend job.
In conclusion, I don't think Chizuru will quit her rental girlfriend job right now. There is no advantage at all.
Before coming to Hawaiians, there was an advantage to quit the rental girlfriend job. It was because the Kinoshita family was about to find out her lie (that she was a rental girlfriend). If Chizuru quits the job, she can ask Mami to forgive her and Kazuya for continuing false lover relationship (or ask her not to reveal the lie) since she is no longer a rental girlfriend. However, now that the Kinoshita family knows that she is a rental girlfriend and believe that an aspiring actress named "Chizuru Ichinose," who works as a rental girlfriend, is dating Kazuya, she no longer has the advantage of quitting her rental girlfriend job. The Kinoshita family already knows that Chizuru is working as a rental girlfriend.
Chizuru has one reason to quit the rental girlfriend job: to become Kazuya's girlfriend. But if she did that, it would only be a source of trouble for Chizuru now. This is because she cannot explain to Kazuya or Ruka why she quit her job. She can't explain that she quit to become his real girlfriend, and she wouldn't want them to think so. Unless she can give a convenient reason, such as because she is busy with her acting job, she will only risk having her true feelings known.
Chizuru should quit the rental girlfriend when she becomes Kazuya's real girlfriend, but she will not quit until that happens. There is no advantage in quitting.
Also, it is not for financial reasons that Chizuru cannot quit her rental girlfriend job (that is not the essential reason). Indeed, the rental girlfriend job is a source of income for Chizuru. However, if she cannot quit her rental girlfriend job because of financial reasons, she would find some other job, confide her true feelings to Kazuya and discuss them with him, or find some other way to make a living by working other than as a rental girlfriend. Or, as she explained to the Kinoshita family, she should be able to date Kazuya without telling the office while working as a rental girlfriend. It is not that she cannot quit for financial reasons, but that she does not want to quit because she does not see the benefit of quitting and cannot explain that reason to Kazuya.
Ruka Turns Away from the Truth
Ruka is beginning to realize Chizuru's true feelings. But she doesn't want to accept the truth, so she seems to be pretending not to notice, or trying not to notice.
◆BUT... SEEING HER NOW... I THINK SHE JUST MIGHT GO FOR IT! THAT'S THE VIBE SHE GIVES OFFG! IF HE CONFESS TO HER... (187)
Ruka saw Chizuru about to go on a trip with the Kinoshita family and lies to her that she already had sex with Kazuya. She was worried that Chizuru might be interested in going out with Kazuya, so she made a preemptive move to prevent Chizuru from messing off with Kazuya (Chapter 187). It is certain that Ruka is beginning to realize and fear the truth between Chizuru and Kazuya. Then, at Hawaiians, Chizuru kissed Kazuya. Seeing this, it is impossible for Ruka not to be worried that Chizuru will take Kazuya away from her.
◆LISTEN UP! I'M GONNA LET THIS INCIDENT SLIDE! OUT OF COMPASSION! (232)
But after that day, Ruka doesn't talk about the possibility that Chizuru is in love with Kazuya. Even after Chizuru kisses Kazuya, she only criticizes her for doing the wrong thing as a rental girlfriend and does not try to confirm her true feelings. Even after they arrive at Ueno station, she cries out that the kiss (THIS INCIDENT) was a bad move necessary to save Kazuya and that she will pretend it was not a kiss.
LISTEN UP! I'M GONNA LET THIS INCIDENT SLIDE! OUT OF COMPASSION!
I'LL CONSIDER IT A NECESSARY EVIL TO SAVE KAZUYA, TO SAVE MY BOYFRIND!
NOTE: In the original Japanese version, Ruka clearly states that she does not consider it a kiss.
It seems that Ruka is on the verge of realizing the truth and is afraid to find out. She doesn't want to assume that Chizuru kissed Kazuya because she is in love with him. She doesn't want to consider that possibility. She wants to believe that Chizuru is doing all of this for work and that Kazuya is just a customer to her. I feel that Ruka is desperately trying to give a reason, make a convenient interpretation, and try not to notice Chizuru's true feelings.
When a character develops negative feelings such as anxiety, fear, or frustration, it would be easier for the reader to understand if he or she could express them honestly. But Miyajima-san doesn't let his characters say it honestly (in direct expression), and he always depicts how they misrepresent their painful feelings and look forward to the future. That is how he expresses the character's feelings. This time Ruka is like that. She is really worried that Chizuru will take Kazuya away from her, so she wants to deny the possibility for various reasons.
In any way, Ruka must not want to lose Kazuya. She would never forgive Chizuru for continuing to be Kazuya's "girlfriend" by saying it was a rental girlfriend job, and then willing to really go out with him because she fell in love with him. Imagining a future where Chizuru and Kazuya go out from Ruka's point of view is somewhat painful.
So, that's how I look back on chapters 232 and 233. Right now Kazuya is having a hard time understanding Chizuru's true feelings. I don't know if he will get closer to the truth hidden behind Chizuru's iron wall in the future, or if he will misunderstand that she hates him. But he should eventually get to the truth, so let's look forward to seeing what detours Kazuya and Chizuru will take.
The next article (chapters 234 and 235) will be about Yaemori-san. See you in the next post!