Chapter Summaries

Kaguya Shinomiya and Sogo Doma secretly watched Miyuki Shirogane react to their staged appearance together, and Kaguya delighted in his jealousy. She extended the test into lunch break, where Chika Fujiwara misunderstood Miyuki’s request to be left alone and began to respond in an unexpected way.

• Kaguya Shinomiya agreed to Sogo Doma’s suggestion to test Miyuki Shirogane, and Miyuki panicked when he saw them walking together.
• Kaguya Shinomiya and Sogo Doma watched Miyuki through surveillance footage as he awkwardly pretended to be excited about summer and a student council beach outing.
• Kaguya Shinomiya teased Sogo Doma about Miyuki’s excuses, then asked him to extend the test.
• At lunch, Kaguya Shinomiya hid in the student council office while Miyuki sat alone, and Chika Fujiwara offered to help him imagine summer.
• Miyuki Shirogane begged Chika Fujiwara to let him rest, but she said she had received his request, leaving him and Kaguya Shinomiya baffled.

After Miyuki Shirogane’s reaction to Chika Fujiwara in a bikini upset Kaguya Shinomiya, Sogo Doma tried to comfort her with jokes and blunt advice about love. Kaguya discarded her hair ribbon and decided to keep cooperating with Doma as his fiancée, leaving him alarmed by her resolve.

• Chika Fujiwara wore a bikini to cheer up Miyuki Shirogane, who became enthusiastic and discussed summer fashion with her while Kaguya Shinomiya watched in dismay.
• Kaguya Shinomiya fled to the rooftop, and Sogo Doma followed to talk with her.
• Sogo Doma joked about his preferences and urged Kaguya Shinomiya to stop treating love like a war and make the first move.
• Kaguya Shinomiya connected his comment about sunk costs to her own past, removed her hair ribbon, and declared that useless tools should be discarded.
• Kaguya Shinomiya told Sogo Doma that their cooperation would continue and that she would properly play the role of his fiancée, leaving him flustered.

Sogo Doma jumped from a rooftop to retrieve Kaguya Shinomiya’s discarded scarf ribbon while urging her not to let heartbreak erase her happy memories. He survived the fall, but his arrival interrupted Ai Hayasaka as she was surrounded by girls, and he confronted her about their behavior.

• Sogo Doma leapt after Kaguya Shinomiya’s scarf ribbon and tried to persuade her to think carefully about Miyuki Shirogane rather than act impulsively.
• Sogo Doma spotted Ai Hayasaka receiving lap pillows from a group of girls and lost his chance to break his fall on a branch.
• Sogo Doma crashed into the ground, then climbed out of the crater unharmed while the girls recognized him as a member of the Doma Family.
• Ai Hayasaka asked Sogo Doma about the ribbon in his hand, and he scolded the girls for failing to check whether he was injured.
• Ai Hayasaka defended the girls, while Sogo Doma nearly exposed her undercover identity before another girl corrected him.
• Ai Hayasaka realized that Sogo Doma was holding her young mistress’s ribbon and wondered why he had it.

Sogo Doma returned Kaguya Shinomiya’s hair ribbon and tried to persuade her not to dismiss it as useless. He left her still coldly indifferent to their president’s distress and insisting that the ribbon had no value.

• Ai Hayasaka confronted Sogo Doma about having Kaguya Shinomiya’s hair ribbon and tried to follow him when he went to find her.
• Sogo Doma met Kaguya Shinomiya near the rooftop stairs, returned her ribbon, and joked that it suited her despite preferring her long black hair.
• Kaguya Shinomiya said she had thrown the ribbon away because it was a useless tool, and Sogo Doma argued that even seemingly useless things could have a purpose.
• Sogo Doma reminded Kaguya Shinomiya that their president had been upset by rumors about them, but she said his feelings had nothing to do with her.
• Sogo Doma began to question their officer-testing methods, and Kaguya Shinomiya abruptly told him to take them down.

Sogo Doma tried to explain his threats to Kaguya Shinomiya as a promise to send their targets to God for forgiveness, while Ai Hayasaka arrived and misunderstood the situation. Kaguya inferred that Sogo had been badly hurt and took back her scarf, but his comments about her appearance and the president only made her angrier, leaving Hayasaka bewildered.

• Sogo Doma told Kaguya Shinomiya that taking people out meant sending them to God for forgiveness, and Kaguya challenged his reasoning.
• Ai Hayasaka arrived and worried that Kaguya had injured Sogo after he fell from the stairwell.
• Hayasaka pointed out Sogo's damaged clothes, and Kaguya took back her scarf while saying she would reclaim her hair tie.
• Sogo tried to explain that men made mistakes and then commented on Kaguya's appearance, making her furious.
• Hayasaka urged Kaguya not to fall for Sogo's scheme and mentioned the president, but Kaguya told her to shut up too.

