After Oshiro discovers Hanae and Yuto out on a date, Yuto asks Hanae if she's all right. He promises to explain things to the colleagues in a way that would not cause her trouble. Hanae assures she's okay as she's prepared for this.
In truth, she isn't, and freaks out at home. She imagines her colleagues giving her knowing looks, arranging the office furniture so that she and Yuto are sitting facing each other, and the others announcing her dating status to even their clients. She can't even make herself sick to skip work.
However, it's a normal day at the office despite Hanae's nerves being stretched to the max, and she wonders if the news hasn't spread. She sees Oshiro talking to Boss Tachibana in the conference room and fears the worst, more so when she's called in after Oshiro. Hanae nearly has a meltdown until she realises Tachibana is only asking if she's considered the new job scope offer. Hanae says she still needs time to consider, and has until the end of the year to make the decision.
She gets Oshiro aside for a bit and he says of course he wouldn't tell anyone, since they're peers and he wouldn't want her quitting if something happens because he told. Oshiro assures her he'll keep his mouth shut, but if she's that worried, she can treat him to beers. Hanae is surprised and glad.
Over beers, Hanae clears up the issue of "Mamoru" being her boyfriend, and Oshiro asks about the job offer and whether she'll take it. Hanae plans to reject it and Oshiro asks if that's because she is going to marry Yuto. Hanae says it's not about Yuto, but Oshiro asks if Hanae is really okay with Yuto going to graduate school after this? Surely Hanae has thought about her future with Yuto, including marriage? And surely Hanae would prefer Yuto to find a job rather than go to graduate school? Hanae says that is Yuto's life after all, but Oshiro's words do set her thinking.
Yuto stops by the university to look for his professor Shibayama, who is away. The TA (?) asks Yuto if he's thought about his research thesis, and advises him to quit his part-time job to spend more time on it. Yuto promises to think about it.
Oshiro gets Hanae to throw some darts, his words about making a miracle despite not having any experience in dart throwing seemingly having some sort of double meaning for Hanae and her thoughts of marrying Yuto - she throws, and just misses the bulls-eye. Hanae realises that more than darts, she should think carefully about whether there is a possibility of her and Yuto getting married, and if so, when that will happen since he's going to graduate school...
Hanae starts her calculations - Yuto will start graduate school in 1.5 years time, and that will take 2 years, which means he'll graduate after 3.5 years. She'll be 33, he 24. She thinks she can wait 3.5 years, but there's still no guarantee of marriage even so. Besides, he might not be able to find a job then. Her imagination goes wild, thinking Yuto will go on a 3-year-long trip after he graduates, which stretches to 6 years when he returns (looking like a caveman), and then he runs off to the mountains to master pottery for the next 10 years. By the time he finally returns, she's an old woman lying on the hospital bed - he then tells her they'll get married in heaven. Hahahaha...
During dinner at Bushi-san's, Yuto reveals he wanted to further his studies because of Prof Shibayama and promises to introduce the man to Hanae next time. Bushi-san asks Yuto what he plans to do after grad school, to which Yuto replies he wants to go to America for an MBA, and hopes to start his own company before he turns 30. While Hanae praises Yuto for being capable and all, she's thinking sadly that his plans don't include her at all.
One of their colleagues is getting married, and Hanae feels a bit forlorn, thinking that every time someone gets married before her, she is one step further away from marriage. She wonders if she'll continue to be alone for a long time. She goes to the udon shop for lunch and notices Yu deep in discussion with two men about renovations. Yu hasn't noticed Hanae at all. As her back is to him, Hanae begins coughing, turning around, waving her handkerchief, feeling a bit peeved that the annoying devil Yu, who once pestered her, is now completely oblivious to her existence. That makes her feel a little lonely, and she thinks it's because she must be too lonely to feel this way.
Yu is still immersed in his discussion when Hanae pays up at the cashier's and she finally can't help herself but greet him. He's all "oh, it's you". One of the men asks if Hanae is someone Yu knows, and Yu goes "well, sort of", and goes back to his work. Hanae is peeved with his nonchalant attitude, and steps out of the shop thinking that she must really be too lonely to be feeling like this.
Yu is at his restaurant working on his laptop when Hitomi drops by with drinks. Noticing that Yu is already recruiting staff, she wonders if she should work at the restaurant too. She's confident she can deal with customers, she had experience working part-time at a restaurant when she was in school. Yu wonders if she can quit her job at Teiko then, and Hitomi says if that is what Yu wishes, she'll do it because she wants to help him. She asks him to let her stay by his side. Yu then asks if Hitomi can be his guarantor? Hitomi doesn't understand, so Yu spells it out for her: he is now 100 million yen in debt. Does she understand now? Even if she is with him, she can't get the kind of life she wants. Hitomi is stunned, then tries to smile, and says that seems impossible after all. She thanks Yu for reminding her and that she's now given up. She wishes him well with the restaurant and walks out.
Hanae returns home to see her parents checking out new houses and flips to realise they are thinking of selling the house. She objects and says she loves the house, even though mom points out she'll be getting married sooner or later. Even dad reminds her Yuto said he was serious about her - isn't marriage on the cards after he graduates? Mom says they can't take care of Hanae forever...
