Yui, Aoki, Iori and Inaba continue reverting to earlier ages, with Iori reverting to a baby. Mihashi confronts Yui again, calling her weakling who broke her promise; they fight and Yui loses, and becomes distraught. Later, she reverts to the moment after a man tried to molest her. When Hisashi comes calling again, Yui tells her off; Aoki tries to help and he and Yui get in a fight. Aoki decides to visit Nana with Taichi to confirm his love. When he returns, he tells Yui she’s the one he loves now. He gets her out of her funk, and she gives Aoki a big hug.
This newest phenomenon continues to stir up past memories, and in Aoki’s case, past feelings of another love. He remembers that after losing a close friend in a car accident, he decided he would live life carefree and have fun so he wouldn’t regret when his end came. Yui, meanwhile, remembers she promised (a very pushy and annoying) Mihashi she’d face her in the national karate tournament, but never followed through. She stopped caring about winning all the time, to the point she now sees herself as worthless, pathetic, and unworthy of love.
Of course, none of that is true, and while Aoki’s pep talk/re-confession is a touch platitudinous, he tells Yui everything she needs to hear in her vulnerable state, and lets her decide to take a chance and embrace life – and Aoki, too. Her tearful, trembling hug with Aoki is a nice touch and represents progress both in their relationship and in her dealing with her fear of men and refusing to lose. But while some good has already come out of this phenomenon, it isn’t something that can be allowed to go on forever, so Taichi needs to be exceedingly careful how he responds to Inaba’s demand to tell her what he knows.
Rating: 8 (Great)
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