Good Morning Call Season 1 Episode 5 Recap – Party of One

Nao meets with Abe at the park where she confesses that she has feelings for Uehara. She doesn’t notice that Uehara is standing not too far from them. They go home together and he asks Nao if she still has a fever. Nao says she is feeling much better. Nao is worried if Uehara heard what she said, so she asks him if he did. Uehara said he didn’t. Nao is relieved that he didn’t hear anything. But then Uehara makes it clear that he heard Nao say she likes him. Uehara says that he knows Nao was only faking it so Abe will leave her alone. 

Nao finally admits to Marina that she likes Uehara. Marina is happy that they can finally talk about it.

When Nao tells Uehara that she plans to go back to her parent’s house for New Year, Uehara says he’s not going back home. His brother and Yuri are going to Hawaii on New Year for their honeymoon.  Later that night, Nao calls her parents and tells them that it is expensive to go home during New Year’s. Plus, she already spent money to move into her new home. She also says she has remedial lessons. 

The next day, Nao goes to work at the ramen shop. She gets disappointed to hear that they won’t be working during the holidays because she is looking forward to earning extra money. Daichi comes to the shop. Not long after Nao delivers the ramen to his table, Abe walks into the shop. 

Nanako, the daughter of Ueahara’s boss, asks Uehara to spend the New Year countdown with them. Uehara just ignores her. Nanako asks her Dad for Uehara’s new address, but her dad tells her it’s personal information.

Yuri comes over and hands Nao their New Year’s gifts. While they are talking, someone rings the bell. Nao checks the door and sees an unfamiliar face. The girl is surprised to see Nao open the door. She looks for Uehara, but Nao says he’s at work. When the girl finds out they are living together, she barges in.

Yuri recognizes Nanako, the daughter of Uehara’s boss at the coffee shop. Nanako teases Nao that Uehara would never fall for someone like Nao. Nanako says that Uehara already promised to spend the New Year countdown with them. Nanako keeps on teasing Nao, so Yuri steps in to defend Nao. The three of them argue about their looks, then Uehara comes in. When he sees the three ladies, he goes out the door again. Nao follows him and drags him back to the house.

Nanako tells Uehara that the second-floor room might be vacant next month so her dad will rent it to him for a cheap price. Nao is surprised to hear this, but Uehara doesn’t believe Nanako. 

Daichi goes to Nao early in the morning and asks her to walk to school together because he has something to tell her. Daichi finds out that Nao is not going home for New Year’ eve so he tells her to spend New Year’s eve with them. Nao says yes.

There is an end-of-class party and the students ask them to come. Marina says she’s not going. She admits to Nao that Mitsuishi confessed to her. Nao is so surprised but she looks so happy. Marina says there is nothing wrong with Mitsuishi but he is also not that handsome. She says she doesn’t dislike Mitsuishi and thinks he is a nice guy. 

Before Uehara leaves for work, Nao tells him that she will be spending New Year’s Eve over at Daichi’s. While Nao is alone at the house, the power goes out, so she tries to fix it herself. Uehara finds out from his boss that there is a blackout over at their place, so he tries to contact Nao. Nao calls Daichi and tells him that she thinks she can’t make it. Daichi says that he heard the trains have stopped so he asks Nao if she wants him to pick her up. Nao says she will just stay home since the power is out. 

Uehara confirms that the second-room floor will be vacant next month and his boss says he will rent it to Uehara for $500. 

Nao turns off her phone to save the remaining battery. Daichi gets worried about Nao so he tries to contact her. Since he can’t reach her, Daichi puts the phone down and runs fast to get to Nao’s place. Nao sees the missed calls from Daichi and one missed call from Uehara. She uses the remaining battery of her phone and calls Uehara to wish him a Happy New Year.

Daichi gets to Nao’s place, but when he sees Uehara running, he stops and doesn’t continue to go to Nao. 

That day is so cold, and because of the blackout, they have to use a candle. Nao says she will sleep in the living room. Uehara goes back to his room and takes out a blanket and a mattress. He says that it will be warmer if they are in the same room. He tells Nao not to worry because he will not do anything to her. 

Uehara and Nao sleep side by side. Nao takes the chance to ask Uehara personal questions. She asks Uehara why he endured everything just to leave home. Uehara answers it with another question. He asks Nao what she would do if she loved someone for 8 years, and that person didn’t love her back and married someone else, can Nao still be around that person? Uehara says this is the reason why he left.

Uehara wakes up and sees Nao so close to his face, and he stares at her for a moment.

Nao says she has to leave because Daichi asked her to visit the shrine together. Nao asks Uehara if he wants to go with her, and to her surprise, Uehara says he will. 

While she’s at the shrine, Nao sees Mitsusihi and Marina holding hands. Marina admits that they are now dating. Nao cries because she’s happy for her friends. 

When Nao and Uehara get home, they see Nanako waiting for them outside their building. Nanako lets out her frustration and tells Uehara that they were supposed to spend the New Year countdown together. Uehara tells Nanako that she’s the only one who planned it. He also tells her that he turned down her father’s offer to live in the second-floor room.

Later that day, Uehara approaches Nao while she’s cleaning, looking like he has something important to say.

Our Thoughts:

We think it would be better for Uehara to accept his boss’ offer to take the second-floor room. It is cheaper than his place. If he takes the offer he won’t have to work so hard anymore. At this point, we also think that Nao is being insensitive to Daichi’s feelings. Even if Nao doesn’t have any feelings for Daichi, she should at least be a bit nice to him. We doubt that the last scene is Uehara about to confess to Nao. We think that he will just tell her to stop expecting that he will ever have feelings for her. 

It is obvious that he is getting more comfortable around Nao. He is nicer to her compared to when they first met. He also started to tell her something personal, without being too direct. But even if they get too close, we don’t think that he has feelings for her. Maybe it won’t just appear like some other feelings. Maybe he will start to develop some feelings for Nao only when he sees Daichi finally making a move.