Chapter Summaries

Chapter summary

Plot and events

• Student Council President Miyabi Nagumo is furious to learn that Kitagawa Kai has taken a large group of students off campus for a four-day winter-break work-experience trip to Izu. He questions how this was allowed at the normally closed school, then decides to visit the Student Council Office himself and find a way to make trouble for Kai’s group.
• On the bus, Kai and Hasebe Haruka wake after spending the ride cuddled together. Their joking “score-settling” became mutual intimate exploration, and though they have not formally defined their relationship, both seem to expect they will become a couple.
• The group arrives in the secluded Tsukiniwa Valley, where their resort sits beside Moon Court Lake. They admire the quiet mountain scenery and discuss whether it might snow overnight.
• Haruka’s attention quickly turns to food. Kai reassures her that she needn’t worry about gaining weight and affectionately calls her his quirky, playful girl. She blushes and tells him to say something similar to Honami instead.

Character developments and interactions

• Nagumo shows his resentment and competitive fixation on Kai, even interrupting his vacation to pursue a way to inconvenience him.
• Kai and Haruka grow more comfortable and affectionate with each other. Their teasing, physical closeness, and mutual care suggest their bond is nearing an official romance.
• Haruka remains self-conscious about eating and her appearance, while Kai responds with reassurance and warmth.
• The group shares easy, relaxed banter: Sakura photographs the scenery; Morishita delivers an ignored fantasy monologue; Kamuro and Sakayanagi disagree about the prospect of snow, with Hiyori offering a more informed view.

Significant themes

• Romance and intimacy: Kai and Haruka’s playful closeness signals a deepening relationship.
• Rest and escape: The secluded resort and tranquil landscape contrast with the pressures of school life—and Nagumo’s inability to stop pursuing conflict.
• Affection and self-acceptance: Kai encourages Haruka to feel comfortable with herself, including her appetite and appearance.

Plot points and events

• The group arrives at Moon Court Villa, a private hotel reserved entirely for their party. The resort’s two hotels share facilities and are connected by internal roads and shuttle buses.
• Hotel staff handle the guests’ luggage. Ibuki Mio’s suitcase is so heavy that two employees have to lift it; she explains that she packed workout weights, unaware the hotel has a gym because she barely read the itinerary.
• Ichinose Honami offers to carry her own bag, but Chabashira Sae explains that accepting the staff’s service protects their jobs and reflects the hotel’s expectations. Hoshinomiya Chie teases Chabashira, prompting a joking, suggestive exchange that draws disapproving looks from nearby girls.
• The group admires the villa’s lakeside lobby and settles into its hot-spring suites. Kitagawa Kai, Ichinose, and Sakayanagi Arisu share the spacious Moon Court Suite; the other girls take rooms upstairs.
• At lunch, Ichinose, Sakayanagi, and Kushida Kikyo each try to feed Kai. He eventually tells them to stop and prepares to eat properly, explaining that his increased strength means he needs far more food than an ordinary person.

Character developments and interactions

• Ibuki is revealed to be practical but inattentive to planning: she follows the group without reading the itinerary and brings unnecessary workout equipment.
• Kai is easygoing and similarly admits he only skimmed the hotel details. His unusual physical growth is reflected in his greatly increased appetite.
• Ichinose shows consideration for hotel staff, while Chabashira gives her a pragmatic lesson about workplace expectations and job security.
• Chabashira and Hoshinomiya trade teasing insults, with Hoshinomiya exposing Chabashira’s hypocrisy and embarrassing her in front of the girls.
• Ichinose, Sakayanagi, and Kushida compete playfully to serve Kai food, highlighting their affectionate familiarity with him.

Significant themes

• Travel and expectations: Kai sees travel as familiar routine, while the villa’s luxury and careful service give the trip a more distinctive setting.
• Consideration and social responsibility: Ichinose’s instinct to help is balanced by Chabashira’s reminder that accepting hospitality can support workers’ livelihoods.
• Affection and rivalry: The lunch scene turns simple generosity into playful competition for Kai’s attention.
• Physical change: Kai’s appetite underscores his growing strength and the unusual demands it places on him.

Key plot points and events

• Kitagawa Kai orders twenty additional portions of every dish and eats at extraordinary speed, astonishing the girls and moving Tsukitei Hotel’s head chef. The kitchen vows to keep serving him without pause.
• After lunch, the group rests before meeting again at one. Kai spends time with Sakayanagi Arisu, while Ichinose Honami keeps them on schedule and helps them get ready for an afternoon visit to Shuzenji Temple.
• Ichinose and Arisu choose Kai’s clothes and fuss over his appearance. Their playful disagreement about his bath and outfit shows their comfortable familiarity with him.
• On the shuttle bus, Kai sits beside Shiina Hiyori. Yamamura Miki, who had planned to sit with Hiyori, is left looking for another seat; Morishita Ai invites her to join her on an “adventure.”

