"Adversity Makes a Man Wise" is the fourth episode of the Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi anime series. The episode revolves around the couple Ritsu Onodera and Masamune Takano.
Plot
The episode picks up where the previous one left off, with Ritsu leaving Takano's place and running into Takafumi Yokozawa at the door. Takano tells Yokozawa to leave, but he comes in anyway. Ritsu excuses himself, and Yokozawa warns Ritsu to stay away. Takano comes back out and tells Ritsu that he'll call him, but Ritsu says it's not necessary and leaves.
Back in his own apartment, Ritsu tries to focus on work, but he's distracted by what happened with Takano and he wonders why Yokozawa came to visit him in the middle of the night. Takano calls him, but Ritsu doesn't answer.
The next day at work, Ritsu takes a call from the mangaka he's managing, Yukina Mutou. All of her assistants are down with the flu and it initially seems that there's no way she'll get the manuscript to them in time. Ritsu thinks quick and figures he can fly to Hokkaido, help her finish, and get the manuscript back by 9pm that night. Yokozawa and Takano are skeptical, but Ritsu insists and Takano approves.
Mutou bundled up
Ritsu flies to Hokkaido and meets Mutou at the airport. She's wearing very warm clothes and a surgical mask because she's ill. They get to work, completing the final fifteen pages. Mutou thanks him for the storyboard edits, but Ritsu is self-conscious because the specific edit she cites was Takano's suggestion.
That night at Emerald, it's past 9:30 and the manuscript hasn't gotten back to them. Takano needs to make a decision. Yokozawa tells him to cut it, but Takano asks for more time. Ritsu runs in with the manuscript, apologizing because he was stuck in traffic. Takano quickly looks it over, grilling Ritsu on the changes and checks before handing it to Sasaki, who takes it and runs off to print.
Ritsu blushes after Takano touches his hair
Ritsu apologizes to Takano and Yokozawa with a deep bow, saying it was his fault it got this far for not properly following up with his author before. After Yokozawa leaves and they're alone, Takano tells Ritsu that he wasn't worried because when Ritsu sets his mind to something he gets it done. As Takano leaves, he brushes his fingers through Ritsu's hair. Ritsu aches where Takano touched him, but he also doesn't want to get any closer.
Ritsu washes his face in the bathroom, trying to pull himself together. Yokozawa confronts him there, accusing him of coming to Marukawa Publishing because he knew Takano was working there, and saying that Ritsu's the reason why Takano is "all screwed up now."
Ritsu falls asleep on the train
Takano and Ritsu take the train home together, looking over other work for the following month. Exhausted, Ritsu falls asleep against Takano.
The next morning, Ritsu wakes up in bed next to Takano and panics, asking if anything happened. Takano tells him he just carried him home from the train and put him to bed. Ritsu quickly puts his clothes on and leaves to his own apartment, only to realize he doesn't have his keys. When he opens Takano's door, Takano is there with Ritsu's bag, which Ritsu snatches. Ritsu insists that Takano has the wrong impression of him and he won't fall in love with him, but Takano isn't convinced.
Character debuts
- Sasaki (first referenced in episode 2)
- Yukina Mutou debuted in the previous episode, but she is first seen in this episode
Images
