Romance is in bloom, but so is some deep inner turmoil. Luckily Vivi and Lily Franky are ready to save the day with some killer advice on this week’s episode of Terrace House.
1. “Never have Japan and Russia had better foreign relations than now.”
Vivi’s effortless charm is doing a number on Ryo. It’s the most animated he’s been since he’s joined Terrace House and it becomes obvious rather quickly that none of the girls have lit a spark in him until now. Vivi and Ryo have a lot in common, most importantly their outlook on life. Interestingly, their compatibility doesn’t feel contrived either. Even when Vivi offers to cook him rice so he can get to bed on time, it comes off as very genuine. Most of the romances this season have fizzled rather quickly, so it’s exciting to think that we could get a taste of something real soon. Fingers crossed that it works out for these two.
2. Hana’s growth
Hana has a heart to heart with Kai this episode, revealing that part of the reason she’s pursued Ryo so adamantly is because she’s hoping it helps her grow. She admits that she hasn’t felt Ryo reciprocate her feelings, but she’s willing to power through in hopes that she learns to be better at relationships and talking to boys to in general. She’s showing a lot of vulnerability, as well as a self awareness that we haven’t necessarily seen from her before. Hana often comes off as immature (it’s easy to forget she’s only 22), but she demonstrates a level of introspection in this moment that is refreshing. Vivi has definitely thrown her for a loop, though she’s handling it gracefully. I give her huge credit for recognizing that there’s no scheming on Vivi or Ryo’s parts. I only hope she can move on from this heartache, and quickly. She deserves more than to be sidelined as the third wheel in her roommates’ budding romance.
3. Kai lends support
It feels like Kai has gotten the least screen time of the newcomers, but we’re able to learn a lot about him this episode despite that. Hana and Tupas both choose to have very personal and open conversations with Kai about things they’re struggling with, which signals that he’s very easy to get along with and talk to. This isn’t totally surprising, considering how open he was about his depression from the get go; he can relate to having a difficult time, but clearly he’s a good listener as well. It’s nice to see someone who’s sympathetic to others and in tune with what they need. In both conversations, he’s able to offer input without sounding preachy, but mostly he just listens. Between him and Vivi, who’s astonishingly mature and thoughtful for 24, the roommates in the house have a great support system if they need it. I just hope that if and when Kai needs someone to lend an ear, they’re able to return the favor.
4. A reason to stick around
Emika and Tupas finally go on their date this week! Not only that, Emika moves plans around to do so, signaling that she’s definitely more than interested in seeing where this goes. Their chemistry is different than Ryo and Vivi’s, but still somewhat effortless. They seem to click nicely. Up to this point, Tupas has been very reserved, so it’s nice to see some of his personality come through as he navigates the dating waters. He’s surprisingly forward asking Emika on a date. Similarly, it’s nice to see Emika seem genuinely excited about someone. The way she responds to and interacts with Tupas is, in retrospect, very different to the way she interacted with Ryo. Her eyes light up when Tupas asks her out, and she even admits to him that she had considered leaving the house, but implies that he’s given her a reason to stay.
On the surface, the two of them seem promising as a couple, but our and Tupas’ hopes are brought back down to earth during a conversation with his boss, Lily Franky. Lily of course wants to see a picture of Emika when he learns Tupas has a crush and they scroll through her Instagram for a while. There’s a slightly gross moment when Lily gets excited about a bikini photo, but we can forgive him for it only because of the thoughtful advice he gives to Tupas next. Lily points out that while Emika’s personality might be reserved like Tupas, the image she portrays on her Instagram account signals that she values vanity. It’s a smart observation. Perhaps the two of them aren’t as compatible as they seem? I suspect Tupas might be a little too mature for her, but we’ll see where it goes. Still, I’m wary.
Continued below5. Tupas’ inner turmoil
For someone who’s been very controlled since joining the cast, Tupas turns into a bit of a train wreck by the end of the episode. Something hits a nerve when he’s talking to Kai about Emika. He admits that he hasn’t felt loved by the people around him until now, and it’s obvious that he sees Lily Franky as a replacement for the dad he never had. Tupas is definitely putting his self worth in the hands of others, which is unhealthy, but also sad as he seems like a good guy.
Up until now, Tupas has been clear that he rarely drinks, so it’s a bit alarming when Hana and Vivi find him drunk, nursing his unhappiness at the dining room table. This might be foreshadowing of a deeper problem with alcohol, as the panel points out, but it’s too soon to tell. However, what follows is potentially one of the best conversations between roommates we’ve seen on Terrace House all thanks to Vivi. The girl has an amazing way with words; at 24, she’s somehow mastered the art of giving advice without coming off as preachy. Tupas thinks he can’t show love, because he’s never felt love as he wallows in his own self-pity. Vivi sees it differently, though. She argues compelling for gaining the courage to find love within yourself (it’s not lost on us that Hana is listening to this conversation too, another member of the household who very much needs to hear this message) and makes a very poignant observation that, despite his insistence, Tupas does in fact know how to love, because every morning he makes the loving gesture of waking up early to clean all of the dishes for them.
It’s a very powerful argument. Tupas recognizes that and it galvanizes him the next morning. He wakes up early, does the dishes, and then is rewarded when he asks Emika on another date and she changes all of her plans for him. Things might be looking up… Please don’t break his heart, Emika!