Character developments and interactions

• Kai is exuberant and unapologetic about his appetite, but also sincerely praises the chefs’ work. He enjoys being cared for by the girls, though he jokes that they leave him little say in his clothes.
• Ichinose is attentive and gently assertive: she helps Kai get ready and makes sure everyone is accounted for.
• Arisu banters freely with Kai, criticizing his complaints and taste in clothes while still helping choose his outfit.
• Hiyori is pleased that Kai chooses to sit with her, while Yamamura feels overlooked. Morishita responds by drawing Yamamura into her own plans.

Significant themes

• Affection expressed through care: The girls show fondness by feeding Kai, helping him dress, and enjoying his happiness.
• Playful intimacy and group dynamics: Teasing and familiar routines convey closeness, while Kai’s shifting seatmates create small moments of jealousy and inclusion.
• Passion and appreciation: Kai’s enthusiastic eating gives the chefs a sense that their craft is genuinely valued.

Key plot points and events

• On a bus to Shuzenji, Hiyori reads The Tale of Shuzenji. She jokes that reading comes naturally to her, just as flirting does to Kai, prompting him to steer the conversation toward a deduction game.
• In the first round, Hiyori chooses a fictional British investigator. Kai confidently guesses Sherlock Holmes, but the answer is Dr. John Watson, who also lived at 221B Baker Street. Kai realizes he jumped to a conclusion and asked questions to confirm it.
• Kai chooses Sun Wukong for the next round. Hiyori identifies him after seven questions, using clues about his origins, nonhuman nature, and service in the Heavenly Court.
• Hiyori explains that she also inferred Kai’s choice from his behavior: he was likely to choose an Eastern figure after the first round, and his pauses and reactions helped narrow down the answer.
• Kai wonders if Hiyori is unusually—and perhaps obsessively—attuned to him. She denies being obsessed, while he teases her about seeming to read his mind.

Character developments and interactions

• Kai is playful and confident, but his first loss exposes his tendency to settle on an answer too early. He is impressed by Hiyori’s reasoning and a little unnerved by how closely she observes him.
• Hiyori is an avid reader, quick-witted, and highly perceptive. She enjoys teasing Kai and shows that her apparent mind-reading is actually careful attention to his words and mannerisms.
• Their affectionate banter—about Kai’s flirting, their competitive game, and Hiyori’s attentiveness—reveals their easy intimacy.

Significant themes

• Careful reasoning versus confirmation bias: Kai’s Sherlock guess fails because he treats clues as confirmation instead of considering alternatives.
• Observation and knowledge: Hiyori solves the game by combining factual knowledge with close observation of Kai.
• Intimacy and teasing: Their playful competition highlights how well they know each other and how comfortable they are together.

Key plot points and events

• The group arrives at Shuzenji Onsen Street and visits Tokko-no-Yu, the historic spring said to have been created by Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai).
• Morishita Ai imagines that the spring contains ancient spiritual power she could absorb to become queen of the Izu Peninsula. She tries to put her bare foot in despite the posted rules.
• Himeno Yuki stops her, and the two struggle until the others notice.
• Kitagawa Kai persuades Ai to wait and investigate the spring’s power at a nearby public footbath instead, framing it as a safer, rule-abiding way to proceed. Ai accepts immediately.
• Afterward, Ai reproaches Yuki for disrupting her “path to godhood,” then recruits Yamamura Miki for a mysterious “plan B.” Yuki, suspicious that trouble is coming, gets herself included too.

Character developments

• Morishita Ai remains grandiose and impulsive, treating her fantasies of spiritual power and rule as serious plans. She is also easily redirected by Kai, especially when he presents his advice as strategic leadership.
• Himeno Yuki acts as Ai’s practical safeguard, preventing her from breaking the site’s rules. Though baffled by Ai’s rapid shifts in mood, she chooses to humor her and keep watch.
• Kitagawa Kai demonstrates an ability to manage Ai by adapting to her elaborate worldview and redirecting her rather than confronting it directly.
• Yamamura Miki is drawn into Ai’s plan without understanding what it involves.

Significant themes

• The scene humorously contrasts fantasy and reality: Ai interprets a historical spring as a source of supernatural power, while Yuki points out the rules and Kai offers a plausible alternative.
• Leadership and persuasion are played for comedy, as Kai gains Ai’s cooperation by casting sensible advice as military strategy.
• Companionship and loyalty appear in Yuki’s determination to stop Ai from getting into trouble, even when Ai takes offense.

Character interactions

• Ai and Yuki’s playful but physical confrontation shows their contrasting temperaments: Ai’s reckless enthusiasm versus Yuki’s practical concern.
• Kai’s intervention turns their dispute into a plan Ai considers strategically sound.
• Ai’s mock-demotion and later reinstatement of Yuki create a comic hierarchy, while Yuki’s decision to join lets her supervise Ai’s next scheme.

