Chaser Game W2: Utsukushiki Tennyotachi Episode 1

Cute, Fluffy episode - well-deserved after all the drama of S1

After a dream wedding sequence, the episode first draws the clock back to the time when Itsuki and Fuyu were separated, and we spend the first half of the episode in that time frame. Itsuki hasn’t moved on, she still pining after Fuyu, and reminisces about her previous meetings with her, like the time she saved her from some guys at college (her first meeting, and something she repeats for an unknown in front of the café she manages), and some times they met last year sharing and ice cream. Of course, we know that they will meet again, Itsuki doesn’t, and also make no effort to even properly register in a dating app.

Then comes the moment we’ve been waiting for: Fuyu strolls into the Café with her suitcase – followed by her husband and daughter. We are told what Fuyu’s been up to; after returning to China, her mother (the one who broke up Itsuki and Fuyu for the first time) forced her to give up her job and become a mother and housewife instead. She complied and tried this life for about half a year, but she felt dead inside – something that her husband did notice. He of course knows that Fuyu is missing Itsuki, and after their daughter Tsuki brought a book with two gay penguins (that story reminded me of a similar one is the Netflix show “Atypical”), he finally decides that enough is enough – and buys plane tickets to Japan to let Fuyu be with the one she’s loves.

As Tsuki states it, her mom and pop are good friends – but Fuyu would really like to be married to Itsuki instead. 😊While the details of their stay in Japan remain a little fuzzy (her husband tries to acquire customers for her father’s company or something) he quickly excuses himself and takes Tsuki with him so that Itsuki and Fuyu can properly reunite – which they do over some ice cream. Fuyu pleads with Itsuki that she wants to clear her relationship with her mother before getting back together. Itsuki agrees, and the two exchange a few rounds of “You’re prettier” – “No, you’re prettier”, before the night ends.

The next day, the café is closed for filming – and then Itsuki meets her first love again, whom we saw a few times interspersed with the rest of the scenes : Yoreum, who is apparently now a celebrity (not only) in Korea.

Well, and that’s the premiere. It was cute, fluffy and nice, and almost all the obstacles are out of the way now, except for Yoreum, of course, who has the older claim on Itsuki, but does Itsuki even feel anything for her first love? Then, there’s the issue for Fuyu’s mother, who expect is not easily swayed to accept Itsuki as a daughter-in-law. But that stakes feel much less high than in season one. I’m happy that all the intrigues and the game development are gone for now, because the was the least compelling part of S1 – and I’m a software (though not games) developer by trade. We shall see how they ramp the drama back up again.

After all the drama and heartbreak of season one, we surely deserved a 'breather' episode like this. 😉

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