Recapturing from the previous episode, Michiru left the bedroom and noticed Sousuke dead on the couch. She started crying while leaning against the dead body of Sousuke lol [A normal person probably would had called the ambulance first?]. After crying for a while, she noticed Sousuke had written a letter to her in her bag. Sousuke said his goodbyes and that he's giving Michiru her true freedom through his death as if he lives, he will be restraining her. He went on to say he wanted to be Michiru's everything and to be one with her. However, he realized that Michiru never found happiness in his world, that's why he's leaving while he still remembered/had Michiru's warmth on his hands and to be one with Michiru. Sousuke then apologized for not able to respond to Michiru's smile, his inability to know how to love a person and not able to give Michiru happiness. Goodbye, Michiru. You must gain happiness okay?
Meanwhile, Ruka gave a press conference when she won the race and the first question asked was a killer lol as it was regarding the rumours in the magazines about her sexual orientation. Ruka smartly avoided a straight on answer, concentrating on the topic Motorcross being an unisex sport and that she will not waver no matter what obstacles were thrown to her. Now, with the support of her family and friends, they continue to love her, not as a gender, but as a human being, as herself. Thus she's very happy and proud of that ... that's all. After the press conference, Ruka found acceptance with Eri too, with the encouragement of Takeru of course. The only regret Eri had was why didn't Ruka told her about it earlier ... she wouldn't be shocked or anything, because Ruka is Ruka. Ruka started crying as Eri rubbed her shoulders in comfort.
Perhaps a day later, in the Sharehouse, Takeru wondered how's Michiru and suggested to Ruka to contact her. Ruka refused, saying Michiru can't accept her, that's why she didn't attend the race and accepted the fact she won't be able to see her again. The phone rang and Takeru went in to answer the phone. It turned out to be Michiru's mother who asked if Michiru's with them ... Takeru replied no and thought she's with her mother instead. The gang then learnt of Sousuke's death from Michiru's mother. Eri started to feel guilty, thinking it was her fault because she said some bad words to him but Ogura interrupted her saying it's not her fault but Sousuke's. He added that suicide is not the solution to all problems. Despite the bad stuff Sousuke did, it was apparent that everyone felt sad for him. Although worried about the missing Michiru, they decided to leave some time alone for Michiru instead of bothering her.
The next day, Ruka went out to collect mails and noticed a postcard from Michiru, apologizing for not attending the race and that not to worry about her as she will continue living by herself. Eri entered the Sharehouse only to find Ogura packing his stuff and announcing that he's been posted to Milano. When Eri questioned about his wife, Ogura kept quiet and Eri assumed she's going with him then. Eri made a forced smile as if she's happy for them. Ogura started to apologize but Eri interrupted him in an anger tone. Eri forced herself to smile as she turned around to face Ogura saying that she felt insulted if Ogura apologized to her, instead she added, he should thank her. Ogura did as she said with reluctance. Obviously both of them were hurt by the 'breakup'.
During dinner, Ruka and Takeru were wondering where's Ogura. Eri told them he moved out because of his work to Milano with his wife. Ruka remarked she can't stand Ogura. Surprisingly, Eri came to his defence, saying he's a good man, according to her lol. Meanwhile, I presume, at Choushi, Michiru's thinking of suicide as well o_o but was kinda stopped by a holler from her mother's friend. Her mother's friend gave Michiru some onigira [Riceballs], a place to stay and a job to work. During work as Michiru was helping on the food preparations, she felt nauseous to the smell of the rice and her mother's friend reckoned that she's pregnant. Later, Michiru went to the doctor and she confirmed that Michiru's 5 weeks pregnant and warned that due to Michiru's high blood pressure, it might be a difficult delivery.
While in bed, Michiru recalled happier times with Sousuke, like her first meeting with Sousuke and at a dinner at a fancy restaurant where she found out about Sousuke's mother had abandoned him when he was ten. Sousuke went to say that he wanted to marry earlier and build a happy family with kids with Michiru. The next day when Michiru returned to her place, she saw her mother waiting for her. Her mother didn't cut her any slack, immediately questioned about Michiru's pregnancy if the baby's Sousuke and told her to abort it. Michiru looked at her mother in shock and replied that she will give birth and take care of it herself. Her mother told her that raising a kid's very troublesome, can't simply throw it away when it's born and it will cry, it will scream and on top of that it cost money. A nuisance. [Holy ... it's like her mother's referring to Michiru in a sense ... lol].
