*Minami Kun No Koibito – Lucky Mallet of Love*

It’s Saturday and normally this would be when I uploaded an I Order You recap… but I just wanted to recap this drama so much! With each episode I am loving it more and more ♥ So I Order You will come tomorrow instead.

This episode was cuter than it’s predecessors I thought ♥

Chiyomi is a princess and Shunichi is a neighbouring prince who wants her to accept his love and come back to life again (this hair on him makes him look even more handsome!).

He kisses her and the witch’s spell is broken. As soon as she wakes up Shunichi asks for her hand and Chiyomi accepts.

Chiyomi, stood atop Shunichi’s desk relates that they lived happily ever after and that maybe a kiss from a prince could make her back to normal. Shunichi on the other hand is trying to blow-dry her first outfit (did he make her that cute little one she is wearing now?).

Even though it seems he isn’t listening he is able to quench her thoughts on that idea, saying she doesn’t have the qualities of a princess. Even though Chiyomi shyly says she doesn’t have a prince in mind, Shunichi brings up Riku and how she must have got caught up in the moment after having been confessed to (is someone jealous?!)

Shunichi tells her to think more realistically about getting back to her normal size, which angers Chiyomi, who in her eyes, is doing just that. With a stomp of her foot, the pair are in for a shock as Chiyomi’s dress falls down! Shunichi quickly turns (but we all know he got an eye full!).

Later on, Shunichi gets into Chiyomi’s room on the pretense of needing on of their childhood pictures for the year book. As the Chiyomi’s mother is called by her husband, Shunichi is free to find what he and Chiyomi were really here for. Chiyomi is very happy to see some tiny doll clothes and exclaims that she can finally wear decent clothes.

Shunichi and Chiyomi are interrupted by Asuka running in, extremely happy to see her onii-chan. Shunichi is kneeling on the floor, having successfully hidden the clothes under the bed, but he still looks suspicious. Thankfully for him, Asuka is oblivious to his bad acting, simply because she is happy to see him (which is rather sweet).

We also see Shunichi get a little worried that Asuka has flattened her sister by sitting on the bed, but is relieved to see her safe, hiding behind the duvet.

The next day, Shunichi pops Chiyomi into his blazer top pocket and they head to school (wait, why is he taking her to school?). In the classroom, Shunichi is hiding her behind an open textbook. While Chiyomi is happy to be at school (strange child :p), Shunichi shushes her and looks very on edge! Although there is a moment of sadness for Chiyomi as she realises things go on without her (has this girl never been ill? They don’t stop teaching and stare at your chair when that happens!). 

When school ends Shunichi rushes from the classroom… to a top shop. He picks dolls clothes off the shelves and shows them to a hidden Chiyomi, who hates everything (ah bless him, he is trying so hard!).

However, he does find something Chiyomi approves of and he goes to pay for it. On the way he encounters a little girl who simply says “gross” (hahahaha). Watching this scene behind a sign is his schoolmate from the Kendo club.

Afterwards we see Shunichi holding an icecream to his pocket outside of a cafe (this is so cute!). Chiyomi is happily eating it with a tiny spoon, but is warned not to get his uniform dirty!

They then talk about how it has been four days since she has been this small and there is no sign of her getting bigger. Chiyomi is sorry and apologises, but Shunichi waves it away and tells her
to eat the icecream before it melts. He then suddenly says “one-inch princess?” which is repeated by his little self in the past to his grandma.

Shunichi remembers Chiyomi asking how the one-inch princess got bigger and his grandma answering that the little princess shook a lucky mallet stolen from an ogre on the night of a full moon (good luck with that Shunichi!). Back in the present it only takes a few moments for Shunichi to realise there probably aren’t any of those just lying around.

Nomura happens to walk out of the cafe and notices Shunichi, Chiyomi quickly hides inside the pocket, while Shunichi is completely oblivious to everything (seriously, he’s just rambling incoherently to himself…). Nomura walks over to him and strikes up a very one-sided conversation and she tries to take a bite of his icecream (that’s weird), however, Shunichi, who still hasn’t noticed her, seems to realise something and he jumps to his feet… and the icecream smushes into Nomura’s face.

