Good Morning Call Season 1 Episode 8 Recap – He’s Not Sexy, He’s My Brother

Nao finally meets Takuya, Uehara’s older brother. Because Yuri is still sleeping, Nao entertains Takuya, and they talk about Uehara while drinking tea. Takuya thanks Nao for looking after his brother. He even compliments Nao and calls her pretty. Nao notices the difference between the two brothers, and she imagines getting married to Uehara with Takuya’s blessing. Her imagination gets ruined when she realizes Uehara has come back. Takuya tries to talk to his brother, asking him if he needs money. Uehara tries to act mature and tells his brother he can take care of himself and that he doesn’t need help.

While they are talking, Yuri wakes up and sees Takuya. She just woke up but is already holding a can of beer. She throws her ring at Takuya and confronts him about his affair. Takuya defends himself and says that he is not having an affair. Uehara stays on the couch without doing or saying anything. Yuri takes out her phone and shows the photo her friend sent her. The photo is of Takuya and her ex-girlfriend. Yuri accuses him of planning to go on a vacation with her ex-girlfriend. Takuya insists that his ex-girlfriend happens to be an acquaintance at work. Yuri gets mad, grabs the ring from Nao, and throws it out the window. 

After Takuya leaves, Nao gets a chance to talk to Uehara. She asks him if his brother knows about his feelings for Yuri, and Uehara tells her that his brother can’t ever find out about it. He tells Nao that his brother has always given him what he wants and acts as a parent towards him. If Takuya finds out that Uehara likes Yuri, he will just let Uehara have her. Nao understands Uehara’s worry and relays it to her friends. 

At school, she admits to Marina that she is worried that Yuri will be with Uehara after she gets divorced. Mitsuishi, on the other hand, reminds her that she still has Daichi. Nao admits to her friends that she now feels awkward when she is with Daichi. Nao received her exam result that moment and saw she didn’t get good grades.

Daichi sees Nao after class and asks her how she is doing since finals are coming. Nao lies about her situation, but Daichi knows her too well. He asks Nao if she feels awkward with him after he confesses. Daichi says it’s just natural for Nao to feel that way. He adds that he never told Nao he would wait silently.

Uehara and Nao go home together and see Takuya looking for something over the bushes. Uehara tells Nao he will go to work without even talking to his brother. Nao goes inside the house with Takuya, where Takuya tells her about his dreams of building a house and living with Uehara and Yuri. Nao devises a plan to help Takuya and Yuri fix their problem. She brought Yuri and Takuya to the ramen shop, where she hoped they would get to discuss their problem. But Takuya gets easily distracted when he sees a poster and remembers that Uehara will do good in the ramen eating contest. When he looks back at the table, Yuri has already left.

Nao follows Yuri outside. Yuri tells Nao that she will also cheat on Takuya since that is what he is doing. Nao gets frustrated, and she tells Yuri to think about Uehara. She reminds her that Uehara sacrificed his feelings so Yuri and Takuya could get married. Nao’s speech gets to Yuri, and Yuri tells her to go back to work. She assures Nao not to worry because she is not going to cheat.

Carrying some tests from last year, Daichi visits Nao. Knowing that Nao has difficulty studying, he wants to help her. While they are talking, Uehara arrives. Daichi tells him that it’s time for Uehara to clear some things up finally. He asks Uehara about his feelings for Yuri and asks if he still likes Yuri. Takuya walks in at that moment and hears what Daichi said.

Surprisingly, Takuya acts like he doesn’t hear anything and proceeds to cook food for Nao and Uehara. Uehara confronts his brother. He asks him why he isn’t saying anything. Then he realizes that Takuya must have known he liked Yuri before. Takuya looks at his brother and apologizes. He tells Uehara that he can have anything except Yuri. He makes it clear that he can’t give Yuri to Uehara.

Uehara turns around and leaves, and Nao follows him. The two of them look for Yuri’s wedding ring. Despite the freezing temperature, they look everywhere. Uehara admits to Nao that he feels stupid, and he thought his brother didn’t know that he had feelings for Yuri. It turns out, for eight years, Takuya was pretending not to know anything. Nao tells Uehara that Takuya is the brother he deserves. 

Daichi sees Nao and tells her to study for her tests, but Nao tells him that finding the ring is also important to her. Daichi leaves, but then he returns because he worries about Nao. While walking back to her, he sees the ring, and instead of handing it to Nao, he leaves it where Nao can easily find it. 

Nao sees the ring and tells it to Uehara. They are both happy that their hard work paid off. They return to the house and realize that Yuri and Takuya have already made up. Uehara hands the ring to his brother before going to his room.

The next day, Nao asks to see Daichi. They decide to meet at the ramen shop. Nao apologizes to Daichi for taking advantage of his kindness to her, and Daichi tells her she doesn’t need to apologize for anything. Nao becomes serious and apologizes one more time to Daichi. Daichi pays her no attention, but instead, he continues to enjoy the ramen he is eating.

Issei, who is listening to the conversation between the two, gets sad. He gets even sadder when he hears how Daichi pretends to enjoy the ramen very much instead of acknowledging Nao’s apology. After Daichi finishes the ramen, he tells Nao that he is glad that the problem with Yuri is finally over. Nao realizes that Daichi is the one who found the ring. But she isn’t able to say anything because Daichi has already left.

Nao wakes up because of a phone call. Takuya tells her over the phone that he and Yuri want to live with Uehara again. Nao gets surprised but isn’t able to talk longer to Takuya because he ends the call immediately. Nao hears voices talking outside her door, so she listens well. Yuri asks Uehara why he doesn’t want to go back and live with them. She asks him if he has finally fallen in love with Nao. Nao waits for Uehara’s answer and can’t believe it when she hears Uehara admits he likes her. Yuri is satisfied with Uehara’s response and tells them goodbye. 

Uehara walks to Nao’s room after Yuri leaves, and Nao still can’t believe what Uehara said. When he opens the door, Nao, who is leaning against the door, comes face to face with Uehara. She stands up and closes the door, leaving Uehara behind. Uehara asks Nao if she heard what he said, and he even adds that what he said is true. 

Our Thoughts:

Poor Daichi. Now that Uehara has fallen in love with Nao, he has no chance left. This is not yet the last episode, but they have already run out of problems to solve. The thing that moves a show forward is the conflict that the characters have to overcome. Having said that, what else can they show to the show’s fans? Uehara finally likes Nao, so why does Nao even have to say no?

We look forward to the next episode.