Recaps

Takahashi Ren let Ishida and Toba Shigeru work out the VIP pattern on their own while the Class A strategy continued. Later, Kushida found him alone on the deck, hugged him from behind, and asked him to call her Kushida before she hurried away.

• Takahashi Ren learned that Ishida had asked Katsuragi to identify the VIPs, but Katsuragi had refused and only provided the group rosters through Toba Shigeru.
• Takahashi Ren hinted that the school's phrase “careful adjustment” might point to a pattern in how the VIPs had been selected, and Ishida realized the VIPs were not chosen at random.
• During the second discussion, Class A stuck to its strategy, while Toba Shigeru and Ishida later uncovered the Class A VIP in the Rat Group and Takahashi Ren confirmed their answer.
• Takahashi Ren left the dorm room and went to the deck, where he met Kushida Kikyo walking alone.
• Kushida hugged Takahashi Ren from behind, asked him to call her Kushida, and said she might have acted because she suddenly felt lonely.
• Kushida let go, apologized, and ran off, while Takahashi Ren stayed on the deck before returning to his room.

After the VIP Exam ended, Takahashi Ren and his classmates learned the results and each class’s gains and losses, while Ryuuen revealed that he had identified Class A’s VIPs and threatened to target Class D. Takahashi disembarked with his friends, accepted points from Ishida, and sent Ai Morishita her share.

• Takahashi Ren told Ishida and Toba Shigeru that he knew the Snake Group’s VIP, then watched them struggle to find a pattern in the Rat and Snake Groups’ VIPs.
• Takahashi Ren suggested the Chinese Zodiac groups might follow the gojuon order, and Ishida and Toba Shigeru noticed that the two known VIPs fit the pattern.
• The exam results showed that Ishida and Toba Shigeru had correctly identified the Tiger Group’s VIP, Ai Morishita had concealed her identity in the Sheep Group, and Class C had gained the most points while Class A lost the most.
• Ryuuen showed Horikita his list of Class A VIPs in the Rat, Rooster, and Pig Groups and announced that Class D would be his next target.
• Takahashi Ren disembarked from the cruise, accepted 200,000 points from Ishida, and transferred 250,000 points to Ai Morishita.

Toba Shigeru went to meet Shiraishi, convinced he could win her over, while Ishida signed up at a gym to improve himself. There, Mashima asked Takahashi Ren to discreetly find out about Akiyama, the staff member he had taken an interest in, and promised him a favor in return.

• Toba Shigeru told Takahashi Ren he planned to hint at his feelings for Shiraishi and eventually confess, while Ishida warned him not to get carried away.
• Ishida invited Takahashi Ren to the gym, where he signed up for a membership and began working out.
• Takahashi Ren and Ishida ran into Mashima at the gym, where Mashima introduced them to Akiyama.
• Mashima asked Takahashi Ren to discreetly investigate Akiyama, including whether she had a boyfriend and what she liked.
• Takahashi Ren agreed in exchange for a favor, and Mashima told him Akiyama worked every day except Thursday.

Takahashi Ren encountered Sakayanagi Arisu at Keyaki Mall, where she wished him a happy birthday and questioned him about Kamuro and the VIP Exam. Sakayanagi ended the conversation by using a favor to make Ren take her to a tea shop.

• Sakayanagi stopped Takahashi Ren at the mall and asked him to walk with her alone.
• Sakayanagi wished Ren a happy birthday, revealing that she had learned the date from student records.
• Sakayanagi asked Ren about his contact with Kamuro, and Ren admitted he had lied to her but refused to explain further.
• Sakayanagi suspected Ren had uncovered the VIP pattern and helped Class A lose fewer Class Points, but Ren refused to admit it.
• Sakayanagi said she would make use of Ren after defeating Katsuragi, while Ren agreed only to do what was expected of him.
• Sakayanagi invoked Ren's favor and had him take her to a tea shop he knew.

Toba Shigeru told Ishida and Takahashi Ren that Shiraishi had broken his heart, then changed the subject and suggested they go to karaoke. On the way, the three started a can-kicking contest, celebrated when Takahashi Ren landed the can in a trash bin, and then realized they had forgotten something.

• Toba Shigeru told Ishida and Takahashi Ren that he had been rejected by Shiraishi, and Ishida teased him while showing concern.
• Toba Shigeru avoided explaining what had happened and suggested karaoke instead.
• Toba Shigeru proposed that whoever kicked a discarded can into a trash bin would have the others pay his bill.
• Ishida and Takahashi Ren joined Toba Shigeru in the contest, and Takahashi Ren finally kicked the can into the bin.
• The three headed back together, then Takahashi Ren stopped and asked what they had forgotten.

