Holy crap, Riko and Kai become an official couple AND we get Takaya's backstory?! I feel so spoiled right now!
Something I want to quickly discuss is that I appreciate how emotional Kai is. The fact that he shows all of his emotions without hesitation is wonderful and makes him an enjoyable character to watch. I can only imagine how generic this story could have been if Fujisawa had decided to make him the stereotypical bad-boy playboy who keeps his emotions to himself. I love how expressive and emotional he is and makes me want to root for him more. I also love how supportive his friends are. I don't know if I've mentioned that before, but if so, don't care.
What I enjoyed about seeing Kai and Riko become a couple is how determined Kai is to make Riko's first date a success. Even when things don't go well, he still acquiesces to her suggestions because he genuinely wants to make her happy. Their first date was funny and heart-warming in the end, and Kai falling down in joy when Riko gives him a good-bye kiss (as chaste as it is) was so damn cute!
And now, on to Takaya's backstory and why Ayumi is still best girl to end all best girls. Learning that Takaya was in love with his sister (not blood related) was interesting because, unlike Riko's love for her teacher, Takaya and Aya actually had a physical relationship. I don't think they had sex, per se, but it was clear that they at least kissed. I'm glad that, similarly to Riko's love for her teacher, Fujisawa treats this relationship with respect and does not dramatize it or condone it. But most of all, I LOVED how Ayumi helped Takaya get over his feelings in such a sweet way. What I love about this is Ayumi has no obligation to help Takaya. Their relationship is fake and only started, partly at least, to clear up Kai's misunderstanding. The fact that she not only agreed to have dinner with Takaya's family, which she was uncomfortable doing, but stuck around to here Takaya's dilemma AND offered to help him get past it speaks volumes of how caring she is towards others. I was aware of her caring nature towards Riko, but to see it extended to Takaya, whom she only ever saw as fodder for her newspaper articles, was truly incredible. She is a magnificent character in a sea of marvelous characters in this series.
Holy crap, I love this series, just so damn much. It makes me so damn happy and I just love it.