Now he notices, although that doesn’t stop him from not shoving the icecream cone into he hand and rushing off as he is in a hurry (does this boy have any sense?). A man comes out of the restaurant and starts to fuss over Nomura, who isn’t too pleased with him. Shunichi’s Kendo club classmate watches on, and muses that it’s true that Nomura has a golfer boyfriend. He doesn’t stop to watch anymore and rushes off after Shunichi.

Outside of a temple, Shunichi explains that there is supposedly a lucky mallet inside and he goes over what the one-inch princess does with it again with Chiyomi (wait he legit found one and it’s a full moon! The power of fiction).

Later that night Shunichi and Chiyomi do some trespassing. With the help of Chiyomi’s tiny stature they are able to get into the temple and to the ‘lucky mallet’.

While holding the mallet, outside the clouds overhead move to reveal the full moon and the light comes into the room causing the mallet to sparkle. Shunichi begins to shake it over Chiyomi who is thinking happily about returning to her normal size and her life. However, she recalls the moment Shunichi told her he didn’t like her anymore, at the same time the mallet stops shining. Both are confused and distressed by it not working.

However, they can’t be dejected for too long as Sakaizawa comes into the temple shouting “theif!” He is very surprised to see Shunichi.

While walking home with his mother,Shunichi apologises for doing something weird, but instead of being angry, his mother is just relieved that he still has a cute side (as she thinks he was super worried about his exams so wanted to pray).

Shunichi’s mother tells him that he can whine once in a while, and also not to limit his university options to ones which have a tuition waver. She tells him that she knows how hard he works and tries to protect her and his grandma, but that it will be super easy for her to get him into any university, fund wise. Shunichi’s mother is able to uplift Shunichi’s spirits a little after such a topic of conversation and even more so when she offers to order pizza.

Inside, and out of the now pouring rain, Chiyomi apologises and says it was her fault it didn’t work, but he Shunichi says it can’t be helped. Shunichi is staring intensely out of the window and says that the weather the night she turned small was like this. He turns to her and asks if they should make another foolish attempt.

The next scene is Shunichi heading to the cave. He thinks that maybe if she faints from the the thunder here like last time she may revert back to her normal size. Shunichi’s plan is to leave here at the cave alone, as she was alone the first time, however, Chiyomi is adamant that he isn’t going anywhere (and I would do the same!).

Shunichi had brought her clothes along, which he’d washed and even her homemade bed. Which is what we see her in later on as she wakes up and looks at a sleeping Shunichi. We then hear the story about the fairies again, with a little added extra:

“Fairies lose their magical power when they fall in love.

And they will lose their smile.

They will age instantly, fall into a deep sleep and never wake up.

But, if they are loved back by those they love, they will be humans in exchange for losing their magical power.

Humans age, but they have a smile.

In the short period (of their lives), they can get joy, sadness, anger and loneliness.”

While the story is being told, we see Riku reading it, as he notes that it hasn’t been updated and worries if Chiyomi is really alright.

Morning has arrived and Chiyomi is once again naked, but this time it’s a good thing! Once dressed she goes outside and wonders where Shunichi is. Right then he walks over and pulls her into a hug, relieved that she is back to her normal size. Chiyomi positions herself for a kiss and Shunichi leans in… and then starts sneezing, repeatedly.

Of course this is only a dream!

And Chiyomi wakes up to notice a very shivery Shunichi. She asks him if he is okay and he looks at her, noticing she hasn’t changed back. He gets up and falls to his knees, having caught a cold.

Shunichi manages to get them back to his home, but he collapses inside. Chiyomi feels his forehead and is shocked at the heat, and is further stressed when she realises no-one is home. However, Shunichi is on the case it seems as he manages to get himself up to the stairs.

Chiyomi watches him go and she realises what she needs to do: bring his fever down! But… she can’t open the fridge.

Instead she heads up to his room, where Shunichi is in bed. Once up thestairs, a very exhausted and out of breath Chiyomi collapses to the floor, thankful she finally made it. Shunichi heard her come in and he turns over to face her and calls her name. He holds out his hand, picks her up and puts her down next to him.