Takahashi Ren learned that Shiraishi had asked Toba Shigeru for information about him, while Toba speculated that she was interested in Ren. On the way back from karaoke, Toba and Ishida recognized Ren in a deleted forum post about Sakayanagi and teased him as the three headed off together.

• Takahashi Ren sang badly at karaoke, amusing Toba Shigeru and Ishida.
• Toba Shigeru told Takahashi Ren that Shiraishi had asked him about Ren’s interests and hobbies when they met with Nishikawa Ryoko.
• Takahashi Ren thanked Toba Shigeru for keeping quiet and said they should not tell Ishida about the conversation.
• As the three left karaoke, Toba Shigeru mentioned a forum post about Sakayanagi’s shopping-mall date, then noticed that the post had been deleted.
• Toba Shigeru and Ishida recognized Takahashi Ren in the photo, and Ren admitted he had met Sakayanagi by chance.
• Toba Shigeru and Ishida jokingly chased Takahashi Ren down the road.

Takahashi Ren spoke with Akiyama at the gym and met Ichinose Honami, then ran into Ai Morishita and Miki Yamamura on the way back to the dorms. Morishita showed off her new goldfish, while Yamamura's planned love reading was interrupted by an elevator breakdown.

• Takahashi Ren noticed Ichinose Honami running at the gym and later exchanged friendly introductions with her.
• Takahashi Ren chatted with Akiyama about her homemade cookies, food interests, and days off, learning that she was single.
• Takahashi Ren and Ishida left the gym and spotted Ai Morishita and Miki Yamamura on their way back to the dorms.
• Ai Morishita showed Takahashi Ren the goldfish she had bought and declared that it had become part of the Morishita family.
• Ai Morishita revealed that Yamamura had wanted a love reading, but the two had found the fortune teller's building elevator broken down with people trapped inside.

Mashima explained the sports festival rules, team assignments, scoring, penalties, and entry procedures to Class A. The class began discussing the event before heading to meet students from the other years.

• Mashima announced that the second term would include extra PE classes to prepare for the sports festival, and said it would considerably affect every class.
• Mashima assigned Class A and Class D to the red team, opposite Class B and Class C on the white team, and explained the events and scoring rules.
• Mashima clarified that team wins would not earn Class Points, while each class's individual ranking could still cost it points.
• Mashima explained the Personal Point rewards and penalties, the exam-point deduction for the ten lowest-ranking first-years, and the rules for event entries and substitutes.
• Mashima ended the discussion and told the students to meet the other years in the First Gymnasium; Class A students gathered to discuss the festival.

At the sports festival briefing, the red and white teams met to discuss cooperation, but Ryuuen led Class C away rather than negotiate with Class B. Class A and Class D agreed to avoid interfering with each other while keeping their plans private, as Sakayanagi’s growing influence over Class A became apparent.

• Fujimaki told the assembled students that the sports festival mattered and that they should compete with the intention of winning.
• Katsuragi and Hirata agreed that Class A and Class D would cooperate while avoiding disputes.
• Ryuuen rejected Ichinose’s attempt to discuss cooperation and left the gym with Class C.
• Katsuragi warned Horikita and Class D not to underestimate Ryuuen.
• Sakayanagi announced that she would forfeit every event, while Takahashi Ren observed that most of Class A had gathered around her.
• Katsuragi and Hirata agreed to keep class plans private and arrange a later discussion about team events.

Class A approved Katsuragi’s sports festival plan after Sakayanagi voiced her support. Takahashi Ren agreed to pair with Hayato Kito for the three-legged race and considered how a leaked participation roster could affect the competition.

• Katsuragi proposed assigning individual-event competitors by ability and preference, pairing compatible students for the three-legged race, and using lots for luck-based events.
• After the class waited for Sakayanagi’s response, she said Katsuragi’s plan was reasonable, and students began signing up for nominated events.
• Hayato Kito asked Takahashi Ren to partner with him in the three-legged race, and Takahashi Ren agreed.
• Ishida and Toba Shigeru questioned Takahashi Ren about partnering with Kito and discussed the role of athletic ability and luck in the festival.
• Takahashi Ren explained that knowing another class’s participation roster could help predict its results, then decided Sakayanagi had no reason to leak it to frame Katsuragi.

