転校先の清楚可憐な美少女が、昔男子と思って一緒に遊んだ幼馴染だった件

Just like Second Prettiest last season, these two are just so comfy and natural with each other. Suggesting they walk alongside/parallel to the train tracks is so country-boy of Hayato, but he knows how to get her to calm down after running away (from the actress who's probably her mom) like that. That hicky prank (along with the selfie and her smug smile) was hilarious though. 😛 Haruki not being used to short skirts reminds me of Oguri Cap wearing the Tracen uniform for the first time. 😄

The "tomboy finds wearing skirts awkward" trope couldn't be left out here, though, naturally, Haruki uses it to tease Hayato. It turns out she doesn't live alone by choice; she simply has no contact with her mother because the latter prioritized her acting career, and judging by their different surnames, they don't get along. That’s where the importance of Hayato and Himeko comes in, it’s not just about childhood friends reuniting, but about the connections and roots that shape who Haruki is. Best episode so far.

The "tomboy finds wearing skirts awkward" trope couldn't be left out here, though, naturally, Haruki uses it to tease Hayato. It was just an excuse to have Haruki show off her amazing gams. The camera couldn't get enough of them! It turns out she doesn't live alone by choice; she simply has no contact with her mother because the latter prioritized her acting career, and judging by their different surnames, they don't get along. It does seem like the mom effectively abandoned Haruki because she couldn't deal with her and is focusing on acting. People might not even know she has a daughter and there's no dad in the picture.

I first started really paying attention to how poor it was last episode and now most of watching this show has just become noticing flaws for me. It's not really that bad honestly but it's still bugging me. You can really tell that this show was directed in a specific way to limit animation as opposed to being ambitious and having the animation fall short. Except for a couple of brief shots of feet, I couldn't stop noticing that almost any time there's a scene of people walking it only shows them chest up/only their heads so they don't have to animate legs moving, and the few times it was shown it looked bad . Part of me thinks there's a very specific "our animators are bad at drawing walk cycles" thing.

I get a feeling her mom was already in Tokyo living as an actress even back then. When Hayato and Haruki met she was waiting at a mail box. And then something happened with her dad so she moved to Tokyo to "live with her mom". But her mom just pays for the house and never bothers to visit. Haruki at one point in the episode makes a point of being happy that "some people do keep their promises" referring to Hayato keeping his promise that they'll remain best friends. So I think her mom promised to come home but never did

Is the famous actress Mao Takura Haruki's mom? She looks like an older Haruki and they even have the same eye color. Well this outing to buy Hayato a fun definitely feels more like a date: Haruki's in a cute dress, has makeup on, Hayato gets flustered over it, and they even buy him a phone that matches her! Total couple behavior. Rapper Haruki! Drop us some sick beats! Yeah, I bet Haruki isn't used to wearing a skirt that short, though panning over her very nice legs as she talks about her skirt flying up or people seeing what's underneath is absolutely necessary to the plot. A karaoke booth just for the two of them? How scandalous! Especially when Haruki is just lounging around and Hayato has to be the gentleman who pulls her skirt down without sneaking a peek...even as she's practically trying to seduce him to get out of the little sister zone. And then the busty and cute karaoke employee helpfully comes in with their sweet and to remind them not to get too frisky. Yeaaaahhh...judging by the way Haruki reacts to seeing her, Mao is probably her mom. Also her "messy private life" probably involves Haruki's dad. Though good thing she has Hayato there to be with her, because she's effectively been abandoned at home and is cripplingly lonely over a mother who won't come for her. But at least she has Hayato and Himeko. Himeko is a true girl of culture to be able to admire Haruki's stellar "gams" while she's playing Ring Fit, though she also wants to know how much her brother sees Haruki as a girl...for obvious reasons! No way can Hayato send Haruki home alone in rain...not when she can stay at their place. Even if it means watching her wear his shirt (and JUST his shirt) because Himeko's clothes are too small in the chest area...and being a back for her to cry on as she reflects on how much has changed, while her bond with Hayato is still as tight as ever. Haruki might be really down bad when first thing in the morning she sees Hayato with the Bishonen sparkles and was THIS close to kissing him while he was asleep. But I guess she'll settle for a love bite and flexing it in front of the other girls at school! At least she's got something to bond with them over AND a home with Haruki despite her mischief!

Best episode yet. Haruki looked incredible in her "date" outfit. She's never looked better. Seeing tomboys get all dolled up (skirt, makeup, etc.) always works. I thought her outfit would get more of a reaction out of him though considering this is probably the first time he's seen her in makeup and a skirt that's not their school's uniform. Not mention that she did this all for him. We've had some terrible parents this year. I get being on the grindset and to trying advance your career, but to be such a workaholic that you force your high school aged daughter to live alone with little to no contact from you puts Haruki's mother right up there. There are orphans and childless parents that would kill for the connection her mom is just throwing away. And that's not even including that due her to mom's "torrid love life" she probably doesn't even know her who her father is. At least she has Hayato and Himeko. It was nice to see them able to bond more and for Hayato give Haruki a shoulder to ride out an unexpected cry on when she thinks about how much they've changed. Plus a shirt to sleep in. And sorry Haruki, but I gotta do PHRASING on you. I was happy to see that Haruki hadn't lose her spunk after her cry and gave Hayato hickey when he was sleeping as payback for messing with her. Curious to see where this goes now that they've adopted her and it's clear she's into him.