What does a family mean to you?

I just watched a jdorama together with my housemate called "my little chef". It is actually a drama about a talented female chef who was the daughter of a famous chef. But then I realize this dorama presents not only the good looking French cuisines and delicious dishes..but it is also involved so many family aspects and conflicts (both the family of the main actors and the guest actors).This dorama is funny yet so touching (couldn't hold my tears)...(>_<)~ However I have a good time watching it...

In short, here is the storyline...
Seri, an unknown yet talented female chef from the country, arrives in Tokyo to work at French restaurant, Etoire, but discovers that they have gone out of business due to the departure of their main chef. Together with the restaurant's former manager, she opens a French restaurant of her own and begins to recreate the flavors her late father mastered as a famous gourmet chef. Unfortunately, Etoire returns with an unscrupulous manager, and to make matters worse, Seri learns that it happens to be owned by her birth mother living in Paris who she hasn't seen since she was a child. Seri wonders if her passion and skill will be enough to succeed.--quoted from Jdorama.com

What a family means to someone? Two short message were delivered in this dorama; 1st you'll never cut your family tie until you die...especially for those who have blood relationship with you in a nuclear family. Second one, it hurts you more when you're cheated by someone you like than someone you dislike (of course it is^^). A person can hate his/her family members with many reasons. One could have betrayed him/her or other have left him/her behind..so that he/she thinks that those who he/she used to call mom, dad, bro, or sis don't love him/her anymore.--(huhuhu sorry I repeated so many he or she forms)
As a family we should always stick together and help each other, right??? yeah..you wish..but how many families do have this principle and keep doing it? I think many have it but only few can keep it.

Let's just take a fast look through the 10 episodes of this jdorama

Seri was just 5 when his father married another woman after her mother left for Paris. Then a few years later her half sister was born and they grew up together. Seri loves her new family and even more after her father died.It has been 20 years since Seri's mama left, but she still remembers her and wish to meet her again someday. That's why when she treasures her dearly feeling, she cannot admit the woman that her father married as "okasan--mother" even she does respect her. Until one day Seri and Nazuna (Seri's imotou--little sister) are going to Tokyo as the request of uncle Kenzo to meet his otouto--little brother and rescue his restaurant. Seri just realized how big her step mother's affection towards her, she's the only mother who always takes care of her since she was just five and now she's going to live far away from her. Sadly before she goes to Tokyo she hugs her step mother tightly and said "arigatou ne, Okasan" and they're brust into tears..Family is not always people who are blood related with us, people who are always there for you and care a lot about you are your family when you live apart with your parents and siblings.

Kensaku is Kenzo's brother who was left by his only family; his aniki--big brother with a big restaurant that they built together but in big debt. He never knows where his aniki went, all he knows that the restaurant now has been taken over by Seri's mama's corporation and his aniki ran away from the responsibility as the owner and his brother. It hurts Kensaku very much and makes him want to cut the family tie with Kenzo. Until one day he meets Seri and Nazuna who were sent to him by his mean aniki. Kensaku realizes that Seri has a big talent in cooking that she inherits from her late father who was a master in cooking and it motivates Kensaku to open a new little french restaurant together with her. As the time goes by, finally Kenzaku reunites again with his aniki who has become senseless. He couldn't forgive his aniki and hate him so much although he now knows the reason why Kenzo left to Seri's town. Unless Kenzo didn't show his deep regret and try to reach his brother by cooking him something (even he himself couldn't taste it), Kensaku wouldn't be touched and remember that Kenzo is his only aniki who has been taking a role as his parents since their parents died. Be a family is not only one way relationship, it takes two to tango so does a family, it needs more than one person to admit that we are family.

I think..I stop it first for now..it's 4.24 am and I've got to take some sleep (-.-) oyasumi..