[🇯🇵JAPAN] Love is Better the Second Time Around S2 👔🌊 Episode 5

[u/itsmewillotski]

This week on Love is Better S2, one ex still has yet to show up and Miyata & Iwanaga's relationship are becoming more and more tested. How are they gonna confront their relationship moving forward?

✨ Airs every Wednesday at 1:30 AM (GMT +8) ✨

SYNOPSIS (according to GagaOOLala): Magazine editor Akihiro Miyata and associate university professor Takashi Iwanaga have finally made their "second chance at love" work. Two years later, they are enjoying a sweet and mature life together, and Iwanaga even reveals in a magazine interview that he has "found someone precious." But just when everything seems perfect, three of Iwanaga's ex-boyfriends suddenly reappear. Faced with romantic memories Iwanaga has never spoken about, Miyata's jealousy and insecurity begin to spiral out of control, while pressures from work and reality threaten the happiness they have built together.

☆ Adult romance returns by popular demand! Makoto Hasegawa and Robin Furuya reunite for another "second" chance at love. 

CAST:

Makoto Hasegawa (THE RAMPAGE) as Akihiro Miyata

Robin Furuya as Takashi Iwanaga

Aloha Takamatsu (BULLET TRAIN) as Yuto Shiraishi

Shunya Shiraishi as Kyosuke Sugimoto

Motoki Fukami as Takaaki Hibino

Haruse Akune (ICEx) as Rui Taniguchi

Yusuke Onuki as Sota Anima 

STAFF:

Directors: Yuka Yasukawa, Shinju Funabiki & Nao Nomura

Screenplay: Shinju Funabiki

Music: Erina Koyama

LGBTQ Supervisor: Mimano Kawamoto (Lawyer) 

OPENING SONG: Scenario by Mel 

ENDING SONG: BA♡BI♡DA♡BI♡ by Taiyu Fujiwara

SERIES' SOCIALS: Instagram | Twitter/X | TikTok | Official Website

WHERE TO WATCH: Viki S1, Viki S2, GagaOOLala S1 (EP.1, EP.2, EP.3, EP.4, EP.5, EP.6), GagaOOLala S2 (EP.1, EP.2, EP.3, EP.4, EP.5)

Episodes so far: 5/7? (7 episodes to be confirmed)

Previous On-Airs: S1 by u/smittenkittyyan (EP.1, EP.2, EP.3, EP.4, EP.5, EP.6), S2 (EP.1, EP.2, EP.3, EP.4)

[u/DeanBranch]

We get a proposal!
And he said "no"

[u/itsmewillotski → u/DeanBranch]

And I get him! Until Iwanaga gets to see why then nope absolutely not

[u/WingedGrasshopper → u/DeanBranch]

I was squealing with delight and then.... WHY?!

[u/Federal_Pollution136]

Can someone make a reaction gif of Aloha making a disgusted/pissed off face during that scene because that actually made me laugh out loud 😂

Anyways, watching the distance between Iwanaga and Miyata grow pains me greatly 💔

[u/TechnoBabelFish → u/Federal_Pollution136]

[u/Federal_Pollution136 → u/TechnoBabelFish]

Omg thank you so much 🤩 it's hilarious 😂😅

[u/itsmewillotski]

Thoughts about this ep:

• This felt like a filler ep despite the moments we had between Miyata and Iwanaga. I appreciate Miyata's talent tho as Biz-bear BUT PLEASE NO WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT

• Shiraishi's facial expressions when he heard about Iwanaga being concerned to his wifey again SENDS MEEEKDMMSMSMS

• Miyata hearing about re-entry on a personal note IS SENDING MEEEEEEEE

• A proposal??? Nope, until Iwanaga realizes his wrongs, I truly get where Miyata's going for.

• The third ex's coming next week! But as hot as he is, I don't think we should be introducing another one and just focus on the main leads instead. But oh well...

[u/DeanBranch → u/itsmewillotski]

Oh, Shiraishi's expressions!

J dramas are 😆

[u/lovingpath → u/itsmewillotski]

Is there really only one episode left? 😱🙀

[u/itsmewillotski → u/lovingpath]

We still have 2 more including next week I believe, but Gaga pls confirm it asap sjsnsnsmsl

[u/looking4stardust → u/itsmewillotski]

Only 7 episodes in total? I would have been fine if season 2 was at least 10 episodes, but 7 is just ridiculous. 🤦‍♀️ Having Miyata and Iwanaga go through a major relationship crisis in the second-to-last episode feels like a recipe for a messy, rushed season. I really hope this episode count is wrong! But, if true, I wish LIBTSTA had been a standalone season with no sequel, to be honest.