Sogo Doma tried to calm Kaguya Shinomiya and steer her back toward forgiving Miyuki Shirogane, using absurd claims about cheating and his own extravagant lifestyle to change her perspective. Kaguya agreed to treat their matchmaking date as a formality, while Sogo hoped she would compare him unfavorably with Miyuki.

• Sogo Doma told Kaguya Shinomiya that people cheated because they would supposedly go blind if they could not see the person they loved, but Kaguya rejected his explanation.
• Sogo Doma suggested that people should imagine a late date had been in a car accident, and Kaguya became less certain about remaining angry.
• Kaguya Shinomiya asked to discuss their matchmaking date, and Sogo Doma said they only needed to satisfy their families without treating it as a real date.
• Sogo Doma explained that he had run away from home but still faced matchmaking arrangements because his father kept finding him partners and had taken his savings.
• Sogo Doma boasted that he spent money extravagantly, hoping Kaguya would compare him with Miyuki Shirogane and recognize Miyuki's strengths.

After Kaguya Shinomiya returned home in a foul mood, Sogo Doma pressured Ai Hayasaka to help protect Kaguya from heartbreak by becoming closer to her. He offered to clear Hayasaka’s undercover-agent past and hinted that the Doma Family could use it to force Gan'an Shinomiya’s cooperation.

• Sogo Doma regretted going along with Kaguya Shinomiya’s test and blamed Chika Fujiwara for the situation.
• Kaguya Shinomiya went home instead of attending the student council, telling Ai Hayasaka she was not in the mood.
• Sogo Doma confronted Ai Hayasaka about her undercover identity and offered her a chance to become a good person.
• Sogo Doma asked Ai Hayasaka to make Kaguya interested in her if Kaguya lost interest in Miyuki Shirogane.
• Sogo Doma promised to help clear Ai Hayasaka’s name and explained that Gan'an Shinomiya had disclosed her identity to the Doma Family.

Sogo Doma reassured Ai Hayasaka that her friendship with Kaguya mattered more than the circumstances that brought them together, but Hayasaka repeatedly misunderstood his intentions. Back at Kaguya’s castle, Kaguya admitted Doma was not entirely bad and asked Hayasaka what an “S” meant.

• Sogo told Hayasaka that the Doma Family had protected her because she was Kaguya’s friend and argued that actions taken under coercion did not make her despicable.
• Hayasaka admitted she saw Kaguya as a friend and promised she would never hurt her, even if someone threatened her.
• Sogo asked Hayasaka to resume her old work and occasionally give him information about Kaguya, but she assumed he wanted help arranging encounters or keeping Shirogane in check.
• At Kaguya’s castle, Kaguya told Hayasaka that Doma was not entirely bad, then called him a hentai after comparing their chests.
• Kaguya asked Hayasaka what an “S” was, explaining that Doma had called himself one.

Sogo Doma arrived at a Fujimi Bunko banquet and traded barbs with Sonoko Machida after accidentally tormenting her with spicy and boiling drinks. He resisted Sonoko and Utaha Kasumigaoka’s plans to make him cross-dress, but Utaha began plotting to do it anyway.

• Ai Hayasaka worried that Sogo Doma’s blunt, provocative personality would keep him from winning over her young lady.
• Sonoko Machida accused Sogo Doma of deliberately giving her chili oil, wasabi milk, and boiling water after she choked on food.
• Sogo Doma defended his bizarre drinks as experiments in human courage, while Utaha Kasumigaoka enjoyed Sonoko’s suffering.
• Sonoko explained that the banquet celebrated the official establishment of the Houbun Division and teased Sogo about attending.
• Utaha suggested Sogo could cross-dress, and Sonoko regretted not making him shop for women’s clothes.
• Sogo declared he would never cross-dress, but Utaha began plotting with Umaru to get him into women’s clothing.

Sogo Doma tried to stop Akane Kosaka from collaborating with the Houbun Division, but his objections sparked a discussion about his position and wealth. The chapter left Sonoko Machida and Akane stunned by his claims about his family fortune and younger brother.

• Akane Kosaka approached Sonoko Machida about doing business with the Houbun Division, and Sogo Doma objected to the collaboration.
• Akane, Sonoko, and Utaha Kasumigaoka challenged Sogo after he seemed to doubt the division’s prospects.
• Akane revealed that Sogo was her boss and that Undying River belonged to the Doma Family, surprising Sonoko.
• Sonoko asked whether Sogo’s position meant she could no longer pressure him for manuscripts, and he teased her about being able to fire her.
• Sogo said he had run away from home to avoid inheriting a fortune worth tens or hundreds of trillions and had left the family business to his younger brother.