At Shuzenji Temple, Kai and Hiyori read the story of Katsura, who sacrificed herself to protect Minamoto no Yoriie from the Hojo. Hiyori admired Katsura’s devotion but regretted that her sacrifice did not change Yoriie’s fate. Kai, meanwhile, condemned Yoriie for letting her die and joked that Katsura’s father, the mask-maker, deserved a beating for sketching her dying face for his art.
Asked what he would do in Yoriie’s place, Kai said he would confront the Hojo rather than flee or let anyone close to him serve as a decoy. He insisted he would protect the girls in his life and eliminate the threat instead of accepting a temporary escape at someone else’s expense. Hiyori recognized his loyalty and resolve. Kai called her his “Katsura,” while promising he would never be a useless Yoriie. Hiyori kissed him after applying lip balm, explaining that she wanted his attention and hoped to make their time together memorable. When Kai began to apologize for having limited time to spend with each girl, Hiyori reassured him: she had chosen this path willingly and would keep walking it without wavering, urging him to do the same.
The group later gathered and headed toward the Katsura River, where they stopped at a sign describing the five Bridges of Love and their meanings. At Tiger Creek Bridge, the Bridge of Romance, the girls considered crossing with Kai, but Arisu and Honami pointed out that doing so in turns would take too long. As they agreed to treat it like an ordinary bridge, someone in the group announced a different opinion.
Character developments and interactions: Hiyori’s affection is paired with a clear-eyed acceptance of Kai’s crowded life; she wants to cherish their time without demanding more than he can give. Kai reveals a protective, decisive side and refuses to sacrifice loved ones for his safety. Their playful teasing and intimate kiss deepen their bond, while their discussion of the tragic legend prompts a serious exchange about loyalty and sacrifice.
Themes: The chapter contrasts self-sacrifice with active protection, reflecting on whether love should mean giving one’s life or finding a way to protect everyone. It also explores commitment, limited time, and choosing a difficult relationship willingly.

Key plot points and events

• At Shuzenji’s Tiger Creek Bridge, Asahina Nazuna uses her role as special advisor as an excuse to cross with Kitagawa Kai, hoping for a private moment with him.
• Hasebe Haruka acts first, inviting Kai to cross with her and joking that the “Bridge of Love” might bring them a happy ending. Kai takes her hand and agrees.
• Not wanting to disappoint the other girls, Kai invites Amikura Mako, Matsushita Chiaki, and Ibuki Mio to join them. He asks Ichinose Honami and Suzune to take the rest of the group to Bamboo Grove Path.
• Haruka teases Nazuna, then suggests Kai confess to all five girls at once. Kai stops her, explaining that each deserves a sincere, private confession. He promises to tell each girl how he feels when the time is right.
• Ibuki accepts his offer immediately, misunderstanding it as a plan to discuss fighting techniques. The others grow more alert to the competition for Kai’s affection.
• As the group crosses, Nazuna explains the bridge’s romantic legends and symbolism. Haruka then asks her to tell fortunes for her and Kai.

Character developments and interactions

• Nazuna shows initiative but is frustrated when her hoped-for private outing becomes a group crossing. She also reveals her knowledge of local customs through her interest in divination.
• Haruka displays unexpected boldness, openly pursuing Kai and playfully provoking the other girls. Her confidence earns their admiration but also marks her as a serious rival.
• Kai responds warmly to Haruka’s courage while trying to treat all the girls’ feelings with care. He rejects a group confession as unfair and promises each a personal conversation.
• Mako and Chiaki respond hopefully to Kai’s promise and become more conscious of their rivals. Ibuki remains direct but misunderstands the romantic context.
• The girls’ teasing and rivalry coexist with genuine friendship, while Ichinose and Suzune support the group’s plans.

Significant themes

• Romantic courage can create opportunities, but it does not guarantee exclusive attention.
• Kai’s effort to respect each girl’s feelings contrasts with Haruka’s playful push to force a decision.
• The bridge’s customs mirror the group’s hopes: love, intention, change, and bonds overcoming obstacles.
• Misunderstandings—especially Ibuki’s—add humor to the increasingly complicated romantic dynamics.