Takahashi Ren reported that the investigation into Miss Akiyama had ended, then discussed the upcoming sports festival with the Light Music Club. Shiraishi invited him to partner with her in the mixed-gender three-legged race, and he agreed while suspecting she had another motive.

• Takahashi Ren told Mr. Mashima that the investigation into Miss Akiyama was settled for the time being.
• Takahashi Ren and the Light Music Club members discussed the joint sports festival and who would enter the all-years relay.
• Shiraishi invited Takahashi Ren to lunch, and Toba Shigeru diverted Yoshida so they could eat together with Nishikawa.
• Nishikawa explained that Shiraishi wanted Takahashi Ren as her partner in the mixed-gender three-legged race, and Takahashi Ren agreed to try.
• Toba Shigeru later described how he and Ishida had kept Yoshida away, then continued to assume Takahashi Ren's agreement meant more than it did.

Katsuragi finalized Class A’s provisional Sports Festival roster using students’ grip strength, running times, and a draw for the Scavenger Hunt. During Three-Legged Race practice, Takahashi Ren worked with Hayato Kito and Shiraishi, while Yoshida watched Ren catch Shiraishi after she stumbled.

• Katsuragi recorded the students’ grip strength and hundred-meter times to help choose participants for strength and running events.
• Takahashi Ren drew the number one slip and was selected for the Scavenger Hunt, while he and Shiraishi were chosen for the mixed-gender Three-Legged Race.
• Takahashi Ren practiced the race with Hayato Kito, and the two gradually matched their pace by adjusting their strides.
• Takahashi Ren practiced with Shiraishi, who stumbled; he caught her and helped her regain her balance.
• Yoshida saw Takahashi Ren catch Shiraishi, walked away, and told himself the contact was only necessary for the event.

Takahashi Ren and his classmates competed in the Sports Festival’s hundred-meter races, while Yoshida won his heat hoping to impress Shiraishi. The Red Team led the initial score tally, 2,110 to 1,891.

• The students began the Sports Festival, and Ishida placed sixth in his hundred-meter heat.
• Yoshida won his heat, but felt crushed when Shiraishi congratulated Takahashi Ren, who had finished third.
• Shiraishi gave Takahashi water and remarked that he could have placed higher with a better start.
• Toba finished third in his heat, while Hirata placed first and Ayanokoji fifth.
• Ai Morishita came last in her race, then seriously blamed Hermes for being assigned commerce duty.
• The Red Team took an early lead with 2,110 points against the White Team’s 1,891.

Takahashi Ren took part in the pole-tipping competition, where Class C’s force overwhelmed the Red Team and Ryuuen secretly used Sudo as a foothold to bring down the pole. The White Team won both rounds, and the chapter ended with Katsuragi and Hirata calming tensions between Class A and Class D.

• Takahashi Ren finished fifth in the hurdles without touching any hurdles.
• Takahashi Ren watched Class C’s Albert overpower the defenders as the White Team won the first round.
• Takahashi Ren charged toward Class B’s pole in the second round while Class C overwhelmed Class D’s defense.
• Albert and two students restrained Sudo, then Ryuuen stepped on him and kicked him, causing the pole to fall and the White Team to win.
• Takahashi Ren noticed the referee had not reacted to Ryuuen’s foul, while Sudo blamed the other students for the loss.
• Katsuragi stopped Class A students from arguing with Sudo, and Hirata and Katsuragi acknowledged that their teams had failed to defend.

After the girls won the ball-toss event, the Red Team faced the White Team in tug-of-war, where Katsuragi struggled to keep Class A united against Sakayanagi’s faction. The Red Team technically won after Ryuuen ordered Class C to release the rope, but his provocation left them unable to enjoy the victory as they prepared for the next event.

• Toba Shigeru reported that the Red Team had won the girls’ ball-toss event, recovering the points the boys had lost.
• Hashimoto challenged Katsuragi’s authority and strategy, but Katsuragi kept Class A focused enough to take their positions for tug-of-war.
• The Red Team won the first round as Class B and Class C pulled with an uncoordinated formation.
• Ryuuen reorganized Class C, and the White Team won the second round with a steadier pull.
• In the third round, Ryuuen ordered Class C to release the rope, making the Red Team fall and securing them a hollow victory.
• Katsuragi stopped Sudo from charging at Ryuuen, and the Red Team returned to Class A’s tent to prepare for the next event.

Takahashi Ren competed in the Sports Festival, where his class lost the Cavalry Battle and he and Shiraishi finished last in the mixed Three-Legged Race. After Shiraishi defended him from Yoshida’s accusations, Takahashi Ren left the tent to follow Yoshida toward the school building.

