More Than a Married Couple: Everyone Loves Somebody They Can’t Have

The theme of unrequited feelings already runs through the veins of More Than a Married Couple. Jiro and Akari, the two protagonists living as a married couple as part of their school’s couples training program, each person has someone they like that they believe doesn’t like them back. A past misunderstanding convinces Jiro that Shiori only thinks of him as a friend, and Minami leaves Akari hanging after a planned festival date. Shiori also believes that her feelings for Jiro are unrequited, and both Jiro and Akari struggle to accept and understand their feelings for each other.

Though some viewers may find the love triangle in More Than a Married Couple cliché, the romantic comedy series manages to keep the story interesting by highlighting the realistic emotions behind the complicated relationships. Episode 8 broadens the web of teenage romance by presenting the unrequited feelings of classmates Shu Terafune and Mei Hamano, as well as hinting that Minami Tenjin has a history of heartbreak.

Classmates Further Complicate the Love Triangle

Past episodes have already introduced Shu Terafune and Mei Hamano and hinted at their romantic frustrations, but Episode 8 pays their unrequited love stories more attention. Mei Hamano is Shiori’s best friend, and she often encourages Shiori in her pursuit of Jiro. However, she is in love with Shiori herself. Though Terafune gives Mei the opportunity to spend a night with her best friend and crush, Mei ends up chickening out when Shiori mentions the pictures of her and Jiro on her wall. Mei struggles with her unrequited feelings but ignores them for the sake of Shiori, selflessly prioritizing her friend’s feelings for another.

Episode 8 briefly touches on Shu Terafune’s unrequited crush on Akari. Terafune’s feelings are first made apparent in Episode 7 when he offers to hang out with Akari in Minami’s stead and suffers dejection after Akari declines. While Episode 8 doesn’t extensively explore his feelings further, it not only reminds viewers that Terafune likes Akari but also points out that Terafune has liked her for a long time. While enjoying a meal with Minami and Kamo’s older brother, Terafune sulks at the thought of Jiro and Akari living successfully as a married couple. He may be a side character, but the series acknowledges his feelings even if they have no bearing on the main love triangle.

Minami Hints at Past Heartbreak

Though Minami is an integral part of the love triangle, the series has yet to explore his character directly. While he often appears ambivalent toward Akari, not much is known regarding his feelings about her or Shiori and whether there is someone else he likes. However, a conversation with Shiori in Episode 8 hints that Minami carries regret over a past heartbreak. To encourage Shiori to be honest with Jiro about her feelings, Minami tells her that it’s better to confront those feelings instead of ending up too late like him.

Evidently, Minami once liked someone, but his hesitancy caused him to lose the chance to be with that person, leaving him with regret. The episode gives little insight into whom the person that Minami once likes is and if they are relevant to the current plot, but some fans may speculate that he likes Shiori. Whether Minami is referring to Shiori or someone else entirely, the revelation of these feelings gives Minami more depth as a character while also exploring the importance of confidence in facing one’s feelings — a theme that appears vital to the series’ resolution.

With only a few episodes left, viewers are anxious to see a resolution to More Than a Married Couple’s love triangle, especially as Jiro and Akari’s feelings grow both stronger and more complicated with each episode. Though most fans are likely rooting for Akari and Jiro to finally confess their feelings and become a true couple, they can’t help but hope for the series’ side characters to find romantic resolutions as well.