There are times when the main character feels like they’re not enough because they believe they’re uninteresting and don’t deserve certain things. This can lead to misunderstandings. In episode 2 of Our Dating Story: The Experienced You and The Inexperienced Me will explore this issue.
Our Dating Story: The Experienced You and The Inexperienced Me episode 2 begins with Ryuto doubting himself because he’s dating the most popular girl and sees himself as the boring nerd at school. He suddenly receives a text from Runa, saying she overslept. Ryuto texts her back and provides a way for her to make it to school without missing the first period. She does arrive in class, although late.
Later in the episode, he talks to his friends about their relationship and how they haven’t had sex. He mentions that he thinks she might want to, but he also admits that he’s not ready. His friends suggest that maybe she’s playing with his emotions, and he’s setting unrealistic expectations for himself, which makes him feel insecure about both himself and the relationship. Afterward, he returns to class and bumps into Runa. She tries to talk to him about a dream she had involving him. His face turns red as he notices her best friend, Nicole, giving him an angry look, which makes him feel scared. Runa approaches him at his desk, and he’s aware of the many curious onlookers.
He decides he wants to talk to her outside of class and expresses that he doesn’t feel comfortable discussing such matters at school. He suggests they have their conversation outside of school, which leads to the idea of communicating through dates.
She tells him she’s free on Saturday but not on Sunday, which sparks the idea of having their first official date as a couple. Honestly, if I were in his shoes, I would also feel insecure. Just imagine dating the most popular person at school while you’re considered one of the least popular. It can have a significant impact on your self-esteem, especially with so many people watching your every move when you’re with the popular person you’re dating.
I’m glad he expresses his discomfort about talking to her at school, and she understands his feelings. I appreciate how they communicate in a way that aims to make each other feel comfortable and build their relationship. Plus, we get to enjoy a small, cute date in Our Dating Story: The Experienced You and The Inexperienced Me episode 2!
At night, Runa calls him about the date and what to do. He isn’t sure but suggests that they do what she wants. Runa is surprised because none of her past ex-boyfriends did that for her. So, their first date involves going shopping.
While taking a break and getting food, Runa asks if he’s having fun because it doesn’t seem like he enjoys himself while shopping with her. He assures her that he enjoys the date because he likes watching her be happy, which brings him satisfaction.
It’s such a green flag that he genuinely enjoys watching her be happy rather than resent being the side character while his girlfriend has a great time. I truly appreciate how much he cares about her. I also like how she asked him if he was also having fun.
Now it’s Sunday, and he receives a morning text from her. An hour later, he replies, but he doesn’t get a response from her. This makes him worry because she typically has her phone with her and replies quickly. This builds up his insecurities, and he begins to feel like she may have moved on.
To distract himself, he starts watching videos of his favorite player playing games to take his mind off it. Later in the day, while he’s out with his friends, they see her talking to other guys, which further increases his insecurities. His friends try to console him, saying it’s okay and that he had his time with her.
When he gets home from school, she finally sends him a text, wanting to meet up. He feels scared, thinking she might want to break up because he doesn’t feel deserving of her, and his insecurities are running high. However, the truth is that her phone had died while she was waiting in line to buy a special edition phone case, so she couldn’t reply to him during the day. She also got him a matching phone case, which makes him feel happy and secure, as it signifies their relationship. They have a conversation about his fear of a breakup, and she reveals that she wants to give him a gift.
As they walk home, she mentions that the phone case marks their one-week anniversary. He’s surprised because he’s never had a girlfriend before and thought such milestones didn’t matter. He shares that he’d only confessed to one girl in his school, but she rejected him, making Runa his first girlfriend. She responds positively, saying that if he hadn’t been rejected, they wouldn’t be dating.
He’s confused by this, as he believes that middle school couples typically don’t last long. She tells him that her parents have been together since middle school and got married after high school. She’s always wanted a similar kind of relationship in her life to feel like an adult.
Suddenly, a race car passes by them, and he starts fanboying over the car, talking about it in front of her. He eventually realizes he’s been talking too much about the car, but she doesn’t mind. This is the first time she’s heard him talk so much. She then makes a surprising revelation, mentioning that her parents are divorced while referring to herself as a race car.
I’m going to conclude this part of my recap of Our Dating Story: The Experienced You and The Inexperienced Me episode 2. I highly recommend watching the episode because it delves deeper into how she compares herself with her parents and cars, allowing you to understand her emotions truly. She appears cheerful, but she carries some emotional scars, and there’s a surprising twist at the end that will significantly impact their relationship.
My overall review for this episode is very positive. The episode effectively explores the common issue of insecurities, which are especially prevalent in high school, where individuals often feel undeserving of certain things. It portrays the challenges of navigating relationships when people come from different worlds and perspectives.
I particularly enjoyed how they kept the misunderstanding short and didn’t drag out the feeling that she didn’t want to talk to him. It turned out she wanted to give him a gift, which was very cute. His reaction was heartwarming, and it added a charming touch to the episode. Towards the end, we get a glimpse into her life, allowing us to understand her character more deeply. We’ve primarily seen her happy side, but this episode reveals a little different facet of her character, making it intriguing to explore the backstories of each character gradually.
I give Our Dating Story: The Experienced You and The Inexperienced Me episode 2 an 8/10. If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to vote for it in the Anime Corner Fall 2023 polls.
Screenshots via Crunchyroll
© Makiko Nagaoka, magako / KADOKAWA / Kimizero Production Committee