Key plot points and events

• During the walk across Tiger Creek Bridge, Hasebe Haruka asks fortune-teller Asahina Nazuna when she and Kitagawa Kai will get together. Nazuna says a proper reading requires preparation and points out that a love-fortune-telling activity is planned for the trip.
• Amikura Mako secretly tries to make her and Kai’s shadows hold hands. She trips, and Kai catches her. He then offers to hold her hand for the rest of the bridge; though she protests, she clings to his hand and lets him warm it.
• Matsushita Chiaki sees the others making romantic moves but decides she cannot imitate Mako’s staged-looking stumble.
• After the bridge, Nazuna asks Kai whether he followed her advice to think of someone he likes while crossing. He says he silently listed everyone he likes, spending five seconds on each. He then tells Hasebe she was the only one he thought about, prompting her to hug his arm.
• Nazuna says she thought of Ibuki Mio too. Ibuki denies thinking about anyone and awkwardly redirects attention to the scenery.
• The group reaches a bamboo grove and reunites with the main party. Ichinose Honami welcomes them, but Kai notices that Morishita and Miki are missing.

Character developments and interactions

• Amikura acts on her feelings in a sly, playful way, then becomes flustered when Kai catches her and takes her hand. Her affection for him rises by three points, to 78.
• Kai teases Amikura but is considerate and quick to steady her. His joking offer to hold her hand becomes an intimate moment.
• Hasebe is increasingly bold about pursuing Kai, openly seeking a romantic prediction and staying close to him.
• Matsushita feels left behind as others take initiative, but admits to herself that she cannot bring herself to make a similar move.
• Nazuna maintains a professional façade as a fortune-teller while teasing Kai about his many romantic interests.
• Ibuki resists being included in the group’s romantic framing and avoids answering honestly.

Significant themes

• Romantic rivalry and playful competition: Several girls seek closeness with Kai in different ways, while others observe or hesitate.
• Indirect expressions of affection: Amikura’s shadow-hand-holding plan and her embarrassed acceptance of Kai’s hand show how small gestures can reveal feelings.
• Boldness versus hesitation: Hasebe presses forward, Amikura takes a chance, and Matsushita chooses not to.
• Unresolved group dynamics: The chapter ends with the unexplained absence of Morishita and Miki, hinting at a possible new development.

Key plot points and events

• During the group’s walk, Honami realizes Ai and Miki have disappeared. Kai checks their location and finds them in a secluded clearing in the bamboo grove, then goes to investigate.
• He finds Ai coaching Miki to control her ability to escape notice. Ai tells her to breathe quietly, stop seeking others’ attention, and let people overlook her rather than fighting it.
• Miki admits she has always disliked her lack of presence and assumed she could not change it. Ai urges her to accept herself and keep trying, arguing that even if fate seems fixed, effort and promises still matter.
• Miki follows the instructions and discovers she can adjust the strength of her ability like a slider. Her presence becomes so diffuse that Kai can no longer pinpoint where she is, despite sensing her through their rings.
• Miki notices Kai’s unusually vivid presence and greets him, revealing that he had been watching all along.

Character developments and interactions

• Miki shifts from frustration and self-rejection toward curiosity and acceptance. She begins treating her unusual ability as something she can explore and control.
• Ai reveals a rare earnest, encouraging side beneath her cryptic manner. She acts as Miki’s mentor, guiding her through a practical experiment while framing it as a lesson from the forest.
• Kai is impressed—and alarmed—by how dramatically Miki’s ability develops. His attempt to catch the pair turns into a firsthand demonstration of her new control.
• The group’s initial concern and speculation about the missing girls provide a light comic contrast to the serious, intimate scene in the grove.

Significant themes

• Fate versus effort: Ai challenges the idea that destiny makes trying pointless; promises and persistence matter precisely because people choose to act.
• Self-acceptance and change: Miki’s progress begins when she stops treating her low profile solely as a defect and learns to work with it.
• Visibility and identity: The scene explores the difference between forcing others to notice you and choosing when to be seen.

Plot points and events

• Kai finds Miki and Ai in the bamboo grove just after Miki has learned to control her unusual ability. Miki tries it again, and Kai can now sense her presence clearly instead of struggling to notice her.
• Kai praises both girls, then scolds them for slipping away without telling the group. He gives them a playful punishment: no hugs for a week. Both protest, revealing how much they value his affection.
• The trio reunites with the others on the bamboo path. The group immediately notices that Miki seems more visible and easier to pick out than before.
• Miki plays down what happened, uncertain how to explain her breakthrough. She privately considers telling Honami, Hiyori, and Suzune, while worrying that Arisu might assign her intelligence-gathering work if she learns how much her ability has improved.
• The group leaves the bamboo grove and returns to the hot-spring street. Honami announces a gift-picking game before their planned visit to a footbath.

Character development

• Miki gains greater control over her ability, resolving a long-standing difficulty. She feels newly confident and grateful for her friends, and recognizes how much her life has improved since meeting Kai.
• Ai is proud of her role in helping Miki and enjoys Kai’s praise, but her impulsive enthusiasm also led her to leave the group without permission.
• Kai is supportive and affectionate, while also acting protectively when the girls take risks.
• Miki’s friendships have grown: she realizes she now has several people she trusts enough to share her secret with.