As expected, Michiru felt hurt by her mother's words and asked her mother if that's how she thought of her ... a nuisance? Michiru went on saying that she had always felt that her mother thought of her as a nuisance, that's why she wanted to grow up quickly, move out and not be a burden in her mother's life. Michiru yelled that she will not be like her mother, she will give all her love to the baby in her womb. All that yelling made her nauseous lol. While Michiru's washing her mouth, her mother looked on, asking why Michiru's keeping the baby despite the 'suffering'. Michiru replied she will live on with her baby together, the two of them. Michiru's mother confessed that she used to think that way too, even without a father, she want try her best to live together with Michiru. Smiling like a proud mother, Michiru's mother left, saying ah, do whatever you like [Kinda gives me a feeling that she's saying, like mother like daughter lol].
Fast forward to the present where Michiru's recalling her regrets of not noticing Ruka's feelings and stuff [See Episode 1]. As for Eri and Ogura, Ogura with a bouquet of roses finally made the right decision by declaring his 'love' [Technically, he just said, 'I can't forget you!'] for Eri in the airport lol. Oh well, the married couple in the preview was Eri and Ogura lol. Takeru and Ruka both looked good in suits XD. Like a good friend, Ruka pulled Eri aside and asked if Ogura's the one to give happiness? Eri remarked even though he's a hopeless guy, as long as he can love her forever, she's fine with it LOL. Now, with Eri married, Ruka and Takeru were the only ones left in the Sharehouse. Walking to the park, Ruka recalled the time she met Michiru who was crying under the rain. Knowing Ruka's still not over and worried about Michiru, Takeru drove by the Sharehouse on a motorbike he borrowed from Ruka's coach and suggested that they go meet Michiru lol.
Takeru's sooo sweet, saying he will help Ruka 'patch the hole' in her heart as they went to Michiru's mother's apartment. The landlady told them the Aida family moved out. Takeru asked Ruka if she had any idea where Michiru might had gone. Ruka mentioned probably she's at Choushi where she last lived before she 'disappeared' during high school. Ruka and Takeru went around asking people looking for Michiru. While having dinner, Ruka's feeling kinda discouraged and told Takeru that as long as Michiru's happy, she's fine with it. Probably Michiru already had a boyfriend, had already forgot about her and Takeru and living happily somewhere. Takeru replied that it might not be true ... probably Michiru's living alone somewhere and waiting for them to find her. After dinner, both of them camp out. Ruka told Takeru that she felt happy to be eating, living and having fun with Takeru, like a married couple [LOL]. Ruka added that it seemed like a long time married couple will act like friends and as such there's no gender boundaries [o_o!].
It's like they can completely confide anything to each other, Ruka ended. It was then Takeru decided to tell Ruka about his childhood past ... about his elder sister who's older than him by ten years and not related to him by blood. It seemed like Takeru's father 'abuse' his sister in some sense and his sister will turn to Takeru in another sense lol. As Takeru about to reveal exactly what his elder sister did to him, Ruka interrupted saying he don't have to say it lol [Damn]. Anyways, it turned out to be Takeru been fearful of a woman's body and his fear of not able to love or make a woman happy. Ruka insisted that Takeru's a man who can make a woman happy ... and she added that she know that best. Ruka then moved closer and had her arm over Takeru's shoulders to console him. [Awwww~~~]
The next morning, both of them woke up and said good morning to each other ... ! [See image below];
Anyways, they managed to find Michiru and they hurried to the Inn Michiru's working at. However, they had an accident [Damn the producers!!!] but Ruka and Takeru were not seriously injuried. [Yeah it's like those what the hell moments, those darn producers trying to heighten and dramatize the tension and crap. A total fail for me ... *roll eyes* There's so many reasons the accident COULD had been avoided with NO injuries at all -_-] I was laughing when Takeru was asking if Ruka's alright, legs are fine? Ruka replied yeah, totally. Takeru was like totally no injuries!? tone as if he's in disbelief LOL [Can't blame him, me too]. The both of them started to leave the hospital but the motorbike had some problems, while Ruka's fixing the bike, Takeru saw the pregnant Michiru waiting to get on the shuttle minibus. Ruka turned around and called out Michiru's name. Michiru invited them to her place and poured them tea/water.