Sogo Doma confronted Yamagami about his hair loss, then watched Sonoko Machida and Akane Kosaka negotiate their collaboration. Sonoko ended by daring Akane to put pressure on Sogo, leaving Akane reluctant to challenge him.

• Sogo Doma left Utaha Kasumigaoka to greet Yamagami, whose hairpiece fell off and revealed his severe hair loss.
• Sogo admitted that Yamagami's health medicine had caused the hair loss, while Yamagami complained that he had not been prepared for the consequences.
• Sonoko Machida and Akane Kosaka discussed their collaboration and argued over whether pressure and competition helped creators improve.
• Sonoko named Sogo Doma as the person Akane should pressure, and Akane objected because she was afraid to provoke him.

Sogo Doma tried to comfort Editor-in-Chief Yamagami after Yamagami’s wig came off, but his advice led Yamagami to pull out his remaining hair. Yamagami then presented his baldness as a sign of resolve during a speech, drawing the guests’ attention and leaving Utaha Kasumigaoka curious about his choice.

• Yamagami’s wig came off, and Sogo Doma struggled to hide his laughter while trying to console him.
• Sogo encouraged Yamagami to take pride in the few hairs he still had, but Yamagami pulled them out himself.
• A staff member summoned Yamagami to give his speech, and he claimed he had shaved his head because summer was approaching.
• Yamagami told the audience that shaving his head symbolized starting from scratch in the new Houbun Division.
• Utaha Kasumigaoka asked Sogo to find out why Yamagami had left a few strands behind.

After a dull industry gathering, Utaha Kasumigaoka teased Sogo Doma about his reasons for opposing a collaboration and said she had an idea. During a long weekend, Utaha and Sogo joined Shizuka Hiratsuka and Yukino Yukinoshita on a trip to help with children, though Sogo admitted they had mostly come along for the ride.

• Utaha Kasumigaoka complained that the team-building event was boring and asked whether Sogo Doma had opposed the collaboration because of Umaru or Kato.
• Utaha said Kato was dangerous and told Sogo she had an idea.
• During the long weekend, Sogo and Utaha rode with Shizuka Hiratsuka and Yukino Yukinoshita to help look after children.
• Sogo teased Shizuka about her driving and provoked Yukino with jokes about her appearance and ability to care for children.
• Utaha admitted they had wanted a ride, and Sogo defended their spontaneous trip without knowing their destination.

Sogo Doma and Utaha Kasumigaoka joined Shizuka Hiratsuka’s countryside trip to avoid Umaru’s plan to make Ako confront Megumi Kato, with Sogo pretending he had been forced to help. When another car arrived with more people, Sogo recognized Hayato Hayama among those who had been brought there.

• Utaha Kasumigaoka revealed that their countryside trip was for research, and Shizuka Hiratsuka decided to use her as leverage to make Sogo Doma help with the children.
• Sogo Doma and Utaha Kasumigaoka recalled their plan to use Ako, Mashiro, and Eriri to confront Megumi Kato, and Sogo chose to stay away from the Doma Residence so Umaru would not call on him.
• Shizuka Hiratsuka drove Sogo, Utaha, and Yukino Yukinoshita to the countryside and boasted that he could not escape helping her there.
• A woman arrived with another car, and Shizuka admitted that she had deceived its passengers into coming.
• Sogo Doma recognized Hayato Hayama as one of the passengers, confirming that the teachers had tricked them into coming.

Sogo Doma and Hikigaya were pressured into helping Shizuka Hiratsuka supervise children on a mountain outing. Yukino Yukinoshita then clashed with a blonde former schoolmate who resented the attention Yukino still received after transferring from Sobu High School.

• Shizuka Hiratsuka used the lack of a ride back to make Sogo Doma agree to help supervise the children, while Hikigaya and the others watched.
• Sogo Doma defended Hikigaya’s dead-fish eyes and joked that people with such eyes were usually good, prompting Hikigaya to wonder why he had been brought along.
• Hiratsuka explained that the students only needed to keep an eye on the children as they climbed the mountain.
• A blonde girl arriving by bus taunted Yukino Yukinoshita for traveling in a group, and Yukino answered with cutting remarks.
• The blonde girl grew angry as she recalled how students and teachers still compared her unfavorably with Yukino, even after Yukino transferred away from Sobu High School.

