chillingindoors

This drama is a criminally underrated gem, and I highly recommend everyone to give it a try once.

The synopsis makes it sound like like a shallow love triangle of a FL shuttling between two brothers; one who is her ex, and the other who she falls for in the present, and who she will choose in the end. But this drama flips that unreliable narrative we've formed in our head to present such a meaningful coming-of-age story with cues to sustaining a healthy sense of self and relationship with others via communication.

I don't think any drama has come close to this in using the love triangle so effectively to flesh out a deep and introspective story.

We're such unreliable narrators of our own lives, and often assume we are aware of the whole picture when other people's behaviour(s) conveniently align with our perspective to form a narrative. Pleasant, meek Akari automatically gains our empathy as we view Yamato from her lens of someone who flirts, acts nonchalant and uses humour to be dismissive. Soft-spoken and kind Izumi gains our empathy as we view him from Akari's lens as someone who takes notice of her discomfort and appreciates her. We believe their perspectives and form a narrative of the good guy- bad guy in the relationship, forgetting how behaviours do not represent what a person is feeling., and the only way to understand that is to communicate, and question the emerging narrative. And communication isn't saying your piece and walking away, like Akari did . It isn't assuming and drawing conclusions that the other isn't interested, like Yamato and Akari did. It isn't simply talking about what is on the surface, but it also consists of addressing the non-verbals and unsaid gaps that are emerging and making one uncomfortable, like Izumi and Akari address after their first argument. And we see as these characters begin to communicate and address the elephant in the room, an alternative narrative emerges. Suddenly, Yamato isn't the bad, nonchalant guy. Rather he is caring and always thinks of others, like Akari does. Izumi isn't the honest, ideal guy who doesn't have demons on insecurities.

There is so much richness in the dynamics of this show, with the way the brothers are not reduced to jealous guys fighting over the FL but men battling their conditioning to express love by way of assuming responsibility. For good or for worse, their feelings for Akari emerge right at the heart of this dilemma. I love how they attempt to hold on to their own initially, then push her away for each other, only to realise it was never about who was better, or who can win the race of being kind, rather what the status quo is. Same with Akari - she is not reduced to a meek, indecisive FL who can't make up her mind about who she likes. She is very clear about it, and the realisation of alternate perspectives only pushes her to grow up, self-reflect , address the situation, and assume responsibility for her own feelings and stance rather than repeat the same pattern and retreat (as a gesture of kindness).

That ending - with both leads - finally speaking their heart out, laughing together like never before was PERFECTION.

The pacing was fantastic, and it was just the right amount of episodes to flesh out the story and dynamics.