Dating: What's It Like To Be In Love

Yoriko is a whip smart civil servant hoping to ease her dad's worries. Takumi is educated but sponges off his mom. The two meet through an agency, and go on a date.

Yoriko questions whether she’s just “parasitizing” off Takumi’s lifestyle, while he wonders if she’ll resent him. Their relationship teeters between contractual convenience and something more.

They face matchmaking pressure—Yoriko’s friends assess Takumi, and Takumi worries they’ll judge him. They realize their “contract” relationship might not survive scrutiny.

Yoriko struggles to show warmth. Takumi decides to give her something meaningful, shaking the foundation of their relationship.

An attempt to stay overnight leads to their first kiss—and new tension. They must decide if they're ready to risk emotional fallout.

Takumi visits Yoriko’s family on New Year’s Day, but freezes under pressure. A rival, Yutaka Washio, impresses everyone—forcing Takumi to face his feelings or lose her.

Takumi’s mother enters hospice and Yoriko reflects on her late mother. Together, they draft a marriage contract as a gesture of care for her mother

Preparations for a formal engagement ceremony bring tears and heartfelt confessions—Yoriko seeks authenticity in love.

Their “contract” unravels: both acknowledge they've fallen in love. Takumi confronts his identity beyond being a loafer.

On Yoriko’s birthday, a surprise party and Takumi's heartfelt confession culminate in a shared moment as they eat apples and kiss—love blossoms despite the odds.