Description
In present-day Tokyo, Takuya Ohara and Rika Honjoji work at the JTC travel agency and are perfectly happy living alone. He cares for a rescue cat; she unwinds by studying maps. When the company decides to send an unmarried employee to its new branch in Irkutsk, Siberia, Rika proposes a fake engagement. They barely know each other, and their coworkers and families soon take the announcement far more seriously than they expected.
The story follows two reserved adults learning to make room for someone else without giving up the lives they enjoy. Their elaborate cover story leads to awkward comedy, but questions about work, family expectations, and what marriage actually means gradually matter more than keeping up appearances. The mood is mostly warm and gentle, with occasional sadness and heavier relationship drama. It includes adult intimacy and drinking; graphic violence isn’t a focus.
Pros
- The two introverted leads grow closer through small, believable steps.
- Adult worries about work and family give the romance more to explore than a confession.
- Quiet humor and warm everyday moments make the couple easy to root for.
Cons
- The gradual romance and repeated awkward exchanges can feel slow.
- The final stretch can feel rushed, especially for some family relationships.
Main characters
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Takuya Ohara
大原拓也
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Rika Honjoji
本城寺莉香
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Asako Kurokawa
黒川麻子
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Hiromi Gonda
権田広見
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Natsumi Komiya
小宮夏海
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Nao Umiyama
海山ナオ
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Koichi Ohara
大原耕一
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Keisuke Itsuki
伊槻佳祐
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Claudia
クラウディア
