The following contains spoilers for Episode 11 of More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers, “More Than a Confession, But Not Yet a Broken Heart,” now streaming on Crunchyroll.
A test of courage may not be the only thing for Akari to worry about as she finally confronts her feelings with Minami Tenjin in Episode 11 of More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers. Though she is confident in who she actually loves, Akari’s realization may have come too late after all.
While Jiro and Akari are on their summer beach trip with their group of friends, an upcoming test of courage prompts Jiro to scheme with his best friend Kamo to get himself paired with Shiori and Akari paired with Minami. Because he and Akari originally agreed to help each other get closer to their respective crushes, Jiro believes the test of courage would provide a great opportunity for them both. However, when Akari gets lost in the rain, both of them must confront how they feel about their original crushes and each other.
A Chat With Minami Tenjin Helps Akari Realize Who She Truly Loves
After Akari and Minami get separated while looking for her lost cellphone, Akari hears someone approaching. Expecting it to be Jiro, she shouts his name only to find Minami coming to her rescue. While she certainly would have been overjoyed at the beginning of the series, she is surprised and even subtly disappointed. They move to a gazebo to escape the rain, and Minami acknowledges Akari’s feelings for Jiro. Though she brushes it off and tries to confess her crush on him, Minami finally reveals that he’s always known how Akari feels, but he’s in love with someone he can’t have.
Minami explains that he cares for her in a brotherly way, stating that he wants to root for her with Jiro. Thanks to his encouragement, Akari is finally able to let go of her crush on Minami, something she has been struggling to do for the past few episodes. Even though she does try to confess to Minami, it is evident that her attempt is fueled by last-ditch desperation before she can truly accept how she feels about Jiro. Though she does reconcile with her feelings and expresses newfound confidence, Akari could be too late.
Jiro and Shiori’s Romantic Kiss Spells Trouble for Akari
While Akari has her grand moment of realization, Shiori is having a moment of her own with Jiro. Taking advantage of their alone time in the rain, Shiori has a heart-to-heart conversation with Jiro, expressing her sadness that she doesn’t get to see the side of Jiro that Akari sees. When a small discussion of their kissing practice raises the suggestion that Jiro has kissed Akari, Shiori asks Jiro to prove that Akari isn’t special to him by showing a part of himself that he hasn’t shown Akari.
Jiro and Shiori share a kiss in the rain — one that’s much more romantic than their accidental kiss in Episode 6. This could pose a problem for Jiro and Akari’s own romantic development, even if Akari has become completely sure of her feelings for Jiro. However, the heat-of-the-moment kiss does not completely overshadow Jiro’s show of concern for Akari earlier in the episode. When he finds out that Akari is lost, he leaves Shiori and the group to find her by himself and is disappointed to hear that Minami found her. Jiro has his own hurdles to cross, but his care for Akari definitely appears to have more substance than his crush on Shiori.
The romantic kiss between Jiro and Shiori is certainly disappointing for Akari fans, but with one episode left, there is still hope for Jiro to question if he really likes Shiori as deeply as he has grown to care for Akari. A second season of More Than a Married Couple has yet to be announced, so fans are anxious to see what lies in store for Akari and Jiro in the season’s final episode.
