It was pretty obvious that Shuji didn't do Hikari since the audience never saw even a glimpse of the alleged incident. The fact that Natsumi found out at the end of episode 2 and the secret was revealed in ep 4 meant that the writer has plans for this show, namely the predictable I have become stronger/mature speech so prevalent in jdoramas, movies and of course anime. It is now established that Taisetsu na Koto is not a fling dorama. The teacher-student affair was just a hook to start the show
However, the fake affair has taken 6 episodes to cover so its important to look closer at it with the revelations in ep 5.So Hikari who has hormone problems and doesn't have breasts dresses up in her dead sister's clothes and goes out and has sex with a random stranger. She then meets a very drunk Shuji, goes home with him and sleeps together in his bed. She blackmails him into believing that they had sex probably cause she likes him and would rather that be the truth than her sleeping with a stranger. So far so good.
Hikari then proceeds to make life a living hell for Shuji and Natsumi, tormenting the poor engaged couple and going so far as to send the picture to Natsumi. There is a big line between wanting to believe in a fantasy to cover her guilt and breaking up an engagement over something that never actually happened. Hikari is a psychotic girl who somehow feels a sense of possession towards Shuji while relishing in her powers to cause misery on others. Imagine if a male student did the same to Natsumi. What Hikari did was pure and simply evil. Hormone problems, divorced parents and a flat chest are no excuse for this spiteful little girl.
What does Mr nice-guy, Shuji do? Decides to come clean and leaves his fate to everyone else because he 'has no right' after what he has done. Actually I thought this was the most interesting part of the Shuji relationship was the most interesting, notwithstanding their lack of chemistry. She loves him but hates the fact that he always chooses the 'right thing' without seeking her input. I suppose what the writer is trying to do is for the fake affair to expose the relationship as superficial. However, this fails because of two things.
Firstly, the Shuji guy is not the right actor for this job. He cannot emote with his eyes. He is such a deer in the headlights that they have to spell out his thoughts and emotions for him. Playing Shuji requires soulful and kind eyes. Eyes that can show pain and guilt and I can't really think of any young jdorama actor today who can do that well. An example would be Akai Hidekazu from Koukou Kyoushi 1993 who played the PE teacher. I remember watching an interview of one of the actresses who said that he had such gentle eyes that when acting with him it was so easy to cry.
The second thing is Shuji paying a lot of attention to Hikari with his lame 'she's got no one to support her' excuse to Natsumi.Which idiot in their right mind would throw away Toda Erika for a flat chested girl who purposefully made his life a living hell???!!! Sounds like Stockholm Syndrome to me. I am not really against this part of the storyline but it just feels artificial, too forced and the dialogue too wooden. Again it all boils down to acting and chemistry issues.
What I am against is the Natsumi pregnant storyline. Surprise pregnancy is a plot tool usually done to further create conflicts in relationships but in this case its Natsumi wanting to keep a baby, be a single mother and learn to be strong blah blah blah. I couldn't care less and it just makes me bored. While the dorama is hinting at something more between Shuji and Natsumi, the introduction the megane dude who likes Natsumi makes the ending clear. Koukou Kyoushi this is not. What Taisetu na Koto is remains to be seen but the first half of the series has not been entertaining.
Forgot to mention two things that bothered me. First is Nishimura Masahiko's answer to the tomboy in ep 6 why teachers and students shouldn't fall in love. I can't fucking believe that the best answer the teacher gave was that it would be unfair on the other students because a teacher should give equal amounts of attention to all his/her students! What about things like abuse of role that gives teachers a lot of power over students? What about the fact that students are underaged anyway and is a crime? Seriously, WTF is the writer smoking? Is Taisetsu na Koto a fantasy shoujo romance or a realistic dorama?
Second thing, school finds out about Shuji and they continue to let him teach so that he 'learns about the effects of what he has done to the students and his fiancee'? Is the writer trying to draw some parallel between the school and Catholic church or something? What about suspending Shuji pending and investigation or even a police report? Shouldn't someone be interrogating Shuji and Hikari to get the facts of the matter so that the school can make an informed decision?
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