Episode 9

## Drowning in Dreams

**Drowning in Dreams** (夢に溺れて, *Yume ni Oborete*?) is the ninth episode of the *My Happy Marriage* anime series.

## Synopsis

Exhausted both physically and mentally from nights of continuous nightmares, Miyo collapses in the middle of the city. Her lesson times are also reduced, and it seems impossible for her to become a refined lady like Hazuki. Though Kiyoka is concerned, Miyo doesn't want to trouble him with her own issues amidst his busy duties, so she couldn't bring herself to discuss the true situation. Hazuki, who has experienced a failed marriage once, wishes for Miyo not to taste the "regret" similar to her own. However...

## Summary

Miyo Saimori apologizes to Arata Usuba for troubling him. Miyo, Yurie, and Hazuki Kudou return home to let Miyo rest. Kiyoka Kudou arrives. He informs Hazuki about Miyo’s ties to the Usuba family and speculates how the blood from this family could be harming her body. He doubts Miyo would openly talk about her mother even if they asked her since she’s been hiding her feelings these days.

Later, Yoshito Godou tells Kiyoka about a man who got attacked by a Grotesquerie, and Kiyoka worries the Grotesqueries might enter the Imperial Capital soon. Miyo awakens from another nightmare. She’s upset that her proper lady training isn’t going smoothly. Kiyoka calls Miyo and Miyo says she’s doing well. Kiyoka and Yoshito meet with Masashi Ookaito and Kazushi Tatsuishi to discuss the Grotesqueries’ predicament. Yoshito tells Masashi and Kazushi the Grotesqueries may be advancing toward to the Imperial Capital.

Masashi tells Kiyoka he hasn’t received anything from the Ministry of the Imperial Household, so Kiyoko says he’ll employ troops to encircle the imperial capital. Masashi promises to get ahold of the ministry in the meantime. Meanwhile, Hazuki, Yurie, and Miyo dine on some of Miyo’s cooking. Hazuki reveals she’s terrible at cooking and regrets marrying. Despite having a nice bond with her husband, Hazuki didn’t get along with his family. This led to her divorcing her husband. Hazuki respects Miyo for trying her best to overcome her weaknesses and asks her to be true to her feelings to avoid having regrets. Miyo says she wants to be by Kiyoka’s side.

We cut to Kiyoka meeting with the investigator. Kiyoka asks him to keep scouring the world for information about Miyo’s mother, Sumi. Miyo joins Kiyoka by the balcony at night. Kiyoka apologizes for not finding time to talk with her because of his work. Miyo promises him that nothing has been bothering her. She asks Kiyoka what it was like growing up with Hazuki. Kiyoka notes that he has a close connection with Hazuki despite her annoyance. He asks Miyo to get closer to him. Kiyoka tells her to open up to him about her feelings and says it’s okay for her to depend on him.

In the morning, Miyo vows to solve her issues herself. Otherwise, she feels she won’t qualify to support the family. Miyo hears someone at the door, and it turns out to be Arata. Miyo tells Arata that Kiyoka isn’t home and he properly introduces himself to Miyo. He reveals he knows a lot about Miyo and feels Kiyoka’s a terrible husband for neglecting his wife. He continues to talk ill of Kiyoka, and Miyo urges him to stop. Arata tells Miyo he’d like to offer her a role she can fulfill and hands her his contact information before leaving.

Arata meets with Kiyoka, Yoshito, Kazushi, and Masashi. He tells Kiyoka he’s received authorization to direct freely. Kiyoka plans to carry out his large-scale operations. After the meeting, Kiyoka walks Arata out, and he tells Kiyoka he met with Miyo and doesn’t approve of the way she treats her. He tells Kiyoka to give him a call if he has any issues. The investigator calls Kiyoka at the office and tells him there’s one person with no birth or family registration and that happens to be Sumi Tsuruki.

Kiyoka arrives home and notices Miyo cooking something. However, he notes how she’s looking more pale and thinner than usual, indicating that she’s overworking herself. Kiyoka winds up saying something to upset Miyo, causing her to faint. He questions if Arata’s right as Arata’s contact card falls out of his pocket. Kiyoka vows to get Arata to tell him everything and to rid Miyo of her issues.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Arata Tsuruki
* Miyo Saimori
* Hazuki Kudou
* Yurie
* Kiyoka Kudou
* Yoshito Godou
* Kazushi Tatsuishi
* Masashi Ookaito
* Iwashimizu

## Adaptation Notes

* After Miyo's collapse in the previous episode, she is brought back to the Kiyoka's house to rest and Kiyoka is informed about the incident by Hazuki. This scene doesn't happen in the novel, where Kiyoka is unaware until Arata tells him about him saving her from falling. He also discusses with Hazuki about Miyo's Usuba family background, which also never happens in the novel.
* The scene of a man with a Shiba Inu dog being attacked by Grotesqueries is exclusive to the anime. In the novel, this is never shown. The characters only mention a passerby being killed.
* The scene of Kiyoka on the phone with Miyo is exclusive to the anime. In the original novel, they never once used a telephone.
* The meeting of Kiyoka, Kazushi, Masashi and Yoshito at the Unit Headquarters where they discuss the movements of the Grotesqueries is exclusive to the anime.
* The addition of a calico cat sleeping in the garden of the Kiyoka's house is exclusive to the anime. No cats ever appeared in the novel.
* Arata stays at the entryway of the Kiyoka's house during the whole meeting with Miyo. No one else is present to hear their conversation. In the novel, he is actually about to leave after hearing that Kiyoka is not home, but Miyo calls after him and invites him inside to rest for a moment. Both Yurie and Hazuki are present when he downs a glass of water that Miyo provides him in the living room. Only then does he introduce himself to Miyo. When Miyo asks him why he says he is disappointed in Kiyoka, Hazuki chimes in several times and later complains about Arata after he leaves. Miyo quickly follows him to see him out. Without Miyo noticing, Arata then secretly slips a card inside the sleeve of her yukata, unlike in the anime where he openly hands her his card.

## References

1. ↑ STORY I Official Anime Website
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1  Novel, Volume 2 Chapter 3
3. ↑  Novel, Volume 2 Chapter 2