• Sudo charged ahead after Ryuuen taunted him, lost their one-on-one fight, and Ryuuen’s White Team won the Cavalry Battle.
• Takahashi Ren drew a request for a classmate’s hair clip, borrowed Shiina’s clip, and finished second in the Scavenger Hunt.
• Takahashi Ren and Shiraishi fell during the mixed Three-Legged Race, got up, and finished last.
• Yoshida blamed Takahashi Ren for the loss, but Shiraishi said the fall was her fault and defended Takahashi Ren.
• Yoshida walked toward the school building, and Takahashi Ren followed after Toba Shigeru warned him to be careful.

After the Sports Festival events, Takahashi Ren confronted Yoshida Kenta, who apologized and promised not to take his feelings for Shiraishi out on Ren again. The festival ended with the Red Team winning, while Class 1-B topped the first-year rankings, and the students dispersed for the day.

• Shiraishi told Nishikawa that she had used Yoshida's outburst to help her get closer to Takahashi Ren, but she planned to spend more time winning his trust.
• Takahashi Ren suspected Shiraishi's fall during the race had been unusual and went to the restroom, where he found Yoshida Kenta upset.
• Takahashi Ren acknowledged Yoshida's feelings for Shiraishi, explained why he had kept them private, and warned him not to target Ren again.
• Takahashi Ren spoke with Ai Morishita, who checked whether Yoshida was all right, and the two returned to the field together.
• The Red Team won the Sports Festival, Class 1-B ranked first among first-year classes, and Shibata Hayate received the first-year Most Outstanding Athlete award.
• The closing ceremony ended, and Takahashi Ren headed with the other students toward the classroom as the festival dispersed.

At the Student Council handover, Miyabi Nagumo announced sweeping changes that would concentrate power in the council and promised to overturn the school’s established order. Later, Takahashi Ren had lunch with Shiraishi, Nishikawa, Yoshida, and Kito, while Kito left without sharing anything about himself.

• Manabu Horikita gave a brief farewell address as outgoing Student Council president.
• Miyabi Nagumo became president and announced indefinite terms, the abolition of elections and membership limits, and a plan to remake the school.
• Second-years cheered Nagumo’s speech as the students left the handover ceremony.
• Takahashi Ren went to the cafeteria with Shiraishi, Nishikawa, Yoshida, and Kito for lunch.
• Shiraishi suggested the group share details about their private lives, and she, Nishikawa, Yoshida, and Takahashi Ren each talked about themselves.
• Kito finished his curry and returned to the classroom without discussing his private life.

Takahashi Ren met with Kamuro and learned that Sakayanagi wanted to meet Ayanokoji, then discussed Blindness with Shiina Hiyori at the library. Shiina asked whether he would hate her for helping Ryuuen, and the chapter ended with her saying she still wanted to read with him.

• Kamuro asked Takahashi Ren what he knew about Ayanokoji and said Sakayanagi had told her to bring him to meet her.
• Takahashi Ren told Kamuro that Sakayanagi had never asked him to investigate Ayanokoji, then wondered about Sakayanagi's interest and his growing lie to Kamuro.
• Takahashi Ren met Shiina Hiyori at the library, and they discussed the meaning of the blindness in Blindness.
• Shiina asked Takahashi Ren what he thought of Class C and admitted that she sometimes helped Ryuuen despite disliking his methods.
• Takahashi Ren said he would hate Shiina if she knowingly helped Ryuuen commit violence, and Shiina replied that she would not give him a chance to hate her because she still wanted to read with him.

Mashima explained that next week's eight-subject quiz would determine Class A's Fate-Sharing Partners for the final exams, a special contest called Paper Shuffle. The chapter left the class facing partner-based failure rules and a class-versus-class exam whose questions students would write.

• Mashima announced a hundred-question quiz covering middle school material and explained that its results would determine exam partners.
• Mashima explained that both partners would be expelled if their combined score fell below sixty in any subject or missed the required overall total, expected to be around seven hundred.
• Mashima said students would write the final exam questions for another class, with teachers reviewing them and fifty Class Points at stake for the winning class.
• Katsuragi asked how points would work in direct matchups, and Mashima explained that those contests would temporarily have a hundred Class Points at stake.
• Toba Shigeru questioned whether students could write unfair questions, and Mashima said teachers would reject questions that were outside the syllabus or invalid.
• Mashima told Class A to choose a class to challenge and said he would ask for its decision the day before next week's quiz.