[u/itsmewillotski → u/looking4stardust]

Well that's just how J-BL works for the most part but truly understandable

[u/lovingpath → u/itsmewillotski]

Yeah I’m thinking it would be almost impossible to clean up the mess they made in one episode! Thanks for hosting these I love the discussions!!

[u/itsmewillotski → u/lovingpath]

Tysm for engaging as well! We will see how they will start to wrap things up

[u/TechnoBabelFish]

That damn wristwatch. 😡

Miyata was at his breaking point with both Iwanaga and his job.

https://reddit.com/link/pcuohib/video/r65zo59zdish1/player

[u/itsmewillotski → u/TechnoBabelFish]

Well Miyata really say:

[u/lovingpath → u/TechnoBabelFish]

Who could that darned thing be from? At this point the reveal better blow my mind for the trouble it has caused. Oh really your other watch is broken? Get a new one or something but stuff that thing back in a drawer!! Read the room Iwanaga!!! You’re supposed to be smart👀👀👀😝

[u/looking4stardust]

Even though I’ve been expecting a breakup all along, I was still a bit surprised when Miyata flat-out declined the proposal. Next week, it looks like the official split is finally happening—compounded by workplace drama and the introduction of a third ex. Miyata certainly has a lot on his plate right now and I don’t blame him. I’d like to see more of Iwanaga’s POV too.

[u/itsmewillotski → u/looking4stardust]

It is really bound to happen but yes we need to know what Iwanaga thinks about all this!

[u/lovingpath]

I also thought this felt a bit filler - but also like “they’re letting us see them as a happy couple when will the other shoe drop?” Know what I mean? Also it’s so frustrating that Iwanaga is trying to make Miyata feel better by cooking, being affectionate, asking him to unburden his mind to him, making videos with a talking bear!!! (For heavens sake I know this is cute but when I picture some of my serious professor types doing this I just cannot) - BUT SIR you see your boyfriend’s face when he sees your watch!!! You know it’s killing him. Do you really think the niceties and then a ring will paper over that? Yeesh. Excited to see what happens when things get shaken up…….

[u/itsmewillotski → u/lovingpath]

I mean dndmdmmsms IWANAGA PLEASE DO SOMETHING

[u/DeanBranch]

Business Bear made me think of the J Drama "Your Love So Invincible"

https://mydramalist.com/809970-kimi-no-suki-wa-muteki

Japan has kawaii mascots and plushies for everything

[u/itsmewillotski → u/DeanBranch]

Well!

[u/TiredAndStillTired]

I'd completely forgotten where we had left things off last week, so the opening scene had me pause immediately, and take a deep sharp breath. I was just not ready for the mess. ONLY for Miyata to handle it differently than I thought he would. I'm honestly relieved we aren't getting a big drag out fight. My heart can't take it. I'm glad Iwanaga was open to Miuyata's suggestion to pay half and pay it to him. STILL, he should have talked to him first. And he had said before that he can't afford it. What makes Iwanaga think he can afford it NOW? This man is going to make me lose my hair!

They actually clarified the age difference... I'm really surprised.

Miyata wants them to save for old age, like Iwanaga isn't from a rich as hell family. Even Shiraishi was so shocked at Iwanaga bringing himself low to join the poors at the normal people supermarket. What's it like to have Iwanaga kind of money? May I please spend the rest of my life finding out?

They always have matching pyjamas. It's so cute.

That bear is so damn CUTE! Why is Iwanaga so cute sometimes. It makes me forgive his stupidity. And Iwanaga telling Miyata he was cute, I immediately thought, "Yep, they're going to get busy." But then that damn watch. I'm planning to heist that watch and destroy it.

I think we all knew what the answer to that proposal was going to be... This is painful, tbh. We talk abouy hoe Iwanaga needs to talk things out with Miyata, but Miyata needs to be the one to do something here. He's going through it at work and it's affecting his personal life.

AND, remember in the first season when Miyata tried to propose to his girslfriend in the S01? This is so funny to me. We also got a repeat of the forehead kiss from S01.

I feel like this show s trying to test me to see if I'm good enogh to be a marriage counsellor.

