Old-Fashioned Cupcake

Despite the good reputation he enjoys at work, 39-year-old Sanae Nozue would describe his life as monotonous. He evades the prospect of promotion and simply wants to relax in the comfort of his home when the day is done. At his age, he feels unwilling to pursue new things, so expanding his interests seems out of the question. Minoru Togawa—Nozue's young, work-oriented subordinate—has been watching him from the sidelines. When he invites Nozue to join him in trying out different activities, they end up taking on more conventionally feminine amusements instead of stereotypical manly bonding. During their ventures, the two men eat at popular shops and engage in girl talk. In modern society, it seems absurd for these coworkers to be indulging in childish antics. Yet these experiences may be just what Nozue needs to grow out of his midlife crisis and realize that life has much left to offer—especially sweets and love.