The third episode of the drama series " Taigan no Kaji ~Kore ga, Watashi no Ikiru Michi~ " (TBS, Tuesdays at 10pm), starring actress Mikako Tabe , aired on April 15th. The exchange between Nagano Reiko (Eguchi) and her colleague Imai Naoki ( Leo Matsumoto) became a hot topic on social media.
◇The following contains spoilers
Reiko finds out that Imai's dog, Cocoa, is suffering from cancer. She tells him, "You should have told me," but Imai is hesitant, saying, "I can't tell you, Nagano-san." Even when her child gets sick, Reiko works without whining or complaining, so Imai can't bring himself to tell her how hard it is.
Knowing Imai's feelings, Reiko sympathizes with him, saying, "I'm sorry. I know, it was hard for me to say that." She then reveals her true feelings, saying, "Do I look that strong? Well, I was just putting on a show. The truth is, it's been hard for a long time. It's hard, I've got too much to handle, and it's tough for me too."
"Nagano-san? Is that so?" asked Imai in surprise, to which Reiko replied, "Yes, that's right." Through this exchange, both Reiko and Imai couldn't help but smile.
On social media, comments such as, "That scene when Reiko blurts out her true feelings, 'It's tough, too,' and Imai accepts it and they both laugh, saying, 'That's right,' was a quiet but touching exchange," "Reiko, 'Soulmate' lol. I'm glad you and Imai were able to understand each other," and "It's good that you now have a 'colleague' you can tell that you're having a hard time! Reiko and Imai!" were lined up.
The film is based on the novel "Taigan no Kaji" (Housework on the Other Side) by Kiko Akano (published by Kodansha Bunko). It depicts the "endless work" of housework through the protagonist's interactions with "people on the other side" who have different positions and ways of thinking than her.