Sogo Doma teased Hikigaya about his dead fish eyes and pressed Yuigahama for information about a silver-haired, naturally curly relative. The exchange ended with Yuigahama seeming pleased to be called Hikigaya’s friend, while Hikigaya denied they were friends.

• Yukinoshita and Utaha verbally overwhelmed a blonde girl and her friends until Hayama and Hiratsuka stepped in.
• Sogo Doma asked Hikigaya whether he knew an older man with silver curls and dead fish eyes.
• When Hikigaya stayed reluctant, Sogo Doma turned to Yuigahama and bluntly called her the big-busted girl.
• Sogo Doma warned Hikigaya not to call him Blondie, joking that he might steal Yuigahama away in front of him.
• Yuigahama said she and Hikki were friends, but Hikigaya immediately denied it.

Sogo Doma cornered Hikigaya and Yuigahama with teasing questions before forcefully declaring that he and Hikigaya were friends. He left them stunned by boasting about his talents and reputation as the “Light of Chiba.”

• Sogo Doma questioned whether Hikigaya and Yuigahama were friends or lovers, then mocked Yuigahama for not seeming like someone who would leave the group to slack off.
• Sogo Doma challenged Hikigaya’s claim that he was not nervous about being cuckolded and dismissed Yuigahama’s uncertainty about Hikigaya’s relatives as proof they were not close.
• Sogo Doma announced that he wanted to be friends with Hikigaya and introduced himself as the Light of Chiba.
• Sogo Doma threatened that a family had disappeared after someone rejected his goodwill, prompting Hikigaya to agree to his friendship.
• Sogo Doma admitted that the threat was a bluff, declared that he and Hikigaya were friends, and bragged about being Tokyo’s top joint entrance-exam student, an all-round athlete, and a musical genius.

Sogo tried to befriend Hachiman by teasing him and Yuigahama, while Hachiman struggled to make sense of Sogo’s twisted jokes and claims. The conversation ended with Sogo hinting that he and Hachiman shared a connection through medicine, prompting Hachiman to urgently stop him from explaining.

• Hachiman claimed he would get rid of anyone who outshone him, and Sogo agreed before proposing befriending such a person and betraying him later.
• Sogo told Hachiman he wanted to be friends with him because of his personality, then repeatedly called him Dead Fish Eyes despite Hachiman asking him to stop.
• Yuigahama laughed at Sogo’s teasing, and Sogo asked whether she wanted to be friends with him because of her figure.
• Sogo defended Yuigahama by declaring that she was still a virgin, leaving both her and Hachiman shocked.
• Sogo said he had meant medical experience, then began to suggest that Hachiman also had medical knowledge before Hachiman stopped him.

Sogo Doma joined Hachiman Hikigaya and the others on a school outing, where Shizuka Hiratsuka assigned them to supervise elementary school students. As the group watched the children, Sogo and Utaha Kasumigaoka called a truce with Yukino Yukinoshita to present a united front in front of outsiders.

• Hachiman Hikigaya was surprised that he had managed to strike up a conversation with Sogo Doma as they approached the main group.
• Shizuka Hiratsuka admitted that she had brought the group along to help, and Yukino Yukinoshita reminded Sogo that he had volunteered too.
• Sogo Doma tried to claim that Hiratsuka owed him a lounge for recovery, but she ordered him to help supervise the children instead.
• Sogo tried to persuade Yukino to join him in getting back at Hiratsuka, but Utaha Kasumigaoka redirected the conversation toward gathering material for work.
• After Sogo insulted Yukino, Utaha proposed a truce so they could present a united front before the outsiders, and Yukino agreed.

Sogo Doma teased Yukino Yukinoshita about her reaction to Hachiman Hikigaya, while Hachiman watched him socialize with Yukino, Utaha Kasumigaoka, and other beautiful girls. Yukino denied being involved with Hachiman or having an ex-boyfriend, but Sogo kept guessing and said he would verify things with Hachiman later.

• Hachiman Hikigaya watched Hayato Hayama and Sogo Doma with their respective groups and envied Sogo’s popularity with beautiful girls.
• Sogo Doma noticed Hachiman and asked Yukino Yukinoshita whether she knew him.
• Yukino said she only remembered Hachiman’s name, but Sogo and Utaha Kasumigaoka pressed her about her changed expression.
• Sogo suggested Hachiman might be Yukino’s scumbag ex-boyfriend and joked that he would ask Hachiman directly.
• Yukino denied ever meeting a scumbag or being abandoned, while Sogo twisted her words into proof that he was not one.
• Sogo continued speculating about why Yukino had reacted to Hachiman and said he would verify her story later.