Ichika and her kids come over to celebrate Dad's birthday. Ichika points out that men and women think differently about when to get married, especially since Yuto is going to grad school. Ichika wonders if Hanae can wait 3.5 years, then advises her to ditch Yuto and find someone else. Ichika tells Hanae to ask to meet Yuto's parents as a gauge whether he intends to marry her in the future.
At the ramen shop, Hanae tries to bring up the topic, and Yuto mentions his mom is in town - would she like to meet her? Hanae is stunned, and more so when Yuto says his mom is a food critic. Hanae thinks this is another test she must overcome if she and Yuto marry...
At Bushi-san's, both he and Hanae are nervously waiting for Yuto and his mom to arrive. Hanae is shocked to see how young Yuto's mom is. Mom doesn't seem to mind that Hanae is older, saying that as Yuto is like a child sometimes, it's nice to have someone older keeping him in check. Mom then asks if Yuto really wants to go to grad school and says it's better to work since he already had a job offer to stay on. Yuto insists there are so many things he wants to learn, and there's no need to worry about his tuition fees and living expenses. Mom says it's his future she's worried about, since it might be hard to find a job by the time he finishes grad school.
Hanae then blurts out that she's willing to take care of Yuto for life. Mom and Yuto stare at her in shock as she rambles on, saying there's a new job offer that'll increase her salary. If they remain frugal, they should be able to get by, so Yuto can concentrate on his studies without a problem. Mom is a little taken aback, saying she came today to discuss Yuto's studies... she hadn't realised this was going to be about marriage? Yuto denies they're getting married, and besides, they can't get married if he's going to continue his studies. Hanae realises she's made a big blunder...
After mom leaves, Yuto asks if Hanae is angry that he hadn't realised she was thinking about marriage. Hanae apologises instead, saying she got carried away. She thinks to herself that being with the one she loves is happiness enough, she was too greedy and wanted more happiness by getting married.
Hitomi voluntarily withdraws herself from the project with Yu. Meanwhile, Yuto goes to see Prof Shibayama, who asks what he's going to do about his research. Yuto promises to quit his part-time job to focus on research.
Boss Tachibana visits Yu at his restaurant and wonders if it'll open soon. Yu says there's still a lot of work to be done. Tachibana says he once dreamed of having his own company, but ended up being a salaryman all his life. Yu says any kind of job is difficult, but Tachibana points out that they're employees relying on a company, unlike Yu who is striking out on his own - that requires courage. Yu says this is just something he needs to do to survive. Tachibana wonders if Yu has ever been afraid, that as he grows older he may be more averse to risk? Yu says honestly he hasn't been afraid, but there are times when he does want things that can't be replaced by anything else, things that can help sustain him and give him the will to go on. Tachibana wonders what Yu thinks about building a family? Yu smiles and says he's the type that's least suitable to get married. But Tachibana wonders isn't that why there's a need to get married? That sets Yu thinking.
To get Hitomi out of her funk, the colleagues go out for drinks after work. Hitomi gets drunk and declares she's totally over the debt-ridden Yu. Despite so, she warns Kagami he doesn't stand a chance. Hitomi excuses herself to go home after a while and Kagami runs after her, only to discover that she's crying. She tells him to stop following her but he says he's worried about her. Kagami says he's found more things to like about her than her face, but Hitomi tells him to save it for next time, and he can find a dining place while at it. Kagami understands and leaves, and Hitomi thanks him. He gives her a big grin.
Yu thinks over Tachibana's words about building a family, then thinks of Hanae pretending to be his wife at the sausage factory and her words about how they're enemies like a monkey and a dog.
Hanae gets a call from Yuto to meet and leaves her colleagues to go ahead, thinking she must be the city's most blissful woman to be able to meet her loved one instead of being the last to leave and settle the bill at an office gathering. As Yuto takes her hand and puts it in his coat pocket, she thinks to herself she must be Japan's most blissful woman, even if they don't get married. As he takes her into his arms, she feels she is Asia's most blissful woman, even if they don't get married. As they kiss, she feels she is the world's most blissful woman, even if they don't get married.
Yuto then asks Hanae to marry him. Hanae is so happy that she cries.
玉木宏、藤木直人、佐藤健... 大好き! 
(Masaya Kato, Abe Hiroshi, Osawa Takao, Fukuyama Masaharu, Fujiki Naohito, Tanihara Shosuke, Takizawa Hideaki, Kuninaka Ryoko, Tamayama Tetsuji, Tamaki Hiroshi, Ayase Haruka, Ueno Juri) 
I adore Kei and Ai-ai, and love the quartet's camaraderie. All the panda jokes! The pyjama parties! 
I do ship Tamaki/Ayase. It's just another of my wishful thinking.
I didn't know their friendship goes way back, but that'd explain why Tamaki and Ayase keep getting projects together. Now I really need to hunt down River of First Love and Akai Unmei! 
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I wonder what gave it away? I still visit Jade's blog regularly for J-drama news.
My poor Yu... I don't like what they're doing with him if Hitomi is the end game. Even though she has improved a smidgen, I still can't see Yu getting with her. And Hanae is kind of losing me a bit - if there was one thing Hitomi did right, it's to point out that Hanae's own ideas about love are really archaic (Meiji era, as Hitomi says). 
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