Ron Does Stuff

It’s the final episode! Both Shiba and Haruto have affirmed their commitment to each other in the previous episode, and now there’s just the final episode left. Let’s go!

Arisuinbo’s trial begins and Shiba calls to the stand Haruto, who we know find out is actually named Kento Haruhara. He drops the bombshell that he is Arisuinbo’s son and we have the expected shocked reaction from the courtroom crowd. But where is all of this going?

Haruto brings up his suspicion that Arisuinbo orchestrated the death of his mother, to which Arisuinbo’s lawyer objects to as it doesn’t have a connection to the case, which I get. Just like him, I want to know what Shiba and Haruto have planned so they can emerge from this successful.

Turns out that Haruto was able to get messages showing that the Arisuinbo-affiliated company had made up an environmental group to protest the entertainment center so that it wouldn’t even get to the construction stage. But Arisuinbo’s lawyer decides to attack Haruto’s credibility instead, and since I am not a sharp legal mind I really thought that he got them there! But as it turns out, Haruto reading all those legal books in Shiba’s house was the right thing to do because Shiba didn’t even have to stand up to poke holes in the Arisuinbo lawyer’s argument.

Then we get another witness. Or rather, the construction executive from episode nine is back on the witness stand. This time around, he admits to committing perjury because of the pressure the Arisuinbo company is exerting on his company, and also revealed that he lied the last time he was on the witness stand because Arisuinbo’s lawyer assured him that he wouldn’t be prosecuted. Sounds like the wheelings and dealings of a ~Global South~ country to me!

With so many things coming to light, it’s a complete legal victory for Shiba and Haruto. Shiba is promoted to managing partner and gets a 200 percent raise AND BOY DO I WANT A 200 PERCENT RAISE.

The guys celebrate Christmas at home — from what multiple Japanese shows have shown me, Christmas is more of a date thing over there — and Shiba reveals that he’s taken care of Haruto’s legal trouble, thanks to that raise. Okay, I will also be fine with somebody else’s 200 percent raise bankrolling my life. But turns out that payment has strings, because Shiba now wants Haruto to become a lawyer and battle Arisuinbo in court over his mother’s murder. Shiba also says Haruto can help out his wayward street children better when he becomes a lawyer, so of course Haruto is overcome with emotion. They say I love you to one another and then share those chaste Japanese kisses. The end!

I gotta admit, this all felt a little rushed, but then again this could be said of all the episodes. They’re really short. I just thought that with this being the final episode, they’d take their time just a little bit more and maybe give the show a bigger send-off.

Is this the best Japanese BL I’ve watched? Not really, but it’s so far from being the worst. All in all, I thought this show was a fun little romp that had enough melodrama and kilig to keep me watching and I wouldn’t hesitate recommending it to someone looking for a quick show to binge.