Themes

• Growth and self-acceptance: Miki’s breakthrough helps her feel less constrained by a problem that had troubled her for years.
• Trust and belonging: Her new friendships—and Kai’s support—make her feel safer and more connected.
• Care balanced with responsibility: Kai’s affection accompanies a firm reminder that the group must look out for one another.
• Lighthearted intimacy: The teasing dispute over hugs shows the warmth and closeness between the characters.

Character interactions

• Kai celebrates Miki’s progress by patting her head and praising both girls, then reprimands them for disappearing.
• Ai and Miki awkwardly shift blame before each pleading for mercy; both object to losing Kai’s hugs.
• Honami reassures them after their return, while Kikyo and Hiyori notice Miki’s changed presence. The group’s curiosity prompts Miki to keep her explanation vague.
• Miki privately reflects on her feelings for Kai, believing he may be her destined partner.

Plot points and events

• Ichinose Honami announces a surprise gift exchange for the hot-spring trip. Everyone draws a secret slip describing someone in the group, buys that person a wrapped gift, and later reveals the matches.
• Morishita Ai volunteers to draw first. After the girls have chosen, Kai takes the final slip, which feels oddly warm. It reads “All,” leaving him to wonder whether it describes everyone.
• The girls react to their own clues with surprise and smiles, then head off in small groups to shop. Hoshinomiya Chie claims she has worked out the secret but refuses to tell Shiranami Chihiro.
• Kai tries to ask Honami about his slip, but she keeps the secret and suggests they shop together. They browse souvenir stores, and Honami tries on a burgundy headband while Kai prepares to help her put it on.

Character developments and interactions

• Honami emerges as a thoughtful organizer, having added the gift exchange as a surprise. She is playful and affectionate with Kai, but firmly protects the secrecy of the game.
• Kai enjoys the surprise and suspects Honami may have reserved the warm final slip for him. He shares an easy, teasing closeness with her while shopping.
• The other girls take the guessing game seriously, though their reactions suggest some clues may be amusing or revealing.
• Chie playfully embraces Chihiro and teases her by withholding what she has figured out. Chihiro responds with gentle exasperation.

Significant themes

• Surprise and playful mystery: The gift exchange turns the outing into a guessing game, with hidden clues and uncertain meanings.
• Affection and attentiveness: Honami’s planning and her intimate, lighthearted moments with Kai highlight the couple’s warmth.
• Group camaraderie: Shopping together and teasing one another make the trip feel like a shared social occasion.

Key plot points and events

• Kitagawa Kai helps Ichinose Honami arrange a burgundy headband, then lets her put fuzzy antlers on him. Honami calls him her “deer husband,” but stops him from wearing them around town because she wants to keep the amusing sight for herself.
• The two browse hot-spring shops for gifts. Kai has already prepared his presents for the girls, originally intending to give them on Christmas Eve, but decides to hand them out today instead. Honami is delighted to learn they are thinking alike.
• Elsewhere, Ibuki Mio struggles to choose a gift. When Shiina Hiyori goes into a bookstore with Yamamura Miki and Morishita Ai, Ibuki lets them enjoy their time together and shops alone.
• Horikita Suzune joins Ibuki, who asks for advice about a gift for someone who trains often. Horikita correctly suspects Ibuki is choosing for Kai, but Ibuki insists she did not draw Horikita’s name.
• Horikita repeatedly criticizes Ibuki’s possible gifts, then realizes she is being unfair and apologizes. Ibuki settles on a soft gray scarf and assures Horikita she is not trying to break up her relationship with Kai.

Character developments and interactions

• Kai and Honami share easy affection and playful intimacy. Honami enjoys dressing him up and is quietly possessive of the charming sight, while Kai is unembarrassed and happy to indulge her.
• Ibuki shows a considerate side by not interrupting Hiyori’s outing, and a more earnest one as she carefully chooses a present. She teases Horikita but ultimately reassures her.
• Horikita reveals insecurity and jealousy about Ibuki’s gift for Kai, disguising them as practical criticism. She recognizes her behavior, apologizes sincerely, and tries to respect Ibuki’s choice.
• The exchange between Ibuki and Horikita shifts from suspicious teasing to mutual understanding—though Horikita is left baffled by Ibuki’s final reassurance.

Significant themes

• Affection expressed through small gestures: arranging accessories, shopping for gifts, and offering reassurance all convey care.
• Jealousy and boundaries: Horikita’s possessiveness surfaces, but she chooses to acknowledge it rather than control someone else’s actions.
• Consideration for others: Ibuki gives Hiyori space and takes her gift choice seriously, while the characters navigate how to show affection without overstepping.