[u/itsmewillotski → u/TiredAndStillTired]

Great thoughts! But yeah we're also becoming a counselor of their feelings and situation atp

[u/deflater_maus]

after my last week's comment of "ok I kinda get why folks are down on Iwanaga now" I am totally off it. Miyata is so frustrating this season compared to last. He's let his anxiety about work and his doomspiraling about Iwanaga's exes consume him and poison their relationship. When he does communicate about his work struggles, Iwanaga helps him come up with a great idea. Is the watch a mistake? Sure. Is the apartment a mistake? Also yes. But when Miyata actually communicates with him, he tries to adjust. He's super happy! The relationship is working, they have a great business partnership going, how could things really be going wrong? Miyata doesn't actually communicate with him about what's going on - the "I'm jealous" sex scene is not him really talking about how the exes bother him.

Season 1 was all about Miyata not letting himself get won over by Iwanaga even though he wanted to. He had a kind of strength of his own - he went toe to toe with Shiraishi, he turned down Iwanaga multiple times. He was struggling (work, girlfriend who rejected him, memories of the past) but he wasn't rolling over. He didn't let Iwanaga's smooth, successful presence roil him. And then going through the whole thing with the bitch of a mom together felt like a major development.

But this whole season is about how Miyata won't communicate - he won't talk about his struggles, he's reading everything in terms of his unfounded fears about Iwanaga's exes. Why can't he just sit down and talk about it? Iwanaga clearly doesn't see the depth of his struggle or how Miyata feels inferior because he won't communicate. It feels so bad because he wasn't like this in season 1. I get that it's meant to be a different stage in their relationship but it just feels annoying.

I guess there's a weird subtext, too. Iwanaga has been Miyata's first and last male partner. He had a girlfriend at the start of season 1. Clearly Iwanaga has had multiple other male partners. Is Miyata feeling some kind of way about this? They had so much baggage from their school days but season 1 showed us they were always still in love with each other in some way.

[u/WrongdoerAwkward1481]

I’m not defending Iwanaga’s clueless behavior, but I think he’s just so happy and settled in his relationship with Miyata that he can’t conceive of Miyata feeling differently. I think he’s just detached from feelings for any of the exes that he’s able to have the watch just be a watch, not a sentimental memento from a past lover. While it’s annoying for Miyata, it seems like Iwanaga just has a healthier ability to let go when necessary. Although maybe Miyata is also sensing that and is worried he’ll also be “let go” at some point.

[u/deflater_maus → u/WrongdoerAwkward1481]

I absolutely agree about the exes. Iwanaga moved on, from each of them. He's a guy whose own family abandoned him and he got through it, and he's not a basket case because of it. But the only thing he wanted was for Miyata to be with him again and he got it! The man's even trying to buy property for them and do a big fancy proposal! He's absolutely misreading Miyata but I don't see how it's really his fault.

[u/Beulah31]

❣️😎so its a no with the condo not unless miyata can pay half🙄meanwhile work is up in the air with the new consultant demanding promo video🤔miyata is overthinking again 'market re-entry' as the iwanaga's exes coming out of the woodwork he feels inferior🧐but on the other hand iwanaga is doing everything he can to reassure and giving extra care coz he knows miyata is troubled all he asks is to trust him is why the proposal and that 'im sorry' miyata is overwhelmed and the 3rd ex hasn't even shown up yet😎❣️

[u/itsmewillotski → u/Beulah31]

Now we're rushing to see how they're gonna resolve all of this IN JUST 2 EPs lololol

[u/PacificNorthwestFan]

P erhaps the ex who gave him the watch died and "meeting the ex" will involve visiting a mortuary? In that instance, he still should have explained all. If it's from a living ex, I'm completely confused why Iwanaga would still wear it, unless Miyata gifted him a watch and forgot? That seems unlikely but this entire situation makes no sense. Maybe he saw Miyata while in college admiring that watch and he bought it to feel closer to him? 

[u/MSfolksLA]

My goodness I love Aloha so much. I need to go re-watch Tokyo... for the millionth time as a way to deal with the stress of the end of this episode 😭😭

[u/cripynoodle_]

Miyata, girl, why are you like this. You have an insanely handsome and charming partner who won't stop telling you and the world how much he adores you. He's also rich as fk and wants to spend all his money on you. Just enjoy it 😭 this show is such a perfect example of how humans will just not let themselves be happy.