Chiyomi is upset that she couldn’t bring him anything, but could only come back to his room. Shunichi wipes her tears and tells her not to worry and stay where she is (the way he looked at her :3 so cute!).

Later on Chiyomi feels his forehead again and his temperature is going up. Again she wants to do something to help, but she doesn’t know what. He wakes up and explains that he feels foggy. Before they can talk further, the doorbell rings and Shunichi begins to head downstairs after reassuring Chiyomi that he’ll be okay. He also asks if she is hungry and that he’ll bring her something up (he is thinking of her even when he’s ill, can Shunichi have a cold all the time? haha ^^”). Chiyomi apologises for not being any help and depending on him and he tells her it’s a 1000 yen per meal (like seriously, look at him making a cute joke to make her feel better!).

At the door, Shunichi is shocked to Yabuki (the Kendo classmate) and the Kendo club president. Once inside, they happily tell him they brought him some food and when Shunichi turns down the offer, Yabuki tells him it’s not good for him if he doesn’t eat. Shunichi tells them he isn’t hungry. Talk turns to the Kendo club, Shunichi is adamant he won’t rejoin the club and asks them to leave.

On his way out, Yabuki tells Shunichi that if anything is troubling him, then he will do his best to consult him. He takes a large envelope out of his bag and hands it to Shunichi, telling him that he should like real women (hahaha is this because of the other day?! brilliant!). Of course, the contents of the envelope is an obscene magazine.

Once upstairs, he hides the magazine in a draw, then sets down a small plate of food for Chiyomi. While he had been downstairs, Chiyomi had been searching ways to reduce a fever on his phone, but this knowledge is not new to him as his mother is a nurse. Chiyomi once again apologises, profusely and sincerely, for making him ill. However, Shunichi tells her not to worry and that it was his fault he got a cold.

Just then the doorbell rings again and Shunichi groans when he thinks that it is Yabuki again. He refuses to go to answer the door and covers himself with the duvet! (Ill Shunichi is the best he has been so far! haha).

Whoever it is let’s themselves into the house. Shunichi gets up to investigate and is shocked when Nomura comes into his room (this girl has no manners!). Nomura came to check on him because she was worried. Later on she cooks him some food and when he starts to feel faint, gets him to lie down. Nomura then rushes to get ice and a towel, which she soaks and lays on his forehead. Meanwhile, Chiyomi is upset that she could do not look after Shunichi like Nomura  is.

The day has turned into night and Nomura is watching Shunichi sleep. She then gets up and leans over Shunichi, aiming for a kiss. Chiyomi watches on helplessly crying out Shunichi’s name in her mind, hoping that he will wake up. Chiyomi covers her face and the episode ends.

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Additional Comments:

I really enjoy this drama. I think it is quirky, cute and compelling. That doesn’t mean it’s perfect of course, and a few of those imperfections are starting to make themselves evident:

Most notably for me is the music choices. They can be pretty interesting and sometimes make the scenes a little silly and at times give the wrong sort of atmosphere for what is happening. My biggest bugbear is the sexy sax music that comes on whenever Nomura appears. The first time it was funny and weird, but now it’s just cringey and kind of creepy.

I also think that some scenes are oddly put together or thrown in to show certain things, but that isn’t too annoying and doesn’t really break the scenes badly, but it can be a little strange for those of us who haven’t really seen anything like it before.

What I do like about this drama though, is that it has a lot of heart, even if some of the acting is not so great. Everyone is enthusiastic and in this sort of drama that is what can make is so brilliant and quirky.

This episode we saw a different side to Shunichi, a calmer and softer side. I like how he does things for Chiyomi and makes sure she is okay, even when he is not. It seemed while he was ill, that we were able to sort of see his feelings for Chiyomi come through, because he feels “foggy” and therefore isn’t thinking through his actions etc.

I do wish that Chiyomi could show a few more sides. I think she is cute and a tough little cookie, but she spent a large majority of this episode just apologising. But this is only episode 3, so I’m not too worried that won’t happen.

Also, Nomura… she needs a hobby. And enough drama males kiss people in their sleep Nomura, you don’t need to start as well!

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Thank you for reading~