Plot points and events

• Miyabi Nagumo visits the Student Council Office, hoping to exploit the apparent absence of Kitagawa Kai and his group and perhaps recruit an overlooked student.
• Instead, he finds Horikita Manabu working there. Nagumo submits his documents, then questions whether Kai was entitled to take students off campus and whether Manabu is authorized to use the Council office and seal.
• Manabu calmly explains that Kai invited him back to serve during the break. He is now covering several Council roles, including vice president, and assures Nagumo that he will handle any concerns according to the rules. Nagumo leaves frustrated and unsettled.
• In the hot-spring district, the girls return from shopping with gifts and souvenirs. They gather at a reserved bathing hall and relax by soaking their feet.
• Their conversation turns to the difficulty of choosing gifts and how giving them makes people realize how much they still have to learn about one another.
• Kai says he knows everyone’s preferences and habits well. Arisu playfully challenges his confidence and proposes a test to see whether he really knows the girls.

Character developments and interactions

• Nagumo tries to find leverage but is thrown off by Manabu’s calm authority. His rivalry with Manabu—and irritation at Kai’s growing influence—becomes more apparent. After leaving, he messages a mysterious girl, saying he is fired up.
• Manabu demonstrates composure, diligence, and strict respect for procedure. His unexpectedly broad Council responsibilities reinforce how effectively Kai has brought him back into the group.
• Kai appears attentive to his companions and confident that he understands their tastes and routines. His relaxed presence helps set the warm, playful tone of the gathering.
• Arisu teases Kai by questioning whether he knows the girls as well as he claims, turning the conversation into a lighthearted challenge.
• The girls share shopping stories and reflections about gift-giving, showing both their closeness and the gaps they still perceive in their knowledge of one another.

Significant themes

• Authority and rules: Manabu’s procedural response counters Nagumo’s attempt to exploit technicalities.
• Rivalry and influence: Nagumo’s frustration reflects his struggle to compete with the established connection between Kai and Manabu.
• Intimacy and understanding: Choosing gifts prompts the group to consider how well they truly know one another.
• Rest and camaraderie: The hot-spring gathering offers a relaxed contrast to school politics and deepens the group’s shared bond.

Plot points and events

• In the bath hall, Sakayanagi proposes a game: blindfold Kitagawa Kai and have him identify the girls by touch. Hoshinomiya suggests making it a challenge with rewards and punishments.
• Kitagawa initially refuses, then accepts after Sakayanagi teases him—though he demands a reward for getting every answer right.
• He jokes that he could identify Kamuro Masumi by the smell of her feet. She angrily attacks him, and their playful tussle ends with him holding her in his arms.
• The group enjoys their banter, while Asahina Nazuna watches from the sidelines and wonders whether she is ready to join their close-knit circle.
• When it is time to leave, Kushida claims she is too full for dinner but changes her mind after hearing about the restaurant. Tominaga reveals that she has booked the entire place for the group.
• As everyone gathers their belongings, Nazuna’s bag catches on a folding screen. Her tug topples the heavy wooden frame toward Sakayanagi, while Shiina quickly shields Yamamura.

Character developments and interactions

• Kitagawa and Kamuro display familiar, flirtatious combativeness: she scolds him, he teases her, and she still fixes his crooked tie afterward.
• Nazuna feels like an outsider despite being with the group. Her hesitation reflects her uncertainty about entering their lively, intimate social world.
• Hasebe is impressed by the privileges Kitagawa enjoys outside school, though she insists that this is not why she likes him.
• Shiina reacts protectively when the screen falls, pulling Yamamura close.

Significant themes

• Belonging and hesitation: Nazuna questions whether she is ready to become part of the group.
• Affection expressed through teasing: Kitagawa and Kamuro’s mock hostility reveals their comfort and closeness.
• Privilege and influence: The private restaurant booking highlights the special treatment Kitagawa’s circle receives.
• A sudden turn from comedy to danger: The chapter ends on a cliffhanger as the falling screen threatens Sakayanagi.

Key plot points and events

• During a group outing at the Bath Hall, a wooden screen tips over after Asahina Nazuna’s bag gets caught on it. Kitagawa Kai catches Nazuna and steadies the screen before anyone is hurt.
• Nazuna blames herself and considers staying behind at the hotel the next day, fearing she is a nuisance. Kai reassures her that the venue’s inadequate safety checks—not her carelessness—were chiefly to blame, and reminds her that he invited her to enjoy the vacation. His joking promise to fight any trouble away finally makes her smile.
• Kai confronts attendant Tominaga Misa about the safety lapse. She admits she failed to inspect the facilities properly and promises to check the remaining venues. Kai stresses that safety must be taken seriously, then lets the matter proceed without further scolding.
• Nazuna regains her good humor with the group. The girls trade jokes on the way to dinner, where they enjoy local food.

Character developments

• Kai acts quickly to protect the group, then shows compassion toward Nazuna while taking a firm, responsible tone with the attendant.
• Nazuna moves from guilt and anxiety to reassurance and renewed cheerfulness. Her affection for Kai increases by three points, reaching 69.
• Tominaga accepts responsibility and commits to preventing another oversight, while recognizing Kai’s authority and seriousness.
• Hiyori, Miki, Ichinose, and the others support Nazuna and help restore the group’s relaxed mood.