Michiru started to explain even with child, she's still living and working to support herself and that she wants to stay as she is. Ruka tried to convince Michiru to go back Tokyo and live with them in the Sharehouse. Michiru replied that she can't because the baby's Sousuke's. Michiru blamed herself for Sousuke's death and there's no way she can gain happiness. She added that she's not alone when she found out she's having a baby ... it's like Sousuke had forgiven her [WHAT THEEEE heeelll, lol Michiru sure had some twisted conclusion there. But then I think she's thinking that Sousuke's giving her a 'gift' so that she won't be lonely anymore ... or at least a reason for her to live and to stay in the world]. Ruka held Michiru's hand telling her that from then, it will all be Michiru's life not any other's. Ruka added that she still can't forgive Sousuke and that the way he died was selfish but the baby's Michiru's and that Michiru's free to be with whom and how she wanted to live her life.
Ruka continued that she want to live with Michiru even though she can't be the baby's father, probably she can be a senpai [senior] to it by her side. Takeru chipped in saying he too will help out as two is better than one, three is better than two lol. With the baby, there'll be four of them, Ruka added. Michiru's so touched and she started crying
in a fake-ly manner and thanked them. Suddenly, Takeru saw that Michiru's in pain lol and it seemed like she's going in labour. Both Takeru and Ruka told Michiru to ehhh ganbatte ... [try her best] as she was sent into the delivery room. Blah blah, the producers tried to make as if Michiru's in a lot of pain and dying from child birth or something o_o. Instead, it's just Michiru closing her eyes in relief perhaps and the baby's a healthy girl XD.
Anyways, all's well, Michiru asked Ruka if she would like to hold the baby lol, Ruka was like ... kinda tense and expressionless ... [Seems like Ueno Juri's not really good with babies lol]. While holding the baby, Ruka told the child that the world's not bad and that from then on, there will be alot of fun stuff happening. Next up, Takeru also wanted to hold the baby [LoL Eita looked just like a proud father, smiling and the 'glow' he had on his face, very nice XD] and told the baby, 'It's papa here~' LOL. Michiru smiled and thanked both Ruka and Takeru.
Probably a few months later, they were at the beach, [Is it me or Ruka/Juri kept looking at Takeru/Eita's face while he's playing with the baby? ... I see some sparks there!!! LOL] As the two 'kids' playing in the water, Michiru had a soliloquy to Eri and Ogura, telling them that she had decided to name the baby 'Aida Rumi', Ruka's RU and Michiru's MI, not to forgot Takeru's RU too. The four of them will be staying in the Sharehouse. Family, Friends, Husband & Wife, Lovers ... their relationship seem to fall in one of each but they're not ... but it doesn't stop them from keeping this fragile happiness. It's fine if they stay friends and hopefully stay that way forever and if anything happened that they should separate, with any luck one day they will meet each other with smiles.
'My dear friends, you are my last friends.'
-End of Last Friends Ep11-
Whoa, that's the end. They completely ignored the relationship part except for Eri and Ogura ... they strengthen the relationship between Ruka and Takeru though ... with the camping scene ... sooo sweet~~! LoL. But then I realized I shouldn't be support RukaxTakeru right? I mean what strike me to watch Last Friends was the kiss between Ruka and Michiru ... wttthh, in the end, I became a RukaxTakeru fan! LOL. BOO!!! How can you mislead me!? I guess I was expecting too much ... ahh with the wedding preview and all ... sigh. Although it makes me happy that Ruka dropped the idea of the sex change because of acceptance from her family and friends which is a good thing. But darn that Michiru, she's still as straight as a hm pole. Oh well, true to the title, they ALL stayed a FRIENDS ... blah ... should had expected that right from the start. I can't expect them to break up with each other and go on each other's ways right lol.
Oh well, it's a realistic and peaceful ending I supposed despite all the angst built up slowly in each episodes ... love the background music, XD you guys should listen to the OST, think the torrent's at tokyo toshokan =).
... hm but then it kinda reminded me of Michiru, Haruka and Setsuna from Sailor Moon ... except Hotaru's not Michiru's child but nevertheless ... o_o Somehow I don't want Ruka to ended up with Michiru ... lol I would rather it be Takeru. So I'm happy with the realistic and practical, most importantly, 'SAFE' ending lol. I believe it will cause an uproar if it's not a conventional ending deshou?
[Signing off @ 8:55 PM]
[J-Drama] Last Friends Ep11