Takahashi Ren discussed the Paper Shuffle pairing rules with Toba Shigeru and Ishida, then reflected on his friendships with several girls after they teased him about having a harem. He dismissed the idea and began preparing the forty questions he had to write for the exam.

• Takahashi Ren explained that scoring slightly lower on the quiz might pair Toba Shigeru with a strong student for the finals.
• Toba Shigeru and Ishida teased Takahashi Ren about being close to several girls and warned him that his relationships could become complicated.
• Takahashi Ren considered his connections with Shiraishi, Kamuro, Morishita, Sakayanagi, Shiina, Kushida, and Yamamura, but rejected the idea that he was building a harem.
• Takahashi Ren began writing exam questions and completed five mathematics questions before leaving the rest for the next day.

Sakayanagi brought Takahashi Ren and Kamuro together to discuss Class A’s leadership and its stance on the final exams. After Katsuragi rejected her offer to lead under her policies, Sakayanagi assigned Kamuro to watch Ayanokoji and continued trying to draw Takahashi into her plans.

• Sakayanagi discussed the final exams and Class A’s choice to challenge Class B with Kamuro and Takahashi Ren.
• Katsuragi and Totsuka arrived, and Katsuragi maintained that challenging Class B had been a mistake.
• Katsuragi stepped down as Class A’s leader, but refused Sakayanagi’s offer to lead under her policies and left with Totsuka.
• Sakayanagi told Kamuro to stop monitoring Katsuragi and instead keep an eye on Ayanokoji.
• Kamuro grabbed Sakayanagi by the collar, but released her after Sakayanagi threatened her with her cane.
• Sakayanagi called Takahashi her right-hand man and implied that Kamuro and Takahashi’s bond would serve her plans.

Takahashi Ren and his classmates dealt with Ryuuen Kakeru’s public accusation against Ichinose Honami, which the school quickly disproved, then sat their final exams. Ren reassured his careless partner Toba Shigeru that they had passed, while Ishida warned that Toba’s lack of urgency could eventually cause trouble.

• Toba Shigeru alerted Takahashi Ren and Ishida to an anonymous-looking letter, signed by Ryuuen Kakeru, accusing Ichinose Honami of illegally collecting points.
• Takahashi Ren dismissed the letter as a nuisance and left, and the school announced the next day that Ichinose had done nothing wrong.
• As December arrived, Mashima began the final exams and told students that each pair needed a combined score of 692, with at least 60 in every subject.
• After the two-day exams, Toba Shigeru said he had scored only around thirty in chemistry because he fell asleep while studying, and Ren assured him they would pass.
• Ishida criticized Toba for neglecting his studies, but Toba offered to buy dinner and left while Ren acknowledged that Toba would only change after facing real trouble.

After the final exams, Takahashi Ren, Ishida, and Toba Shigeru chatted about class rankings, clubs, and Christmas plans. They discussed Class C searching for a strategist in Class D, while Takahashi kept his distance from the matter and planned to spend Christmas performing with the Light Music Club.

• Toba Shigeru and Ishida noted that Class A had beaten Class B by two points and Class D had defeated Class C, leaving Class D only eighty points behind Class C.
• Takahashi Ren asked whether graduating from Class A mattered, and Ishida explained that a tie in the final exam would lead to another special exam.
• Ishida said he had joined the tea ceremony club because his grandfather collected tea sets, while Takahashi said he had joined his club because of a promise to his older brother.
• Toba Shigeru claimed Class C was searching for a hidden strategist in Class D, and Takahashi said he knew nothing about it.
• Takahashi told Toba Shigeru that he would spend Christmas performing with the Light Music Club, while Ishida planned to read.

Takahashi Ren learned that Mashima had no exam answers to sell and heard the teacher worry about his relationship with Miss Akiyama. Ren then tricked Ai Morishita into waiting for Mashima after school, leaving her angry as he suspected someone was talking about him.

• Takahashi Ren glanced at Ai Morishita's legs, and she called him a pervert.
• Ai Morishita told Ren that Mr. Mashima wanted to see him, but Mashima said he had not called for him.
• Mashima asked Ren for advice about moving his relationship with Miss Akiyama forward, while Ren asked whether Mashima could provide old exam content.
• Mashima refused to sell exam content and revealed that the price he had once quoted Ren was made up.
• Ren told Ai that Mashima wanted to see her after school, then left a note on her desk after she found the office empty.
• Ai Morishita crumpled Ren's note in anger, while Ren sneezed and joked that someone was talking about him.