Significant themes

• Safety and responsibility: Preventable hazards should be taken seriously, and staff must inspect venues properly.
• Guilt and reassurance: A mistake or accident does not necessarily make someone a burden; understanding helps people recover.
• Authority and kindness: Kai is generally accommodating, but his expectations become firm when safety is at stake.
• Friendship and shared enjoyment: The group’s warmth helps turn a frightening moment back into a pleasant vacation.

Character interactions

• Kai protects Nazuna and checks on Arisu, Hiyori, and Miki; the girls reassure Nazuna in turn.
• Ichinose discreetly gives Kai space to speak with Nazuna, and he comforts her by returning her scarf and making her laugh.
• Kai questions Tominaga, who responds with a direct apology and a plan to improve inspections.
• Morishita’s mock-serious talk of prophecy sparks playful teasing with Nazuna and Kamuro, easing the mood before dinner.

Plot and events

• On the bus back to Moon Court Villa, Student Council president Kitagawa Kai gets a thoughtful progress report from Kiriyama Ikuyo about the council’s team-building trip. He asks her to pass on his greetings and remind everyone to stay safe.
• Karuizawa Kei offers Kai sour gummies, secretly giving him the flavors she dislikes. When he catches on, he gets her back by kissing her after eating one, sharing its sourness with her.
• Back at the villa, the girls gather with the gifts they chose for a name-drawing exchange. Tachibana Akane goes first and reveals she drew Kai.
• Akane gives Kai a personalized fountain pen, chosen to be comfortable for long writing sessions. He demonstrates it, thanks her, and gives her a glass music box featuring two bears and her favorite tune, “With an Orchid.” Akane is delighted and moved.

Character developments and interactions

• Kai comes across as a considerate leader, checking on the council’s trip, and as an attentive, playful boyfriend with Kei.
• Kei’s teasing attempt to offload sour candy turns into a playful romantic exchange; Kai surprises her with a kiss.
• Akane and Kai share a particularly happy gift exchange. Akane is thrilled to have drawn him, and Kai’s carefully chosen present shows how well he remembers the girls’ preferences.

Significant themes

• Care expressed through attention: Kai’s concern for the council and his thoughtful gift choices show his investment in others.
• Playful intimacy: Kai and Kei’s teasing highlights the ease and affection in their relationship.
• Anticipation and reciprocity: The gift exchange builds suspense, then rewards it with a mutual pairing and gifts that reflect the characters’ feelings.

• The surprise exchange is revealed: The girls discover that everyone drew Kitagawa Kai’s name for the gift exchange. Ichinose Honami explains she arranged the game early so Christmas Eve could be less hectic, and Kai had secretly prepared a return gift for each of them.
• Jealousy gives way to reassurance: The girls are dismayed to learn they were not uniquely chosen, and some worry their gifts won’t compare with the others’. Kai reassures them and gives each present careful attention, asking about the gifts and trying on wearable ones. His thoughtful responses ease their worries.
• The gifts bring the group together: Kai’s carefully chosen return gifts delight the recipients, including perfume for Kushida, a special mystery-novel set for Shiina, and coveted liquor and an engraved glass for Hoshinomiya. The girls stop competing over his reactions and enjoy the exchange.
• A private gift for Honami: After helping clear up, Honami follows Kai into the bedroom, where he gives her a document envelope. Expecting something expensive, she instead finds an admission letter to Teitan Middle School bearing her younger sister Haruko’s name. Shocked, she asks who put Haruko’s name on it—the chapter’s cliffhanger.
  Character developments and interactions: Honami’s planning reveals her consideration for the group, though her boast about being in sync with Kai only intensifies the others’ jealousy. Kai shows attentiveness and affection toward each girl through his responses and gifts. Horikita is embarrassed to realize Ibuki never drew her name, while the group’s initial rivalry softens into shared delight.
  Themes: The chapter contrasts romantic competition with the warmth of communal generosity. It emphasizes thoughtfulness in both giving and receiving, while the final revelation introduces a mystery about Haruko’s school admission.

Plot and character developments

• Kitagawa Kai gives Ichinose Honami her younger sister Haruko’s acceptance letter to Teitan Middle School, along with news of a scholarship that will cover her education expenses. Kai had coordinated with Honami’s family, but stresses that Haruko earned the award through her own work and qualifications.
• Honami is overwhelmed and cries with relief. The news eases her worries about her family, which had been one reason she chose a university with waived expenses. Kai comforts her and says he already thinks of her mother and sister as his own family and includes Honami in his future.
• Honami calls home to share the news. Her mother encourages her to stay close to Kai and bring him home after graduation; Honami lets him listen, and Kai is pleased by the family’s warm reception.
• Back with the others, Honami stays close to Kai, visibly happy. The girls notice her reaction but choose not to ask what he gave her.
• Haruka starts a playful round of thank-you kisses, kissing Kai’s cheek. Kushida and Hoshinomiya follow, and other girls join in, kissing his face and even his neck. Matsushita quietly gives him a kiss as well. Amikura, Asahina, and Ibuki are left hesitating, unsure whether to join.

