My Happy Marriage

Episode 7

Yes, few things say, “Nothing to see here!” as well as secret rituals around a bonfire in the forest in the middle of the night, especially when the participants wear hoods to conceal their identities. Truly, the scenes which close out this week's episode of My Happy Marriage are utterly unremarkable and surely have nothing to do with either the creepy man in glasses or the nightmares that have the whiff of supernatural powers that Miyo's been having. You could be forgiven for thinking that someone spilled their fantasy novel in your understated romance because while these things all do eventually come together, they feel a bit tacked on in this episode.

Fortunately, the rest of it is more than enough to make up for it, assuming you feel it needs making up for. This week deals with the aftermath of the Saimori family's (and the Tatsuishis') predation where Miyo is concerned. It was very cathartic to see the Saimori enclave burn, and that's something Miyo needs to see with her own eyes to move on. Kiyoka seems to understand this – or his Prince Caring traits are asserting themselves – and he takes her to see the charred remains. Very little is left; the fire left only a couple of outbuildings standing. But that's as it should be. Not only did the Saimori family deserve to be punished for their abuse of Miyo, but the place where it all took place needed to be erased. We don't always have the luxury of seeing our triggers so thoroughly destroyed, but if anyone ought to be afforded it, it's Miyo. Seeing Kiyoka hold her so carefully as he helps her out of the car and stays beside her while she wanders the ruins of her childhood trauma is a beautiful follow-up to his avenging angel act because it shows that he truly did charge into the compound out of love for her.

It is too bad that the stump of her mother's tree crumbles to ashes before Miyo's eyes, but that's significant, too. It says that Miyo isn't alone anymore and doesn't need a magic tree to ensure she'll be okay. Cinderella's done well for herself, and now she has people who value her and are willing to stand beside her to protect her from the wicked stepfamilies of the world. Miyo's mother can move on, and her tree disintegrating is her farewell. How fitting that her daughter wore the sakura kimono to what is essentially her mother's final sendoff.

We can also see the strength she's gained in how she deals with Koji. At first, when she agreed to speak with him, there was some concern that she'd simply forgive him or try to go back to their old relationship. Not that he did so much wrong compared to the others; he just lacked the strength to stand up for her until it was almost too late. And Miyo knows there's no going back – when she won't let him confess his love to her, she's gently letting him know that. Could they have remained friends as she married Kiyoka? Although it may have worn on Koji, I'm not sure he would have handled it well. Ultimately, they need to move forward, and when Miyo stops him from speaking, she also sets him free.

This episode is all about moving forward. The wicked are punished, as Kaya is forced into service in parallel of what she did to Miyo. Miyo meets her new, arguably better sister in Hazuki, Kiyoka's older sibling. Hazuki is a modern woman, divorced and wearing a dress that, if she hadn't belted it, would be very fashionable for the 1920s, and she's even got bobbed hair. Whether she's as much of a Force Of Nature as she appears has yet to be seen, and Kiyoka's manner of referring to his father indicates some Kudo family strain. Still, things are looking up for Miyo… creepy rituals in the midnight forest aside.

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My Happy Marriage is currently streaming on Netflix.