I’m Taking the Day Off – A Japanese drama about an office romance. In this drama, Hanae Aoishi, played by Haruka Ayase, is a hardworking employee at a food trading company called Teiko Corporation. Despite her dedication to her job, Hanae has never taken a day off. When her manager reminds her to take a vacation before losing the chance to do so, Hanae decides to take a trip to Hawaii with her “boyfriend” Mamoru – who is actually her dog.
Synopsis:
The drama begins with Hanae living a simple life with her parents and her beloved dog Mamoru. She spends most of her time working and doesn’t have much experience with romance. Despite being 29 years old, Hanae is yet to have a boyfriend. She hasn’t even had her first kiss. Nevertheless, she continues to work hard, preparing everything at the office, from coffee to documents, before anyone else arrives.
Hanae’s life changes after a karaoke night with her co-workers where she meets Asao, the CEO of another company located in the same building. Asao, who is interested in Hanae’s colleague Hitomi, introduces himself to Hanae. However, this unexpected encounter leads Hanae’s co-workers to believe that Asao is Hanae’s boyfriend. To avoid any confusion, Hanae denies knowing Asao.
Later, Hanae heads for drinks with her colleagues, including Hitomi, Tanokura, and Kagami. During their hangout, Hanae reveals that Mamoru is her boyfriend to avoid being set up with someone else. Tanokura, a college student and an intern at the company, accompanies Hanae to her apartment and brings her happy birthday cake. Tanokura surprises Hanae with a sudden confession of his desire to spend the night with her, and Hanae accepts his offer.
After a few hesitations, they spend the night at a hotel together. Hanae learns that Tanokura is sincere about their relationship, and they become boyfriend and girlfriend. Despite some initial skepticism regarding Tanokura’s intentions, Hanae realizes how genuine his feelings are and decides to give him a chance.
However, their relationship faces challenges when Asao realizes their closeness and starts to pursue Hanae romantically. Meanwhile, Hanae’s parents have different opinions about their daughter’s relationship, leading to additional tension.
Conclusion:
I’m Taking the Day Off is a Japanese drama that explores an unusual office romance. Hanae, the hardworking protagonist, eventually experiences her first romantic relationship with a younger man named Tanokura but soon faces challenges when their relationship is exposed to co-workers and other competitors. With a charming storyline and heartwarming scenes, the drama is a must-watch for all fans of Japanese rom-coms.