Character interactions and themes

• Kai’s support is caring but restrained: he creates an opportunity for Haruko rather than claiming credit for her success. His reassurance strengthens his bond with Honami and connects their relationship to a shared future.
• Honami’s tears and affectionate response show how deeply she values both her family and Kai’s thoughtfulness. Her call also brings Kai into her family’s circle.
• The gift exchange turns into a humorous, competitive display of affection, with the girls responding to one another’s boldness.
• Key themes: family and commitment, kindness that preserves fairness and agency, gratitude, and the playful rivalry that emerges within the group.

Key plot points and events

• After receiving gifts, the girls thank Kitagawa Kai with affectionate cheek kisses. Ibuki Mio hesitates, then kisses him too and calls it a thank-you.
• The group takes a family photo, with Kai in the middle and lipstick marks left on his face. The girls then chat, visit the villa’s hot springs, and finally turn in.
• Late that night, Horikita Suzune is studying when Ibuki arrives with professional boxing gloves as a gift. Ibuki explains that she respects Suzune as a serious, evenly matched opponent. The two agree to become friends as well as rivals.
• Ibuki runs into Kai after leaving Suzune’s room and is flustered by seeing him shirtless. Kai continues making rounds to spend time alone with his many girlfriends.
• Unable to sleep, Hasebe Haruka goes to find her best friend, Amikura Mako, hoping she is awake too. Mako answers the door, and Haruka is relieved.

Character development and interactions

• Mako accepts the family’s affectionate dynamic and goes along with the evening’s celebrations.
• Ibuki and Suzune move beyond their antagonistic history, acknowledging their shared determination and agreeing to a friendship built on rivalry and mutual respect.
• Ibuki and Kai share an awkward moment when she unexpectedly sees him shirtless.
• Haruka and Mako are shown as close friends: Haruka seeks Mako out when she cannot sleep, and Mako’s waking presence comforts her.
• Kai and the group share a warm, playful family moment through the kisses, photo, and hot-spring outing.

Significant themes

• Belonging and affection: The group’s gift-giving and family portrait reinforce their closeness.
• Respect and reconciliation: Ibuki and Suzune turn rivalry into a bond grounded in honest recognition of each other.
• Friendship and comfort: Haruka looks to Mako for companionship when she feels restless.
• Responsibility and personal discipline: Suzune keeps studying despite being on vacation, relying on hard work as her strength.

Key events

• Hasebe Haruka wakes Amikura Mako to talk about their feelings for Kitagawa Kai. Haruka says she had considered sneaking into his room and urges Mako to stop holding back. The two share secrets late into the night, but Haruka falls asleep before Mako, leaving Mako awake and curious about kissing.
• Ibuki Mio also loses sleep, fixating on the thought of Kai leaving Shiina Hiyori’s room. Her jealousy and imagination distract her from her martial training, and she misses her planned early-morning workout.
• At breakfast, Hiyori kindly makes sure Mio has enough to eat, while Morishita Ai teases her with advice about learning to sleep anywhere.
• On the bus, Matsushita Chiaki gets a seat beside Kai. She tries calling him “Kai-kun” instead of “Godfather,” hoping to bring their relationship closer, but Kai says “Godfather” is what makes her distinctive. Their exchange turns into playful teasing about whether he enjoys acting like a father figure.

Character developments and interactions

• Haruka is bold and proactive about pursuing Kai, while also acting as a confidante who helps Mako open up.
• Mako moves from embarrassment to sharing her private feelings, though she remains less confident than Haruka and is left awake with unanswered questions.
• Mio reveals an unexpectedly vulnerable, jealous side: thoughts of Kai and Hiyori unsettle her despite her discipline.
• Chiaki makes a small but meaningful attempt to change how she relates to Kai. His affectionate response reassures her that their familiar “Godfather” dynamic is special, even as she playfully questions it.
• Hiyori shows quiet care for Mio; Ai provides comic, unsolicited coaching.

Significant themes

• The tension between romantic feelings and hesitation: Haruka pushes for action, while Mako and Chiaki struggle to express what they want.
• Jealousy and imagination, as Mio’s assumptions about Kai and Hiyori keep her awake.
• Intimacy through private conversation and familiar forms of address: the girls’ late-night confidences and Chiaki’s attempt to call Kai by a new name both signal changing relationships.